Library and Information Science Commons^™

Academic Library Resources And Services For Online Distance Learners: An Exploratory Study, Roseanne Michele Sasso

Doctoral Dissertations

In this study distance learning library resources and services as provided by member institutions belonging to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) were examined. The goals of this study were (a) to identify the types of distance learning library resources and services being provided, and (b) to gain insight into the experiences and perspectives of Association of Research Libraries’ library personnel in delivering library resources and services to their distance learning library patrons. This exploratory study consisted of two phases, where both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Phase one involved a content analysis of member institution’s distance learning websites …

The Essence Of The Library At A Public Research University As Seen Through Key Constituents’ Lived Experiences, George Joseph Fowler

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

“The library is the heart of the university” is an oft-repeated metaphor used to describe the role or centrality of the library. The implication is that the library is central to the university’s teaching, research, and service mission. This concept, though previously generally accepted without authoritative proof, is facing numerous challenges to its validity. There has been considerable research and talk about how to make the library central, again. Much has been focused on what to do, rather than why.

As John Budd stated in 1995, “grounded study of the use of libraries, say, or of the transmission of information …

An Analysis Of The Current Strength Of The Academic Relationship With The Aerospace Industry, James A. Stratton

Open Access Dissertations

The objective of this research was to discover which methods of technology transfer were most commonly accessed within the Indiana manufacturing sector in an effort to best serve companies in the Hoosier State. Previous work has explored the perceived importance of various academic sources, but there has not been an investigation to identify the specific preferences of industry professionals. If these preferences can be identified, university assistance programs and other academic engagement programs will be able to predict, and hopefully influence how to grow and develop the domestic manufacturing sector, ultimately strengthening the channels of knowledge transfer between academia and …

Information Literacy In The First Year Of Higher Education: Faculty Expectations And Student Practices, Meredith Esther Michaud

Dissertations and Theses

Information literacy is widely acknowledged as important for student success in higher education. Information literacy is the ability to sort through a large amount of available information, decide what is useful and believable, and apply it in an effective and ethical way. Faculty members have expectations regarding information literacy for students in the first year of college, while students have information literacy practices that may or may not match those expectations. In my study, I examined the alignment of faculty member information literacy expectations and student information literacy practices, focusing on freshman students and faculty members who teach freshman students …

Adult Learners And Technology: Understanding The Digital Divide In Developmental Writing Courses, Carleta Laneese Aikens-Alston

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigated computer literacy of nontraditional and traditional adult learners in a two-year community college. The study included 276 participants enrolled in developmental writing courses. Participants were administered a computer literacy survey and demographic form to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Mixed methodology and convergent design, in particular, were used to analyses data. Quantitative analysis was used to determine correlations between three constructs: computer literacy scores, age, and performance. Qualitative analysis was used to determine attitudes about receiving supplemental technology training based on the three constructs. Computer literacy score and age did show a significant inverse correlation. In addition, …

Minority Librarians In Higher Education: A Critical Race Theory Analysis, Kelli Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The library profession as a whole is predominantly white with a large discrepancy between the percentage of minorities in the United States in general and the percentage of professional librarians who are minorities. Despite past recruitment efforts, there remains a dearth of minority librarians in higher education and the reasons for this remain unclear. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate minority librarian experiences in higher education and their perceptions of supports and barriers encountered in becoming and being professional librarians. Five themes emerged from the data. The first theme pertained to the spirit of service and activism …

Public Librarian Perceptions : Use Of And Preparedness To Perform Cilf Competencies, Nan Carmack

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

This study surveyed public librarians from American Library Association accredited library and information science programs to ascertain their perceptions regarding their usage of the Online Computer Library Center’s 2015 Competency Index for the Library Field in identifying discrete activities in which librarians engage. The study sought to determine if competency use and feelings of preparedness were affected by the independent variables of type of school attended (traditional or iSchool) and type of library job (youth services, reference, collection management, and administrative). While the interaction of school and job is not significant in reporting perceptions of preparedness, those attending iSchools reported …