Reviewed by Eileen Hackett

Abstract

Since 1983 the Phoenix Public Library has had a Special Needs Center for patrons with disabilities, their families, and professionals working in the disabilities field. The center serves people with all types of disabilities and has earned an excellent reputation for service to the community. When the library planned to move to a new facility, the staff decided to conduct a needs assessment of the center by surveying its users. Surveys were distributed to the staff, disabled patrons, homebound patrons, and professionals who use the center. Surveys to patrons were issued in standard print, large print, and Braille. Responses were also taken by telephone. The rate of return was good, and the purposes of the needs assessment were fulfilled including making long range planning goals, finding areas needing improvement, and getting information needed to prepare grants. The survey also reaffirmed the staffıs commitment to serving the disabled community.

Methodology

Surveys were used as the methodology for this needs assessment project. Staff received two surveys, with the first one being open-ended, and the second being close-ended. As stated in the abstract, the survey for patrons was issued in standard print, large print and Braille. Since the survey designers knew that many Braille users are reluctant to respond to open-ended questions, they were encouraged to respond by telephone, or in Braille. Specifics were not mentioned on the survey given to the professionals. One problem encountered was in trying to find patrons and professionals who had moved, but this then made updating the centerıs mailing list a priority. The lowest rate of return was from patrons coming into the center, but their answers were thoughtful and proved to be very helpful with the project. The highest rate of return among patrons came from the homebound at 41%. This proved to the staff how important their services are to people who cannot come to the center but do utilize its services.

Critique

This was a useful and encouraging article about services for patrons with disabilities. The staff at the Phoenix Public Library felt their Special Needs Center was a valuable asset to the community, and survey results proved that. Many patrons learned more about the centerıs services just through taking the survey. The needs assessment project had a genuine purpose and goals were reached. My one criticism of the article is that more information about actual questions on the various surveys was not given. This was particularly true of the survey given to the professionals.

Reviewed by Christine Bird

Summary

Kush and Watkins examined the consistency of elementary school student attitudes toward academic and recreational reading over a three-year period in order to pinpoint "developmental trends in attitudes toward reading" both as a group and by gender. They found that overall, dispositions related to both kinds of reading dropped substantially in three years, although females showed more stability in attitudes over time and generally had more positive feelings about reading than males.

Methodology

Three hundred nineteen students in grades 1-4 were given the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey, a questionnaire which uses pictures to show how they feel about different kinds of reading (pleasure reading, in-class reading, reading workbooks, etc.), by their classroom teachers. The test was administered again in the same manner three years later to the 190 original students that remained in the school system and scored according to the standardized instructions.

Critique

The study has a solid methodology. It uses a well-known research tool, ERAS, that has been proven to measure what it is supposed to measure. Additionally, the ERAS is appropriate for children through the sixth grade, making it suitable for all of the age groups in this study even though three school years pass between the first testing and the second. The one potentially questionable part of the study is that in the final sample, the number of females (107) is greater than the number of males (83). Even though the difference is small and is certainly out of the researchers' control, it seems that any gender-based comparisons would be somewhat skewed.

Reviewed by Eileen Dunnack

Abstract

This study was an attempt to define what constitutes an effective library. Up until this study, library effectiveness was measured to a large degree by output measures. The study discusses four models of effectiveness, and opined that output measures are only one possible means to measure an effective library. Seven distinct constituent groups received a questionnaire, and were asked to rate the importance of 61 indicators. The study found that groups were quite similar. There were the same six indicators that scored in the top nine in each of the seven constituent groups. From this, the authors developed dimensions of effectiveness, using the respondentsı preferences on indicators. The conclusion was, more work needs to be done in this area. The six indicators that were in the top nine of each of the constituent groups are not yet matched in practice by a means to measure that indicator. The dimensions and indicators must be validated, dimensions must be ranked, and a way to measure each dimension must be developed.

Methodology

The authors reviewed library literature for items that might indicate effectiveness in libraries. After this, interviews were held with library staff, city officials, trustees and users from both the East and West Coast. The indicators developed were eventually compressed into only 61 indicators, such as convenience of hours and materials quality.

A random sample of public libraries was drawn from throughout the United States. All libraries had to be above the 25,000-service population. A total of 84 libraries participated in the study. Seven constituent groups were chosen in each library. The seven constituent groups consisted of, Library Managers, Trustees of the library, users, community leaders, local officials, Friends of the Library, and library service staff.

A questionnaire was mailed to 2689 members of the constituent groups asking them to rate 61 indicators on a scale of one to five, unimportant to important. The response rate was 89.8% overall. Finally the returns were tabulated for each constituent group, and then compared to each other.

Comments

This study was the first one I reviewed that showed a starting point for further research. The authors were paving the way for a new, and hopefully better, way to evaluate library effectiveness. Because this was so newly explored, no real conclusions could be drawn. It showed me as a student that a research project might not be for the purpose of drawing any earth-shattering conclusions, but simply to be a catalyst and provide direction for further research projects.

Reviewed by Mona Panaitisor

The emerging society is a technologically based service economy with a work force dominated by highly professionalized groups whose elite status is based on their possession, manipulation, and application of specialized knowledge. The industrial revolution is surpassed by a knowledge revolution. The information could be available not only to those who know, but also to those who know " how to get it".

Librarianship will be part of the " personal professions": less substantive, more technique oriented, especially with regard to developing interpersonal skills and methods of transfering knowledge. Its ideal is that the client grows or changes so that in the future the client can handle the problem, on his or her own.

Propositions:

1. librarianship must adhere to its practice of encouraging the client to become knowledge self-sufficient;
2. librarians should approach other occupational groups concerned with the organization and dissemination of information as allies.

Reviewed by Paige Collins

Abstract

Through a detailed review of the literature addressing the information seeking behavior of scientists, typical behavior is identified and explained, and suggestions for improving service to this group are given. The most common methods used by scientists to gather information are informal communication, personal collections, and references attached to other useful information. Time constraints, accessibility, convenience, and comfort repeatedly appear as the major determinants of preferred information seeking methods. It is suggested that information specialists should shift to a user-centered approach, learning about the researcher and the researchersí information needs within the context of the research problem, and then modify or create library services to address those needs. Examples are abundant in the literature, with knowledge organization, education, document delivery, reference services, and the design of products and user services (especially technological services) cited as potential areas of change.

Comments

The article identifies the typical information gathering methods of scientists, which are already very well documented in existing literature. The significant suggestion this article makes is to learn about the information user (the scientist) and the userís needs in the context of the problem being researched, and then offer services which work in harmony between these needs and the known typical search behaviors of scientists. The strength of this article comes from bringing together these two ideas and providing examples to illustrate successful strategies.

The idea being presented is important and relevant; it addresses a very real need within the scientific community and offers suggestions on how it might be achieved. Unfortunately, the suggestions are not developed in much detail, and subsequently may leave the reader wondering how to implement this great new plan.

Reviewed by Carol Downs

Abstract

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions held by a sample group of eighth-grade students regarding their use of technology, particularly the World Wide Web. In discussing conclusions, the researcher identifies professional development areas to be addressed in teaching information searching and retrieval skills. The first area concerns assessment of studentsı self-confidence in use of the Internet and the application of knowledge of cognitive and affective development to facilitate learning. The second area addresses the need for technology training for school staff. The final area involves consideration of the different kinds of reading students necessarily use in accessing Internet resources.

Methodology

Watson employed phenomenological inquiry in eliciting studentsı responses to a single predetermined umbrella question, following with two further structured questions as necessary. Additional questions were asked only as probes.

The nine eighth-grade student interviewees in the study came from a single school in a district with four yearsı participation in a state technology initiative. Each student had been in the district for all four years of the classroom technology program.

Interviews were conducted in a room located within the school library media center. The interviews constituted the first meeting between researcher and student. Interview sessions were tape recorded.

In responding to the data resulting from the transcribed interviews, Watson selected excerpts describing studentsı thoughts and actions as opposed to philosophical statements about their Internet activities in order to form a key narrative. Content was also analyzed across stories, resulting in two categories of studentsı personal attributes and skills related to their use of technology.

The methodology employed here could also be applied to other LIS/IT studies. One possibility would be a study of the perceived experiences of school library media specialists in collaborative instruction with classroom teachers. Another possible study might involve the perceptions of administrators concerning the role of the school library media specialist in overall curriculum development.

Comments

Watsonıs explication of the research methodology and analysis employed in this study is extensive. An interesting facet of the study itself is its exemplification of research which does not spring from an initial hypothesis.

As qualitative research, the study focuses on participantsı experiences and is subjective in nature. The value of the data collected may be affected by the participantsı abilities to express themselves effectively.

Watson notes two limitations in discussion of the studyıs methodology. The first involves the selection from a single school of a sample which may not be representative of other students participating in the state technology program. It is also noted that studentsı academic achievement and socioeconomic status were not addressed in the survey. Watson further states that studentsı remarks about their experiences were not verified, and suggests that a follow up study might incorporate both observation of studentsı search strategies and analysis of Web-based student work as additional sources of data.

As I read, I also noted the limited size of the nine student sample. Watson remarks that one studentıs interview was not used, which further restricts the base of analyzed responses. A broader participant base might have yielded other relevant information.

As previously noted, Watson stated that follow up interview questions were asked as necessary. From this statement it can be inferred that questioning was not necessarily consistent across all interviews, leading to consideration of whether consistency in this area might not also have elicited additional pertinent data.

Reviewed by Beth Crowley

Abstract

In their article, Whalen and Wynn suggest that the effective role primary social services, i.e. local community programs and activities such as the YMCA , sports teams, Girl Scouts, play in the development of youth can be further enhanced by integrating these services into a cohesive infrastructure of youth and family services. Whalen and Wynn state that according to research, primary social services share commonalties that identify them as a community sector. These are voluntariness, youth development outlook, intentionality, flexibility and connectedness. These traits distinguish primary services from those provided by schools, child welfare, mental health or juvenile justice systems whose restrictive bureaucratic structures often run counterproductive to adolescent needs and aspirations. Whalen and Wynn suggest that at their best, primary services can provide youth with alternative environments that are more responsive to their interests and needs and may help to foster key youth outcomes such as self-discipline, emotional resiliency, and intrinsic motivation. However, Whalen and Wynn report that primary services are often viewed as little more than clusters of individual recreational and leisure activities. The providers of these services go about their work with little understanding of their role in youth development or the commonalties they share with other primary service providers. Whalen and Wynn theorize that the expanded resources and knowledge base that would result from bringing primary service providers together would allow these services to more effectively meet a wider range of interests and needs. They outline one approach to achieving this type of infrastructure. Further areas of research suggested by the authors include: in-depth descriptive research into the day-to-day realities of participation and practice of youth services, a study of highly regarded youth programs to determine distinguishing characteristics, and an examination of patterns of youth participation such as who participates and why.