ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES a division of THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE ANDRESEARCH LIBRARIES a division of THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION A REPORT OF FINDINGS FROM TWELVE IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH ACADEMIC FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS

ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND

RESEARCH LIBRARIES

a division of THE AMERICAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION

A REPORT OF FINDINGS FROM TWELVE IN-DEPTH

INTERVIEWS WITH ACADEMIC FACULTY

AND ADMINISTRATORS AND FOUR FOCUS GROUPS OF UNDERGRADUATE AND

GRADUATE LEVEL COLLEGE STUDENTS

Prepared by KRC RESEARCH

©American Library Association and Association of College and Research Libraries

October 2002

B ACKGROUND AND M ETHODOLOGY

KRC Research is the full-service public opinion and market research firm of Weber Shandwick Our strategic research and analysis clarify situations and issues, anticipate changes and trends, identify and take advantage of opportunities, and solve problems KRC’s research can be used as a guide to develop messages that are important and persuasive to target audiences

The following report is based on the results of twelve in-depth interviews with faculty and adminstrators of college and research institutions and four focus groups of college and university students

Research Objectives

The objectives of this research program were threefold:

 To assess awareness and knowledge of academic and research libraries;

 To explore the attitudes of key internal and external audiences about academic libraries; and,

 To find language that most effectively and uniquely communicates about

academic libraries - but that also fits within the overall communications of your library campaign

Faculty and Adminstrator Interviews

A total of twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with faculty and administrators from college and research institutions The interviews were conducted over the telephone

by a professional research facilitator and were approximately 45 to 60 minutes in length The interviews were conducted between July 31 and September 13, 2002

Six interviews with faculty members and six interviews among administrators of various institutions were conducted The participants represent a mix of types of institutions – public, private, 2-year, and 4-years institutions – and geographic locations The

participants also represent a mix of gender, race and ethnicity, and academic

backgrounds Interviews were secured with participants in the following institutions:

Administrator Interviews:

Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH

Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, IA

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

St Charles Community College, St Peters, MO

Hartnell Community College, Monterey, CA

Faculty Interviews:

Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, MD

Washington State University, Pullman, WA

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO

University of Evansville, Evansville, IL

Northwest Vista College, San Antonio, TX

University of Albany – SUNY, Albany, NY

Student Focus Groups

Additionally, a total of four focus groups were conducted among college and university students The two evenings of focus groups were held on September 10th in Cambridge, Massachusetts and September 12th in Chicago, Illinois Each focus group was

approximately two hours in length, consisted of 8 to 10 participants, and was facilitated

by a professional moderator

The groups were divided into two groups consisting of graduate and undergraduate level students In all four groups, participants represented a mix of gender, race and ethnicity, full and part-time status, public and private institutions, and areas of study A group of undergraduate students and a group of graduate level students was conducted at each of the two locations

Qualitative Methodology

In opinion research, qualitative research (i.e focus groups and interviews) seeks to develop insight and direction rather than quantitatively precise or absolute measures Qualitative research allows us to explore key audiences’ thoughts and concerns in their own words; determine the intensity of their attitudes; and discover the sources of their ideas and opinions

Because of the limited number of respondents and the restrictions of recruiting, this research must be considered in a qualitative frame of reference This study cannot be considered reliable or valid in the statistical sense This type of research is intended to provide knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and opinions about issues and concerns and to inform message development

K EY F INDINGS

 Significant differences exist in both the perceptions and relationship of

undergraduate students, graduate students, and academic and research faculty and administrators towards their libraries

 While nearly all of the participants acknowledge that academic and reseach libraries are important and have value, graduate students, faculty, and administrators are much more connected to and knowledgeable of their institution’s libraries and librarians, and tend to use these resources more often and in a more sophisticated waythan do most undergraduate students

 There appears to be a basic disconnect, perhaps the result of unfamiliarity and intimidation, on the part of undergraduate students towards their libraries and

librarians Implementing mandatory library orientations or placing information literacy classes in their core curriculum could help solve this problem

 Graduate students would also like to have a library orientation program, but one that would be tailored to their specific fields of inquiry Based on the focus groups, it appears that much of the current orientation process is indistinguishable from

undergraduate material and information

 Across audiences, there is a nearly universal attachment to the academic and research library as a physical place, though many worry that it is inevitability

technology that may make the physicality of the library and the librarian obsolete

 Many participants, especially graduate students, faculty and adminstrators, say librarians are the most critical piece of the library experience and critical to guiding them to the resources they want or need

 However, most all of the participants believe that librarians primarily play a support role – finding them the information or resources they need in the most

efficient way They do not tend to see librarians as educated professionals who play

an active role in the academic community Addressing this misperception is a major challenge in future communication campaigns

 Across all audiences, technology is the main and best change most say they have seen and/or will see in the future in college and research libraries However, most participants say that allowing new technology to replace the physical library and resources or the human connection of librarians would be the worst mistake

institutions’ could make in the future

 The messages that resonate best and are most believable across all of the

audiences relate to the role of technology in expanding available resources – “Collegeand research libraries offer you a world of knowledge” and “College and research libraries are using cutting edge technology.” These are also the messages that excite participants most about the future of academic and research libraries

 Participants also tend to like messages that focus on what college and research libraries and librarians have to offer them personally – vast resources, global

connections, and help finding the information they need

 Also, threading campaign messages with statements highlighting the navigational skills and depth of knowledge librarians have of information, services, and resources will help shore up their image as critical professionals in college and research

communities

 Generally, participants across groups tend not to like messages that contain what they see as exaggerated claims about libraries or librarians and those that use

“clichés” or “cheesy” phrases

GENERAL ATTITUDES & USAGE

Significant differences exist in both the perceptions and relationships of undergraduate students, graduate students, and academic and research faculty and administrators

towards their libraries

However, nearly all of the participants acknowledge that academic and reseach libraries are important and have value to their institution and to them personally There is also a nearly universal attachment to the academic and research library as a physical place, though many worry that it is an inevitability that technology may make the physicality of the library obsolete

Many participants, especially graduate students, faculty and adminstrators, say librarians are the most critical piece of the library experience and critical to guiding them to the information and resources they want or need However, these participants characterize the role of librians as a support role and tend not to see librarians as professionals with anactive role in the larger academic community

Undergraduate Students

For undergraduate students, the relationship with academic and research libraries, if it exists at all, appears somewhat tenuous, with a focus on both the social as well as the academic offerings found in the library

When asked in a general sense to discuss the best and worst “facilities, resources, or services” available to them on campus, no one cited their libraries or librarians as

candidates for either category And, when asked specifically about their feelings toward their institution’s libraries, many acknowledge they rarely think about their library and have a difficult time articulating their perceptions

However, most undergraduate students believe their institution’s libraries have value and are important The physical space of the library, which accomodates various activities, and the access to technology and computers are the most important aspects of academic and research libraries to undergraduate students

Many undergraduates acknowledged that the true importance and value of their libraries has yet to be realized in their still formative academic careers They admit that it is nice

to know the library is there for when they do or will need its resources

Frequency of visits varied widely among undergraduates, ranging from every day for some, to a few times a semester when in need of a specific book, to perhaps only being able to recognize the library building while on campus

Several participants in both the Chicago and Cambridge groups use the library solely as places to sleep, read the paper, meet with friends and generally escape Beyond any social or academic pursuit, for several participants the library served the role of a town center where one can check out DVDs, have access to a printer or copy machine, check e-mail, surf the Internet, hang out between or after classes, or locate financial aid forms andscholarship information

“To me it’s more like a meeting place, a place that’s central to campus life.”

“I see it as a connection to other students…going to a common place and finding emotional support.”

Many undergraduates praise their libraries for providing a structured environment

conducive to study Among the positive elements that foster this learning environment are quiet-only sections, late night study sections, group meeting rooms, free Internet access and an abundance of computer stations

“It gives you a chance to get away, to just hide out in the stacks in the basement.”

“I study in the library most of the time Our library contains several study rooms which are comfortable and good for studying.”

“I always enjoy the fact that there is a lot of space to relax I study like an hour at

a time and than nap 15-20 minutes.”

In terms of using their college or university library in pursuit of books or other academic materials, the usage patterns varied widely Many only go to their libraries when it is their only source for class-related material (textbooks, journal articles on reserve, etc.) Some of the participants use the library as a free source of academic materials that they would be otherwise forced to buy

One factor contributing to this light usage appears to be a heavy reliance on the Internet, which was perceived by many as obviating the need for either hard copies of material or librarians While a few undergraduate students know that library databases are separate and more credible search areas, most are unaware and simply use general Internet

searches

“I will go to the Internet first and then go to the library only if I don’t find what I need Maybe I’ll end up going more after my freshman year.”

The bulk of students use their own institution’s libraries for most of their needs, which are fairly basic Only one or two undergraduates report using a library on another

institution’s campus Interestingly, however, some, especially those in the Chicago group, prefer to go to their local town or county library when conducting academic research The reasons appear to be related more to approachability and familiarity with those institutions than availability of resources

“It just seems easier I’m better able to use it for research…able to find the books

I need.”

“It always takes longer to get books out of my college library.”

Undergraduates are divided on whether their college or university libraries are well organized with easily accessible materials or not For these undergraduates, the most commonly mentioned negative attributes associated with their college or university libraries centered around issues of accessibility It appears many have not received a formal orientation of their institution’s libraries, while others are dissatisfied with the level of orientation they received

“The library at BU is not easy to navigate A first time user will probably leave out of frustration – empty handed.”

“It’s a drag to try and find old newspaper articles on microfilm, it takes hours.”

“It’s hard to find exactly what you are looking for.”

Notably, the shallowness and infrequency of their current usage does not negate in their minds the eventual importance of academic and research libraries For some the value inherent in libraries almost transcends their own specific needs As one student noted:

“A college that has a good library is supposed to be a good school.”

It is important to note that despite their heavy reliance on libraries, as with the

undergraduate students, libraries do not appear to be resources or facilities that are top of mind When asked in a general sense to name the best and worst “facilities, resources, or services” available to them on campus, libraries or librarians are not mentioned

A key area of differentiation between both groups relates to the familiarity and level of comfort demonstrated by graduate students when conducting academic research Based upon these four groups, it appears that it is the level of comfort in conducting research that most heavily determines a participant’s perceptions and expectations of their library

The most striking example of their advanced proficiency is that, unlike most in the undergraduate group, these students interacted with their institution’s libraries both in person and online Additionally, their online use of the library takes place both inside thelibrary itself and remotely from their homes or offices

Among the best and most important attributes cited by graduate students related to their ability to access their libraries online – from their offices or homes This accesibility, according to graduate students, allows them to find what they need in the most flexible way and in shortest amount of time – which is critical to these students.

“What’s great about it is that it’s all electronically accessible.”

“It’s all on-line available through my desktop.”

Most graduate students say the resources and services offered by their institution’s libraries are significant and fulfill most of their needs However, they do report using other college or research libraries somewhat frequently, though not nearly as frequently

as their own In addition to researching their own library’s resources online, many graduate students take advantage of their institution’s membership in region-wide

consortiums in an effort to gain access to specialized materials or unique collections that their institution may not offer

“We will get anything that we don’t have in our own library from another

Perhaps reflective of the institutions from which the participants are affiliated, most in theCambridge groups are effusive in their praise of their library’s hours of operation and general accessibility, while many in the Chicago group voice dissatisfaction

As with the undergraduates, most in the graduate groups have not gone through a formal orientation process or an orientation specifically geared towards their field of inquiry Unlike the undergraduates, however, most graduate students have taken the initiative to discover the myriad of available resources

“As an incoming grad student, the only information about the library at all is printed in a big handout that we get No one ever mentioned even where a library

is and at BU, there are obviously multiple libraries And there is an art library in the college of fine arts and nobody ever said a word So you’re basically on your own.”

Several joke, in fact, that they simply would not be able to complete their courses of study without full knowledge of the library and its resources

Additionally, despite the frequent use of library resources online, graduate students feel strongly that the library should remain a physical space on campus In their view, it is a critical piece of their educational experience and they believe it will be very hard to replace the ability to browse books and references in person Many also believe it is important to have a library space on campus to think, write, and explore new ideas

That said, however, many also say they see a day in the future that library buildings will

be made obsolete by technology They believe this is unfortunate, but somewhat

inevitable A few also note that funding cuts in the future may demand an entirely

computurized library system

Faculty and Adminstrators

Much like graduate students, academic and research faculty and administrators are aware

of the value their institution’s libraries hold from them personally and use the resources and services often

“The library is my starting point for gathering materials.”

According to faculty and administrators, their libraries’ main value is as a repository of information, resources and materials, such as current literature, reference materials, journals and special collections A few also note that the library is a place on campus where you can go to be part of the university and to be with other people who are

pursuing similar interests

“The academic library is immensely important because it serves as a resource and repository of information.”

“The library is a place where you can get away – a tranquil place.”

“The library links students to a community of scholars.”

Faculty and administrators tend to be satisfied with their institution’s libraries and believetheir libraries offer most all of the resources and services they need The only resource that many participants believe needs bolstering is the breadth and scope of journal

articles Although most realize there are budgetary reasons for limited journal

availability, several suggest their library should explore more electronic subscriptions to cut down on cost

While both administrators and faculty use their library and its resources frequently, there are differences in how and how often they use the library Faculty participants use libraryresources both remotely and in-person They use their institution’s library as a resource for conducting research, hunting down specific cites and articles, for inter- and intra-

library loans, or just to browse through the books and journals for ideas or general

learning

Faculty participants report using the library on a consistent basis They typically use the library, either remotely or physically, at least once a week to nearly every day Many saythey access the library on-line remotely somewhat more frequently than going to the library in person, though a few – especially those concentrated in literature and other liberal arts areas – prefer going to the library in person to use hard copies of books and articles

Most faculty participants admit their needs could be met by or take place at other

academic or research libraries, but due to convenience and proximity they typically do not use these other libraries For those who have used another college and research library it seems that this only occurs once or twice a year, because they are seeking a specific resource that their library does not offer or they want to get ideas for resources and materials that their own library can order A few who live or work in major

metropolitan areas, especially those at smaller community colleges, use large public libraries for these activities as well

In contrast, administrators typically access the library on-line remotely from their office much more frequently than they physically visit the library In fact, one or two admit thatthey had not physically visited the library in some time and only go when they really have no electronic option And, on the whole, administrators typically only access the library once every couple of weeks

“I wish every piece of literature was in electronic form – then I could dial-up electronically from my office and access the literature.”

“I can either get it at the library, get it faxed to me, or get it on-line.”

Administrators’ use of their library’s resources is fairly limited as well Looking up specific journal articles is the most frequent use, followed by searching for or checking out books and requesting items through inter-library loan

Additionally, administrators use other college and research libraries even less frequently than faculty, because they feel that their institution’s library provides all of the services that they require

Not surprisingly, faculty and administrators have a much more developed sense of the role libraries play in and the value they add to college and research institutions than do undergraduate or graduate students

“Libraries are beyond valuable – they are essential.”

“They (libraries) are absolutely valuable – they lead people to the right

information.”

However, much like students, most administrators and faculty believe that role is to support faculty and students in their academic endeavors by providing research and reference tools For a few, their library also plays a social or community role - a study center, a media center, or a meeting ground for students A couple of participants also comment, much like the students, that for their university to stay competitive it must have

a competitive library

“For a university to be competitive it needs to have a competitive library.”

“Libraries must have certain journals, online resources, and print books to be highly rated This rating contributes to the university’s overall rating.”

Faculty and administrators are less sure of the role and value that college and research libraries have within the greater community While a few say members of the

community visit their institution’s library occasionally, according to most faculty and administrators, the community at large is not the intended audience for college and research libraries However, one faculty member notes because her school is located in a rural area, and there are few surrounding libraries, their institution’s library was of great value to the larger community - especially to high school students.

Much like students, most faculty and administrators stress the importance of the physical attributes of their institution’s libraries – the books, the quiet space, the ability to browse physical materials to create new thoughts and ideas In fact, several faculty members bring up the importance of the physicality of their library unprompted

“For me, nothing can replace actually holding a book.”

“Students and faculty are becoming too dependent on technology and loosing value for the actual book.”

“If we don’t keep around some of the more traditional stuff, some of the old fashioned training, a bad server or computer crash will bring things to a grinding halt.”

However, despite this strong physical connection, several participants worry that the value of the library’s physical space is decreasing due to advances in technology and the costs of maintaining a library building Administrators, not surprisingly, are the most aware of and sensitive to cost issues, and are more likely to stress the future of

technology in academic and college libraries than are faculty

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Much as with libraries, graduate students have more experience with and a better

understanding of college and research librarians and the role they play However, both undergraduate and graduate students see college and research librarians main role as a support role, helping them locate the materials they need in the most efficient manner

Librarians are often mentioned by graduate students as the best part of the library

experience According to graduate students, librarians are a crucial component of their libraries and to their personal success in locating the resources and materials they need College and research librarians’ value is derived through their knowledge and ability to find relevant material quickly, as well as to suggest other areas of inquiry and related materials that may not be obvious to the student

“The people in the library are so helpful I’ve had experiences where I’ve gone to the library looking for a book and they make suggestions that change my whole way of thinking The library changes people’s lives.”

However, several graduate students noted that while librarians are helpful, their support

or student staff often is not

“The staff that works there has been exceptional They are willing to help you with interlibrary loans or help you find where the articles you are looking for are The student staff, however, is horrible because they are lazy and not

knowledgeable at all.”

In contrast, the perception of librarians among undergraduates is decidedly more mixed While many praise librarians for helping them to locate needed materials, others are morecritical Many participants, several of whom express a basic lack of familiarity with libraries and describe them in terms of being “big” and “overwhelming,” are put off and intimidated by librarians who are often seen as unhelpful, unpleasant and disinterested

Several of these students who recite bad experiences with librarians say they simply either have avoided asking for help since or have not gone back to their library.

“If I can’t find it first on a computer, I’ll go to a librarian It just depends on their mood if they are helpful of not.”

“She just pointed to the books; she was mean.”

“They don’t smile; they’re not very nice.”

In addition to locating materials for students, the primary function of librarians according

to undergraduate students is keeping the libraries clean, organized, and quiet In fact, when asked what their library would be like without librarians, most simply say “messy”

or “chaotic.”

Faculty and Administrators

Overall, faculty and administrators tend to have a broader and more experienced view of college and research librarians and their role on campus than do students Much as graduate students, faculty and administrators believe librarians are integral to the

functioning and value of their library

“Reference librarians are valuable because they are trained in how to organize information and because they can function as liaisons to different departments because of their academic specialties.”

“How would the library function without the good judgement, professionalism, and efforts of the librarians?”

Much like students, most faculty and administrators believe these librarians

predominantly play a support role – helping students and faculty find the materials, resources and information they need in their academic pursuits Most say their librarians

are very knowledgeable and professional and assist faculty and students in finding

“otherwise hidden information.”

Notably, the few that cite experiences with librarians who are very involved in the

campus, are faculty members, curriculum collaborators, or those who assist with the teaching of students These groups are more likely to view college and research librarians

as professionals who are part of the broader learning and teaching community

“Our librarians see themselves as partners in the educational process.”

“They wear two hats One the one hand librarians ought to be seen as part of the faculty but one the other hand they serve a support role.”

CHANGE

Across all audiences, technology is the main and best changes most say they have seen and/or will see in the future in college and research libraries

However, most participants also say they do not want increased technology at the

expense of the physical library and resources or the human connection of librarians

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Across the student groups, the trend toward greater online accessibility, currently in wide use among graduate students, is perceived to be the most dominate change sweeping college and research libraries

Specifically, participants cite the ability to conduct research, order books, and

communicate with library staff electronically Other changes include more computers, better search and locator software and databases, and expanded DVD and other media technologies

In the future, graduate and undergraduate students want their libraries’ to implement easier remote access to library resources and materials and offer access to a broader range

of on-line materials and resources In the physical library, students want electronic checkout options and more computer terminals that offer Internet connections

self-Some also put a better-trained library staff and more friendly and proactive librarians on their wish for the future Notably, while they focus first on technology, many students also quickly assert that these changes should not occur at the expense of human contact, physical buildings, or hard copies of material

They believe librarians, books, magazines, meeting and quiet study rooms will remain critical the role libraries play on campus and getting rid of these aspects would be the worst change they could imagine

Faculty and Administrators

Faculty and administrators also cite technological advances as the main change they havewitnessed in college and research libraries As noted earlier, the remote online search databases and inter-library loan are the best and most helpful changes according to these participants

However, much like students, faculty and administrators point out the “double-edged sword” of technology They worry that the focus on increased technology will eventuallymean the loss of the physical library building and resources, which is the worst change they could imagine While most everyone supports the shift to electronic access, almost all of the administrators and faculty want their libraries to strike a balance between technology and “tradition” in the future

Looking to the future, faculty and administrators say the best technology changes that their libraries could make are increased remote online access to materials and resources and increased number of journal subscriptions (both hardcopy and electronically)

Additionally, they also say they would like the books and articles they order through inter-library loan delivered to their offices.

Several participants also focus on students and student education when discussing future changes They believe their institutions' librarians need to reach out more to students in the future and do a better job of educating these students about the ways the library can support and enhance their educational experiences Specifically, they suggest better integration of technology education into library education (and vice versa) and implement(or increasing) library education courses, possibly even making them part of the core curriculum

Others suggest creating a more proactive role for librarians in future They suggest librarians should more proactively acquire materials or resources faculty and students need for research and classes, educate students, faculty and other uses about “informationliteracy,” play a more prominent role in campus life and activities, and make more of an effort to bring students into the library

“Librarians need to meet these students at least half way and they are not doing that now – they sit behind the counter and wait.”

“I would like to see them (librarians) play more of a leadership role in the

university.”

MESSAGES

Across all of the external audiences, the messages that resonate best and are most

believeable relate to the role of technology in expanding available resources – “College and research libraries offer you a world of knowledge” and “College and research

libraries are using cutting edge technology.” These are also the messages that excite participants most about the future of academic and research libraries

Participants also tend to like messages that focus on what college and research libraries

and librarians have to offer them personally – vast resources, global connections, and help finding the information they need.

They tend not to like messages that contain what they see as exaggerated claims about libraries or librarians and those that use “clichés” or “cheesy” phrases

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

The messages that resonate best and are most believeable among both graduate and undergraduate students relate to the role of technology in expanding available resources –

“College and research libraries offer you a world of knowledge” and “College and

research libraries are using cutting edge technology.” While undergraduates interpret these messages largely through the general prism of the Internet, graduate students tend

to cite more specific examples of how this expansion was taking place

“They offer journal articles from other countries like Germany.”

“E-Journals and databases.”

“Online journals.”

Many students like the language that libraries “put information from around the world in your hands.” They believe this is true and an important aspect of their college careers Others, especially graduate students, also like the balance of “traditional resources” and online resources noted in the “cutting edge technology” message

While both undergraduate and graduate students tend to agree that college and research librarians are “knowledge navigators” and that it is an important message about

librarians, several students noted that librarians were leading students to information, not knowledge Knowlegde, in their view, is what they get from the information they get or from their professors – not directly from librarians Generally, most believe this message

is a “bit over the top.”

“They point you to the things you need, but they don’t light the way to new

discoveries.”

“Facilitators of research, not really contributors.”

“Wouldn’t go this far! They help students get what they want.”

TRUE Undergrad

TRUE Grad/Ph.D

FALSE Undergrad

FALSE Grad/Ph.D

College and research libraries offer you

a world of knowledge They can connect

you to information and resources around

the world Today’s college and research

libraries use technology to put

information from around the world in

your hands

College and research libraries are using

cutting edge technology In addition to

traditional materials and archives,

today’s college and research libraries

offer wide-ranging resources on-line

making knowledge more accessible than

ever

College and research librarians are

central to a learning community

College and research librarians are

active partners in educating students,

offering new perspectives, developing

new curricula, and contributing to

groundbreaking research projects

College and research librarians are

knowledge navigators – pointing you

toward the information you need,

leading the technological evolution on

campus, sharing new information and

research, and lighting the way to new

discoveries

What’s happening at the campus library?

On a typical day at 3 o’clock, a class is

meeting in the multi-media room,

another class is meeting in special

collections to examine original

manuscripts, a campus club is starting in

the meeting rooms, seniors are preparing

for on-campus interviews, and students

are searching library databases for

information for their assignments

College and research libraries are a

place of opportunity Campus libraries

offer access to wide-ranging research

and resources, new learning experiences,

multi-media materials and technology,

cultural and historical archives, and

music and art collections for everyone to

use and enjoy

College and research libraries are

dynamic places You can share

information or create new knowledge,

read books or listen to music,

collaborate with other scholars, explore

new technologies or experience new

cultures and perspectives

The biggest divergence between undergraduate and graduate students concerns the role oflibrarians as central and active partners in the learning community While graduate students perceive librarians as a key component to a student’s overall success and believethat it is and important message to communicate, undergraduates did not really believe this message and see the role of librarians as much more limited

“They just show you where the book is; they don’t know anything.”

“This may be the ideal, however, I feel that librarians probably are not part of the curriculum department or initiating research projects.”

As so many students focused on librarians helping them “find” or “search”

for items, the message below was created and tested only in the last group

of graduate students:

“College and research libraries are the ultimate search engines

They help you find what you need, when you need it, and they may

help you find something you didn’t expect.”

Nearly all of the graduate students in this group agree that this statement is even a more accurate description of the important role librarians play for them personally

“In some cases it’s true Sometimes you go in there and they will just tell you what you need and stop right there But other times they actually look the

information up for you…they will look it up and even print it out for you.”

“Some will even give you alternatives.”

Undergraduates, however, are more apt to see their libraries as places of opportunity “for everyone to use and enjoy.” Several connect their own experiences using media

materials, computers and the Internet to this message Additionally, the undergraduates’ who are attending smaller or community colleges are especially drawn to this message (This is especially true of the Chicago group, where many of the participants were

commuters.)

Both graduate and undergraduate students tend to feel fairly neutral about the “What’s happening at the library?” message While many believe it is true, students at smaller institutions or community colleges say their libraries do not offer all of these activities Additionally, many students say this is not a particularly important or unique message to communicate about college and research libraries

Likewise, the message that “college and research libraries are dynamic places” rings true for many students, but is not a message that would necessarily excite them or catch their attention They do like the assertion that you can experience new technologies and new cultures and perspectives, but say that collaborating with scholars and creating new knowledge is stretching the truth.

Faculty and Administrators

Importantly, like students, faculty and administrators believe the most important and exciting messages to communicate relate to the role of technology in today’s libraries -

“College and research libraries offer you a world of knowledge” and “College and

research libraries are using cutting edge technology.”

“The library will only survive if it learns to adapt to the technological

revolution.”

The technology messages stand out to faculty and administrators because they work at dispelling the notion that a college or research library is just a place filled with books Also, much like students, many faculty and administrators like the reference to access to global materials and resources Their only caution is to keep the focus balanced between the traditional physical resources in the library as well as the new technologies There is also some acknowledgement that institutions that cannot afford a lot of “cutting edge technology” may not be able to use these messages as effectively They also want to avoid clichés

Faculty and administrators also tend to like the idea of the “place of opportunity”

message, although it is not a top favorite, but believe it would need to be “tweaked” to better fit a range of institutions Many point out that not all institutions have such vast collections and access to new technologies Others like the focus on the range of

resources that college and research libraries have to offer faculty and students

Faculty and administrators have mixed feelings about the messages focused on librarians.Many tend to believe the “librarians are central to a learning community” and “librarians point you toward the information you need” language and would like to see it worked into the technology messages They want to see any messaging reflect the professional value that librarians bring to the institution and challenge old stereotypes of librarians

“Librarians are professional experts at information retrieval.”

“If scholars were on their own without the assistance of librarians life would be very inefficient – like trying to learn software without a manual.”

However, most believe the rest of this message goes too far, especially the references to

“groundbreaking research” and “developing new curricula.” These participants believe that most librarians do not take part in these activities and it simply would not be

believable to most people Additionally, they want to avoid clichés such as “knowledge navigators” and “lighting the way to new discoveries.”

Also garnering mixed reactions is the message that “libraries are dynamic places.” Some like this message because it fairly accurately describes what goes on in their own

libraries

“A library that is functioning correctly ought to be a central part in learning.”

However, others echo the students and say this message inaccurate, pointing to

“collaborating with other scholars” and “creating new knowledge.” A few also say it is similar to the “place of opportunity” message but slightly less effective and more

“jargony.”

Finally, the “What’s happening at the library?” message, while mostly perceived it to be generally accurate, did not excite these participants A few also note that they do not necessarily want to see this much activity and socializing in the library, as it is a quiet

space for research and studying Others comment that they would like to see their

libraries this active in the future

“This seems to be a library that is overextending itself.”

“You cannot preserve the sanctity of the space if there are too many activities going on.”

“The idea of a vibrant library is very appealing to me.”

APPENDIX I:

FACULTY AND ADMINSTRATOR

DISCUSSION GUIDE