1
Using Academic Libraries and/or Using the Web
The four studies described below were released in 2002. Among other reported findings,
each of them covers both student use of the Web and student use of the campus library.
The first two imply that the latter is drastically reduced because of the former. That
implication seems logical because the library was once the only information resource
available on campus. In recent years, however, much information has been made
available over the Internet and can be accessed at one’s desk. On the surface, the library
seems to be no longer necessary to students.
In truth, however, what has happened is not simply a reduction in the use of the campus
library but a change in what resource libraries provide and where they are used. The
Digital Library Federation study described below shows that that students often use
online resources through the library’s website. Most of the periodicals and databases
found there are NOT available for free on the Web. Libraries pay for licenses to this
material so that library users can access them online. When they do so they are using the
library virtually even if they do not go there physically. The last two studies describe that
virtual use in detail.
2
Sponsor:
Pew Charitable Trusts
Pew Internet & American Life Project
Title:
The Internet Goes to College: How students are living in the future with
today’s technology
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/pdfs/PIP_College_Report.pdf
Purpose:
The goal of this study was to learn about the Internet’s impact on college
students’ daily lives, and to determine the impact of that use on their
academic and social routines
Done by:
University of Illinois at Chicago
Method:
Paper surveys were randomly distributed to undergraduate and graduate
students in degree seeking programs at 27 institution of higher education
across the U.S. including two-year and four-year, public and private.
Respondents: 2,054
Results related to libraries: The survey covered a broad range of topics as indicated by
the title. Of the 22 items covered in the “Summary of Findings” only one
related to the library: “Nearly three-quarters (73%) of college students say
they use the Internet more than the library, while only 9% said they use
the library more than the Internet for information searching.”
Putting this in context: Unlike the Digital Library Federation study (see below), the
Pew study did not distinguish use of the physical library from use of
online resources made available by that library. It seems likely that this
percentage would change if both physical and virtual uses of the library
were considered.
3
Sponsor:
McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. (Canada)
Title:
Technology and Student Success in Higher Education: A Research Study
on Faculty Perceptions of Technology and Student Success
http://www.mcgrawhill.ca/highereducation/administrators/research.php
Purpose:
To provide the higher education community with a better understanding of
the use of technology in colleges and universities and its impact on
students success.
Done by:
Campbell, Michner, and Lee
Method:
Online survey of college and university faculty
Respondents: 1,189 Canadians, 683 Americans (8% of those invited to respond in both
cases)
Results related to libraries: When respondents were asked to rate the relative
importance of nine different “campus resources” as to effectiveness in
encouraging students success, “library services” came second with “access
to computer technology” in first place.
Putting this in context: These results make sense given the multiple use of computer
technology. However, it must be noted that this is an opinion survey, not
a study that measured actual students success. Also, the sample was not
randomly selected.
4
Sponsor:
Digital Library Federation
Title:
Dimensions and Use of the Scholarly Information Environment:
Introduction to a Data Set
http://www.clir.org/pubs/abstract/pub110abst.html
Purpose:
The primary goal of the study was to collect data on the relevance of
existing and possible future services as well as on student and faculty
perceptions of the library’s value in the context of the scholarly
information environment.
Method:
Telephone interviews (30-60 minutes)
Done by:
Outsell, Inc.
Respondents: 3,234 faculty and students (both graduate and undergraduate) at almost
400 public and private institutions of varying sizes.
Results related to libraries: Describes the use of information resources in different
formats by three groups in the academic community – faculty, graduate
students, and undergraduate students – for three different but related
activities – research, teaching, and coursework. Patterns do vary, but both
print and online resources are heavily used by all three groups for all three
activities. Online resources are often used through the library’s website.
Putting this in context: Unlike the other two surveys cited here, this one distinguishes
the use of the library as a physical place from the use of online resources
through the library website – which occurs often. This first release
summarizes 158 of the 659 tables produced in the study. Additional
analysis is expected.
5
Sponsor:
OCLC, Inc.
Title:
How Academic Libraries Can Influence Students’ Web-Based Information
Choices
http://www2.oclc.org/oclc/pdf/printondemand/informationhabits.pdf
Purpose:
To find out how students use the Web to do course assignments, which
role libraries play in that process, and how libraries can improve the
service to students.
Method:
A sample of U.S. college students (age 18-24) from the Harris Online
panel were asked to complete a survey online in December 2001.
Done by:
Harris Online
Respondents: 1,050
Results related to libraries: Seventy-three percent of students reported using their
library’s Web site at least some of the time. During their last visit to the
site, 67 percent used the full text of journal articles; 57 percent, the library
catalog; 51 percent, databases or indexes to journal articles; 44 percent,
periodicals; 34 percent, reserves or resources by subject/course; 32
percent, reference tools; 25 percent, research guides; 21 percent, eBooks;
and 6 percent, ask-a-librarian or e-mail librarian services. The majority of
respondents (89 percent) used print resources from their campus library.
Putting this in context: This study is the only one of the four that tried to find out how
Academic libraries can improve their service to virtual users.