School of Library & Information Studies
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Item AAU library directors prefer collaborative decision making with senior administrative team members(University of Alberta, 2017-06-29) Perryman, Carol L.Objective – To understand academic library leaders’ decision making methods, priorities, and support of succession planning, as well as to understand the nature, extent, and drivers of organizational change. Design – Survey and interview. Setting – Academic libraries with membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) in the United States of America and Canada. Subjects – 62 top administrators of AAU academic libraries. Methods – Content analysis performed to identify most frequent responses. An initial survey written to align with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) 2014-2015 salary survey was distributed prior to or during structured in-person interviews to gather information about gender, race/ethnicity, age, time since terminal degree, time in position, temporary or permanent status, and current job title. 7-question interview guides asked about decision processes, strategic goals, perceived impacts of strategic plan and vision, planned changes within the next 3-5 years, use of mentors for organizational change, and succession planning activities. Transcripts were analyzed to identify themes, beginning with a preliminary set of codes that were expanded during analysis to provide clarification. Main results – 44 top academic library administrators of the 62 contacted (71% response rate) responded to the survey and interview. Compared to the 2010 ARL Survey, respondents were slightly more likely to be female (55%; ARL: 58%) and non-white (5%; ARL: 11%). Approximately 66% of both were aged 60 and older, while slightly fewer were 50-59 (27% compared to 31% for ARL), and almost none were aged 40-49 compared to 7% for the ARL survey. Years of experience averaged 33, slightly less than the reported ARL average of 35. Requested on the survey, but not reported, were time since terminal degree and in position, temporary or permanent status, and current job title. Hypothesis 1, that most library leaders base decisions on budget concerns rather than upon library and external administration strategic planning, was refuted. Hypothesis 2, that changes to the academic structure are incremental rather than global (e.g., alterations to job titles and responsibilities), was supported by responses. Major organizational changes in the next three to five years were predicted, led by role changes, addition of new positions, and unit consolidation. Most participants agreed that while there are sufficient personnel to replace top level library administrators, there will be a crisis for mid-level positions as retirements occur. A priority focus emerging from interview responses was preparing for next-generation administrators. There was disagreement among respondents about whether a crisis exists in the availability of new leaders to replace those who are retiring. Conclusion – Decisions are primarily made in collaboration with senior leadership teams, and based on strategic planning and goals as well as university strategic plans in order to effect incremental change as opposed to wholesale structural change.Item Assessing the future: Developing information technology skills for new staff roles in academic medical libraries(2007) Perryman, Carol L.; James, R.; Lackey, C.S.; Peterson, R.Item Assessment related skills and knowledge are increasingly mentioned in library job postings(University of Alberta Learning Services, 2015-03) Perryman, Carol L.Objective – The authors sought to determine whether existing definitions of assessment agree with assessment-related skills sought in job postings, and to identify key assessment-related skills, needs for training, and trends in assessment.Item Becoming colleagues: The experiences of doctoral research fellows in practice settings(2009) Charles, Lonelyss; Perryman, Carol L.The IMLS-funded TRLN Doctoral Fellows Program supports doctoral candidates interested in teaching and research in academic librarianship, combining doctoral coursework with a research assignment in one of the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN) libraries; fellows are mentored by senior academic library administrators. Rationale for the program also includes the need to help alleviate known boundaries between research and practice settings. Purpose/Objective of Study: Our questions are whether the fellowship experience ameliorates well-documented barriers between research and practice, and how the two cultures mesh, clash, and/or benefit one another in mentoring future faculty and research in LIS. Sample and Setting: Two new doctoral fellows, one with 20 years of experience in libraries, and the other, a former National Library of Medicine Fellow, were placed in two large academic health science libraries. Method (Qualitative, quantitative, historical, etc): This study uses qualitative methods to retrospectively examine the fellowship experience, with particular focus on issues of access to practice settings, and the alignment between doctoral research - and workplace-related demands. Results: The authors believe that their experiences will add to the administrative knowledge base about similar programs, enhancing planning capabilities, and also help to inform other library students who may be contemplating a PhD.Item Before we change the game: The sense-making practices of hospital librarians(2012-05) Perryman, Carol L.Item Beginning the professional discourse: Incorporation of EBLIP concepts and tools into the LIS curriculum(2011) Perryman, Carol L.; Cahill, Maria; Jeng, Ling HweyExamines the use of evidence-based practice in library education by three professors.Item Changing models of library education to benefit rural communities(Taylor & Francis, 2019) Perryman, Carol L.; Jeng, Ling HweyRural libraries whose librarians have expertise in digital literacy and a deep understanding of unique communities contribute to improving quality of life for residents. However, many library education programs do not include the development of students as future leaders of community growth. In this article we describe efforts to build on prior research in the Appalachian region. Offered by Texas Woman’s University School of Library and Information Studies (TWU SLIS), a designated Hispanic-serving institution in Texas, the program extends library roles by getting librarians out into their communities, working with community leaders and residents to facilitate needed and wanted change.Item Changing Models of Library Practice to Benefit Rural Communities(2019) Perryman, Carol L.; Jeng, Ling HweySchool of Library and Information Studies - Rural libraries whose librarians have expertise in digital literacy and a deep understanding of unique communities can be an important part of efforts to improve the quality of life for residents. However, traditional library education does not include the development of students as future leaders of community growth. This presentation will describe efforts to build on prior research in the Appalachian region. The MLS/Community Informatics program extends traditional library roles by getting librarians out into their communities, working with community leaders and residents to facilitate needed and wanted change.Item Community-based librarianship(Texas Woman's University, 2023) Jeng, Ling HweyAnyone who is around a midsize city in the U.S. would know that there are many social service agencies in most cities to help residents in need. In Denton, for example, there are the Salvation Army to help with emergency shelter, Our Daily Bread to help with hunger, Health Services of North Texas to help with healthcare, and Friends of the Family to assist with victims of domestic violence, just to name a few. Every city has gaps in the quality of living, whether they are related to financial insecurity, hunger, homelessness, inadequate healthcare, or lack of affordable quality child care. The common practice of the society is to identify the specific need of a resident and refer them to the particular service agency specialized in the area of need for timely assistance.Item Computational thinking in your school library(American Association of School Librarians, 2019) Moore, Jennifer; Bartley, Erin; Hernandez, Veronica; Williams, AmySchool and public libraries offer youth formal and informal learning environments, while providing access to a variety of resources. Librarians can introduce students to computational thinking and coding concepts in low-stakes contexts. This month’s post features Dr. Jennifer Moore (associate professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman’s University), Erin Bartley, Veronica Hernandez, and Amy Williams (three of her former students and current practicing librarians) discussing computational thinking (CT) in general and in the context of libraries.Item Credit due: Multiple author attribution for interdisciplinary informatics research groups(Medical Library Association Research Section, 2018) Perryman, Carol L.Objective: To understand issues related to multiple authorship in interdisciplinary working groups, and to identify best practices for authorship attribution for a multidisciplinary group. Problem: Research groups comprised of individuals from diverse disciplines need to identify their own internal agreement and process for authorship attribution. Methods: Limited literature review Findings and conclusions: Resources are described and considerations for interdisciplinary working groups are suggested.Item Data literacy: School librarians as data coaches(International Association of School Librarianship, 2019-10-21) Moore, Jennifer; Smith, Daniella; Schultz-Jones, Barbara; Marino, JohnSchool library educators at two university locations in North Texas collaborated on a research initiative to address the perceived need for data literacy preparation at the pre-service level. The research initiative explored the potential for school librarians to provide data literacy leadership through the systematic development of competencies in the master’s-level pre-service professional preparation program. Participants from various school levels operated as a focus group in the fall of 2018 to identify competencies necessary for library professionals to develop as part of a pre-service training program.The answers to the nine key questions are presented as participant data related to data-informed decision-making in schools.Item Developing mastery: Building a tool for tracking progress on professional competencies in the MLS program(2019) O'Neill, Ashley; Perryman, Carol L.Over the course of their enrollment in a new grant‐funded scholarship program (Transforming Libraries into Community Anchors in Rural Texas, or TLCART), 20 carefully selected students in small, rural Texas communities will earn library degrees at the TWU School of Library and Information Studies (TWU SLIS) while learning to become facilitators and partners of community change. To support their self‐assessment through the program, and encourage individual ownership of career growth, we created a professional competencies tracker based on the American Library Association Competencies. Students are asked to self‐evaluate, identifying areas of desired development, at the conclusion of each semester in the two‐year program. In the process, each will take responsibility for their future as lifelong learners, identifying specific needs and methods for development. This pilot effort is being tested with the TLCART cohort to assess its usability for the overall Master’s program in Library Science.Item Diagnoses, drugs, and treatment are the main information needs of primary care physicians and nurses, and the internet is the information source most commonly used to meet these needs(University of Alberta Learning Services, 2014-09) Perryman, Carol L.Objective – To improve information support services to health practitioners making clinical decisions by reviewing the literature on the information needs and information seeking behaviours of primary care physicians and nurses. Within this larger objective, specific questions were 1) information sources used; 2) differences between the two groups; and 3) barriers to searching for both groups. Design – Literature review. Setting – SCOPUS, CINAHL, OVID Medline, and PubMed databases. Subjects – Results from structured searches in four bibliographic databases on the information needs of primary care physicians and nurses. Methods – Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) and keyword search strategies tailored to each of four databases were employed to retrieve items pertinent to research objectives. Concepts represented in either controlled or natural language vocabularies included “information seeking behaviour, primary health care, primary care physicians and nurses” (p. 180). An initial yield of 1169 items was filtered by language (English only), pertinence to study objectives, publication dates (2000-2012), and study participant age (>18). After filtering, 47 articles were examined and summarized, and recommendations for further research were made. Main Results – Few topical differences in information needed were identified between primary care physicians and nurses. Across studies retrieved, members of both groups sought information on drugs, diagnoses, and therapy. The Internet (including bibliographic databases and web-based searching) was the source of information most frequently mentioned, followed by textbooks, journals, colleagues, drug compendiums, professional websites, and medical libraries. There is insufficient evidence to support conclusions about the differences between groups. In most research, information needs and behaviours for both groups have been discussed simultaneously, with no real distinction made, suggesting that there may not be significant differences even though a few studies have found that nurses’ emphasis is on policy and procedures. Barriers to access include time, searching skills, and geographic location; for the last, improvements have been made but rural practitioners continue to be adversely affected by limited access to people and resources. Conclusion – Both primary care physicians and nurses seek information on diagnosis and treatment. The Internet is of increasing utility for both groups, but all resources have advantages and disadvantages in identifying evidence based information for use in practice. Further research is required to support access and use of evidence based resources, and to explore how focused, evidence based information can be integrated into electronic health record systems.Item Differences between library instruction conference attendees and their institutional affiliations in the United States and Canada are discernible(University of Alberta Library, 2006) Perryman, Carol L.A review of: Willingham, Patricia, Linda Carder, and Christopher Millson-Martula. “Does a Border Make a Difference? Library Instruction in the United States and Canada.” Journal of Academic Librarianship 32.1 (Jan. 2006): 23-34. Objective – The primary intent of this study was to identify differences among library instruction conference attendees and their institutions between the United States and Canada. The overall hypothesis was that there would be areas of measurable distinction between the two countries. The authors tested nine hypotheses: #1, that the largest number of survey respondents would be employed at large institutions; #2, that statistically, the majority of well-developed instructional programs are found at universities rather than colleges; #3, that beginning programs are more often found at four-year institutions; #4, that program development and technological issues predominate among instructional foci in the early twenty-first century; #5, that more experienced librarians are more likely to attend library instruction conferences; #6, that LOEX (originally an acronym for Library Orientation Exchange) is perceived as the most valuable conference in library instruction; #7, that the impact of conference attendance upon library program development is only moderate; #8, that conference theme and reputation are the two greatest factors contributing to attendance; and #9, that the majority of conference attendees are from the United States. Design – Historical research, and an e-mailed survey. Setting – Libraries and library instruction conferences in the United States and Canada. Subjects – One hundred thirty-two librarians who were attendees at one of three library user instruction conferences: LOEX, LOEX of the West, and WILU (Workshop on Instruction in Library Use). Methods – First, a brief historical review was conducted on the influence of social, economic, and political events on the development of library user instruction, the creation of conferences focused on library instruction in from the United States and Canada, and national surveys looking at institutional support for instructional development. Next, a survey instrument consisting of fifteen demographic and attitudinal questions was sent via e-mail to all 508 attendees of major library instruction conferences (LOEX and WILU for 2001, and LOEX of the West for 2000) in the United States and Canada. Responses from the 132 returned surveys were tabulated and used to evaluate their linked hypotheses. Main results – Of the nine initial hypotheses, five were supported, and the remaining four were either partially supported or rejected. Supported hypotheses included: #1, that most participants in the top library instructional conferences came from institutions with >5,000 student populations; #2, that the majority of fully developed instructional programs were in universities; #5, that librarians with greater seniority were more likely to attend instructional conferences; #7, that conference attendance has only a medium impact on program development at participants’ home institutions; and #9, that most conference attendees come from the United States. Partially supported hypotheses were: #4, that factors most highly rated by participants were program development and technology, and #8, that conference theme and reputation are ranked higher in terms of influence in attendees’ decision to participate in the conferences. Rejected hypotheses included: #3, that “beginning programs are typically found at four-year institutions,” #4, that “program development and technology rank as the two most important instruction-related issues” (note that hypothesis #4 is both rejected and partially supported), and #6, that “LOEX is considered the most valuable conference.” Conclusion – The authors confirmed their overall hypothesis that significant differences exist between the United States and Canada regarding library instructional programs. Although the two countries developed at very different rates prior to the 1960s, technology and cross-border sharing has meant that they are now developing along parallel paths. The authors suggest several avenues for further study including the need to consider attendees over a greater time span, the differences in responses between younger and more senior participants, and questions about the real differences between library instructional programs in Canada and the United States.Item Does a social network based model of journal metrics improve ranking?(University of Alberta, 2007) Perryman, Carol L.A Review of: Bollen, J., Van de Sompel, H., Smith, J.A., & Luce, R. (2005). Toward alternative metrics of journal impact: A comparison of download and citation data. Information Processing and Management, 41:1419-1440. Objective: To test a new model for measuring journal impact by using principles of social networking. Research questions are as follows: Can valid networks of journal relationships be derived from reader article download patterns registered in a digital library’s server logs? Can social network metrics of journal impact validly be calculated from the structure of such networks? If so, how do the resulting journal impact rankings relate to the ISI impact factor (IF)? Design: Bibliometric, social network centrality analysis Setting: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), New Mexico Subjects: 40,847 full-text articles downloaded from a large digital library by 1,858 unique users over a 6 month period. Methods: Full-text article downloads from a large digital library for a six-month period were examined using social networking analysis methods. ISSNs for journals in which the retrieved articles were published were paired based upon the proximity of use by the same user, based on the supposition that proximal downloads are related in some way. Reader-Generated Networks (RGNs) were then tested for small-world characteristics. The resulting RGN data were then compared with Author-Generated Networks (AGNs) for the same journals indexed in the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) annual impact factor (IF) rankings, in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database. Next, a sample of the AGN-derived pairings was examined by a team of 22 scientists, who were asked to rate the strength of relationships between journals on a five-point scale. Centrality ratings were calculated for the AGN and RGN sets of journals, as well as for the ISI IF. Main results: Closeness and centrality rankings for the ISI IF and the AGN metrics were low, but significant, suggesting that centrality metrics are an acceptable impact metric. Comparison between the RGN and ISI IF data found marked differences, with RGN mirroring local population needs to a much higher degree, and with a non-significant correlation between the ISI IF and RGN ranking, while AGN and RGN centrality rankings show significant centrality and closeness and betweenness correlations. RGN network ranking identified highly localized foci of interest for the LANL, as well as “interest-bridging” subject areas pointing to possible emerging interests among the scientists. Conclusion: The study results appear to successfully demonstrate an alternative to existing journal impact ranking that can more validly and accurately reflect the practices of a local community. The authors suggest that the social network-derived methodology for identification of impact rankings avoids biases intrinsic to ISI IF as a result of frequentist metrics collected from a global user group. Although the authors resist the idea of generalizability due to the local nature of their data, they suggest that the methodology can be successfully used in other settings, and for a more global community. Finally, the authors propose the automated creation of an open-source RGN whose data could be localized for smaller communities, with potentially large implications for the existing publishing industry.Item Evaluation of self-ratings for health information behaviour skills requires more heterogeneous sample, but finds that public library print collections and health information literacy of librarians needs improvement(University of Alberta Learning Services, 2016-03) Perryman, Carol L.Objective – To understand public library users’ perceptions of ability to locate, evaluate, and use health information; to identify barriers experienced in finding and using health information; and to compare self-ratings of skills to an administered instrument. Design – Mixed methods. Setting – Main library and two branches of one public library system in Florida. Subjects – 20 adult library users purposively selected from 131 voluntary respondents to a previously conducted survey (Yi, 2014) based on age range, ethnicity, gender, and educational level. Of the 20, 13 were female; 11 White, 8 Black, 1 Native American; most had attained college or graduate school education levels (9 each), with 2 having graduated from high school. 15 respondents were aged 45 or older. Methods – Intensive interviews conducted between April and May 2011 used critical incident technique to inquire about a recalled health situation. Participants responded to questions about skill self-appraisal, health situation severity, information seeking and assessment behaviour, use of information, barriers, and outcome. Responses were compared to results of the short form of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) test, administered to participants. Main Results – On a scale of 100, participants’ S-TOFHLA scores measured at high levels of proficiency, with 90% rating 90 points or above. Self-ratings of ability to find health information related to recalled need were ”excellent” (12 participants) or “good” (8 participants). Fourteen participants did not seek library assistance; 12 began their search on the Internet, 5 searched the library catalogue, and 3 reported going directly to the collection. Resource preferences were discussed, although no frequency descriptions were provided. 90% of participants self-rated their ability to evaluate the quality of health information as “good” or “excellent.” Participants selected authority, accuracy, and currency as the most important criteria of quality evaluation; however, other important criteria such as editorial review of content were not mentioned. Participants rated their ability to use health information as either “excellent” (17) or “good” (3). Conclusion – Use of health information enabled health behaviour change for participants, although conflicting information tended to increase anxiety. Barriers to success in all areas of inquiry include difficulties with terminology, collection limitations, asking a librarian for assistance, and lack of awareness of resources. Librarians should improve their health literacy skills in order to advise on all aspects of health information seeking, evaluation, and use. Collaborative efforts are suggested, such as special libraries and public library efforts, and health professional workshops or seminars offered to public library patrons.Item Evidence-based Librarianship: TLA Pre-conference workshop(Texas Woman's University, 2013-04-23) Perryman, Carol L.Slides and handout for half-day preconference workshop. This 4 hour hands on interactive session introduced evidence-based practice to multi-type librarians, primarily focused on question building and critical evaluation of information. Two evaluative instruments were created for and tested during the workshop.Item Evidence-based practice: A revolution in library project management(2007) Perryman, Carol L.; Thibodeau, PatriciaItem Exploring virtual librarianship: Second Life Library 2.0(Taylor & Francis, 2008-10) Perryman, Carol L.In April 2006, Alliance Library System and Online Programming for All Libraries partnered to start the Second Life Library 2.0 in the online world Second Life and in August 2006 purchased an island on the Teen grid of Teen Second Life. Second Life is a virtual world, a descendant of multiplayer online games. Educational institutions have recently been drawn into Second Life's robust economy and vibrant cultural life. The Second Life Library 2.0 works with librarians from around the world and with other educational partners such as TechSoup, WorldBridges, and the New Media Consortium. Second Life Library 2.0 provides “traditional” library services such as ready reference, book discussions, and search assistance, but, at heart, it explores what it means to be a virtual library in a virtual world.
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