Dissertation Information for Barbara Jeanne Smith NAME: - Barbara Jeanne Smith
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Education
SCHOOL:
- Pennsylvania State University (USA) (1981)
ADVISORS: - None COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - None
MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected
Title: EDUCATION AND TRAINING CHARACTERISTICS OF LIBRARIANS ENGAGED IN BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION IN EIGHTEEN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN PENNSYLVANIA
Abstract: "The purpose of this study was to describe the training, education, and experience of a group of librarians involved in bibliographic instruction and to identify their perceptions regarding the adequacy of their preparation and their needs for further education and training. The study objectives were: (a) to determine if these instruction librarians received appropriate related education and training; (b) to determine how and when this education and training were gained; (c) to identify education and training needs as perceived by the study participants; (d) to gather limited demographic information about the population; and (e) to identify associations between the background of the participants and their perceptions regarding their past training and their needs for further education and training.
The population of 145 academic librarians engaged in bibliographic instruction was identified by the chief library administrators of the colleges and universities in Pennsylvania involved in the study.
A questionnaire was designed to quantify the information necessary to satisfy the study objectives and was mailed to the identified librarians yielding 120 completed and usable questionnaires.
Descriptive statistics and crosstabulations on selected variables were employed in analyzing the data.
The following conclusions were drawn from the study findings.
On the whole the librarians in this group have acquired education and training appropriate to their assignments. This education and training were not gained as part of their professional degree programs but were gained by other means, most effectively through credit coursework, however.
A majority of the librarians specialized in reference work in their professional training programs. Fifty-two percent of them have their major non-instruction time assigned to this area.
These librarians tend to belong to professional organizations; only 2% reported ""Not a member."" Because they work in an academic environment, a higher rate of activity was expected than the 15% response to a record of articles published and the 25% indication of research activity, however.
A total of 98% indicated they read one or more library journals regularly; 59% regularly read education journals. The response is somewhat higher than expected, especially for education journals, explained, perhaps, by the fact that all institutions in the study are involved in teacher training.
These librarians did not attempt to update their instruction skills as much as expected; over half participated in one or more continuing education activities in the past two years, however. Since their instruction assignments are less than half time this record of activity should be viewed favorably.
The perception found in the literature that the best means to prepare to engage in bibliographic instruction is to teach was supported in the study.
Administrative support for the improvement of the skills of the librarians involved compares with conclusions in the literature; it is minimal. And although responsibilities, these librarians are nearly unanimous in their perception that they could benefit from additional education and training in instruction-related areas, especially in instructional development. Workshops, credit courses, and to a lesser degree, in-service programs are seen as the best means to deliver this education and training in the future.
Based on the results of this research, two recommendations are directed toward library schools and academic libraries. The first recommendation is that library schools should address the needs of instruction librarians in their professional preparation programs. The second one is that academic libraries should support in-service and continuing education activities for their instruction librarians and that they should begin to exert pressure on library schools to provide bibliographic instruction training in both degree and continuing education programs."
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MPACT Scores for Barbara Jeanne Smith A = 0
C = 1
A+C = 1
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:28:55
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