Non-traditional academic programs are on the rise Influx of students in Marywood’s Master of...
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Revelations of an off-campus user groupLibrary use and needs of faculty
and students at a satellite graduate social work program
Background
Non-traditional academic programs areon the rise
Influx of students in Marywood’s Master of Social Work (MSW) Satellite Program
Current library services may not meet needs of satellite students and faculty
Overview of Marywood’s MSW Satellite Program Marywood
University is in Scranton, PA
191 students enrolled in MSW satellite program at the time of survey
Satellite locations are: Allentown, Reading & Bloomsburg, PA
Marywood’s MSW Satellite Program and the Library
No formal library orientation
Library instruction by request
Students prefer to seek help via phone(if at all)
What we want to know: What do satellite
students and faculty want?
What do they find unhelpful?
What impact does faculty library use have on their students?
Earlier Library Studies
Awareness of library services (Nicholas & Tomeo, 2005)
Quality of library services(Peterman & Schultis, 1995)
Library needs and expectations(Moyo & Cahoy, 2006)
Earlier Library Studies:Faculty Influence
Connection between faculty and students’ library use and needs(Ruddy, 1993)
Faculty as possible “obstacles” to library user education(Behrens, 1993)
Marywood Library’s Study of Distance Users
Results gleaned fromtwo separate surveys:
i. Survey of traditional and non-traditonal MSW students
(Fall 2008)
ii. Survey of MSW faculty (Spring 2009)
Survey Methodology Used Survey Monkey
(Marywood has institutional subscription)
Survey was sent to MSW student listserv and distributed in person
Survey was sent to MSW faculty via email
Survey instrument approved by IRB
Student Survey Instrument: Demographics
i. Incoming, Returning?
ii. Had attended a library instruction session or not
iii. Program location
Student Survey Instrument: Library Use and Needs
i. Library/Library Website visitsii. Library Resources usediii. Ease of locating/accessing resourcesiv. Helpfulness of library staffv. Most/Least useful library resource, servicevi. What needs to improve (open ended)
Survey Response Rates
Students:
- 11.5% satellite students responded (22/191)
Faculty:
- 39.5% responded (15/38)- 62.5% of which were satellite faculty (8/15)
Student Survey Findings
Library Session No Library Session0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Figure 1. Demographic breakdown of returning and new satellite students, taking into account their library session attendance.
Returning (n-13)
new (n=9)
Library Session Attendance
Per
cen
t of
Stu
den
ts
MW Library Building
MW Library Website
Other Libraries
Other0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Figure 2. Depicts where satellite students go to complete their class assignments
Satellite Students (n=22)
Research Destinations
Per
cen
t of
stu
den
ts
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Figure 3. Library resources most used by satellite students
Satellite Students (n=22)
Library Resources
Per
cen
t of
stu
den
ts
Very Easy Easy Neutral Difficult Very Difficult0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Figure 4. A comparison of the level of difficult in locating library resources experienced by students who have attended a library
session and those who have not.
Library Session (n=10)No Library Session (n=12)
Level of Diffficulty
Per
cen
t of
stu
den
ts
Very Easy Easy Neutral DifficultVery Difficult0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Figure 5. A comparison of the level of difficulty in accessing library resources experienced by students who have attended a library ses-
sion and those who have not
Library session (n=10)No library session (12)
Level of Difficulty
Per
cen
t of
stu
den
ts
Very Helpful Helpful Neutral Not Helpful0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Figure 6. Students rating their expereince with library staff .
Satellite Students (n=22)
Helpfulness of Library Staff
Per
cen
t of
Stu
den
ts
Table 1Most useful/helpful library resource (Satellite students )
Library Resource Number of Respondents
Online databases 11 N/A 4 Off campus access 4Full text articles/online journals 1 ILL 2
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple
responses were encouraged
Table 2Least useful/helpful library resource (Satellite students )
Library Resource Number of Respondents
N/A 9 Full text access/search 12Access to other resources 3 ILL 2
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple
responses were encouraged
Table 3Areas that need improvement (Satellite students )
Library Resource Number of Respondents
N/A 10 Full text /online resources 8Access issues 4 ILL 1Library Orientation 2
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple
responses were encouraged
Student Survey Highlights
Library instruction appears to have some impact on locating/accessing library resources
Open ended questions indicate that a majority of respondents have difficulty accessing and/or searching for full text articles
Faculty Survey Findings
Scranton Scranton/night
Scranton/weekend
Satellite Online0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 7. A comparison of full-time and part-time satellite faculty teach-ing locations.
Full Time (n=5)
Part Time (n=3)
Locations
Per
cen
t o
f F
acu
lty
First Year 2-5 Years > 5 years0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 8. A comparison of full-time and part-time satellite faculty's years of teaching expereince.
Full Time (n=5)Part Time (n=3)
Teaching Experience
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Papers Group Projects Presentations0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 9. Type of research assisngments given to students by full-time and part-time satellite faculty.
Full Time (n=5)
Part Time (n=3)
Research Assignments
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Marywood Library Other Libraries Internet0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 10. Full-time and part-time satellite faculty's expectations regarding where students go when researching for their class as-
signments.
Full Time (n=5)
Part Time (n=3)
Research Destinations
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Yes No Not Sure0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 11. Full-time and part-time satellite faculty's perception of whether their students are aware of library resources and services.
Full Time (n=5)
Part Time (n=3)
Awareness of Library Offerings
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Syllabus/Handouts
In Class Orally Demonstration Library Session0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 12. A comparison of how full-time and part-time satellite faculty orientate their students to the library
Full Time (n=5)
Part Time (n=3)
Method of Library Orientation
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Figure 13. A comparison of full-time and part-time faculty's use of library resources
Full-Time (n=5)
Part-Time (n=3)
Library Resoruces
Perc
en
t of
Facu
lty
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Figure 14. The level of difficulty full-time and part-time satellite faculty expereince in locating library resources
Full-Time (n=5)
Part-Time (n=3)
Level of Difficulty
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Very
Easy
Easy
Neutra
l
Difficu
lt
Very
Difficu
lt
Not A
pplic
able
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Figure 15. The level of difficulty full-time and part-time satellite faculty expereince in accessing library resources.
Full-Time (n=5)
Part-Time (n=3)
Level of Difficulty
Per
cen
t of
Fac
ult
y
Table 4Most useful/helpful library resource (faculty)
Library Resource Number of Respondents
FT PT
Online databases 1 2 Library Orientation 1 0
Librarian Help 1 0 Full text articles/online journals 3 0
Books 1 0
Online reserves 1 0
N/A 0 1
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple responses were encouraged
Table 5Least useful/helpful library resource (faculty)
Library Resource Number of Respondents
FT PT
Irrelevant/Dated materials 0 1 In-house library Stacks 0 1
In-house journals 1 0 Off-campus access 1 0
Off-campus library service 1 0
N/A 2 1
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple responses were encouraged
Table 6Areas that need improvement (faculty)
Library Resource Number of Respondents
FT PT
Availability of full-text articles 1 0
Off-campus access 1 0Off-campus library service 2 1Library Website 1 0
Social Work collection 0 1
N/A 0 1
Note. Totals may exceed number of respondents because multiple responses were encouraged
Highlights from Faculty Survey
Part Time Students aware of
library offerings
None used library email/chat or consultation service
Difficulty with accessing/locating library resources
Unfamiliar with library’s social work collection
Full Time Students’ awareness
varies
No difficulty with accessing/locating library resources
FT and PT Faculty Do not request library
instruction
Need to improve off campus library services
Is there an impact factor?
Students
Express frustration and difficulty when searching/accessing full text articles, regardless of library instruction attendance
Faculty
PT/Satellite facultyprovide own library orientation
PT/Satellite faculty appear to have difficulty with library resources themselves
Conclusions and future directions
Library orientations needed for both students and faculty, especially for part-time faculty
Improve library online gateway for students and faculty
Another study to determine help-seeking preferences of MSW satellite students
CO
NTA
CT
INFO
Lizah Ismail
Assistant Professor andCoordinator of Public Services
Marywood UniversityLibrary,Scranton, PA.
Tel: 570-348-6264