Learning about Student Research Practices through an Ethnographic Investigation: Insights into Contact with Librarians and Use of Library Space

Abstract

Objective -Student research habits and expectations continue to change, complicating the design of library spaces and the provision of research support. This study's intent was to explore undergraduate and graduate student research and study needs at a mid-sized university's two campuses in the Northeastern United States, and to improve librarians' understandings of these practices so that more appropriate services and spaces may be developed to support student learning.Methods -The research project utilized a primarily qualitative design for data collection that spanned from fall 2012 to summer 2013, consisting of an online questionnaire, unobtrusive observations, and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data collection commenced with a questionnaire consisting of 51 items, distributed through campus email to all students and receiving 1182 responses. Second, 32 hours of unobtrusive observations were carried out by librarians, who took ethnographic "field notes" in a variety of Library locations during different times and days of the week. The final method was in-depth interviews conducted with 30 undergraduate and graduate students. The qualitative data were analyzed through the application of a codebook consisting of 459 codes, developed by a data analysis team of 4 librarians.Results -The results address topical areas of student interactions with librarians, contact preferences, and use of library space. Of the interviewees, 60% contacted a librarian at least once, with texting being the most popular method of contact (27%). In being contacted by the library, students preferred a range of methods and generally indicated interest in learning about library news and events through posters and signage. Participants were less interested in receiving library contact via social media, such as Facebook or Twitter. Regarding student use of and preference for library space, prominent themes were students creating their own spaces for individual study by moving furniture, leaving personal items unattended, the presence of unwanted noise, and a general preference for either working nearby other students in groups or in carrels to facilitate individual study.Conclusions -Being aware of student research processes and preferences can result in the ability to design learning environments and research services that are more responsive to their needs. Ethnographic research methods, as part of an ongoing research process, are recommended as a means to better understand library user practices and expectations.

Using Ethnographic Methods to Explore How International Business Students Approach Their Academic Assignments and Their Experiences of the Spaces They Use for Studying

“…Student confusion about the role of librarians, as well as which staff are librarians, is also highlighted in a U.S. ethnographic study using observation and interviews with library users in an academic library recently relabelled as an 'information commons' (Allan, 2016). That students do not make use of librarians in relation to support with their studies, but only for more 'directional support' such as asking where a book is located is also reported in another recent U.S. study (Tewell, Mullins, Tomlin, & Dent, 2017).…”

“…The need to adapt space to different individual requirements is reported by Tewell, Mullins, Tomlin, and Dent (2017) as they found students attempted to create their own temporary 'home spaces' for studying within the library by moving furniture and books.…”

“…The use of ethnography is frequently identified as central in library research to aid in understanding student practises. Tewell, Mullins, Tomlin and Dent (2017) highlight that as social behaviours are central to ethnography it is "particularly useful for developing insights into people's experiences and expectations" (p. 80). These insights into the everyday lived experience of students can then feed into the way spaces and services are organised: "Being aware of student research processes and preferences can result in the ability to design learning environments and research services that are more responsive to their needs" (Tewell, Mullins, Tomlin, & Dent, 2017, p.79).…”

Gathering Evidence of Learning in Library Curriculum Center Spaces with Web GIS

“…The researchers for both of these studies used a mixed-methods approach. Still, other evidence-based methodologies for library space evaluation have included photographic research methods (Bedi & Webb, 2017), longitudinal observation (Fox & Doshi, 2013), and ethnographic investigation (Tewell et al, 2017).…”

Reducing Hardships

“…Although library spaces can be difficult to research accurately, because those who use them often use them so frequently that they cannot fathom an alternative mode of working (Beys & Michaels, 2014), we can draw some conclusions from the available literature on user space preferences. Research into spatial preferences suggests that private study spaces are strongly preferred (Applegate, 2009;Jones & Grayson, 2016;Tewell, Mullins, Tomlin, & Dent, 2017), and that users pursue physical seclusion in any way possible-be that finding study rooms on higher and less populated floors (Applegate, 2009) or leaving empty chairs next to others to provide a barrier between work spaces (Hillman, Blackburn, Shamp, & Nunez, 2017). There is also evidence that situational or demographic factors can influence user study space preferences.…”