Researcher and Academic Library Roles and User Beliefs in the Pandemic: Designing the Open-Access and Library Usage Scale (OALU)

Abstract

We investigated whether individuals believe they have a right to information during a crisis, and whether attitudes about crisis-related information sharing differ by age and one’s role in providing or consuming information. We measured attitudes about aspects of data sharing related to COVID-19: researchers’ obligation to share data, publishers’ obligation to share information, and libraries’ responsibility to provide them. We predicted younger individuals, especially students as consumers of information, would report stronger preference for open access to pandemic-related information. A principal components analysis was performed, and two predicted factors emerged: information-sharing obligations and libraries’ responsibility to provide resources. Age was not significantly correlated with attitudes about libraries or information-sharing. Planned analyses comparing students, faculty, and community members unaffiliated with the university revealed no differences in their attitudes regarding library resources or information-sharing. A lack of age and university affiliation-related differences can be explained by universally strong attitudes in favor of both information-sharing and library resources, with a greater desire for information-sharing. Knowing that individuals demonstrate a strong preference for open access to information and that these attitudes do not differ between those who are providing (faculty), and consuming information (students/community) can contribute to funding for these resources. This research is innovative and timely, as attitudes about access when information is urgently and globally needed, as during a pandemic, is likely to differ from those observed under different circumstances.

Predictors of Compliance with COVID-19 Guidelines Across Countries: The role of social norms, moral values, trust, stress, and demographic factors

“…Lower compliance was also observed among some minority groups (Block et al, 2020), likely due to these groups historically having lower trust in science (Kazemian et al, 2021) and government institutions (Bagasra et al, 2021), lowering compliance (Templeton et al, 2020). Along with technological barriers to information and accessibility, resulting in exacerbation of compliance and recovery among minority populations (DeZouche & Blackburn, 2022). Special care should be given to the circumstances of minority groups when considering compliance with government-imposed COVID-19 guidelines.…”

Predictors of compliance with COVID-19 guidelines across countries: the role of social norms, moral values, trust, stress, and demographic factors

“…However, ethnic minorities have been found to suffer greater consequences of COVID-19. In the USA, Black and African American, Hispanic, and Indian/Alaskan Native groups have been particularly affected by the pandemic (for a review, see DeZouche & Blackburn, 2022).…”

“…Lower compliance observed among some minority groups (Block et al, 2020) could also be due to these groups historically having lower trust in science (Kazemian et al, 2021) and government institutions (Bagasra et al, 2021), lowering compliance (Templeton et al, 2020). This is exacerbated by technological barriers to information and accessibility, resulting in exacerbation of compliance and recovery among minority populations (DeZouche & Blackburn, 2022). It should be noted that our dataset did not include information about race and ethnicity, but special care should be given to the circumstances of minority groups when considering compliance with government-imposed COVID-19 guidelines.…”