The Impactful Research Appointment: Combating Research Anxiety and Library Stereotypes

Abstract

The academic library research appointment provides invaluable benefits to both the academic library and the student, such as improved information literacy skills, trust, and a sense of community. Based on the rewards that the scheduled consultation can potentially yield, it is a service that should not be overlooked. A highly impactful research appointment derives from the librarian's behavior. Throughout the consultation, the librarian must employ interpersonal skills and practice empathy. In doing so, they will dissolve the user's research anxiety and negative library stereotypes, allowing information literacy capabilities to develop. In this opportune setting, it is the librarian's responsibility to build up the user's research confidence by drawing them out of their passive state and engaging them in the research process. Through a collaborative, communal partnership with the student, the librarian will familiarize them with the library's online system. By considering the user's perspective and responding appropriately, the academic librarian will inspire a highly impactful and transformational research appointment. This lasting impression will lead the student to view the library as a safe, dependable space. While the librarian's attuned behavior is necessary for any consultation, it was especially vital in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Better together: experiential learning in peer-led research services

“…Library literature also shows that librarians themselves benefited from the fresh perspective of students (Bodemer, 2014). Recent research by Meika Matook highlights the importance of incorporating the student perspective in research services, emphasizing that “Forming a connection with a student, a member of the community, is vital” (Matook, 2020, p. 188). Additional library research on peer learning models also demonstrates positive outcomes for networking and outreach (MacAdam and Nichols, 1989; Sengupta et al., 2020).…”

Opportunities for libraries to address research anxiety in undergraduate students in STEM fields

“…Research appointments can build information literacy skills and a sense of trust in the library in students who partake. 16 These programs prove extremely valuable because students develop a sense of community with a librarian, with whom they have the opportunity to build a relationship and who they can turn to in times of academic stress or uncertainty. Personal librarians can also be a way to engage with students' questions about research on a deeper level.…”