The information and learning commons: a selective guide to sources

Held, Tim

doi:10.1108/00907320910957224

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…As academic libraries have been re‐designed to meet the trends in higher education, some have been transformed into technology‐rich environments known as “information commons” (Held, 2009, p. 190). The idea that students can complete their work from preliminary research to producing the final product in one place is one of the main notions of the information commons (Bodnar, 2009; Whitchurch et al , 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student perceptions of staff in the Information Commons: a survey at the University of Sheffield

Bickley

Corrall

2011

Reference Services Review

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Purpose-Technology has transformed teaching and learning environments in tertiary education, introducing new collaborative library spaces and developing the roles and skills of library staff. Academic libraries need continually to reexamine their services to ensure they meet student needs. The current survey aimed to discover how students perceived staff in the Information Commons (IC) and whether their perceptions of staff attitudes and skills influenced their use of library resources. Design/methodology/approach-A questionnaire containing closed and open questions was distributed electronically to undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Sheffield, obtaining 250 responses (c1% of the student population). Findings-The results showed that most students were unable to distinguish different groups of staff, were unaware of their departmental librarian and did not recognise the academic role of librarians. However, those who had sought assistance in the IC or attended classes delivered by librarians had positive views of their experiences. Research limitations-The timing and fixed duration of the study limited the size and nature of the sample, the generalizability of the findings and depth of the investigation, but sufficient data were collected to establish patterns of behaviour and identify important factors. Practical implications-Low awareness among students of the expertise of librarians and their capacity to provide academic support indicates a need for more promotion to ensure library resources are properly utilised. Originality/value-The study is thought to be the first of its kind conducted in the UK and the only such survey carried out in an Information Commons setting.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%