CARLI Research Subsidy Program: 2014-2015 Funded Projects

Title: DePaul Library Wayfinding Screen Study

Primary Researcher: M. Ryan Hess

CARLI Member: DePaul University

Abstract: The DePaul University Library will conduct user testing of the Richardson Library Wayfinding Screen, a touchscreen application, located at the library entrance. Two questions will be answered: What specific content do users want in library wayfinding screens? And are users content needs so broad, a more kiosk-style experience with access to all library web content is preferred? The student will include analysis of click analytics, observations of user interactions and questionnaires targeting user experiences and expectations. Currently, the screen displays interactive hours, events, classes, and library floor plan content. The three-phase study will build on research at other libraries around point-of-need wayfinding signage and usability of digital information. Phase I will involve capturing anonymous click analytics of user interactions, over a 30 day period. Phase II will measure wayfinding usage against door counts. Phase III will involve surveys of users that did not use the wayfinding (Group 1) screen and those that did (Group 2). Group 1 will be asked why they did not use the screen in order to uncover issues with placement and perception. Both groups will be asked to elaborate on what content they would like to see on the screen.

Title: Survey of International Students at CARLI Institutions: services, outrearch, and staff

Primary Researcher: Pattie Piotrowski

CARLI Member: Illinois Institute of Technology

Other Researchers:

• Yi Han, Illinois Institute of Technology
• John Dorr, Northwestern University

Abstract: With the current population of, and increasing numbers forecast for, international students arriving in the United States, academic institutions have an interest in understanding the unique needs of these scholars. Libraries at academic institutions have adopted both accepted and uncommon paths to providing services, but in the past, students have been treated as a single homogeneous group, when in reality the diversity of international students can require distinctive programs and services. Research on international students using services and collections at academic institutions will allow CARLI libraries to transform themselves in the present information environment, while positioning themselves for the future.

The purpose of this survey is to identify current services, positions and practices that CARLI member libraries have developed to identify needs and expand services for international students. The survey results will illustrate and share cases of best practices developed, and will also establish trends in library outreach to the international community. Survey data will include the types of assessment instruments used to identify needs, how new services are created or adapted, the development of new staff positions, and if members of the international community are integrated into services or treated as a separate segment.

Title: Surveying the Information Literacy Landscape: A Needs Assessment of College-Level Research Skills in Illinois High Schools

Primary Researcher: Michelle Guittar

CARLI Member: Northeastern Illinois University

Abstract: This project will assess the information literacy environment and needs at the broad variety of schools represented in the state of Illinois to draw out the shared experiences at the secondary school level and investigate what larger initiatives, interventions, and sets of resources may more thoroughly prepare students for college-level research. We expect to find that secondary schools, on the whole, lack the resources necessary for effective information literacy instruction, and need help in a big way teaching information literacy to students, including coordinating help from academic librarians as a group. We believe the results of this needs assessment will allow CARLI libraries to create more effective outreach and instruction programs for information literacy for their incoming freshman.

Title: Research Skills of First-Year Students: A Mixed-Methods Exploration

Primary Researcher: Catherine Lantz

CARLI Member: University of Illinois at Chicago

Abstract: We intend to investigate how first-year students at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) pursue the research process in completing their assignments for English 161, a required composition course focusing on academic writing and research. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving the use of research journals, interviews and citation analysis, we aim to gain detailed insight into how students engage in the research process throughout the semester. This multifaceted and rigorous research methodology will provide valuable, multi-layered data pertaining to student research behavior which will inform future instructional and reference initiatives at UIC and beyond.