Few studies have investigated the psychometric property of new instruments developed locally to assess students' library experience, such as their behavior, perception and attitude toward library use. Validating a survey instrument is critical because using untested assessment instruments is more likely to lead to a lack of credibility in the results, as well as a lack of accuracy in the study's purpose

How does educational stage affect the way people find information? In previous research using the Digital Visitors & Residents (V&R) framework for semi-structured interviews, context was a factor in how individuals behaved. This study of 145 online, open-ended surveys examines the impact that one's V&R educational stage has on the likelihood of attending to digital and human sources across four contexts

A maturity model represents a pre-planned evolution path for a class of objects composed as discrete stages or levels. Thereby, the maturity model is an effective tool to assess the current capabilities and the future needs of an organization, process, or group. This study had two phases. The first phase identified the core literature on maturity models for library services and management. The second

Public libraries have a huge potential to be creators and facilitators of social innovation in communities and society. Qualitative research based on interviews with 27 librarians showed that social innovation in libraries can take the form of educational and cultural activities, leisure and networking activities and social support services. The main goal of the research was to find out what factors

Plagiarism is a common problem among students, and if unaddressed, it may lead to severe consequences for students' academic integrity and education, and even for their career advancement. It is therefore essential to incorporate comprehensive anti-plagiarism intervention at an early stage of education. This study introduces UPCC (Understanding, Paraphrasing, Citations, and Checks), a pedagogical model

Design-based Implementation Research (DBIR) is an iterative approach to developing practical theory and tools to solve problems of practice and to support innovation in improving teaching and learning, which is rarely used in informal settings such as libraries. This study presents findings from a multi-year researcher-practitioner collaboration in which the authors employed DBIR to iteratively design

Existing research argues that studies of the value of public libraries support libraries by demonstrating their worth to society. Knowledge of research methods, value and research gaps can potentially strengthen the field of value research and support policymaking and development of libraries. Among 16,683 records retrieved from a systematic literature search, 39 studies were selected for systematic

Public libraries are increasingly investing in makerspaces and seeking to evaluate their offerings. Defining success is the first step of the evaluation process yet proves difficult due to the heterogeneity of making participants and purposes and the individualized, self-directed nature of makerspace participation. This study identified and compared seven evaluative criteria that represented participants'

There exist many factors affecting topic selection for theses and dissertations in library and information science (LIS). A mixed exploratory method was used as the research methodology. An extensive literature review, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires were used to collect data. The identified framework was composed of nine components and four main dimensions including personal issues

The use of Content Analysis (CA) in Library and Information Science (LIS) research is growing. Along with that growth comes a virtual explosion in new data source types available electronically. The present study provides a detailed analysis of the trends in the use of CA by LIS researchers and traces the changes in data sources used for CA between 1990 and 2015. CA was used to analyze 338 articles

The servicescape model from the marketing discipline was adapted to understand students' library usage and experiences of academic library as a learning space. With a qualitative and explorative approach, it was discovered that the servicescape has great influence on student users when the physical environment triggers certain responses and behaviours. Physical workspace discomfort and disturbance

The World Café (TWC) methodology is a form of action research that develops collective knowledge among individuals and communities to address shared problems. TWC can complement LIS research and practice that is increasingly participatory and community centric. The potentials and pitfalls for TWC are illustrated by ongoing research examining public library service to LGBTQIA+ communities for health

Although interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) has value in library and information science (LIS), it has low uptake in Africa. The methodological and theoretical approaches to using IPA in LIS and other disciplines are outlined, including a critical analysis of applying double hermeneutics and horizontalization to construct a hermeneutic interpretation. A blended librarianship thesis conducted

Libraries may stimulate social capital and social integration. They are institutions that enjoy a high level of social trust, which creates many opportunities. In 2018 and 2019, a survey on social capital, trust and social activity of librarians was conducted in 20 countries across the world. The research addresses the question of whether libraries as public institutions may prevent the alarming processes

Traditional libraries around the world are integrating cutting-edge technologies, such as data mining, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and voice-based search, to transform themselves into smart libraries. However, what elements make a library smart? How does one estimate the smartness of a library? To address these fundamental questions five elements and fifteen subelements that make a

The incorporation of participant-generated photography in research can be a powerful means of studying participants' perspectives and experiences. Approaches such as photovoice and photo-elicitation that incorporate participant-generated photography are increasingly being used in library and information science to study topics such as information needs, information seeking, and use of library space

Using a conceptual analysis approach, how identity has been theorized in the information behavior literature was explored. Findings indicate that researchers have employed five approaches when conceptualizing identity: identity as personal project, identity and social groups, identity as self-presentation, fragmented discursive subjects, and intersectional, hybrid and global identities. Structure and

Program planning in public libraries is generally guided by anecdotal best practices, facilitator interest, or perceived need, and not by theoretical frameworks, which can provide more systematic and evidence-based guidance and understanding. The Serious Leisure Perspective, a grounded theoretical framework imported to the information and library science field, offers clarity to researchers of leisure-related

The focus of this study is to investigate the perception of librarians towards user privacy in libraries. This study measures the change in perception after providing education related to the privacy of library users. The change in perception regarding privacy issues in libraries in the past 5 years by comparing its results with those of a 2013 study was also examined. The results show that librarians'

Social network analysis (SNA) as theoretical framework and quantitatively oriented methodology offers public libraries and public library researchers an as-yet-unexplored way into their big data stories based on these library connections with their community. SNA offers library and information science researchers a methodology, and suggests a new research agenda, to better envision the relationships

The health-information-seeking behaviors of people affected by multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) who use social media to obtain information was explored. The contextual factors and latent relationships that shape the unique information-seeking behaviors of this population, focusing on commonly co-occurring chronic conditions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular disease

Argumentation and the use of metacognitive skills are effective when implementing and supporting online information searching strategies, Screen recordings, semi-structured interviews, online information searching strategy inventory, and the metacognitive awareness inventory were used to collect data. Descriptive, predictive, relational and deductive analysis techniques were used for the analysis of

Spatial features of libraries are crucial to increasing trends in library usage, particularly in the case of attracting students. Selecting a suitable location for the establishment of public libraries can be determined using spatial criteria and by employing Geographic Information System (GIS) in conjunction with Multi-Attribute Decision Making (MADM). The Weighted Linear Composition (WLC) method

Information literacy (IL) education in secondary schools should adequately prepare students for research activities in higher education and guide them toward becoming informed and responsible citizens. The existing international IL frameworks and tests are only partially aligned with the IL curricula in Slovenia. Therefore, a new IL framework for secondary education, consisting of seven IL standards

Concern and even conflict over information privacy and access to personal, sensitive, information owns a lengthy, complex, and disputed history in the information professions. A historical case study, this research explores the ethical tensions between information access for (re)use and information privacy regarding queer archival materials. It engages with small worlds and normative behavior, with

It is important for academic librarians to demonstrate that they are trusted stewards of public money when purchasing e-book products; however, prior studies seldom examine the rationality in librarians' decision-making processes. Interviews including 20 librarians from 19 different institutions were conducted to collect data about their decision-making processes when purchasing e-book products. Institutional

From the literature it is clear that collaboration between academics and library staff brings benefits. Exactly what enables and constrains such collaboration remains unclear. Using the lens of Giddens' Structuration Theory, constraining and enabling factors during collaboration between library staff and academics in universities in two contrasting countries, Australia and Vietnam, was explored. The

Public libraries play a vital role in providing information, education, and cultural activities to local populations. Digitization and the Internet have changed the traditional functions of public libraries and caused them to become more community-centered and offer more diverse services. Agent-based geographical modeling is a method for simulating complex urban environments using heuristic and approximated

Affect plays an important role in the information behavior of early career academics. While there is a recognition of the importance of affect to information behavior in the information science literature, there has been a lack of empirical research that details its influence. Using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, early career academics were followed for a 5- to 7-month period and data

When schools are on break, some households may be constrained to provide educational resources to their children. Public libraries could be low-cost providers of materials and services that foster educational investment. This research extends existing literature by combining household-level data (public library checkout counts, residential property tax assessment values, student enrollment rosters

Organizations that implement a competitive intelligence process are more successful in a competitive environment. To do so correctly there is a need for a comprehensive model that, in addition to eliminating the defects of the previous models, describes the phases and indicators and also illustrates the relationship between them. This research meets such a need and presents a developed model. The ongoing

Immigrants are among the populations in modern society that libraries are striving to serve. This study aims to develop a framework on immigrants, their information needs, and library services. Using a systematic literature review based on the grounded theory approach, 28 related articles were reviewed to identify the causes, characteristics, and the content of the information needs of immigrants.

Modern libraries are reimagining their spaces as more than repositories for books. The Play-and-Learn Spaces project married developmental science with the changing nature of 21st century libraries. The study asked if it is possible to augment learning in informal spaces using the built environment to encourage discourse and interaction. For this project, the library space was reconstructed such that

Mixed methods research is gaining prominence in the library and information science (LIS) discipline. However, according to previous analyses, few LIS studies utilized mixed methods research, and the researchers did not recognize or describe them as such. The present methodological review assesses the current state of mixed methods research in LIS. Eighty-four articles published between 2017 and 2018

An increasingly data-intensive research environment has highlighted the need for greater research transparency to facilitate integrity and trust in open science and in the conduct of research more widely. The initial findings of faculty researchers' behaviors and practices toward research transparency, using the research data lifecycle as a grounding framework are reported. Four focus group sessions

As a learning center, rural library initiatives aim to provide rural communities with access to a wealth of reliable and readily available information. Changes in user behavior correspond with the changes in the way instructional programs are delivered to meet the rural library users' needs. Guided by the RAMESES review method, a systematic review identified 30 related studies throughout Scopus and

Library managers in Iran have always been concerned with a low level of knowledge sharing among librarians. Identifying effective factors on librarians' knowledge sharing behavior helps us to understand and improve the situation. Organizational factors are one group of these factors. The effect of organizational climate, employees' motivational drives, and leadership empowerment on the subjective norms

There is very little guidance in library and information science (LIS) literature about how researchers should manage the scope, time, costs, quality, human resources, communications, and risks associated with LIS research projects. To fill this gap, researchers tested the utility of project management principles (PMP) for planning and managing a project designed to enhance the information, digital

Nonprofit public libraries (NPPLs) with technically efficient production functions attain greater program and service outputs per registered user in comparison to peers with less efficient production functions. An output-oriented nondiscretionary data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with variable returns-to-scale is used to assess the technical efficiency of 339 NPPLs in the United States (US) in

This study examined how demographic characteristics of faculty influence their personal information activities behaviors, namely information creation, information organization, and information storage. Data was collected from a sample of 235 faculty in six universities in Ghana using a questionnaire. Age, gender, rank and university of affiliation predicted personal information activities behaviors

How public library policies, practices and services support the information needs of people experiencing homelessness was investigated using a qualitative-phenomenological design. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with four homeless participants and seven librarians from four public library networks from a particular New Zealand region. The findings revealed that

Health information seeking is an important part of older adults' everyday lives as they cope with their health conditions. Semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 older adults in the United States were analyzed using Savolainen's everyday life information seeking (ELIS) model, especially its key concepts such as way of life and mastery of life. The interview data revealed that except for health

While researchers have explored and proposed dozens of user relevance judgment criteria (RJC) in various situations, there is a lack of empirical research on the effects of RJC on user relevance judgment and how. The study sought to develop relations between RJC and situational relevance (SR) via four perceived values, epistemic value, functional value, conditional value, and social value, by introducing

Theories of information behavior have been developed and used in a variety of disciplines to describe the needs, seeking/search/sharing behaviors, and uses of information among individuals and groups in a variety of contexts. While the development of a theory is a complex, evolutionary process, often involving many thinkers over a long period of time, there is generally a single or small group of publications

Gender is a sociological variable that needs further attention in information literacy studies. This research uses a multidimensional subjective-objective approach to examine the gender differences in the information literacy learning process in a sample of students from different social sciences degree courses at five Spanish universities. Surveys are used to measure the belief in importance (BI)

Studying everyday life information seeking (ELIS) in a variety of contexts contributes to its conceptual development. The primary goal of this study was to understand ELIS in the context of female university students' coping with daily hassles. To identify the dimensions and determinants of ELIS, and to fill this current gap in the literature, a grounded theory study was conducted using Flick's stages

Research designs are key to the research process and the production of knowledge that supports performance and development. The appropriateness of the methodologies used in research has implications for the trustworthiness and validity of the outcomes of research and practice. The research designs used in library information science (LIS) research in Nigeria and South Africa between 2009 and 2015 were

The evaluation of productivity of main services of city libraries using the example of 48 large public libraries and 44 small public libraries from the Czech and the Slovak Republic was performed according to the decomposition of the input-oriented Malmquist index (MI). The results of MI achieved are evaluated using a confidence interval and the bootstrap method. The productivity of main services of

Public support of library services must be targeted towards children because these services play a key role in their development. However, no prior research has investigated the value of public library services for children. Specifically, earlier studies evaluated the value of public libraries as a whole, without considering library services for different stakeholders. The fact that children are not

Libraries in general, and public libraries specifically, are social institutions. It is their role and function to educate, inculcate values and provide recreational opportunities to the community. The success of a democratic political system depends on community involvement in decision making. The role of public libraries in political discourse was assessed with three approaches. Firstly, the geographical

Conventional statistical methods (e.g. logistics regression, decision tree, etc.) have been used to analyze library demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) data. However, these methods are not well-suited to predict when acquisitions will be triggered or how long e-books will remain unused. Survival analysis, a statistical method commonly used in clinical research and medical trials, was employed to predict

The spread of “fake news” stories online has become a pressing concern in the United States and around the world in recent years. Social media platforms enable the rapid spread of such misinformation and also make evaluating the credibility of online information more difficult. Since college students are frequent users of social media, they are particularly likely to be exposed to fake news. A survey

Socio-technical changes have transformed information practices and challenged conceptions of cognitive authorities, referring to information sources that are deemed credible and legitimate and influence people's thinking. Cognitive authorities in group-based knowledge-construction projects in health education lessons were explored in this study. Nexus analysis was used to analyze participant interviews

While information science researchers have for some time examined sharing, non-sharing behaviours have received less attention. This study explored the role and impact of secretive information behaviours in the context of gambling activities and social interactions around harmful gambling. The study followed a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with recovering gamblers and gamblers'

Studies of human behaviour usually require the adoption of a research paradigm with the objective of improving the credibility and generalisability of the study. Applying research paradigms in information research is noted to vary from one researcher to another based on the investigator's choice as well as the character of the issue under investigation. The differences in the application of research

Studies investigating data sharing from a world perspective are seemingly rare. By employing a quantitative design,this systematic review investigates and presents a comprehensive account of factors hampering data sharing at three levels of the global research hierarchy (individual, institutional and international). The study analyses secondary data extracted from 105 publications (n=105). Journal

The mobile information behavior of Warner Pacific University students was studied using survey questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and group-based exercises through the lens of several common information theories and models. As ownership of connected devices became nearly ubiquitous, students used the Internet more than the library. Students built digital networks to connect with friends or classmates

It is common in the literature to see libraries characterized as public sphere institutions, but the exact processes by which libraries support and engage in the public sphere remain under-explored. Based on a systematic review of the research literature on libraries as public sphere institutions, this study maps the questions, methods, theories, and findings of those scholars and librarians who have

A library is a particular kind of organization. It plays a valuable role and is dedicated mainly to the development and growth of society. Analyzing a library from the perspective of a network of relations and ties, which exist between social and technical network nodes, contributes to a more nuanced assessment of effectiveness. Building on social network analysis and going beyond human relations in

Despite the digital shift, university libraries have grown in importance as places where students come to learn. Interest in designing better spaces has led to a flowering of user experience studies. Such research into how students use library space could usefully be informed by the theory of embodied cognition, which emphasises the role of the body in thinking and learning. This study explores students'