Title: Training in Canadas Public Libraries: What Our Users Tell Us About Their Experiences
1Training in Canadas Public Libraries What Our
Users Tell Us About Their Experiences
- Heidi Julien
- Cameron Hoffman
- School of Library Information Studies
- University of Alberta
- Canadian Library Association, 2006
2The Study
- Research Questions
- How do public library users experience the
Internet? - How have they obtained their information literacy
skills training? - What is the role of the public library in
developing Canadians information literacy
skills?
3Methods
- National survey of public libraries
- Library Information Science Research 27(3),
2005, 281-301. - Semi-structured interviews with 25 public library
customers in Fall 2004 at 5 public libraries in
Canada - Observations of users of public Internet access
computers - Interviews with 28 public library staff at the 5
libraries
4National Survey Results
- IL training not a priority in public libraries,
though survey respondents strongly agree that
this is a legitimate role for the public library - A minority of public libraries are assuming major
responsibility for development of IL skills among
Canadians - Need for more resources to assume more
responsibility - dedicated funding
- trained staff
- training space
5Interview/Observation PhaseThe Libraries
- Different regions of Canada (the west, central
Canada, and the east coast) - a main branch of an urban public library in a
city of about 2,000,000 persons - a main branch of an urban public library in a
city of about 1,000,000 persons - a library in a smaller city of 75,000 persons
- a library in a small town of less than 1,000
persons - a public library housed within a community centre
on a small First Nations reserve serving a
community of less than 100 persons
6Uses observed
- email (55 observations)
- search engine use (25)
- online news (23)
- gaming (21)
- visiting foreign language sites (23)large urban
centres - word processing (19)
- shopping (14)
- using bulletin boards/chat rooms (12)
- job searching (12)
- general web surfing (11)
- viewing entertainment news web sites (10)
- using the library online catalogue (8)
7How are the public Internet access computers used?
- primarily as communication tools (email, bulletin
boards, forums, chat rooms, dating services,
instant messaging) - to view or listen to an online news source
- entertainment uses were also important (accessing
information about entertainment, or entertainment
products such as games or music videos) - at three of the libraries, visiting foreign
language web sites (including ethnic community
discussion forums) was also a popular use
8The Physical Space
- customers are not encouraged by the physical
surroundings to inhabit the physical space in
which those computers are located - uncomfortable stools, or no seating at all is
common, and little privacy is afforded - one library had installed privacy screens on the
computer monitors - two sites had dedicated space for training
purposes
9Dedicated teaching classroom
10Teaching space
11Public Internet access area
12Teaching classroom
13Public Internet access area
14Who are the Internet users in public libraries?
- more men than women
- most appear to be under 35 years of age
- in the large urban centers, customers represented
a diversity of ethnicities and visible minorities
were proportionally over-represented - residents, visitors, and travelers
15Who was interviewed?
- 13 females, 12 males, of various ages
- mean annual income was lower than Canadas
average - 10 of 25 participants reported an annual income lt
20,000 - 5 customers had home Internet access
- 10 had Internet access elsewhere (e.g., work, a
seniors or community centre, Internet cafés)
16Why did they use the library computers?
- because they provide Internet access (n11)
- to access email (n6)
- because the location is convenient (n3)
- because they want to conduct job searches (n3)
- only 1 customer mentioned the ability to ask
staff for help - 8 had home computer 13 did not
17Are customers confident in their skills when
using the Internet?
- 16 feel very confident
- 7 feel somewhat confident (all females)
- 2 feel not confident
18Are customers information literate?
- 13 say yes
- 8 are ambivalent
- 4 say no
19What skills do they claim to have mastered?
- evaluation
- searching
- web design
- tendency to equate IT literacy with information
literacy
20What skills still need development?
- keyboarding
- database searching
- patience
- learning a wider variety of sources
- learning specific software packages
- One woman said, I always feel that Im not good
enough and I should make more effort and I want
to be betterso I will never feel really
accomplished.
21Are poor skills a barrier to efficient/effective
information access?
- majority (15) say no
- 6 say yes
22Where did participants develop their current
skill set?
- 11 indicated that they were self-taught
- 4 participants had received training in a school
setting - 4 got training in a university or college setting
- 4 were trained by family members
- 2 had workplace training
- 1 was trained by a friend
- 1 mentioned the public library as a source of
training
23How do users experience being information
literate?
- Nine of 25 customers reported feeling nothing
special about being information literate. These
participants made comments such as - Doesnt boost my self-esteem
- Part of everyday life like brushing your teeth
- Its just another tool used around the home
- For my age group its probably pretty normalIve
just grown up with it - I dont feel very proud or anything like that
24How do users experience being information
literate?
- The ten customers reporting positive feelings
used phrases such as - Its a lot nicer than not
- I think Im in control
- Im just not easily coercedI have a pretty
good idea to watch out and be aware - Confident
- Really pleased
- Really proud
- Its a sense of empowerment
- Its exclusive
- You are informed
25Where would participants like to get more
training?
- 11 of 25 would like to take further training
- 6 would prefer to take such training in a school,
university or community college setting - 5 indicated that the library might offer useful
training (some prompted)
26What kind of training is helpful?
- Hands-on
- Offered within a coherent and logical program (so
people who need to start at the beginning may do
so) - Offered by instructors who have
- Training skills
- Resources
- Interest
27What is the role for Canadas public libraries in
training citizens in information literacy skills?
- currently the role is very small
- there is ample potential, but resources are a
significant barrier - there is considerable need
28Acknowledgments
- The library customers and staff who participated
in interviews - The public libraries who allowed us to visit
- Research Assistants
- Claire Banton
- Reegan Breu
- Ina Smith
- Michelle Whitehead
- Funding by Social Sciences Humanities Research
Council of Canada, SRG 410-2003-004