CU's reference librarians will step up instruction on how to access resources

After receiving "excellent" marks for teaching library patrons how to access services, Cornell's reference librarians want to do even better.

Members of the Instruction Working Group (IWG), comprised of reference and instruction librarians from several Cornell University Library (CUL) units, intend to enhance and expand their offer of library-resource instruction, with special emphasis on undergraduates and the faculty members who work with them.

The good marks resulted from the IWG's two-year, comprehensive evaluation of user perceptions of library instruction services and resources, and how well current instruction practices meet user needs. Focus groups were designed and conducted under the direction of an independent team, and a survey, designed by the IWG in collaboration with the Office of Statistical Consulting, sought opinions from more than 3,000 members of the campus community.

Six focus groups were held beginning in October 2002 -- two groups with undergraduates, two with faculty members, one with library staff and the sixth for graduate students. The focus-group findings revealed that the various instruction offerings have a good reputation and are well respected by those who have used them.

When the IWG posted a Web-based survey to a random sample of 3,256 Cornell faculty members and students through WebSurveyor in January 2003, they addressed eight research questions: What is the level of participation of the campus community in library instruction offerings? What is the users' level of satisfaction with those offerings? What promotional methods for library instruction are most likely to reach faculty and students best? What is the level of usage of library instructional materials? What is the level of users' satisfaction with library instructional materials? What are faculty's levels of awareness and satisfaction specifically with course-related library instruction? Are there any significant demographic variables that determine participation in and level of satisfaction with library instruction? Are there significant correlations between participation in and level of satisfaction with library instruction, and college and/or departmental affiliation?

The Web-based survey revealed that more than 50 percent of undergraduate students had attended a course-related library instruction session. Satisfaction with library instructional offerings was very high for all user categories and types of sessions; in all cases more than 95 percent of all users described library instruction as either helpful or very helpful, and in some instances satisfaction reached the 100 percent level. The use of instructional materials was lower than expected, but satisfaction with the materials was very high.

Complete results of the focus group and the survey, along with an analysis, are at the IWG's Web site: http://www.library.cornell.edu/ins-work/.

While the results were gratifyingly positive for librarians, the IWG has targeted several areas for future efforts. The reference librarians want to increase awareness of instructional materials and services and enhance undergraduate instruction through in-depth user studies and measurement of learning outcomes.

Given the high marks received by library instruction at Cornell, librarians are eager to continue this tradition of excellence and provide further learning opportunities for students in all subject fields. Anyone can start by contacting an instruction or reference librarian at 255-7148 or http://campusgw.library.cornell.edu/services/instruct_co.html.

This article was prepared by members of the Cornell University Library (CUL) Instruction Working Group: Kornelia Tancheva, Mann Library; Tony Cosgrave, Olin and Uris libraries; Virginia Cole, Olin and Uris libraries; Jill Powell, Engineering Library; Ira Revels, Uris Library; and Susanne Whitaker, Veterinary Library.