Honestly, most of the research I did in library school was about things that were only tangentally related to libraries -- architecture, the Gutenberg Press, management, computing. I didn't ever delve into the hard-core library literature. After I got my degree, I continued my love affair with reference by researching countless topics -- none of them librarianship.
The IIT program has encouraged me to delve into the research in my own profession. I'm disappointed. I've had a difficult time finding items that aren't essentially diaries of program roll-outs or policy suggestions. Implementation followed by serious testing is rare -- and research that applies any sort of statistical evaluation in the field of bibliographic instruction is even rarer. I understand that we work in a situation that is difficult to accomplish research in -- we do not have the relationships with students that instructors do, or the face time.
The problem with finding research doesn't stop there. Where should I look if I want to publish my own work?
I was thinking it was just me until I came across an article in Reference & User Services Quarterly (2007, 46:3, p.77-87) by Crawford and Feldt. The article reinforces my own feelings that general essays dominate library publications (p. 86), with catalog and database instructional essays being most prevalant.
The most compelling result of this research is the relative lack of high-quality research in the field of librarianship in general and of library-related instruction in particular. (86)
I don't have a solution for this, which makes me feel like I'm not bringing anything to the table. But it was nice to know I wasn't just looking for research love in all the wrong places.
Anybody else having similar revelations about their field?
4 comments:
Kelly! I like your blog! When you say you are looking for research in your own profession are you referring to librarianship? If so, then that field is so broad until you might be able to look for just about anything. Are you familiar with the book,"Information Power Building Partnerships for Learning?" I call it my library bible. According to the preface on page v:
The focus of school library
media programs has moved from
resources to students to
creating a community of life
long learners. (v)
With that being the case you might be able to look for just about anything teachers do. Anyway, if you don't have a copy it is published by the ALA, it might help.
Kelly, I forgot to ask, are you an elementary, high school or college librarian?
Gloria -- I'm at a college. I've been working with library-specific information literacy forEVER, but really got into it two summers ago at a Peabody Professional Institute. My problem is that there's very little in the way of research going on in bibliographic instruction at the college level. As I'm sure you can figure, without a structured class, it's difficult to compel people to participate. There's stuff out there, but the sample sizes are small and there's significantly more essay than research.
I've read _Information Power...,_ but my favourite ALA publication so far is _Power Research Tools_, I think. It's in my office...
When you say you are looking for research in your own profession, and are having a tough time finding it, I have a nearly visceral response!
I feel the same way you do - frustrated! I work in a [non-medical] informatics group for a reaserch, development and engineering department of a large manufacturing company. The team is really a service oriented architecture group. The field is obscure, with little publications when it comes to anything non-medical.
Thanks for your comments!
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