1. An Exploratory Case Study of Library Anxiety and Basic Skills
Students in a California Community College
By
Scott W. Lee, MSLS, EdD
2. What is Library Anxiety (LA)
Similarto Other Academic Anxieties (Math Anxiety, Text Anxiety, Computer
Anxiety)
Fear, trepidation, intimidation of any or all things library related.
Term first coined by Constance Mellon in 1986 based on analysis of student
journals.
3. Mellon’s Findings
Main Sources of Fear
Building Layout
Research Process
Students Do Not Seek Help
Embarrassed by lack of knowledge and assumed everyone else had it.
I found previous research (1972, 1982) that showed same.
4. Basic Skills
California Community College (CCC) term for Developmental Education (DE)
DEStudent: College Student Below College Level in Math, Reading, and/or
Writing
40% in US, 70%-80% in CCC’s
Most states focus DE in Community Colleges
Also called: Remedial, At-Risk, High-Risk
5. My Study
Conducted at Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)
Largest CC in US (240K Students)
Spread Over 800 Square Miles
I drove 2800 miles to collect my data.
Mixed Methods: Quantitative (Survey) followed by Qualitative (Interviews)
Data Collected: March – May 2010
6. Quantitative
The Library Anxiety Scale (LAS)
The LAS was developed by Sharon Bostick in 1991 to measure Library Anxiety
Used in Over 30 Studies Before
Administered to 191 Students at 8 of the 9 Colleges of LACCD
Only Used Students at Highest Level of Basic Skills English Before Transfer
Level
7. Qualitative
Interviewed 13 Quantitative Participants
In Person, One-to-One
Five Colleges – Harbor (3), Mission (2), City (3), Trade-Tech (1), Pierce (4)
Paid Each Participant $10 and Raffle Entry for One of Three iPods
8. Findings - Quantitative
Analysis was Descriptive (Univariate & Bivariate)
LAS Scores for LACCD:
Total LAS Range is 43 - 215
Mean: 102
Highest: 174, Lowest: 43
Study Means of Past LA Research (98, 96, 129)
9. Findings - Quantitative
Means
Gender: No Difference (M:102, F:101)
Ethnicity: Asians Scored Highest (106), African-Americans Scored Lowest (94)
Age: No Trend
Employment: More Hours = More LA
Library Experience: More Recent Experience = Less LA
10. Findings - Qualitative
Three Areas of Inquiry
Awareness of Academic Libraries
Use of Academic Libraries
Value Placed on Academic Libraries
11. Findings - Qualitative
Awareness
No Connection Between LA and Awareness
Awareness Primarily Affected by Classroom Faculty
Students who were guided to library by classroom or other faculty were more
aware.
Most received little to no guidance.
Most students reported few, if any, research-based assignments.
Most reported no BI experiences.
12. Findings - Qualitative
Use
Increase in LA equaled decrease in use.
Students used library computers more than any other service or resource.
Students made significant use of the library building as a place to study.
Students used public libraries and academic libraries interchangeably.
13. Findings - Qualitative
Value
Student valuations of academic libraries not connected to LA.
Most students viewed the library as a necessity for a successful college student.
Some disagreed and felt the Internet could replace a library.
I found conflict between student valuations of the library and their use of them
with students placing a high value on libraries while they were not using them
much.
14. Findings - Qualitative
Value (cont.)
Students primarily viewed the library as a:
Tool (to accomplish tasks)
Convenience (for access to the building and computers)
House of Knowledge
Student perspectives on librarians:
All had a positive view.
Referred to librarians as“teachers”and“Guru’s”.
Valued for expertise in campus-specific knowledge.
15. Recommendations
#1: Community college libraries should recognized the existence of library
anxiety in development education students and consider it for all services to
that population.
16. Recommendations
#2: Community college libraries should develop better connections with the
developmental education staff on campus.
17. Recommendations
#3: Community college libraries should engage classroom instructors to
inform them of the value that libraries can offer to students.
18. Recommendations
#4: Community college libraries should find a balance between serving the
technology needs of students and fulfilling an educational role at the
college.