Individualized Research Consultations in Academic Libraries: Useful or Useless? Let the Evidence Speak for Itself.

Abstract

Objectives Academic librarians consistently offer individualized help to students and researchers. However, few studies have empirically examined the impact of individualized research consultations (IRCs). For many librarians, IRCs are an integral part of their teaching repertoire. However, without any evidence of its effectiveness or value, one might ask if it’s worth investing so much time and effort? Our study embraces the evidence by exploring how IRCs have an impact on students' search techniques and self-perceived confidence levels.

Methods Our population included students in the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine at the University of Ottawa, completing an undergraduate or graduate degree, and undertaking a research or thesis project. We used a mixed methods approach, with pre- and post-testing, as well as interviews, being utilized. Participants were invited to complete two questionnaires, before and after meeting with a librarian. The questionnaires consisted of open-ended and multiple choices questions, which assessed students' search techniques, their self-perceived search techniques proficiency, and their confidence level. A rubric will be used to score students' open-ended questions, and self-reflective questions will be coded and analysed for content.

Results It was decided that 30 completed pre- and post-tests would allow us enough for statistical significance, however, data collection took longer than anticipated. As such, data analysis is not yet completed. We hypothesize that students’ searching techniques would improve once they had met with a librarian, and their confidence levels would also increase, though the range of these levels may vary on many factors.

Conclusion Our hope for this study is to provide empirical evidence that individualized research consultations are an added value to the services provided by librarians. Future research may explore specific techniques to improve search strategies across various disciplines, tips to improve confidence levels, and exploring the viewpoint of librarians.