Background This study examines the information literacy or ability of junior high aged (grades 6-8) children to find information in a public library. How able are children to find and retrieve information in the library? Do they understand how to retrieve information? This study is to be conducted in an effort to learn how to better educate children on how to obtain information they need. The ability to obtain information is a skill that will be useful to these children as they continue their education and to satisfy their general curiosity if they so desire. Also, the ability to obtain information will help children in other areas of life, such as web navigation. People who are able to collect information will be of value both to the library and the world. Reflective Inquiry Problem Statement Literature supports that school children do not know how to find information in a library.
This inability to obtain information presents several possible problems. For one, school children do not know how to find the material they need to complete school assignments. Also, this study takes place in a public library. If children do not understand how to retrieve the wealth of information in the library what is the likelihood of them growing into adults who understand how to obtain information? Will the next generation of future taxpayers understand the library’s importance? Finally, could a study done on children’s ability to retrieve information lead to a piqued interest? If school children realize they are not skilled in obtaining information at the library could their natural curiosity encourage them to participate in fun library information gathering activities? Literature Review A review of literature finds that similar concerns exist in other libraries however, “Many more studies are needed to evaluate fully how children use libraries” (Gross 4).
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“Few research studies have examined children as library researchers during a resource-based activity” (Laverty 226).
One problem that exists with children collecting information is that children are often told to seek a topic rather than formulate a research question, which, according to Laverty leads to students gathering information without realizing what the information should be applied toward (226).
Other problems that arise when children seek information in the library are that they often lack the vocabulary used in subject headings, and don’t understand how the catalog and shelving system relate to what they are seeking (McMillan 4).
Furthermore, “Children’s ability to determine a ‘right’ answer relates directly to their ability to retrieve answers from the imposed question they carry” (Gross 4).
If children do not understand the questions they have been assigned they cannot be expected to find correct answers. Another problem that exists when children search for information is that students do not yet possess an adult’s analytical skills. Gross cites earlier work where she determined .”.. it is not until the upper elementary grades that children make use of strategies like checking other resources and deductive logic” (4).
Additionally, “Children also appear to be very dependent on the exact use of terminology, as given by the teacher or the textbook and strong, supportive, visual depictions to feel confident that the material addresses the question” (Gross 4).
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This kind of limitation can hinder the searching process for children. Also, children lack a fully developed vocabulary. “For children, broad questions may result from limited vocabulary and pronunciation skills as well as limited experience in the library” (Gross 5).
Finally, children are not able to easily remember what it is they find in the library. “In addition to limited vocabulary skills and lack of experience, young children tend not to remember book titles and author names” (Gross 6).
Gross expands upon this idea by citing Callaghan, “When the information need originates within a child’s curiosity, the child will not know what subject area to ask for and [will] make assumptions as to where the answer might be found” (6).
Theoretical Framework Objectives: . To identify if students are able to find the information they need… To identify if students are able to retrieve the information successfully… To identify if students get the search results using “subject” to search the computer… To identify if students find books on the shelf that they looked up in the computer…
To identify if students can find a web site on the subject they are studying… To identify if students can find a magazine article on the subject they are studying… To identify if students can find an encyclopedia article on the information they are studying. Grade subject shelf Web site magazine encyclopedia 6 7 8 There is no statistically significant difference (P = . 05) between grade level and ability to retrieve information regarding information literacy.
This is one-tailed distribution. Procedures Research Design The action plan for this study is to first survey a sample of 278 junior high aged public library patrons out of a population of 1000. After this a small sample of in-person interviews will be conducted as a secondary source of information gathering. Both methods will be random sampling with population members having an equal chance of being selected. Surveys will be mailed on library letterhead, in hopes of being persuasive (Powell 113) to the sample group after a computer generates random numbers that correspond with patron records sorted by age. Self-addressed, stamped envelopes will be enclosed with the survey to “facilitate returns” (Powell 114).
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The library’s contact information will be provided at the end of the written survey for students who wish to participate with the in-person interviews. The students’ names will then be numbered and again a computer can generate random numbers to providing an equal chance for students to be selected in the sample. The study will be performed early in the school year before students are bogged down with classwork. Surveys will be mailed out at the beginning of the year in September. The in-person interviews will be scheduled in the following month. Methods of Data Collection The following survey will be mailed to junior high aged patrons using circulation records and the sample will be computer generated by assigning random numbers to the records and selecting 278 students.
Upon they survey’s return attention will be paid to the grade statistic and other information. Dear Parent/Guardian: The Public Library is interested in surveying our junior high aged patrons to better serve them. We are particularly interested in our junior high aged patrons’ need for information and how well they understand the use of the library. Use of the library may include finding books, encyclopedia articles, and other sources for schoolwork. Finding the information means students know how to locate books on the shelves by identifying call numbers and book titles, or how to use the index in an encyclopedia to find a particular subject. Please ask your child to take 10 minutes of his / her time to participate in the enclosed survey.
By completing the survey and returning it in the enclosed self-addressed, stamped envelope your child can help the library learn what children’s informational needs are and let us better serve and educate them. Finally, if your child may be interested in further helping the library, please ask him / her to volunteer 10 to 15 minutes of his / her time during your next library visit for a brief in-person interview. Or contact us as 617-123-1234 to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Public Library Staff 1. How difficult is it to get the search results you need using “subject” to search the computer? Difficult Easy 1 2 3 4 5 2. How difficult is it to find information on a subject using synonyms (words that have the same meaning)? Difficult Easy 1 2 3 4 5 3.
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How difficult is it to find a book on the shelf that you looked up in the computer? Difficult Easy 1 2 3 4 5 4. How difficult is it to find a Web site on the subject you are studying? Difficult Easy 1 2 3 4 5 5. How difficult is it find a magazine article on the subject you are studying? Difficult Easy 2 3 4 5 6. How difficult is it to find an encyclopedia article on the information you are studying? Difficult Easy 1 2 3 4 5 Please circle your grade level: 6 7 8 If you are willing to participate in an in-person interview at the library please call 617-123-1234 for more information. Quality Indicators Reliability Before the surveys are mailed out, Youth Services staff will recruit in-person 5-20 junior high aged patrons to do a pretest of the survey. Depending on their feedback, the survey will be further clarified for the participants.
If the pretest indicates that the language in the survey is already clear it will be left as it is. The split-half method will be used to measure reliability. .”.. the researcher splits the measuring instrument into two sets of questions or items after it is administered. The scores on the two halves are then correlated to provide an estimate of reliability” (Powell 41).
“Regarding measurement it should be noted that the reliability is always contingent on the degree of uniformity of the given characteristics in the population.
The more homogeneous the population with regard to the variable in question, the more reliable the instrument is likely to be” (Powell 42).
With this in mind, the sample mailed surveys will be randomly generated by computer using circulation records indicative of students in the junior high age range. Their age and education level will be the same. An ordinal scale is being used as a means of reliability as well.
There is “no implication as to the distance between positions” (Powell 43).
Internal Validity The findings of this study should serve as a starting point telling how information literate junior high aged public library patrons are. The library will be able to draw some conclusions and use the findings to aid in educating junior high aged patrons to better use the library. The study should indicate construct validity by measuring the comprehension of the patrons’ information literacy. Pre-testing the survey should ensure that the survey is, in fact, measuring this.
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Finally, this study aims to have face validity in consistency with the broader literature, too. Conclusion Little work has been done examining children’s information literacy, that is, their ability to effectively find information in libraries. By conducting this study a public library could obtain information on how junior high aged children find resources in the library. Then, this information could be of value to the library because it could help staff devise ways to further educate children how to use the library to gather information. By learning the ability to collect information these children will be better prepared to continue their education and to satisfy their own personal need for knowledge. Also, children will be better able to find information in other areas such as on Web searches.
References 1. Gross, Melissa. “The Imposed Query and Information Services for Children.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries 13 no 2 (2000): 10-17 2. Laverty, Corrine. “The Challenge of Information Seeking: How Children Engage in Library Work. Feliciter 48 no 5 (2002): 226-228.
3. McMillan, Dawn. “Taking up the Challenge: How Can Public Libraries Help Develop Information Literate Children?” Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services 14 no 1 (2001): 4-11. 4. Powell, Ronald. Basic Research Methods for Librarians.
Greenwich, CT: Ablex Pub. , 1997. 5. Westbrook, Lynn.
Identifying and Analyzing User Needs: a Complete Handbook and Ready-to-use Assessment Workbook with Disk. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2001. Article printed from Wilson Library Literature did not list page numbers as they appeared in the journal but 1-10 instead. The Wilson page numbers have been cited in this paper. 1.
Gross, Melissa. “The Imposed Query and Information Services for Children.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries 13 no 2 (2000): 10-17 2. Laverty, Corrine. “The Challenge of Information Seeking: How Children Engage in Library Work. Feliciter 48 no 5 (2002): 226-228.
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3. McMillan, Dawn. “Taking up the Challenge: How Can Public Libraries Help Develop Information Literate Children?” Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services 14 no 1 (2001): 4-11. 4. Powell, Ronald. Basic Research Methods for Librarians.
Greenwich, CT: Ablex Pub. , 1997. 5. Westbrook, Lynn.
Identifying and Analyzing User Needs: a Complete Handbook and Ready-to-use Assessment Workbook with Disk. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2001. Article printed from Wilson Library Literature did not list page numbers as they appeared in the journal but 1-10 instead. The Wilson page numbers have been cited in this paper..
