Volume 57 | Issue 2 Article 13

2014

The Effect of Library Orientation on Library

Knowledge
Lilli-Anna Baca
John Brown University

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Baca, Lilli-Anna (2014) "The Effect of Library Orientation on Library Knowledge," The Christian Librarian: Vol. 57 : Iss. 2 , Article 13.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/tcl/vol57/iss2/13

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The Effect of Library Orientation on Library Knowledge

The Effect of Library Orientation

on Library Knowledge
Lilli-Anna Baca, Student
John Brown University

ABSTRACT
Previous research shows that the anxiety of not knowing how to use the library is a major factor in
the decline in library attendance. In this study, the hypothesis was that the knowledge and attitude of
students who participated in the library orientation would positively increase. A survey was emailed
to 150 students of John Brown University (JBU) measuring their pre and post library orientation
knowledge and attitudes of the library.The results of the study showed an increase in library knowledge,
t (53) = -10.01, p = 0.007, d = 7.33, an increase in confidence in using the library, t (53) = -8.73, p <
.001, d = 1.71, and increased comfort in asking library staff for help, t (53) = -4.97, p < 0.001, d = 1.81.
The results of this study confirm previous research showing that with greater library knowledge comes
more comfort in the library and a stronger perception of the helpfulness of library staff.

For some, the library is a quiet place to study and seek out resources for learning.
Although the library serves many academic purposes, there seems to be increasing
anxiety associated with library use. The term library anxiety, coined by Jiao and
Onwuegbuzie (1998), describes a condition of students who lack a working
knowledge of the library.

The recent development of the library anxiety phenomenon has caused researchers
to look into the components of such a theory. As Jiao and Onwuegbuzie (1998)
discovered, there are five main components to library anxiety. There are “barriers
of staff, affective barriers, comfort of library, knowledge of library, and mechanical
barriers” (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 1998, p. 365). Each component deals with the
student’s perception of the library. If students feel ignored by the staff or they feel
incompetent in using the resources, they will have a greater sense of anxiety. The
more inviting the atmosphere of the library is, the less anxiety the student feels. The
most important component of library anxiety is knowledge of the library.The more
students know about the library, the more comfortable they feel (Carlile, 2007).
With greater confidence, students will frequently visit the library and take advantage
of the resources.

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Jiao and Onwuegbuzie (1998) found a correlation between perfectionism and library
anxiety. The significant result found in their study was the influence of socially
prescribed perfectionism on library anxiety. Those driven by social pressures tend to
have great anxiety when it comes to using the library (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 1998).
The student perceives pressure from peers, superiors, and staff to have a working
knowledge of the library. When students lack knowledge, they tend to avoid using
the library as an act of evading failure. The most common group that deals with
social pressure to succeed is younger students with less experience in the library
(Carlile, 2007).

The trend of general library anxiety along with lower library use among students led
Haddow and Joseph (2010) to look at library use and dropout rates among incoming
students. They compared the online login rates, use of library resources, and school
attendance of a group of university students (Haddow & Joseph, 2010). They found
that those who frequented the library or its online sources tended to stay in school
longer. One of the most significant aspects of their study is the effectiveness of early
programs to educate students on the library (Haddow & Joseph, 2010). Being better
equipped seems to relate to higher success in the classroom along with investment
in a prolonged academic career.

In a study by Fatt Choy (2010), the solution to the lack of library use and
heightened anxiety is a four-part model. The four components to library success
are “convenience, attention, awareness, and perception” (Choy, 2010, p. 71).The first
aspect of library use is the convenience of materials. In the world today, students
expect instant gratification.The more available the resources, the more likely people
will be to seek them out (Hardesty, 1982). For convenience to be known there has
to be attention given to the resources. Sadly, as Choy remarks, “it is not uncommon
to hear users expressing surprise at the wealth of library resources and services after
their first instructional class;” hence, a “comprehensive strategy for the promotion
and marketing of resources and services is essential to every academic library” (2010,
p. 68). The last two components are interrelated. A student not only needs to be
aware of the materials available, but also needs to perceive them as helpful.

Research points to a need to promote the library to prevent library anxiety among
incoming students. The more knowledge students possess, the more confidently
they will use the library (Cleveland, 2004). One way to proactively increase library
knowledge is by requiring a library orientation class for all students. The current
study looks at the pre and post knowledge and attitudes of those who participated
in a library orientation session. The hypothesis of this study is that knowledge and
attitude of the library will improve from pre orientation to post orientation.

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Method
Participants
A sample of 250 John Brown University (JBU) students received an email to take
the online survey before and after the library orientation. The sample was chosen
from the Old Testament classes. There was a total of 150 students who participated
by completing both the pretest and posttest survey. For the study to have an 80
percent chance of finding an effect of a dependent t-test there would need to be 34
participants.

Materials
Participants took a 17 question survey dealing with library knowledge, attitudes
towards the library, and their experiences in the library of JBU. The survey was
given to the students to evaluate their pre library orientation and post orientation
knowledge. Other questions contained in the survey gave the library information
to improve the efficiency of its services. The survey can be viewed at appendix A.

Procedure
The Old Testament students of JBU received an email to take an online survey
before and after participating in a library orientation class. The email they received
informed the students of the nature of the study and the completion of the survey
conveyed their informed consent.

Figure 1. Library knowledge scores increased from pre library orientation session
(LOS) to the post group.

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Results
For this study, multiple t-tests were conducted to measure library orientation session
(LOS) effectiveness, student comfort in the library, and the confidence of students
in using library resources. For the first t-test, the answers to the first four questions
of the survey were added up to a possible 10 out of 10. The scores of the pre
orientation session were compared to post orientation scores through paired, one-
tailed t-tests.The use of dependent, one-tailed t-tests was due to the directionality of
the hypothesis and the analysis of repeated measure of the sample.

For overall knowledge of the library (Figure 1) the post LOS group scored higher
than the pre LOS group with significant results supported by the p-value, t (53) =
-10.01, p = 0.007, d = 7.33.

The second t-test performed with a significant p-value found that those who
attended the LOS reported higher confidence in finding library resources after the
LOS compared to before the LOS (Figure 2) t (53) = -8.73, p < .001, d = 1.71.

Figure 2. Those who participated scored their confidence of library resources higher
after library orientation session.

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Lastly, there was a higher mean score on comfort in asking for help for those who
attended the LOS compared to those who had not taken the LOS (Figure 3) t (53)
= -4.97, p < 0.001, d = 1.81.

Figure 3. Students rated themselves more comfortable with asking for help in the library
after the library orientation session.

In addition, each test had a large effect size indicating a large difference between the
mean scores of pre and post LOS groups.

Discussion
The hypothesis that library knowledge and attitudes would increase after the
library orientation session (LOS) was supported by the positive increase in library
knowledge, confidence in resources, and comfort of asking for help.The large sample
of students and accuracy of the survey facilitated the significant results.

As Jiao and Onwuegbuzie (1998) found, students who have anxiety about using
library resources tend to avoid asking for help in the library. When a student does
not have the confidence to work in the library and use its resources, they do not
benefit from the vast array of available materials. Not only do the students’ internal
ideas of the library affect their desire to use it, but social pressures also influence
knowledge of the library. A student who feels external pressure to perform will be
less likely to ask for help in the library even if they are unsure of what to do (Jiao
& Onwuegbuzie, 1998). Students would rather lack knowledge of resources than
reach out to the personnel. Part of this fear of asking for help is how the library
staff is perceived. If they are seen as harsh and unwelcoming, a student will not feel
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confident and comfortable in the library. A positive perception of the library can
encourage student usage and the overall achievement of students. As Haddow and
Joseph (2010) found, the more students use the library, the better they do in school
and the longer they stay in school.

As research shows, the more confident a student is in their knowledge of the library
and the more comfortable they are with asking for help in the library, the more
likely they will succeed in their academic career. These ideas are supported by the
current research results.When the test scores of the students’ knowledge, confidence,
and comfort before the library orientation session were compared to their posttest
scores, there was an increase in library knowledge and positive attitudes toward the
library. In application, these results tell of the importance of early induction into a
library orientation class. Before the class, the LOS students were not confident in
their ability to use the library. They responded with less comfort in talking to the
library workers and the students did not know what the library offered as resources.
The increase in knowledge positively correlated with the increase of confidence and
comfort after the LOS.

The results of this study and others that deal with library effectiveness seem to
indicate that classes on the library better equip students for their academic careers.
For future research, the usefulness of LOS with younger students would be insightful,
as most research has looked at undergraduate and graduate level library use. With
younger generations being introduced to technology, it would be helpful to get
them oriented with the library at younger levels to better foster library confidence
and combat increasing library anxiety (Carlile, 2007).

Although the current research was conducted with a large sample allowing variance
and reliability, there could be some confounding variables. One could be the
retesting of the students. Because of the nature of the pretest and posttest of this
study, each student received the same test twice. The previous encounter with the
test could have interfered with truthful answering after the LOS in fear of being
wrong. As was mentioned previously, those who suffer most from library anxiety
tend to have perfectionist tendencies (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 1998).These tendencies
can influence how a person answers questions when they feel under pressure. There
can also be some researcher bias, as there was an expected increase of the scores from
pre LOS to post. For future research, to account for such confounders, there could
be different tests for the pre LOS and post LOS. There could also be an objective
outside researcher to collect the data and conduct calculations.

The importance of library use is indicated by the expanse of research conducted

in recent years on library anxiety. The new trend among students of avoiding the
library out of fear or to avoid social shame is growing as seen in research. The
belief that the library is old-fashioned and out of date has to be fought. Research
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The Effect of Library Orientation on Library Knowledge

shows that when students discover the true potential of the library, they open up
their abilities to achieve. The LOS here at JBU shows students that there are many
different avenues to use library resources, not just checking out books. Along with
learning about library resources, the LOS gives the student time to ask questions
and build a rapport with the library personnel. Once students feel that they know
the library workers, they will be more likely to ask for help to confidently do their
projects.With knowledge comes power; therefore, more library knowledge increases
the power of students to succeed academically.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lilli-Anna Baca is an ACL Research Award recipient. She would like to thank Dr.
Rick Froman, Brynn Vandeslunt, and the librarians of John Brown University for
making this study possible. She can be reached at bacal@jbu.edu.

REFERENCES
Carlile, H. (2007). The implications of library Hardesty, L. (1982). Student library skills and
anxiety for academic reference services: A review attitudes and their change: Relationships to other
of the literature. Australian Academic and Research selected variables. Journal of Academic Librarianship,
Libraries, 38(2), 129-147. Retrieved from http:// 8(4), 216-221. Retrieved from http://www.
search.proquest.com/docview/199579796/fullte elsevier.com/locate/issn/00991333
xtPDF?source=fedsrch&accountid=27685 Jiao, Q. G., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (1998).
Choy, F. C. (2011). From library stacks to library- Perfectionism and library anxiety among graduate
in-a-pocket: Will users be around? Library students. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 24(5),
Management, 32(1), 62-72. doi:http://dx.doi. 365-371. Retrieved from http://www.elsevier.
org/10.1108/01435121111102584 com/locate/issn/00991333
Cleveland, A. (2004). Library anxiety: A decade of
empirical research. Library Review, 53(3), 177-185.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docv
iew/218296693?accountid=27685
Haddow, G., & Joseph, J. (2010). Loans, logins,
and lasting the course: Academic library use and
student retention. Australian Academic and Research
Libraries, 41(4), 233-244. Retrieved from http://
www.tandfonline.com/toc/uarl20/current

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APPENDIX A
Survey of JBU Library Use
Informed Consent
You are being given the opportunity to volunteer to participate in a student research project
conducted through John Brown University.
1. This survey inquires about student knowledge, attitudes, and experience with the JBU Library.
2. You were selected because you are enrolled in an Old Testament Survey course this semester.
3. Participation in this project involves filling out an online survey.
4. The survey will take five to ten minutes of your time. If this is too much of a time commitment,
you may exit the survey now. There are no known risks that accompany the completion of this
survey.
5. The survey is anonymous. Therefore, the data collected will never become personally
identifiable.
6. Persons under the age of 18 should not participate in this study.
7. Refusal to participate in this study will have no effect on any future servicesyou may be entitled
to from the University.You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty.

If you decide to participate in the project, please sign this form. If you have any questions at any time
during the study, you may contact Lilli-Anna Baca at bacal@jbu.edu, Dr. Rick Froman at rfroman@
jbu.edu, or the Chair of John Brown University’s Institutional Review Board at (479) 524-7164.

I have been given information about this research and about any potential risks or benefits that may
accompany my participation. I also have been given, and understand, my rights as a participant in this
research. By completing this survey I give my consent to participate in this project.

Instructions:
Please answer the following questions as honestly and accurately as possible. Be sure to read through
each question thoroughly before responding. Remember, this survey is anonymous, so there will
be no way to match your responses to your identity.Your participation in this survey is greatly
appreciated.

Knowledge of Library and Sources

1. Which type of source do professors prefer for most assignments? (Select One)
Popular Journals
Professional Journals
Scholarly Journals
2. What would you use to find both books and articles on the library homepage? (Select One)
JBU Catalog
Ebsco
SuperSearch
3. How many computers are in the library for students use? (Select One)
12
15
20
24
30

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4. Which opportunities exist for you to get help at the library? (Check all that apply)
Call
Text
IM
Email
Front desk
Help desk
By appointment

Attitudes Toward the Library

5. I feel confident that I can find what I need in the library.
(Answered on a 5-point scale, 1 being “disagree,” 5 being “agree”)
6. I feel comfortable asking a librarian for help.
(Answered on a 5-point scale, 1 being “disagree,” 5 being “agree”)

Experience in the Library

7. Have you been in the library to do research? (Yes/No)
8. If you have been in the library to do research:
Did you find what you needed/ were looking for? (Yes/No)
Did you ask for help? (Yes/No)
9. If you asked for help:
Those working in the library were approachable.
(Answered on a 5-point scale, 1 being “disagree,” 5 being “agree”)
10. Those working in the library were helpful.
(Answered on a 5-point scale, 1 being “disagree,” 5 being “agree”)
11. Have you ever used the library study rooms? (Yes/No)
12. What other services or resources would you like to be made available in the library?
(Open Question)
13. What would you like to see covered in the library orientation session? (Open Question)
14. Have you attended one of the library orientation sessions given in your Old Testament class?
(Yes/No)

JBU Student ID#:

Number of semesters you have attended JBU (including this one).

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