Dissertation Information for Donald Dilmore NAME: - Donald Dilmore
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science
SCHOOL:
- Rutgers University (USA) (1992)
ADVISORS: - Hendrik Edelman
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - Lea Stewart - Brent D. Ruben - Joanne R. Euster - Thomas Allen
MPACT Status: Fully Complete
Title: Academic librarians and their environment: A study of boundary spanning activity in nine New England institutions
Abstract: Based on the tenets of systems theory this study explored the outreach, or boundary spanning activity of librarians as they interact with the faculty members on their campuses.
Data were obtained through group interviews and from a mail survey of a sample of librarians and faculty members at nine college campuses in New England. The survey forms were sent to 511 faculty members and 59 librarians. Usable returns were received from 239 faculty members and 50 librarians. The data were analyzed using SPSS-X software. Non-parametric measures were used due to the skewed nature of the data.
Results from the interviews and the mail survey indicated close ties between librarians and faculty members on some campuses, but a lack of communication between the two groups at several other colleges.
Tests indicated that faculty members on most campuses gave their librarians higher scores for boundary spanning activity than the librarians gave themselves. When faculty members were asked to rate the importance of seven boundary spanning activities the majority responded that only basic library services such as acting as experts and providing advice, and providing formal instruction in the use of library resources were important to the provision of responsive library service.
When librarians were divided into four groups: directors, public services, technical services, and "others", it was found that the directors gave themselves higher scores in most boundary spanning activities than did the other three groups. In the two areas ranked as important by faculty members, however, public services librarians gave themselves the highest scores.
Spearman Rank Correlations were used to investigate the relationships between nine variables focusing on faculty library use and their perception of the quality of library service on their campus. Interpersonal contact, quantified as the number of days since a faculty member had spoken with a librarian, was found to be highly correlated with both faculty use of the library and their perception of the quality of library service.
The findings of the study support the tenets of systems theory, particularly the ideas of boundaries, interdependence, and interaction across boundaries.
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MPACT Scores for Donald Dilmore A = 0
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calculated 2008-01-31 06:10:03
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