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Dissertation Information for Randall Craig Simmons

NAME:
- Randall Craig Simmons

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (USA) (1986)

ADVISORS:
- Leslie Edmonds

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Walter Recharde Allen
- Jo Ann Fley
- Linda C. Smith
- Lawrence Auld

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORAL REASONING AND PARTICIPATION IN AND ACCEPTANCE OF LIBRARY THEFT-BEHAVIORS AMONG UNDERGRADUATES IN A LARGE ACADEMIC LIBRARY

Abstract: The loss of library materials is a major issue for acadmic libraries. Of particular concern is the loss of materials through theft-behaviors which temporarily or indefinitely deny access to printed materials. Four theft-behaviors among undergraduates at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were examined; theft, unauthorized borrowing, mutilation, and the hiding of materials.

A review of the literature revealed psychological, sociological, and situational factors which have partially explained why undergraduates engage in the unauthorized removal of materials from academic libraries. This study went beyond these factors and examined the relationship between development of moral reasoning and library theft-behaviors among undergraduates.

A sample of 432 subjects was administered a two-part data collection instrument: a three-story version of the Defining Issues Test which measured the level of moral reasoning, and a questionnaire which gathered information about the subjects and their awareness of, acceptance of, and participation in library theft-behaviors.

The data did not yield significant negative correlation between level of moral reasoning and acceptance of nor participation in library theft-behaviors. Neither did low accepters, as compared with high accepters, nor non-participants, as compared with participants, exhibit higher levels of moral reasoning. Moral reasoning was not a significant predictor of acceptance of nor participation in library theft-behaviors. Some variables interacted with moral reasoning, but the extent to which they intervened in the relationship between moral reasoning and acceptance of or participation in library theft-behaviors was not revealed by the data.

Acceptance of individual library theft-behaviors was a signal characteristic of participation in those behaviors. Factor analysis indicated that subjects were most likely to accept theft and mutilation when they were perceived as done in reaction to library policies. Subjects exhibited greatest acceptance of unauthorized borrowing and hiding of materials when they were perceived as done in reaction to library design, both policies and fluctuating library environment.

MPACT Scores for Randall Craig Simmons

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:17:15

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Students under Randall Craig Simmons

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None