3 results
10 - Does position within the library affect mobile technology acceptance?
- from Part 2 - Challenges and strategies involved in embracing mobile innovation for libraries
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- By Sarah-Jane Saravani, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Gaby Haddow, Curtin University
- Edited by Gill Needham, Ally Mohamed
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- Book:
- M-Libraries 5
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 08 June 2018
- Print publication:
- 10 June 2015, pp 87-98
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- Chapter
- Export citation
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Summary
Introduction
Successful implementation of technology in the workplace depends on planning, implementation, sustainability and institutionalization. It has been argued that three overlapping areas subject to rapid technological change are hardware, software and staff, and all involve costs (Cunningham, 2010). The pressures to keep up with technological developments are often perceived by staff as relentless and overwhelming, with the expectation: ‘In today's western society, technology systems in education and industry require an employee to be continually up-skilling’ (Bhati et al., 2010, 13).
Understanding the factors that influence staff response to technology improves the likelihood of desired outcomes and significant empirical investigation has been conducted over the past four decades in an attempt to explain the relationship between user attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, and eventual system use (Agarwal and Prasad, 1997; Davis, 1989; Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Moore and Benbasat, 1991; Rogers, 2003; Venkatesh et al., 2003). These investigations have explored a range of attributes such as age, computer proficiency, experience and attitude as indicators enabling prediction of likely technology acceptance in the workplace. The role of professional position, the subject of the research discussed here, has been demonstrated to influence how staff will approach technology implementation (Kripanont, 2007; Schaper and Pervan, 2007).
The ability of working environments to manage change is affected by the level and suitability of professional development available to staff, including effective use of resources to ensure staff are confident and competent in a changing environment (Weir, 2000). Moreover, to meet the increasing demands for technology and evidence-based competencies (Abram, 2005; Partridge, Lee and Munro, 2010), library managers require awareness of staff skills. It is with this aim that the research reported here examined the impact of professional position on staff attitudes, required skills, and preferred training methods.
Research approach
The research sought to determine whether the attribute of position influenced the likelihood of Vocational Education and Training (VET) library staff accepting and using mobile technologies within their workplace. In particular, professional position was examined in relation to four areas crucial to effective engagement with these technologies: attitude towards technology usage, required competencies in the mobile environment, required training to deliver services to mobile devices and preferred methods of training.
9 - Staff preparedness to implement mobile technologies in libraries
- from PART 2 - PEOPLE AND SKILLS
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- By Sarah-Jane Saravani, Waikato Institute of Technology, Gaby Haddow, Curtin University
- Edited by Mohamed Ally, Gill Needham
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- Book:
- M-Libraries 3
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 08 June 2018
- Print publication:
- 23 January 2012, pp 75-84
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
Mobile technologies have added a new dimension to the role of library staff, a role that requires relevant knowledge and skills to ensure that the needs and expectations of clients are met (Gentry, 2011; Kroski, 2008; Traxler, 2008). For libraries to succeed in the mobile environment, management will have to consider two significant staffing issues. Firstly, it needs to understand the knowledge and skills required by staff to enable them to deliver services through mobile technologies; secondly, that understanding should be applied to develop support and training for staff in the use of mobile technologies. In order to explore these issues a survey was undertaken in late 2010, involving librarians working in the vocational education and training (VET – similar to further education in the UK) sector in Australia and New Zealand.
Vocational education and training libraries and mobile technologies
Generally, research into mobile technologies across the library sector in tertiary education has focused on universities (Adams, 2009; Kealy, 2009; Zauha and Potter, 2009). While there are similarities between university libraries and VET libraries, the differences are notable. There are 58 VET institutions in Australia and 19 institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) in New Zealand. In 2008 enrolments numbered 1.7 million for Australia and 78,000 in New Zealand (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009; New Zealand Ministry of Education, 2009). These are large and diverse groups, comprising students taking apprenticeships, certificate, diploma and degree-level courses. The sector is characterized by a focus on industry and community engagement, whereby students tend to be competency based rather than research oriented and many have ongoing workplace commitments related to their studies. Prolonged periods of absence from campus and the young average age of the student cohort mean that effective mobile library services are particularly critical for the VET sector (Douch et al., 2010).
About the study
Library staff from eight New Zealand and six Australian VET institutions were invited to participate in a survey that included a short online questionnaire and an interview (conducted in person, over the telephone or via Skype). The questionnaire gathered some demographic information and asked participants to indicate their competence in using mobile technologies. The interviews used open questions to discuss the knowledge and skills required to deliver mobile services and the on-the-job training required to acquire those knowledge and skills.
5 - Why don't librarians use research?
- from Part 1 - The context for evidence-based information practice
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- By Paul Genoni, Department of Media and Information at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Gaby Haddow, Research Project Officer for the Western Australia Centre for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery, Ann Ritchie, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as the Project Officer for the National Standing Committee, Education
- Edited by Andrew Booth, Anne Brice
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- Book:
- Evidence-based Practice for Information Professionals
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 08 June 2018
- Print publication:
- 15 March 2004, pp 49-60
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
It is frequently asserted that librarians do not use research findings when making decisions related to their professional practice. It is claimed that their decisions are based on little more than instinct or colleagues’ opinions, and that as a result their decision making may be ill-informed and high-risk. It is further claimed that this situation indicates a ‘communication gap’ between researchers and practitioners, and that this gap inhibits the maturation of librarianship, as many practitioners operate without an adequate understanding of the theoretical foundations to their practice.
This chapter examines the evidence related to the use of research by practitioners and the nature of the communication gap. In doing so it provides an overview of reasons advanced to explain why librarians do not use research data. It also explores the characteristics of the literature of librarianship, and the part played by education in preparing practitioners for the use of research-based evidence. Finally, it presents suggestions for improving the use of research by practitioners.
Scenario
The research
Considerable research has been conducted that compares and reviews information retrieval systems’ features. Much of this research is conducted and published by researchers associated with the field of information science. Their aim is to identify systems’ features that make information searching as easy and relevant to the searcher as possible. The findings of this research tend to be published in scholarly journals and is presented at research-oriented conferences.
The practice
The automated system of a medium size government library needs upgrading to incorporate new and improved features, such as Internet links and better searching capabilities. The librarian gains approval from the department to purchase a new system within a specified budget. Advertisements for automated systems in recent issues of the professional association's newsletter provide the contact details for local agents. However, before contacting the agents the librarian calls colleagues at other government libraries to ask for their opinions about systems to which they have upgraded in the last few years and posts a message to a discussion list requesting information about the relative merits of systems being used in other libraries.