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Objective – The study aim was to understand the extent to which Canadian registered midwives have access to and make use of clinically relevant information for evidence based midwifery practice.

Methods – A survey instrument was created consisting of 17 multiple choice, matrix table, and short answer questions and distributed to 1,690 recipients on the Canadian Association of Midwives email list in fall 2018. In total, 193 responses were included in the analysis.

Results – One third of midwives do not have library memberships. Midwives reported that limited access to clinically relevant information is a key challenge in applying information in practice. Midwives with library memberships reported more frequent use of high-quality information while midwives without memberships reported more frequent use of websites. Midwives with advanced degrees (graduate, PhDs) were more likely to be high-frequency information users and rank themselves higher on evidence based competency scales than their undergraduate-holding colleagues. Clinical practice guidelines were important information sources and used frequently by midwives.

Conclusion – Midwives reported low levels of academic or hospital library memberships and yet used information frequently. Clinical practice guidelines support the work of midwives but are inaccessible to some due to paywalls. Midwives lacked confidence in evidence based practice and reported critical appraisal as an area for development. Solutions to these problems could be addressed at the hospital, health authority, provincial, or national association level, or within midwifery departments at Canadian universities. Hospital and academic libraries should prioritize the information needs of students and practicing midwives and identify ways to foster use of library resources through administrative or educational interventions.

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Objective – The negative effects of impostor phenomenon, also called impostor syndrome, include burnout and decreased job satisfaction and have led to an increased interest in addressing this issue in libraries in recent years. While previous research has shown that many librarians experience impostor phenomenon, the experience of coping with these feelings has not been widely studied. The aim of our study was to understand how health sciences librarians cope with impostor phenomenon in the workplace. 

Methods – We conducted a census of 2125 Medical Library Association members between October and December 2017. An online survey featuring the Harvey Impostor Phenomenon scale and open-ended questions about coping strategies to address impostor phenomenon at work was administered to all eligible participants. We used thematic analysis to explore strategies for addressing impostor phenomenon and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine relationships between impostor phenomenon scores and coping strategies.

Results – Among 703 survey respondents, 460 participants completed the qualitative portion of the survey (65%). We found that external coping strategies that drew on the help of another person or resource, such as education, support from colleagues, and mentorship, were associated with lower impostor scores and more often rated by participants as effective, while internal strategies like reflection, mindfulness, and recording praise were associated with less effectiveness and a greater likelihood of impostor feelings. Most respondents reported their strategies to be effective, and the use of any strategy appeared to be more effective than not using one at all.

Conclusions – This study provides evidence based recommendations for librarians, library leaders, and professional organizations to raise awareness about impostor phenomenon and support our colleagues experiencing these feelings. We attempt to situate our recommendations within the context of potential barriers, such as white supremacy culture, the resilience narrative, and the lack of open communication in library organizations.

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Objective – This study sought to identify the learning needs, satisfaction levels, and preferences of students using an academic library’s learning commons. A particular focus was understanding whether the socio-collaborative environment facilitated by the learning commons was aligned with the institutional objectives of supporting intensive study and scholarly work.

Methods – A mixed methods sequential explanatory study design was used, in which quantitative findings were supplemented by qualitative findings. Data for the study were drawn from 59 hours of observations documenting behaviors of 9,249 individuals, as well as survey responses from 302 students. Three semi-structured focus groups with 10 students were held to discuss and clarify findings.

Results – Behavior mapping and survey data showed that students were largely satisfied with the learning commons and that it was considered a supportive environment for them to complete their stated tasks. Incongruity was observed between the learning commons’ intended and actual use; although 75% of spaces were designated for collaboration, 50% of survey respondents identified independent work as their primary task and 76% of individuals were observed working independently. In focus group discussions, students praised the space for its vibrant ambiance and facilitation of social connections, but acknowledged that more serious study required retreat into quieter spaces found elsewhere in the library.

Conclusion – The learning commons is an important and desirable space for students, providing a safe and community-oriented environment that is located in the center of campus. While students deemed the atmosphere successful for fostering social relationships and creating an overall sense of belonging, care needs to be taken to maintain a proper balance between quiet and collaborative spaces. The methods used in this study underscore the importance of gathering data from multiple sources, offering guidance to other libraries seeking to create, re-envision, and assess their learning spaces.

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Objective – The validity of the results from systematic review studies depends largely on the implementation and the reporting of the search strategy. Using an experienced librarian can greatly enhance the quality of results. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the librarian’s participation and the quality of reporting search strategy in systematic reviews published by Iranian researchers in medical fields.

Methods – Three databases were searched to identify the systematic review studies conducted by Iranian researchers from 2008 to 2018. A total of 310 studies were selected using systematic random sampling, and the quality of their search strategy reports was reviewed by the Institute of Medicine checklist. A short questionnaire about the librarians’ participation in the search strategy of these studies was sent to the corresponding authors of the selected studies. A total of 229 questionnaires was returned. The data obtained from the questionnaire about the librarians’ participation in reporting search strategy in systematic review studies and also from the evaluation checklist for reporting search strategy in systematic review studies were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results – The mean value of the evaluation checklist for reporting search strategy in systematic review studies was low. The librarians’ participation rate for these studies was 13.6%. No meaningful relationship was found between the librarians’ participation and the mean value of the evaluation checklist for reporting search strategy of systematic review studies. However, an investigation of the relationship between each of the items in the evaluation checklist for reporting search strategy in systematic review studies and librarians’ participation as the corresponding author or a member of the research team showed a meaningful relationship in five items.

Conclusion – The results showed that the quality of reporting the search strategies in systematic reviews was low and the librarians’ participation in designing and reporting the search strategy in systematic reviews was limited. The authors of the systematic review studies, as well as the journals’ editors and referees, need to pay more careful attention to reporting the search strategy exactly and comprehensively. Employing librarians in this area can have a major impact on this part of systematic review studies.

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Objective – Collaboration and working in teams are key aspects of all types of librarianship, but library and information studies (LIS) students often perceive teamwork and group work negatively. LIS schools have a responsibility to prepare graduates with the skills and experiences to be successful working in teams in the field. Through a grant from the university office of assessment, the assessment committee at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies explored their department’s programmatic approach to teaching teamwork in the MLIS curriculum.

Methods – This research followed a multi-method design including content analysis of syllabi, secondary analysis of student evaluation of teaching (SET) data, and interviews with alumni. Syllabi were analyzed for all semesters from fall 2010 to spring 2016 (n = 210), with 81 syllabi further analyzed for details about their team assignments. Some data was missing from the dataset of SETs purchased from the vendor, resulting in a dataset of 39 courses with SET data available. Interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of alumni about their experiences with teamwork in the LIS program and their view of how well the LIS curriculum prepared them for teamwork in their careers (n = 22).

Results – Findings indicate that, although alumni remembered teamwork happening too often, it was required in just over one-third of courses in the sample period (fall 2010 to spring 2016), and teamwork accounted for about one-fifth of assignments in each of these courses. Alumni reported mostly positive experiences with teamwork, reflecting that teamwork assignments are necessary for the MLIS program because teamwork is a critical skill for librarianship. Three themes emerged from the findings: alumni perceived teamwork to be important for librarians and therefore for the MLIS program, despite this perception there is also a perception that the program has teamwork in too many courses, and questions remain about whether faculty perceive teaching teamwork as important and how to teach teamwork skills in the MLIS curriculum.

Conclusions – Librarians need to be able to collaborate internally and externally, but assigning team projects does not guarantee students will develop the teamwork skills they need. An LIS program should be proactive in teaching skills in scheduling, time management, personal accountability, and peer evaluation to prepare students to be effective collaborators in their careers.

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Objective - This study sought to assess the effectiveness of library instruction for increasing information literacy skills and/or knowledge among graduate and professional students.

Methods - A search was conducted in Library Literature and Information Science Index (H. W. Wilson); Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Medline; CINAHL; ERIC; Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA); and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Studies were included if they were published between 2000 and 2019, in English, reported on library instruction for graduate or professional students, and objectively measured change in information literacy knowledge/skills.

Results - Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review; 12 of the 16 studies included sufficient information to be included in the meta-analysis. The overall effect of library instruction was significant [SMD = 1.03, SE=0.19, z=5.49, P<.0001, 95% CI=0.66-1.40], meaning that on average, a student scored about one standard deviation higher on an information literacy assessment after library instruction. High heterogeneity indicated a need for subgroup analysis, which showed a significant moderation of effect by discipline of students, but none by format of instruction. However, subgroup analysis must be viewed with caution due to the small number of studies in several of the subgroups.

Conclusions - This meta-analysis indicates that library instruction for graduate students is effective in increasing information literacy knowledge and/or skills. However, to strengthen the accuracy of results of future meta-analyses, there is a need for more precise descriptions of instructional sessions as well as more complete data reporting by authors of primary studies. There is also a need for the publication of more studies, particularly studies of hybrid and online instruction.