Helsinki, Finland 12 August 2012

IFLA 2012 Conference

User-centered
Decision Making:
A New Model for Developing Academic Library Services &
Systems

Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D.

Alison LeCornu, Ph. D.

Senior Research Scientist, OCLC

Academic Lead (Flexible Learning),

The Higher Education Academy

Donna Lanclos, Ph. D.

Erin Hood

Associate Professor for Anthropological

Research, University of North Carolina,
Charlotte

David White
Co-manager, Technology Assisted Lifelong
Learning, University of Oxford
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Research Support Specialist, OCLC

Then & Now

Then: The user built workflow

around the library
Now: The library must build its
services around user workflow
Then: Resources scarce, attention
abundant
Now: Attention scarce, resources
abundant

(Dempsey, 2008)

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Digital Visitors and Residents

The Study

Digital Visito
rs &
Residents
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Visitors & Residents

(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

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Video: http://is.gd/vanrvideo
First Monday Paper: http://is.gd/vandrpaper

(White & Connaway, 2011)

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Triangulation of Data

Several methods:
Semi-structured interviews (qualitative)
Diaries (qualitative)
Online survey (quantitative)
Enables triangulation of data

(Connaway et al., 2012)

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Diaries

Ethnographic data collection

technique
Get people to describe what
has happened
Center on defined events or
moments

(Connaway & Powell, 2010)

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Interviews

Allows for probing,

clarification, new questions,
focused questions, exploring
Enables data collection for
extended period of time

(Connaway & Powell, 2010)

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Phase 1
Individual Interviews
Emerging (secondary school/1st year
undergraduates

31 (16 US, 15 UK)

Establishing (2nd-3rd year

undergraduates)

10 (5 US, 5 UK)

Embedding (postgraduates, PhD

students)

10 (5 US, 5 UK)

Experiencing (scholars)

10 (5 US, 5 UK)

Began data analysis

Quantitative data:

Demographics, number of occurrences

of technologies, sources, & behaviors

Qualitative data:

Themes & direct quotes

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(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

Phase I & 2: Participant Demographics

61 participants
15 secondary students
46 university students &
faculty
34 females
27 males
38 Caucasian
5 African-American
2 Multi-racial
1 Asian
2 Hispanic
13 Unidentified
(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

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US vs. UK Emerging Participant University Majors

US (9 of 16)

UK (7 of 16)

5 Engineering

3 Teaching

1 Political Science

1 Chemical Biology

1 Business

1 Chemistry

1 Physics

1 History

2 Undeclared

1 Languages

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Participant Interview Questions

1. Describe the things you

enjoy doing with technology
and the web each week.
2. Think of the ways you have
used technology and the web
for your studies. Describe a
typical week.
3. Think about the next stage of
your education. Tell me what
you think this will be like.

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Participant Interview Questions

4. Think of a time when you had a situation where

you needed answers or solutions and you did a
quick search and made do with it. You knew there
were other sources but you decided not to use
them. Please include sources such as friends,
family, teachers, coaches, etc.
5. Have there been times when you were told to
use a library or virtual learning environment (or
learning platform), and used other source(s)
instead?
6. If you had a magic wand, what would your ideal
way of getting information be? How would you go
about using the systems and services? When?
Where? How?
(Connaway & Radford, 2005-2007)
(Dervin, Connaway, & Prabha, 2003-2005)

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Codebook

I. Place
II. Sources
III. Tools
IV. Agency
V. Situation/context
VI. Quotes
VII. Contact
VIII.Technology
Ownership
IX. Network used
(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

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Codebook

I. Place
A. Internet
1. Search engine
a. Google
b. Yahoo
2. Social Media
a. FaceBook
b. Twitter
c. You Tube
d. Flickr/image
sharing
e. Blogging
B. Library
1. Academic
2. Public
3. School (K-12)
C. Home
D. School, classroom,
computer lab
E. Other
(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

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Emerging Educational Stage

Snapshots
Emergin
gi
seconda s late stage
ry schoo
l & 1 st
year un
dergrad
uate
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Snapshots of Emerging Findings

Chang
e
s in
academ
ic life?
?

Online
study
habits
?

r
Visito

en
Resid
t

Reside
nts
Residents
Visitors

Online
presen
ce?

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Evalu
>10 hrs
a t in g
in f o a
n
websi d
tes?

<6 hrs

Hours spent
online/ wk

visito
rs

Characteristics of Visitors

s
g t a ke
n
i
k
n
i
Th
offline

Visitor

place

,
mous
y
n
y theft
o
t
i
t
n
n
A
e
d
n: i
Cautio
! ! privacy ogy to
chnol
s
Use te relationship
in
mainta
os t
Select m e tool for
iat
appropr
t as k

Passive
online
presenc
e

Technology
for formal
needs

f an
o
y
m
Anato g Visitor
gin
Emer
See web as
untidy garden
shed
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Faceto-fa
conta ce
ct

Characteristics of Residents

Residen
t

online
e
l
b
i
Vis
n ce
inions
p
prese
o
s
s
Expre
online

tity in S
n
e
d
i
s
Expres

online

offline

persona

content

s
ermine
t
e
d
y
t
a ri
Popul
lity
reliabi

Distinctions
blurred

f an
o
y
m
Anato g Visitor
gin
Emer
See web as
place where
friends meet
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Sense
comm of
uni t y

What We Learned

Themes

A closer l
ook

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Convenience is King

Convenience dictates choices

Is it readily accessible online?
Does it contain the needed
information & is it easy to use?
How much time will it take to
access & use the source?
Is it a familiar interface and
easily navigable interface?

CONVENIENC

Google
Wikipedia

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Convenience is k
ing

The Learning Black Market

Covert online study habits

Wikipedia
Dont cite
Widely used
Guilt

Perception that students &

teachers disagree
Quality sources

http://wp.me/pLtl
j-

fH

There are alternate

ways
to get info you need
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Sources

Retail

Major media
site

Other

University
websites

iPlayer/
TV

Photo
sites
Exam
board

University
databases

Dictionary Non
English
Language
Textbook
websites

Syllabus &
discipline
based sites

Fan
sites

Disc Ch

(White & Connaway, 2011-2012)

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Information Evaluation

Information
evaluation
Popular = correct

Nervous about
which sources are
valid

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What does this mean for practice?

The Takeaway
Practica
l advice
for
librarian
s
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Making the Library More Attractive

Library systems as search

engines & web services
Advertise resources, brand &
value
Provide search help at time of
need
Chat & IM help during search
Suggestions for misspellings

(Connaway & Dickey, 2010)

(De Rosa, 2005)

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Need help?

Making the Library More Attractive

Convenience
Instant gratification at a
click
Accurate answers to
questions
Access to full-text sources

User-centered development
approach
Metadata creation
Interface design
Services & systems
Digital platforms

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Making the Library More Attractive

Amazon.com

Westerville
Public Library

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Librarians Role
Meet practice & authority
Include Wikipedia & Google within
larger search strategy
Correct Wikipedia inaccuracies

Educate
Provide information & digital
literacy instruction
Identify critical evaluation skills
Teach early in educational stage

Expert curation of links

Add accurate links to authoritative
sources
(Connaway, Lanclos, White, Le Cornu, & Hood, 2012)

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Educate e
arly

Selected Bibliography

Connaway, L. S., & Dickey, T. J. (2010). The digital information seeker: Report of the findings from selected OCLC, RIN, and
JISC user behaviour projects. Retrieved from
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/reports/2010/digitalinformationseekerreport.pdf
Connaway, L. S., Dickey, T. J., & Radford, M. L. (2011). "If it is too inconvenient I'm not going after it": Convenience as a critical
factor in information-seeking behaviors. Library & Information Science Research, 33(3) 179-190.
Connaway, L. S., Lanclos, D., White, D. S., Le Cornu, A., & Hood, E. M. (2012). User-centered decision making: A new model
for developing academic library services and systems. IFLA 2012 Conference Proceedings, August 11-17, Helsinki, Finland.
Connaway, L. S., & Powell, R. R. (2010). Basic research methods for librarians. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Connaway, L. S., Radford, M. L., & OCLC Research. (2011). Seeking synchronicity: Revelations and recommendations for
virtual reference. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC Research. http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/synchronicity/default.htm
Connaway, L.S., White, D., & Lanclos, D. (2011). Proceedings of the 74 th ASIS&T Annual Meeting, 48. Visitors and residents:
What motivates engagement with the digital environment? Silver Spring, MD: Richard B. Hill.
Cool, C., & Spink, A. (2002). Issues of context in information retrieval (IR): An introduction to the special issue. Information
Processing and Management: An International Journal, 38(5), 605-611.
Dempsey, L. (2008). Always on: Libraries in a world of permanent connectivity. First Monday, 14(1). Retrieved from
http://www.firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2291/207

The worlds libraries.

Connected.

Selected Bibliography

De Rosa, C. (2005). Perceptions of libraries and information resources: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC
Online Computer Library Center (p.1-8).
Dervin, B., Connaway, L. S., & Prabha, C. (2003-2005). Sense-making the information confluence: The hows and the whys of college
and university user satisficing of information needs. Funded by the Institute for Museums and Library Services (IMLS). Retrieved
from http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/past/orprojects/imls/default.htm
DeSantis, N. (2012 January 6). On Facebook, Librarian Brings 2 Students From the Early 1900s to Life. Chronicle of Higher
Education. Retrieved from
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/on-facebook-librarian-brings-two-students-from-the-early-1900s-to-life/34845
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures: selected essays. New York: Basic Books, 6.
Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. New York: Wiley.
Glaser, B.G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory; strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine Pub. Co.,
273.
Helsper, E. J. & Eynon, R. (2009). Digital natives: Where is the evidence? British Educational Research Journal, 36(3), 503520.
Holton, D. (2010, March 19). The digital natives/digital immigrants distinction is dead or at least dying. [Web log
comment]. EdTechDev . Retrieved from
http://edtechdev.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/the-digital-natives-digital-immigrants-distinction-is-dead-or-at-least-dying/

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Selected Bibliography
Kennedy, G., Judd, T. & Dalgarno, B. (2010). Beyond natives and immigrants: Exploring types of net generation students, Journal
of Computer Assisted Learning, 26(5), 332343.
Kvale, S. (1996). IntervVews: an introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 133135.
Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. (Eds.) (2008). Digital literacies: Concepts, policies and practices. New York: Peter Lang.
Margaryan, A. & Littlejohn, A. (2008). Are digital natives a myth or reality?: Students use of technologies for learning. Retrieved
from http://www.academy.gcal.ac.uk/anoush/documents/DigitalNativesMythOrReality-MargaryanAndLittlejohn-draft-111208.pdf,
accessed 15 August 2010.
McKenzie, J. (2007). Digital nativism, digital delusions, and digital deprivation. From Now On: The Educational Technology Journal,
17 (2). Retrieved from http://www.fno.org/nov07/nativism.html\
Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5). Retrieved from
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Prensky, M. (2001b). Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(5). Retrieved from
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf
Radford, M. L., & Connaway, L. S. (2005-2007). Seeking synchronicity: Evaluating virtual reference services from user, non-user,
and librarian perspectives. Funded by the Institute for Museums and Library Services (IMLS). Retrieved from
http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/synchronicity/default.htm
Radford, M. L., & Connaway, L. S. (2010). I stay away from the unknown, I guess. Measuring impact and understanding critical
factors for millennial generation and adult non-users of virtual reference services. In online proceedings of the Fifth Annual
iConference. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, February 3-6, 2010.
http://nora.lis.uiuc.edu/images/iConferences/2010papers2_Page-Zhang.pff

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Selected Bibliography
Stoerger, S. (2009). The digital melting pot: Bridging the digital nativeimmigrant divide. First Monday, 14(7). Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2474/2243
Wasserman, S. (2012, June 18). The Amazon effect. The Nation. Retrieved from
http://www.thenation.com/article/168125/amazon-effect
White, D. S., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9). Retrieved
from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/3171/3049
White, D. (2008, April 23). Not Natives & Immigrants but Visitors & Residents. [Web log comment]. TALL Blog: Online Education
with the University of Oxford. Retrieved from
http://tallblog.conted.ox.ac.uk/index.php/2008/07/23/not-natives-immigrants-but-visitors-residents/
White, D. S., & Connaway, L. S. (2011-2012). Visitors and residents: What motivates engagement with the digital information
environment. Funded by JISC, OCLC, and Oxford University. Retrieved from http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/vandr/
Whyte, W.F. (1979). On Making the Most of Participant Observation. The American Sociologist 14 , 56-66.

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The researchers would like to thank

Alyssa Darden for her assistance in
team activities and preparing this
presentation.

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Lynn Connaway
connawal@oclc.org

Questions and
Discussion

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