Practical Research Methods for Librarians and Information Professionals

by Susan E. Beck

Library and information professionals are increasingly called upon to justify budgets, services, programs sometimes even our very existence. This very practical and clear guide offers step-by-step guidance for using traditional research methods to help improve, validate, and ultimately advance the day-to-day work and purpose of libraries. Beck and Manuel's straight-forward and understandable approach shows how different methodologies focus groups, usability tests, action research, transaction analysis, bibliometrics can be used to evaluate and enhance library functions, including: Reference interviews; Collection and resource evaluation; Programming; Workflow, and Web site design and usage and more. Each chapter outlines a particular methodology s process, including: selecting the research topic, formulating questions, defining the population, gathering data, interpreting evidence, and telling the story. Specific advice for navigating legal and ethical concerns, avoiding incorrect inferences, overcoming communication obstacles, and working with institutional review boards is also included. This is an easy-to-use guide for practitioners and an essential introduction for library school students.

Genres: Research, Nonfiction, School, Professional Development

309 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2007

Reviews

[Greg]

As soon as the teacher said it had all been a joke about having a mid-term to make sure we read this book I lost all interest in reading anymore. I made it through about 3/4's of the way. A great primer for why social science research is bullshit, throw in the handouts we were given on statistics and one can be all set to do meaningless research that won't do anything for anyone except maybe get you published or write your thesis. It makes me realize that the superficial shit I learned in Psychology Research back in undergrad was actually pretty profound and deep compared to this.

Another quality book on library science.

[Jenny]

Read in conjunction with The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services. Helpful and clearly written, though another round of copy-editing would have helped.

[Cathy Wood]

For Research Methods in Library and Information Science course