A new Technology from Sage report sheds light on challenges in the librarian-patron relationship, including the need for greater digital literacy and more tailored support for students, and recommends methods to support the student experience. "The Knowledge Gap Between Librarians and Students: Contrasting Librarian and Student Perspectives on the Undergraduate Workflow" report is the second in the Librarian Futures series.
A survey of nearly 600 students in the US, UK, and Canada highlights key findings for librarians across the undergraduate workflow — specifically in discovery, scaffolding, literacy, and engagement — and uncovers a gap between student needs and library offerings:
35 percent of students have used the library website.
63 percent use Google to conduct research while 10 percent try the library first.
Only 27 percent have entered the library building itself.
These findings suggest a need for libraries to improve their online presence and visibility on campus and build students' digital literacy.
The report also highlights a need to increase student engagement. For example:
Only 25 percent of students reported receiving help from librarians for accessing resources, and 16 percent said librarians had helped them find good information.
While most students were aware of extracurricular library offerings, only 25 percent took advantage of additional training.
Key student groups (such as first-generation and disabled students) reported lower levels of engagement with their academic libraries.
The report concludes that by considering their current provision for students and taking the opportunity to refocus their output, librarians can continue to play an important role in reaching student learning needs.
"At Technology from Sage, we believe that the librarian will be more important than ever as institutions try to keep pace in today's digital era and that the library is well-placed to address the gaps we identified through this report," says Matthew Hayes, managing director of Technology from Sage. "We are dedicated to supporting libraries and librarians to perform these critical functions and it is our hope that by identifying student needs, this report will help bridge that gap."
