Mid-South Instructional Technology
Conference 1999
Proposal #47

Title: The Search Stops Here:  Results of Student Survey Reflecting Interlibrary Loan Usage (or Lack Thereof)

Name: Karen Jarrett Thoms

Type of session:
Presentation

Preferred track: #4-Best Practices

Abstract:  Is quality of student research affected by lack of use of Interlibrary Loan?  The presenter's research findings indicate that students stop their research quest prior to requesting materials via ILL, which means if the material is not available in hard copy at the campus or available in
electronic full-text format, the resource is disregarded.

Description: Students' quest for resources for research papers and reports may be missing one vital opportunity-Interlibrary Loan.  A study was conducted on the campus of SCSU to identify whether students were, in fact, "missing the boat" by not including ILL as part of their research strategies.  Surveys were administered to a limited number of students in on-campus courses; the range was freshmen to graduate students and across the five colleges.  Of the approximately 14,000 ILL requests processed each year, many students are not availing themselves of this service.  Some of the findings are merely interesting, others thought provoking and grounds for concern.  Find out why students are/are not using ILL and what they consider the strengths and weaknesses of the service.

Length: (60 minutes)

Audience: librarians

Audience level:  all

On-site equipment requirements: Projection unit for computer-delivered presentation (Macintosh), Overhead projector

Contact Information:
Karen Jarrett Thoms, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Learning Resources & Technology Services/
Center for Information Media
KThoms@StCloudState.edu
(320) 255-4774 (office)
(320) 255-4778 (fax)

Affiliation:
St. Cloud State University
Centennial Hall 102B
720 Fourth Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498


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