Getting past the Google search box: employing screencasts in

library information training

Assumpta ByrneAthlone Institute of Technology

User education in AIT library• Librarians provide information sessions to

students which include:– Outline of information sources in a lecture style– Live search of the information sources by

staff/students– Information sources demonstrated are usually the

expensive subscription databases

• Supplementary information on library website e.g. subject guides, database search tips in a static format.

Search strategy concept• No supplementary online material yet

giving demonstration/overview of a search strategy creation, i.e. how to think outside the project title and use alternate keywords and Boolean logic to find information

• Camtasia had already been used to create a demo of a library record login.

Creating the screencast – location choices and problems

Search the information source

• Databases located on library website and searched using synonyms and Boolean operators.

• Demonstrated that typing in the title rather than phrases finds less results so alternate keywords use highlighted again at end of screencast.

Student feedback – pilot groupQuestions:

1. If your lecturer gives you an assignment, where would you go to get information?

2. What is the title of a current assignment you have?

3. If you use the computer/Internet to get information for this assignment, what are you going to put in the search box?

New question 1

1. (a) If your lecturer gives you an assignment, where would you go to get information?

(b) If your answer to 1.(a) included “the Internet”, please name the site(s)

Student research

• Questionnaire handed out to students at the end of information sessions before screencast was available.

• Same questionnaire handed out to different student groups who had attended an information session which included the screencast.

Questionnaire results 1(a) – information sources

Information sources

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

Without video

With video

Questionnaire results – both groups – information sources

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3Year 4 &

Masters

Library/books 35.71% 44.00% 27.37% 42.04%

Internet 38.10% 36.00% 42.11% 38.22%

Library website 13.49% 6.40% 12.63% 5.73%

Journals/Newspapers/Publications/Theses/Previous Assignments 5.56% 8.00% 6.32% 6.37%

Class notes/Moodle/supervisor 4.76% 3.20% 3.16% 3.82%

Workplace/Companies/Contacts/Local sources 0.79% 1.60% 3.16% 3.18%

Databases 0.79% 0.80% 3.16% 0.00%

Other third level institutes 0.79% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Government services 0.00% 0.00% 2.11% 0.64%

Questionnaire results – 1(b) web addresses

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

Compa

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Datab

ases

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Libr

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Moo

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Oth

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ines

Relev

ant o

rganis

ation

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sites

reco

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ende

...

Wiki

pedi

a

Without video

With video

Traditional information session

Information session with screencast

Information source

Library website 14.99% 15.9%

Databases 4.94% 5.34%

Search strategy

Title search 56% 58%

Keyword/phrase search

44% 42%

Summarised changes following screencast viewing

Future work

• Short questionnaire for first years at induction to assess information sources

• Screencasting– Videos for other schools– Live database search – overcome network

issues– Web OPAC usability study

Conclusions

• Slightly higher awareness of sources but not search strategy

• Reliance on Internet (Google) search box

• Collaboration between academic and library staff necessary

• Information literacy on syllabus??

Questions