3. BROOKY
How does a librarian’s perception of a
culture affect the reference interview?
4. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
Worldview of the
librarian
Worldview of
the patron
(stude nt)
Kumar and Suresh, 2001, Wang and Frank, 2002, & Liu, 1993
5. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
Closed stacks
Returning books
Reference service
Self-service
Classification Systems
Plagarism
Kumar and Suresh, 2001, Wang and Frank, 2002, & Liu, 1993
6. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
Linguistic
bigotry
Black English
Spanish accents
Hall, 1992
7. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
Are Virtual
Reference
Services Color
Blind?
Shachaf and Horowitz, 2006
8. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
More ignored requests
Slower response time
Less time and effort
Less adherence to
professional guidelines
Shachaf and Horowitz, 2006
9. LIBRARIAN BIAS IN THE REF.
INTERVIEW
More ignored requests
Slower response time
Less time and effort
Less adherence to
professional guidelines
Shachaf and Horowitz, 2006
10. REFERENCES
Hall, P.A. (1992). Peanuts: A note on intercultural communication. The
Jo urnalo f Acade m ic Librarianship, 1 8 (3), 211–213.
Kumar, S.L., & Suresh, R.S. (2001, August 2). Strategies forproviding
effective reference services forinternational adult learners. The
Re fe re nce Librarian, 33(69), 327–336.
Liu, M. (1995). Ethnicity and information seeking. The Re fe re nce
Librarian, 23(49), 123–134.
Liu, Z. (1993, January). Difficulties and characteristics of students
fromdeveloping countries using American libraries. Co lle g e &
Re se arch Librarie s, 54(1), 25–31.
Shachaf, P., & Horowitz, S. (2006, November 1). Are virtual reference
services colorblind? Library & Info rm atio n Scie nce Re se arch, 28 (4),
501–520.
Wang, J., & Frank, D.G. (2002, April). Cross-cultural communication:
Implications foreffective information services in academic libraries.
po rtal: Librarie s and the Acade m y, 2(2), 207–216.
13. PREDICTABLE GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Burdick’s Study
How do males and
females experience the
Information Search
Process?
Burdick, 2006
Are their information-seeking actions, thoughts,
and feelings the same?
14. PREDICTABLE GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Burdick, 2006
Initiation = gather/complete
Emphasized information
collection
Those who were confident
strongly expressed that
confidence
Initiation = investigate/
formulate
Expressed reflection
Less comfortable expressing
“I” in their focus statements
More optimistic at beginning,
more doubtful/uncertain at
end
15. PREDICTABLE GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Burdick, 2006
Males
Initiation = gather/complete
Emphasized information
collection
Those who were confident
strongly expressed that
confidence
Topic selection = M only
Less likely to ask for help
Females
Initiation = investigate/
formulate
Expressed reflection
Less comfortable expressing
“I” in their focus statements
More optimistic at beginning,
more doubtful/uncertain at
end
Topic selection = M & F
More likely to work together
17. PREDICTABLE GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Submitted longer queries
Revisit results more often
Greater dissatisfaction with
online reading
Print out e-documents to read
More thorough readers
(online and paper)
Make more marginal notes
Lorigo et al., 2006 & Liu, 2008
Viewed results more
linearly
Spent more time on
results page
More browsing/scanning,
one-time reading, and
non-linear reading (e.g.,
jump from link to link)
Paid attention to lower-
ranked results
18. PREDICTABLE GENDER
DIFFERENCES
Females
Submitted longer queries
Revisit results more often
Greater dissatisfaction with
online reading
Print out e-documents to read
More thorough readers
(online and paper)
Make more marginal notes
Lorigo et al., 2006 & Liu, 2008
Males
Viewed results more
linearly
Spent more time on
results page
More browsing/scanning,
one-time reading, and
non-linear reading (e.g.,
jump from link to link)
Paid attention to lower-
ranked results
19. REFERENCES
Burdick, T. A. (1996, Fall). Success and diversity in
information seeking: genderand the information search
styles model [findings of a study in fall 1994 at the
laboratory school of a large university]. School Library
Media Quarterly, 25(1), 19–26.
Liu, Z. (2008). Genderdifferences in the online reading
environment. Jo urnalo f Do cum e ntatio n, 6 4(4), 616–
626.
Lorigo, L., Pan, B., Hembrooke, H., Joachims, T.,
Granka, L., & Gay, G. (2006). The influence of taskand
genderon search and evaluation behaviorusing Google.
Info rm atio n Pro ce ssing & Manag e m e nt, 42 (4), 1123–
25. REFERENCES
Trew, F. (2006). Serving different
constituencies: International
students. In P. Dale, M. Holland, &
M. Matthews (Eds.), Subje ct
librarians : Eng ag ing with the
le arning and te aching e nviro nm e nt
(pp. 149–172). Burlington, VT:
Ashgate.
26. HOLLY
In library communities
with high populations of
Mexican immigrants,
what (if any) cultural
shifts or adjustments
have resulted?
27. LIBRARY RESPONSE TO
IMMIGRANTS
Collection
Collection adjustments
Foreign language reference materials
Foreign language-based catalog systems
Programming
Collaboration with local community organizations
Bilingual advertising
Herring, 2005, DeLaurie, 1998, & Guerena and Erazo, 2000
28. LIBRARY RESPONSE TO
IMMIGRANTS
Training and Development
Active recruitment of bilingual/bicultural librarians
Educating staff on cultural/linguistic cues (e.g.,
pointing, gesturing)
Educating the patrons on available
resources/services
Communication
Inte rnal: Multilingual signage (e.g., hours of
operation, Spanish-language option RE:
automated phone system)
Exte rnal: Outreach officers, gatekeepers,Herring, 2005, DeLaurie, 1998, & Guerena and Erazo, 2000
30. REFERENCES
DeLaurie, A. (1998, Spring). Diversity and the library media teacher
[children's books about cultural adjustment; bibliographical essay]
[Electronic version]. CSLAJo urnal, 21 (2), 23–24.
Güereña, S., & Erazo, E. (2000, Summer). Latinos and librarianship.
Library Tre nds, 49 (1), 138–181.
Herring, S. (2005, Spring). Meeting the information needs of a
community: A case study of services to Spanish-speaking patrons at
the Pasco Branch of the Mid-Columbia Library District [Electronic
version]. PNLAQuarte rly, 6 9 (3), 5, 21–25.
Payne, J. (1988, May). Public libraries faceCalifornia’s ethnic andracial
diversity(Report No. R-3656-SUL). Santa Monica, CA: Stanford
University Libraries. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
EDED305073)
Roznik, S. Misconceptions about Hispanics beingtackled: A pathto
understandingtheHispanic community. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from
http://thelatinojournal.blogspot.com/2009/01/misconceptions-about-
31. IMAGE CREDITS
Images from slides 4, 7-9, 11-13, and 24: Retrieved July 11, 2009,
from Microsoft Clip Art
Image from slide 2: Bi-Fins by jayhem. Reproducible under the
Creative Commons license. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayhem/3643603988/
Images from slide 3:
skeptical in seattle by lanuiop. Reproducible under the Creative
Commons license. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lanuiop/2376190710/
Kimat the Reference Deskby Cloned Milkmen. Reproducible under the
Creative Commons license. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clonedmilkmen/2764078058/
SharoneyBaloney by Bah Humbug. Reproducible under the Creative
Commons license. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gibbons/1083309919/
32. IMAGE CREDITS
Image from slide 9: YSL Head Scarf by Indigo Goat. Reproducible
under the Creative Commons license. Retrieved July 12, 2009,
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/indigogoat/180015143/
Images from slide 16:
Google logo. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.hotmobile.org/2008/uploads/images/google_logo.jpg
Sun Yat-Sen University (i.e., Zhongshan University). Retrieved July 12,
2009, from http://www.sysu.edu.cn/en/index.html
Image from slide 20: Librarian by queenmab04. Retrieved July 12,
2009, from
http://bookology.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/librarian.jpg
Image from slide 26: Ann ArborLibrary – Pittsfield Branch by
jhoweaa. Reproducible under the Creative Commons license.
Retrieved July 12, 2009, from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhoweaa/327651705/
33. APPLICATIONS TO LIS?
Gender differences
Librarian bias
Women working in libraries
Library response to Mexican immigrants
Notes de l'éditeur
Deeper diver – can’t do that today. Too much info to be comprehensive in 5 minutes
We are going to skim the surface (like top diver) and only focus on the findings of a handful of studies per question
Hopefully, with less information, you’ll remember more.
PASS OUT SLIDE HANDOUTS – As we go, use these to write down 3 things that interest you and applications to LIS to discuss at end
Due to overwhelming number of studies on international students…
My focus = reference interviews in (higher ed) academic setting
Takeaway = If there is unawareness of the worldviews of your patrons, there could be problems.
Studies focus = Academic libraries & international students
- interviews/focus groups with international students about their information needs and their interactions with ref. librarians in academic libraries. Similar study by Liu.
Different worldviews
- Librarian = Assumptions that people know how to use the library, how it’s set up
- Patron = Unfamiliarity with U.S. library missions and organization. Library systems are not set up the same way.
- Very few publicly supported, open-to-the-public libraries
- Closed stacks (lends itself as a study hall vs. place for research)
- Reference assistance is not common or not available to students
- Respect for age and authority (may inhibit questions)
- Limited access to databases
- Western classification systems are very different (arranged logically to us, but not to them)
- (Pacific: Japan and China excluded): Books not primary source of information.
- Students from Asian countries (vs. those from Western Europe) face more communication problems and more differences between the educational and library systems.
If expectation of the librarian is biased or uninformed, makes it even HARDER for that patron to succeed during the reference interview.
- Librarian = Assumptions that people know how to use the library, how it’s set up
- Patron = Unfamiliarity with U.S. library missions and organization. Library systems are not set up the same way.
- Very few publicly supported, open-to-the-public libraries
- Closed stacks (lends itself as a study hall vs. place for research)
- Reference assistance is not common or not available to students
- Respect for age and authority (may inhibit questions)
- Limited access to databases
- Western classification systems are very different (arranged logically to us, but not to them)
- (Pacific: Japan and China excluded): Books not primary source of information.
- Students from Asian countries (vs. those from Western Europe) face more differences between the educational and library systems.
If expectation of the librarian is biased or uninformed, makes it even HARDER for that patron to succeed during the reference interview.
Hall gives us two examples of what he calls “linguistic bigotry” in his paper on intercultural communication:
#1 – For many Americans, bias against black English shapes the way we relate with people
#2 – Cites a study that shows a strong bias against Spanish accents
Doesn’t have to be a “foreigner”; could be someone in your backyard
In 2002, Shachaf & Horowitz conducted a study called “Are Virtual Reference Services Color Blind?”
Primary research question: Are virtual reference services providing unbiased services to diverse user groups?
Solicited 23 participant libraries from Assoc. of Research Libraries (ARL) during the summer of 2005 for their unobtrusive study (similar to unobtrustive reference test in 1986 that prompted the 55% rule).
Pass out handout:
Each week for six weeks, a different question was received at the reference service of an institution from a different user.
Note: Answers to all questions were available to each reference librarian in the study.
Content analysis of 138 email transactions
Revealed differences in the quality of service that virtual reference libs provide to various user groups.
Best level of service? Caucasian (Mary Anderson-Christian, Moshe Cohen-Jews)
Worst level of service? African American (Latoya Johnson) and Arab (Ahmed Ibrahim)
Not unprecedented: Article likened it to studies from pre-civil rights act era where formal written requests for service were found to be rejected more often than in-person requests by minorities.
Librarians responding virtually more likely to be less self-aware and less likely to monitor their behavior than during in-person reference interactions (whether intentionally or not). Service is more unregulated than other services.
Content analysis of 138 email transactions
Revealed differences in the quality of service that virtual reference libs provide to various user groups.
Best level of service? Caucasian (Mary Anderson-Christian, Moshe Cohen-Jews)
Worst level of service? African American (Latoya Johnson) and Arab (Ahmed Ibrahim)
Not unprecedented: Article likened it to studies from pre-civil rights act era where formal written requests for service were found to be rejected more often than in-person requests by minorities.
Librarians responding virtually more likely to be less self-aware and less likely to monitor their behavior than during in-person reference interactions (whether intentionally or not). Service is more unregulated than other services.
The word PREDICTABLE drew me to empirical evidence.
h
The word PREDICTABLE drew me to empirical evidence.
h
Exploratory study during fall trimester of 1994 of 103 high-school students (male=54%, female=46%)
Used a triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methods.
Examined process survey, teacher’s assessment of the student participants, and student journals/written responses to specific prompts.
Primary Research Question: How do males and females experience the Information Search Process? Are their information-seeking actions, thoughts, and feelings the same?
Two studies on information behavior in the online environment.
Lorigo’s article: “The influence of task and gender on search and evaluation behavior using Google”
Google Study:
Navigational tasks (specific web page – SLIM)
Informational tasks (topical – i.e., cancer)
Transactional tasks (action – i.e., online purchase)
Eye-tracking study of 14 males and 9 females
400 queries and 600 Google results pages
Given navigational and informational tasks
2 minutes to respond
Liu’s article: “Gender difference in the online reading environment”
Zhongshan University in China:
Undergrads (50%) / Grads (50%) = male (40%), female (60%)
Self-reported survey about their experiences with online and offline reading
Survey Purpose: How do male readers and female readers differ in the preference for reading media and in the overall satisfaction with online reading?
Men pay significantly more attention to results 6-10.
Significant, since search engine ranking can produce nearly equivalent weights for the top 5-10 ranked results.
Men pay significantly more attention to results 6-10.
Significant, since search engine ranking can produce nearly equivalent weights for the top 5-10 ranked results.
Search Terms & Combinations
EX: - Middle Eastern students may not respect or believe the advice of a female librarian
- Those from stratified societies may view the librarian as inferior – may insist on speaking to a higher authority
- Those from privileged backgrounds may be used to having other people do the running for them and expect librarians to do the same.
Again, self-sufficiency in the library may be an alien concept to international students
Widening their collections
Offering reference materials in foreign languages
Collection:
EX: At Pasco Public Library in Washington (state), once was common for Spanish-lang. materials to sit on shelves and take over two years to be processed and in circulation
EX: Queen’s Public Library rotate foreign-language titles for test-drivers
EX: Friends from the Other Side/Amigos del otro lado by G. Anzaldúa, DeLaurie’s comment “Those of us who are second, third, fourth, fifth generation, etc., should learn to be tolerant of those who came from the very same roots we did.”
EX: F-L Ref materials = need to have knowledge staff members select them
EX: Problem with catalog systems, because while interface is in Spanish, the subject headings are all in English
Also, when type in “perros” for “dogs,” only results in Spanish are retrieved, not ALL info on “dogs”
Programming:
EX: Appointing Community Liaisons or Hispanic/Latino Services Associate