Hutchins Library

APPENDIX C.1

A SCALE TO MEASURE THE ATTITUDES OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTORS TOWARD THE ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC LIBRARY IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION*

DIRECTIONS

The academic library is an important part of every college and university. Nevertheless, considerable evidence exists that many undergraduate students neither use nor know how to use the academic library. Also, considerable evidence exists that a large portion of the materials acquired for the academic library is seldom used.

The role of the academic library may be influenced by a number of factors, such as the purpose of the college or university, the size and type of collections available, the accessibility of the collections, the study conditions available, and the attitudes and ability of students, librarians, administrators, and classroom instructors. Many researchers consider classroom instructors to play the dominant role in determining undergraduate student use of the academic library. This scale seeks to identify the attitudes that classroom instructors hold toward the educational role of the academic library at the undergraduate level.

Please read each of the statements carefully and for each one indicate your answer. Your response should reflect your attitude as a result of your experiences in teaching undergraduate students in your discipline.

You should indicate your choice by circling one of the seven choices allowing the expression of attitudes from strong agreement to strong disagreement.

Circle AAA, if you strongly agree

Circle AA, if you moderately agree

Circle A, if you slightly agree

Circle U, if you are undecided

Circle D, if you slightly disagree

Circle DD, if you moderately disagree

Circle DDD, if you strongly disagree

EXAMPLE ONE

Academic librarians should be less concerned with rules and regulations in order to encourage students to use the library.

AAA AA A U D DD DDD

If you agree with this statement slightly, you should circle "A," as shown.

EXAMPLE TWO

It should be the role of the classroom instructor, not librarians, to teach students how to use the library.

AAA AA A U D DD DDD

If you disagree with this statement moderately you should circle "DD," as shown.

Make sure that you circle a symbol for each statement. Leave none of the items blank and make only one circle for each item. In some cases, you may believe you do not know how to judge a statement. When this occurs, please make the best estimate of your attitude you can or circle "U" for undecided. You should not spend more than a few seconds on each item.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE FIRST ITEM.

1) Academic Department: ________________________________________________

2) Your Highest Degree: ___ Masters; ___ Doctorate; ___ Other (specify)_________

3) Total Number of Years Teaching at Present Institution: _______________________

4) Tenure Status: ___Tenured ___Untenured

5) Sex: ___ Male ___ Female

6) Age: ___ Under 26 ___ 26-30 ___ 31-35 ___ 36-40 ___ 41-45

___ 46-50 ____ 51-55 ___56-60 ___ 61-65 ___ Over 65

PLEASE PROCEED TO THE FIRST ITEM

1. Teaching additional content to my lower-level courses should be more important than spending time teaching my students how to use the library.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

2. I should expect only my brightest students to make good use of the library collections.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

3. A knowledge of how to use the card catalog should be sufficient familiarity with the library for students to use it for my courses.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

4. I should help my students develop the ability to use the literature of my discipline available in the library.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

5. Assignments requiring students to use the library demand too much of my time in relation to my other responsibilities.

6. It should take considerable time for students to master the skills needed to use the library for my courses.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

7. Administrators should promote the view that librarians are full partners with me in the educational process.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

8. I should be familiar with the range of library resources useful in teaching my students.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

9. For students in my courses, the library should be considered primarily as a place to study textbooks, lecture notes, and similar materials.
   AAA AA A U D DD DDD

10. Administrators should take a leadership role in encouraging student use of the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

11. I should develop an interesting problem or quest to introduce my students to the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

12. The size of the library collections in my discipline should serve as a measure of how well the library will serve the needs of my students.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

13. I should have the main responsibility for ensuring that my students make good use of the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

14. Librarians should have advanced degrees in other disciplines in addition to a degree in library science if they are to help students use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

15. My students should use the library to learn how scholars examine major works and ideas in my discipline.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

16. Teaching additional content in my upper-level courses should be more important than spending time teaching my students how to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

17. I should be better prepared to teach students how to make good use of the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

18. The library should be quiet to encourage my students to use it.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

19. I should evaluate the library assignments of my students on the same basis as any other assignments for my courses.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

20. The small college library should satisfy the library needs of my undergraduate students just as adequately as the large university library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

21. It should reflect poorly on my department if the library is not heavily used by students in our courses.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

22. I should be concerned if the library collection in my discipline is little used.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

23. Administrators should ensure small classes to encourage me to require my students to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

24. Student frustration in using the library should be considered a normal part of learning how to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

25. Librarians should help me by teaching my students how to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

26. Students should be able to learn needed library skills in my discipline quickly and independently.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

27. Administrators should seek to admit a high proportion of very capable students if they want me to require my students to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

28. I should be able to leave to librarians the responsibility of teaching students how to use the library.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

29. Being surrounded by books in the library should have a positive influence on students whether they use them or not.
    AAA AA A U D DD DDD

Hardesty, Larry. Faculty and the Library: The Undergraduate Experience. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing, 1991.

Susan_Henthorn@berea.edu
mroyse@utk.edu