EIGHT WAYS ANXIETY AMONG VIRTUAL LIBRARY USERS HINDERS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
13-1-2021 4:50 PM
End Date
13-1-2021 5:10 PM
Abstract
Research indicates an issue among students from anxiety caused by unskilled library use. Negative effects of library anxiety include poor academic performance, underachievement, failure, insecurity, and psychological distress. Library anxiety may also hinder students’ mental and creative processes when conducting academic research. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe, explain, and map the pattern of themes related to library anxiety experienced by users of virtual libraries within the United States. Content data analysis was achieved using Dedoose, which revealed eight themes: situations in the virtual library contributing to anxiety, situations while using the virtual library contributing to frustration, situations while using the virtual library contributing to stress, situations presenting challenges while using the virtual library, descriptions of virtual library users’ experiences, situations while using the virtual library contributing to confusion, level of training received to understand how to use and navigate a virtual library, and descriptions of an ideal virtual library. The descriptions of participants’ experiences aligned with current literature, which deals mainly with live library use. Understanding the challenges described by students led to recommendations to improve virtual library experiences of students. Research results may improve academic and research skills by helping stakeholders understand anxiety experienced by virtual library users and creating solutions to help students cope with stressful situations while they are conducting research in virtual libraries.
Keywords
library anxiety, virtual library use, unskilled library use, student challenges using virtual libraries
ORCID ID
orcid.org/0000-0003-4832-5253
EIGHT WAYS ANXIETY AMONG VIRTUAL LIBRARY USERS HINDERS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY
Research indicates an issue among students from anxiety caused by unskilled library use. Negative effects of library anxiety include poor academic performance, underachievement, failure, insecurity, and psychological distress. Library anxiety may also hinder students’ mental and creative processes when conducting academic research. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe, explain, and map the pattern of themes related to library anxiety experienced by users of virtual libraries within the United States. Content data analysis was achieved using Dedoose, which revealed eight themes: situations in the virtual library contributing to anxiety, situations while using the virtual library contributing to frustration, situations while using the virtual library contributing to stress, situations presenting challenges while using the virtual library, descriptions of virtual library users’ experiences, situations while using the virtual library contributing to confusion, level of training received to understand how to use and navigate a virtual library, and descriptions of an ideal virtual library. The descriptions of participants’ experiences aligned with current literature, which deals mainly with live library use. Understanding the challenges described by students led to recommendations to improve virtual library experiences of students. Research results may improve academic and research skills by helping stakeholders understand anxiety experienced by virtual library users and creating solutions to help students cope with stressful situations while they are conducting research in virtual libraries.
Comments
Paper is based on dissertation research of the lead author, Dr. Sledge.