The Use of an Embedded Librarian to Enhance Student Information Literacy Skills: A Pilot Study

Elaina J. DaLomba, Samuel Merritt UniversityFollow
Elizabeth Kavanaugh, Misericordia UniversityFollow
Kaitlin Manbeck, Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation HospitalFollow
Samantha O'Neill, Tender Touch RehabilitationFollow
Kyle Soldevilla, Rowan University School of Osteopathic MedicineFollow
Melanie Watson, MedTravelersFollow
Ellen McLaughlin, Misericordia UniversityFollow

Document Type (Journals)

Original Research

Abstract

This pilot study explored an embedded librarian (EL) intervention to enhance occupational therapy student information literacy skills development. The EL provided computer laboratory and in-class instruction, online presence in the classroom website, and extensive office hours to assist students in the identification of information needed, determination of how and where to find scholarly information needed, and assessment and utilization of information retrieved to meet assignment requirements. Participants were 46 third-year (junior) occupational therapy students. Three tools were used to assess skills pre and post intervention: the Student Assessment of Information Literacy Skills, the Student Perception of Literacy Skills-Q (SPIL-Q), and database tracking of frequency, kind (in-person versus email), and topic (citation formatting, database search term development, etc.) of student visits. These were analyzed via percentage of change and compared with course grade via Pearson r correlation tests. Results: Students showed limited improvement on the quantitative SAILS test (2%), but 31% (n=14) perceived increase in overall information literacy skills on the SPIL-Q, particularly in finding information needed for assignments. Correlation analyses revealed a moderate, positive correlation (r = .600, p < .05) between those who made in-person inquiries to the EL related to defining the need for information and overall course grade. Responses to the question of why students accessed/did not access the librarian outside of class were grouped into general themes. Results suggest occupational therapy educators and students might benefit from explicit instruction and in-person modeling of identification of information needed and database search techniques to locate best evidence for practice decisions and to emphasize this as a lifelong requirement of client-centered care.

Biography

Elaina DaLomba, Ph.D., OTR/L, MSW is assistant professor of occupational therapy at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, CA.

Elizabeth Kavanaugh, MSLIS, MSHCI, AHIP is Health Sciences Librarian at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA.

Kaitlin Manbeck MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with Helen M. Simpson Rehabilitation Hospital.

Samantha O'Neill, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with Tender Touch Rehabilitation in Philadelphia, PA.

Kyle Soldevilla, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation Marlton Campus and a second year student at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey.

Melanie Watson, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with MedTravelers.

Ellen McLaughlin, Ed.D., OTR/L, B.C.P., FAOTA is associate professor of occupational therapy at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Recommended Citation

DaLomba, E. J., Kavanaugh, E., Manbeck, K., O'Neill, S., Soldevilla, K., Watson, M., & McLaughlin, E. (2020). The Use of an Embedded Librarian to Enhance Student Information Literacy Skills: A Pilot Study. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 4 (2). https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2020.040204