Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Instructor, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Isfahan

10.22055/edus.2007.15799

Abstract

Library anxiety is an obstacle in educational success in the universities around the world which several studies have been conducted focusing on this issue. The present article reports a study done at the Medical University of Isfahan. The sample included 280 students, both male and female who were randomly selected from seven different faculties. A researcher-made questionnaire based on Bostick’s Library Anxiety Scale (1992), and modified to fit the supplemented cultural milieu of the Iranian universities was prepared along with a number of questions on anxiety level of the participants. The analysis of the data on the SPSS showed that the participants’ level of familiarity with electronic resources and computer was below the expected level. The anxiety level, however, was normal among the participants. Factors such as library system, demographic status, and extent of familiarity with computer have been discussed in the present article.

Keywords

Bostick, S. L. (1992). The development and validation of the library anxiety scale (Doctoral dissertation: Wayne State University), 1992. Dissertation Abstracts International, 53:4116.
Dain, P. (1990). Scholarship, higher education and libraries in the United States: Historical questions and quests. In Libraries and  Scholarly communication in the United States: The Historical Dimensions, edited by J. Y. cole. New York: Greenwood press.
Jerabek, J. A., Meyer, L. S., & Kordinak, S. T. (2001). “Library anxiety” and “computer anxiety”: measures, validity, and research implications. Library and Information Science Research, 23,277-289.
Jiao, Q. G., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Lichtenstein, A. A. (1996). Library anxiety: characteristics of “at-risk” college students. Library and Information Science Research, 18(2), 151-163.
Jiao, Q. G., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (1997). Prevalence and reasons for university library usage. Library Review, 46(6), 411-420.
Jiao, Q. G., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (1999). Is library anxiety important? Library Review, 48 (5 &6) 278-282
Mellon, C. A. (1986). Library anxiety: a grounded theory and its development. College and Research Libraries, 47(2), 160-165.
Shiflett, O. L. (1994). Academic libraries. In Encyclopedia of Library History, edited by J. Wayne, A. Wieg and Donald G. Savis. New York: Garland.
Weiner, S. G. (2005). The history of academic libraries in the United States: a review of the literature. Library Philosophy and Practice. 7, 2 (spring 2005).
Weinberg, S. B., & Fuerust, M. (1984). Computerphobia: how to slay the dragon of computer fear. Wayne, Penn: Bambury Books.
Westbrook, L., & DeDecker, S. (1993). Supporting user needs and skills to minimize library anxiety: considerations ffor academic libraries. Reference Librarian, 40, 43-51.