Research Article
A Survey of Knowledge and Use of
Academic Library Services at a Pseudo-Satellite Location
Jason Lee
Collections and Resource
Librarian
Cape Breton University
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: Jason_Lee@cbu.ca
Rachel Head
Literacy Services Librarian
Newfoundland and Labrador
Public Libraries
St. John’s, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Canada
Email: rhead@nlpl.ca
Courtney Vienneau
Business Liaison Librarian
Cape Breton University
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: Courtney_Vienneau@cbu.ca
Jasmine Hoover
Scholarly Communications
Librarian
School of Science and
Technology Liaison
Cape Breton University
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: Jasmine_Hoover@cbu.ca
Martin Chandler
School of Arts and Social
Sciences Liaison Librarian, Data & GIS Services Librarian
Cape Breton University
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Email: Martin_Chandler@cbu.ca
Received: 6 June 2023 Accepted: 5 Dec. 2023
2024 Lee, Head, Vienneau, Hoover, and Chandler. This
is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons‐Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike License 4.0
International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial
purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the
same or similar license to this one.
DOI: 10.18438/eblip30375
Abstract
Objective – Following
a rapid increase in student population over a five-year period, Cape Breton
University leased additional teaching space from a nearby cinema chain but did
not account for students’ library needs. The local nature of the venue,
combined with issues in transit to the main campus, created “local-distance”
students. These students were surveyed on awareness and use of library
resources and services to inform future services.
Methods – Students
whose classes were primarily located at the cinema chain were engaged in an
anonymous survey regarding their knowledge and use of library services. These
data were then analyzed for common themes and recommendations.
Results – There were notable gaps in student knowledge and use
of library resources and services, perhaps owing to the primary source of
information regarding these – namely, friends, professors, and the website. The
need for further outreach and onsite library workers was highlighted, as was
the importance of library as space.
Conclusion – While the library handled the new venue as well as
possible, it is crucial for administrators involved in change management to
remember that student learning involves more than individuals in a classroom
seat.
Introduction
Cape Breton University
(CBU) underwent significant growth between 2017 and 2023, with the student
population ballooning from approximately 2,500 students to over 7,500
individuals. This growth was primarily driven by international enrollment,
which as of spring 2023 made up approximately 70% of the student population
(Cameron, 2022). With this rapid increase, issues around classroom space grew
and the university looked off site for space to deliver courses. In January
2022, the university began offering courses from the post baccalaureate (post
bac) program, one of its largest programs and which mostly consists of
international students, at the Cineplex movie theatre in Sydney, Nova Scotia,
with plans to continue this for at least three years. Post bac programs taught
at the Cineplex location include health care management, business analytics,
business management, and supply chain management. These programs are targeted
toward international students as they are two-year, post bac programs. In fact,
only two students enrolled in the post bac diploma in business management in
May 2023 were domestic (Hogan, 2023).
Lectures at movie
theatres are not a new initiative; many other universities have used this model
before, including Toronto Metropolitan University (Brown, 2008) and Dalhousie
University (McLeod, 2012). However, there are key differences at CBU, including
the distance from the main campus to the movie theatre and the makeup of the
student body. While most other universities using this model are within walking
distance of the theatres, CBU is on a highway between communities, and the
theatre is in downtown Sydney, approximately 13 kilometers away. Because this
space is a series of temporary rented spaces, rather than a planned continuing
presence, it can at most be considered “pseudo-satellite.” This, coupled with
long-standing issues in transportation infrastructure in Cape Breton,
effectively make these students into “local-distance” students.
Secondly, the student
body is mostly international, with most relying on public transportation and
potentially not being aware of what academic libraries in Canada offer. This
has left students with several complaints, often citing the library as a key space
on which they are missing out due to their location (Latimer, 2022). Latimer (2022) reported on one student’s
experience in an interview: “She wants to be able to visit the library in
between classes, but the bus schedule doesn’t leave enough time to commute” (para. 11). The president of the student union noted
that students at Cineplex are missing out on study spaces and community
connection (Armstrong, 2022).
The focus on the post
bac delivery at the cinema further creates an issue of segregation by virtue of
a system set up by CBU administration. Students in post bac programs are almost
entirely international students, and 86% of students in these programs are from
the Indian subcontinent. The student union president pointed out that students
“came here to study as well as explore and interact with Canadian culture” and
they “want to make new friends, to be involved with students from other
countries,” however “there isn’t that environment at the Cineplex” (Armstrong,
2022, paras. 10-11.). While this segregation may not have been intentional on
the part of the institution, systemic colonialism remains an ongoing issue in
postsecondary education, perpetuated by such nonreflective solutions (Lee &
Rice, 2007).
While libraries offer
an array of online services, accessible from anywhere, students mentioned the
library when discussing issues around having classes at the cinema. These
comments from students prompted the librarians at CBU to investigate what the
students valued and wanted from the library, and what they were aware of when
it came to library services and space.
Literature Review
There is existing literature about both satellite and
distance students’ perceptions and behaviours regarding library services and
spaces. It was difficult to differentiate these two groups as some of the
literature described students attending satellite campus as distance students
and the terms were used interchangeably throughout the literature. Also, in the
literature, distance and online students were used interchangeably, so studies
focusing solely on online students were left out. The CBU case is also unique
as the Cineplex is not a satellite campus, but rather a series of movie theatre
rooms rented for use during the day. Similarly, the students are not distance
students, as they can and do travel to campus for some classes and services and
live in the community. We have therefore named these students “local-distance
students,” being not quite at a satellite campus, but nonetheless learning in a
space removed from the main campus. These students attend the majority, if not
all, of their classes at the cinema location and therefore may experience many
similar issues as satellite or distance students outlined in the literature.
As satellite and distance programs increase, libraries
are faced with a new user population to serve, and a growing need to better
understand their needs. Hays et al. (2021) outlined barriers satellite students
might face, including the “lack of educational resources and services such as
[the] library” (p 228). Previous researchers have found that students attending
satellite campuses feel detached from both the main campus and the library (Dalal & Lackie, 2014; Eva, 2012). This
detached feeling was despite libraries offering distance library services such
as online reference and instruction, as well as the majority
of research resources being offered digitally (Scoulas & De Groote,
2020).
Distance and satellite students also have feelings of
isolation and miss the interaction with classmates around finding information
(de Jong & Branch, 2006). The feelings of detachment seen in satellite and
distance students demonstrate students’ views of the library as “place.” There
were several studies where researchers looked at students’ use of the library,
demonstrating that the library was more than resources, and was a key place to
study, do group work, socialize, and learn (Applegate, 2009; Asher, 2017). Also,
one of the barriers satellite students faced was limited space to study at home
(Hays et al., 2021). Library offerings such as study and meeting spaces,
computer labs, printing, study rooms, and quiet study areas are examples of the
kinds of services or spaces that can be unavailable for students in the
distance or satellite environment. In fact, the libraries have often been
described as a “third place” based on Ray Oldenburg’s work on the importance of
public gathering places (Oldenburg, 1997; Harris, 2007). Libraries have been
viewed as places to learn and study as well as socialize and gather (Harris,
2007; Zhou et al., 2022)
Pastula (2010) outlined that distance students are often less aware of library
services than their in-person counterparts. de Jong and Branch (2006)
researched how distance students find resources and found that simply providing
access does not automatically translate into usage of those resources, and many
distance students are unaware of library services. Distance learners also have
been found to rely more on local sources for information seeking rather than
their university library, including public libraries, classmates, coworkers,
and family members (de Jong & Branch, 2006; Thórsteinsdóttir, 2001). Coonin
et al. (2011) outlined several initiatives to facilitate access and awareness
of the library for distance students. They included easy access to materials,
an online environment specific to distance students, and increased instruction
opportunities, including video tutorials and online workshops. Coonin et al.
also recommended availability at the point of need, and suggested custom,
program-specific landing pages for students in distance programs, as well as
embedding library resources and librarians into learning management systems
(LMS). Having a librarian in the classroom is an effective way to familiarize
students with the librarian and library services (Callison et al., 2005).
Ismail (2016) found that students attending a satellite campus preferred
instruction from librarians directly. However, one researcher found that the
majority of faculty teaching satellite classes reported doing the library
orientation themselves rather than inviting a librarian in (Ismail, 2010).
Because CBU’s post bac programs are in the Shannon
School of Business (SSOB), and populated mostly by international students, it
is also relevant to note that researchers have found that business majors make
significant use of learning commons within libraries, as do international
students (Asher, 2017; Zhou et al., 2022). Also
related to CBU’s situation, several researchers have studied international
students’ relationships with the academic library. These researchers outlined
that international students faced additional barriers, including language
barriers, differences in their understanding of plagiarism, anxiety, and lack
of awareness of library services (Hughes, 2010; Zip, 2019)
Depending on where the students are from, their understanding and experience
with technology may not be the same as local students (Burel et al., 2019). There may also be differing ideas
of what a university library does and does not do. It’s possible, therefore,
that challenges these CBU students face with library services due to attending
courses away from the main campus are compounded by the additional challenges
that international students often face.
Methods
This study was prompted by librarians’ desire to
better meet the needs of a quickly growing and changing student population and
the university administration’s change in the primary location for instruction
delivery to a satellite campus, necessitated by space concerns. Given the
turmoil that these multiple changes created, it behooved the library staff to
ensure that access to resources and programming was reaching all students
equitably. After receiving approval from CBU’s Research Ethics Board, we created
a survey (see Appendix B) and delivered it using Microsoft Forms. We recruited
students via email and social media, with recruitment emails sent specifically
to those students in the post bac programs at CBU. We also posted the survey to
the library’s social media, including Facebook, noting it was specifically for
post bac students. We developed questions to gather information about both
students’ knowledge and use of library services and resources. The survey was
available for four weeks, with a reminder sent after two weeks. Students were
informed they would be entered into a drawing for a “small prize”—a $20 gift
card for a local coffee and baked goods fast food chain. All identifying
information was removed from the data following the prize draw.
There were approximately 1,500 students in the post
bac program during the Fall 2022 semester. The survey garnered 273 responses,
offering a response rate of approximately 18%. This is slightly below
Qualtrics’ (2023) 20-30% standard, but not altogether unheard of or concerning
for the purposes of our analysis.
For the majority of
questions, students were prompted to select from a list of services the library
provides, indicating whether they were aware of, and if they used, those
services. The final question was open-ended, allowing students to note what
services they would like to see the library provide, and how the library can
better support students at the satellite campus. This section was completed by
180 respondents. These responses were extracted from the overall dataset, and
the authors conducted a content analysis to determine high level services
desired by students. Content analysis involves the systematic coding, analysis,
and inferring of meaning from qualitative data (Rod et al., 2021; Stemler
2000). While many researchers rely on software, this dataset included only 180
data points for coding, making manual coding manageable and, with specialized
topics, preferable (Rod et al., 2021).
The authors were each provided with the dataset and
given nonprescriptive instructions to code it for particular
themes they saw emerging in the comments. Each author was left to
interpret this instruction as they saw fit, and the coded datasets were
collected. All codes were compiled into one spreadsheet, with the coders’ names
masked. We then organized a meeting during which we compared the data codes for
thematic overlap—largely, the themes elicited were similar, and any
discrepancies were discussed to clarify meaning and context until agreement was
reached. We created a final codebook (see Appendix A), and re-coded the dataset
based on this. Agreement was high, approximately 76%, and the discussion
between coders to clarify issues resulted in near-total agreement, allowing the
assurance of reliability in the data coding and results (Kurasaki, 2000; Rod et
al., 2021).
For questions that were not open-ended, the authors
examined the needs of students attending some or all classes at the Cineplex
location, where no library space exists, and library presence is limited to a
liaison librarian only on scheduled days. We made comparisons between services
students were aware of and services they made use of, as well as how students
learned of the available services. This will help inform future service
promotion, as well as identify services that can easily be added and those that
may require concerted efforts to campaign administration for funding.
The authors recognize that there were limitations in
the data collected, and in the collection methods. Because very little
demographic information was collected, we cannot properly account for cultural
influences on responses. Conversely, the overwhelming
majority of the post bac students are of South Asian origin, which
limits the cultural background of respondents. The data collected were further
limited to one cohort of students, spanning a relatively short two-year diploma
period. Finally, the students involved were limited to students at CBU, living
in Sydney, Nova Scotia and attending courses at the Cineplex location in
downtown Sydney. CBU also has a satellite campus in Egypt but students at this
location were not included. Finally, the data analysis did not account for any
systemic issues in socio-cultural or linguistic differences. While every effort
was made to craft clear, broadly understood questions, and the data analysis
did not reveal any notable issues in understanding, it is worth stating that
the survey was not tested with any student groups prior to launch.
The survey results, de-identified for privacy, are
available on CBU’s instance of Borealis data repository for future research and
data sharing (Lee et al., 2023).
Results
Respondents to the anonymous survey included 273
students ranging from their first and second year of post bac studies. All
respondents were international students.
Participants were asked where most of their classes
were held. 11.7% of respondents (n=32) indicated the main CBU campus, 65.2% of
respondents (n=178) indicated the Cineplex, and 22.0% (n=60) selected “Some of
each”. Three students did not respond to this question.
Participants
were asked to indicate which in-person library or archival services they were
aware of, and subsequently which in-person services they used. Their responses
are outlined in Figure 2.
In Figure 3, a
similar question was posed to the participants about their awareness and usage
of the library’s and archive’s online services.
Figures 2 and 3
demonstrate that the respondents were more aware of and used in-person library
or archive services than online library services; the exception being in the
use of research materials, which showed a slightly higher usage for online
access. Borrowing books and laptops, using the study rooms and computer
workstations, and printing were all well-known and used services in the
library. Of particular interest was that less than half of respondents were
aware that research help was available with a librarian. Part of this may be
due to the library not having a physical presence downtown.
Figure 1
Survey
respondents indicated where most of their classes were held.
Figure 2
Which of the
following in-person services are you aware of or have used in the
library/archives?
Figure 3
Which of the
following online services are you aware of or have used in the library/
archives?
When asked how
they learned about the library and its services, participants were allowed to
choose more than one option. As seen in Figure 4, the most common way that
respondents learned about the library and its services was from “Friends,”
followed by the library’s “Website” or a “Professor.” “Librarians” and “Social
Media” were half as likely to be selected as “Friends”; “Other” was selected by
only three respondents.
Respondents were then asked to indicate their comfort
level in locating library and archival resources, from very comfortable to very
uncomfortable. As shown in Figure 5, 34.4% of participants (n=94) chose “Very
comfortable,” 31.1% (n=85) chose “Somewhat comfortable,” 17.9% (n=49) chose
“Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable,” 8.8% (n=24) chose “Somewhat
uncomfortable,” and 5.8% (n=16) chose “Very uncomfortable.”
Next, respondents were asked about the barriers they
faced when accessing the library’s services. They were allowed to pick multiple
options. As seen in Figure 6, the top barriers that respondents faced were
“Travel between campuses” and “Unaware of services” that the library provides.
Lastly, in an open question, 179 participants provided
short answer responses when asked what services and supports they would like to
see from the CBU library while studying at the Cineplex. The responses were
analyzed and categorized into seven major themes as seen in Figure 7. From the
responses, by far the most common theme with 73 mentions was “Space” (satellite
library onsite, study rooms, quiet area, and so on)—with one respondent
suggesting “Start a library there, at least a small one.” A smaller number of
respondents, 36, were interested in further “Outreach/education,” exemplified
by the comment: “Before the start of the class on the very 1st day,
the Prof should invite the Librarian to teach the student how to use the
library online, especially on references and citations. Handing out some
guidelines, and paper we can keep as a step-by-step guide. Even if it was
taught to us sometimes we forget it.” There were 33
mentions related to “Other or non-library,” including statements such as
“Travel from Cineplex to the library is an inconvenience,” and “Cineplex should
not exist.” There were 31 mentions of “Technical (printing/laptops/etc.),”
including a comment that “We would like to be able to print and scan documents
at the Cineplex. We would also like to get internet at higher speeds as
currently it is very, very slow.” There were 18 asking for “Services (onsite
librarian/library worker),” including the comment that “A volunteer for Library
related tasks should be there, as we are not able use full utilities of
university facility for what we paid.” There were 10 indications that they were
“All Good,” with statements like “It’s fantastic!! I like all the services.”
Some “All Good” cases may be due to students who chose to live on campus; one
commented to that effect, saying “I live on campus so
I have access to the library. To be honest, if I didn’t live on campus, I don’t
think I would come to campus just to use the library.”
Figure 4
Where did you
learn about the library and its services?
Figure 5
How comfortable are you with locating resources for
your classes and assignments using the library/ archive?
Figure 6
What barriers to accessing library services do you
face?
Figure 7
Major themes of
services/support wanted by students.
Discussion
As seen in
Figures 2 and 3, many students noted that they are aware of library services
including accessing materials such as books and articles, online resources,
using the study rooms, printing, and using computer stations. Students were
less aware of services such as online reference or interlibrary loan.
Interestingly, many were unaware of online reference help, which may be more
beneficial to this demographic of students not attending classes on campus. CBU
is part of a province-wide shared online reference initiative, Novanet LiveHelp,
which offers extended online reference hours, including evenings and weekends.
An awareness campaign for our online reference and chat services might
alleviate this issue and draw attention to the availability of reference
services from CBU.
Furthermore,
although students were aware of some library services, they did not make use of
them, which may signify that our services are not aligning well with our user’s
needs, or that they are unable to access them due to location. For example,
several respondents were aware of in-person reference help from librarians;
however, less than half had actually used the service.
Many academic libraries have moved away from traditional reference desk
services due to lack of use, and instead have worked on initiatives such as
single point of access desks that include circulation, IT, and referrals to
reference, increased library presence in classrooms and online classrooms, and
more responsive online library services (McClure & Bravender, 2013; Sobol,
2020). The CBU library is currently evaluating the service desk model and hopes
to begin renovations to establish a single service point.
There was also
some confusion around library services that came out in the free-form answers
in the survey. For example, several respondents suggested lending books for
longer periods of time (weeks) for students in the post bac program; they
commented on not being able to take books home, which suggests they were
talking about reserve books, because books in the stacks are available to take
home for weeks at a time. Some other suggestions, such as “access to free
ebooks,” “online tutorials,” and “online information,” are all things currently
offered by the library. This demonstrated a need for library outreach and
training for students who may be new to Canadian university libraries, aligning
with findings in the literature of increased barriers for international
students (Zip, 2019). This issue is compounded for local-distance students who
may not receive the same kind of introduction to the library at the cinema that
they would on campus (library tours, information sessions, and so on). There
are online services the library offers that would be particularly useful for
local-distance students who are unable to come to the library.
When asked where
students were learning about library services, participants responded that they
learned from friends, the website, and their professor most often, as shown in
Figure 4. The library website is a key resource for all students, but especially
for those who are disconnected from the physical space. It is important for the
CBU library to continually review and update the website based on current
trends and user needs. It is also important to embed liaison librarians into
courses in the post bac programs. This embedding can be physically, offering
in-person sessions, but also online by embedding themselves or the library in
the LMS (Moodle in CBU’s case) courses. The liaison librarian currently offers
instruction upon faculty’s request and as of March 2023 has conducted 17
in-class sessions at the movie theatre. Outreach to faculty is key; as noted in
the literature review, professors teaching in satellite locations often do the
library orientation themselves, rather than inviting a librarian in (Ismail, 2010). It may
be important for the liaison librarian to actively reach out and offer library
sessions so that faculty members know it is not a burden for the librarian to
come to the cinema. Because of the rapid growth in this program, many of the
instructors are also sessional, and may not be aware of library services, or
who their liaison is.
Interestingly,
respondents mostly felt comfortable or moderately comfortable finding material
for their coursework, as seen in Figure 5. However, as one of the barriers
noted in Figure 6 is familiarity with searching, it is possible that students
are given basic access to materials needed in their courses via Moodle and
library course reserves but are less aware of how to search for additional
resources.
When asked what
barriers they face in accessing library services (Figure 6), the majority noted
that the physical distance was the biggest barrier, with lack of awareness of
library services as second, and lack of familiarity with searching or not
knowing where to start as third. Although CBU librarians cannot fix the largest
barrier, work on awareness and education targeted for post bac students in the
future will be a priority. Currently, the liaison librarian for the post bac
program in the SSOB offers library services information in the Cineplex lobby
at the beginning of each term, answering questions and passing out information.
In September 2022, an additional new downtown space was added at 500 George
Street, an approximately five-minute walk from the Cineplex location; the
liaison also has regular office hours at this location.
As seen in
Figure 7, space was the most common request in the open-ended responses.
Students attending most of their classes at Cineplex felt disconnected from the
main campus library, and value the library as a “place,” feeling that they are
missing out on that due to location. The most common suggestion from the survey
was opening a physical satellite library at the Cineplex location. Students
commented: “Provide facilities at cineplex that have been provided at the CBU
Library,” “I would like a quiet environment to study in between classes,”
“Start a library there, at least a small one,” “Computers at Cineplex would be
useful,” and “Need a proper space in Cineplex for self study.” This further
reinforces the idea of the library as a third space outlined in the literature
review, as students view the library not only as a collection of resources but
as a place, in this case for studying, learning, and more (Waxman et al.,
2007).
In fact, the CBU
library is a major hub in the university and is in dire need of more space. In
2019–2020, before opening the Cineplex location and COVID-induced closures, the
library—originally built for a university with around 2000 students—had a gate
count of 414,000, or around 34,500 a month. Since opening Cineplex, the gate
count has been cut in half. Still, the study rooms at CBU are often fully
booked with over 11,000 bookings a year. Unfortunately, although this was by
far the leading suggestion, there is no plan to bring a physical library space
to Cineplex.
The second most
common theme in the suggestions was outreach, and there is great potential to
improve library awareness to students studying at Cineplex through our outreach
initiatives. Specific suggestions such as a weekly library newsletter,
workshops, and other training options could potentially reach a large portion
of students and increase awareness. CBU’s social media is a major outreach
tool, and now is part of the job description for a staff member. The library
recently began a TikTok channel in an effort to remain
up to date with social media platforms. Because Cineplex students find it
difficult to access campus, a push toward some of the ideas presented by Coonin
et al. (2011) in the literature review may be appropriate, including online
workshops, quick tutorial videos, their own landing page, and embedding the
library in the LMS. The CBU library has contacted our LMS staff to inquire
about embedding library resources, however, we have not yet had a reply.
Outreach and awareness are also being done through in-class library instruction
sessions, which introduce students to the librarian in their area, and
familiarize them with library services. The importance of working closely with
faculty teaching at the off-site location to embed the librarian and the
library resources in their courses is key. This can be done by having
librarians teach at the satellite location or online, having librarians in the
LMS course as instructors or helpers, or by taking advantage of software
linkages such as subject guides or LibGuides, which can be inserted right into
the LMS, with the librarian focusing on custom resources for that course. LMS
integration will depend on support from IT services and instructors. With the
approval of an additional, limited term liaison librarian to the SSOB, there
will be an increased librarian presence at Cineplex for the 2023 fall semester.
After student
outcry (Armstrong, 2022), there have been recent initiatives from the
university to try and address some of the issues, including reduced cost bus
fare and a shuttle between Cineplex and the main campus. 500 George offers
students printing services and six study rooms booked through the library’s
LibCal interface. This new service was not widely advertised to the university
community outside of the CBU library’s social media and in the SSOB liaison
librarian’s instructional sessions; it is unfortunate that the library did not
receive university support for this communication.
Other services
typically offered at a library space that were suggested by respondents in the
survey include course reserve availability and laptop and calculator rentals.
The library could increase the borrowing periods for course reserves and
calculators needed for post bac classes, though this will depend on funding to
increase the number of copies on reserve to ensure equitable access. Such an
initiative would enable students to borrow at the campus library, attend their
classes, and then return the item to the library. The library did put forward a
job description for one circulation staff member to offer check-out and
check-in of books and some reserve items, laptops, and basic library
information and assistance at the 500 George location, but it was not approved.
The SSOB liaison librarian offers weekly office hours at 500 George in an effort to meet post bac students closer to their
classrooms. This service is advertised by the library’s social media channels
and on screens within the movie theatre. Five appointments were held during the
liaison librarian’s office hours at 500 George during the winter 2023 semester.
Faculty and students commented to the librarian that they appreciated the
option to meet locally.
Working with IT to better embed the library and its
resources into the LMS is something that the CBU library is focusing on in the
short term. The idea of a weekly or monthly newsletter would be facilitated
through a mailing list managed by IT and it is important to continue to develop
the relationship between the two units. The CBU library could also investigate
ways to increase our social media following. Similarly, online services are
important for this demographic of students, and work should be done to improve
the library website, promote our live chat service for reference, and offer
online workshops and tutorials.
There is a lingering concern of library as “place,”
and gate counts demonstrate the high use of the library when students are on
campus. The library was built in 1974 and was originally intended to serve
around 2,000 students. With ever-increasing enrollment numbers, currently at
over 7,500, with a goal of 10,000 in the next 5 years, the library is beyond
maximum capacity, and will not be capable of supporting all students without
significant renovations and extensions. There are talks of ways to increase the
library’s footprint, and surveys such as this that demonstrate the importance
students assign to library as “place” will be important for any new builds or
renovations.
Future Directions
Future research such as investigating the opinions of
faculty teaching at Cineplex could increase understanding of what services to
offer to students studying off campus. Surveying faculty and instructors may
help library staff identify ways in which the library could better support
classes held at Cineplex from the instruction viewpoint. For example, if there
are a high number of classes requiring scientific calculators for tests, the
library can plan a regular onsite service at a specific time of day each week.
Furthermore, library staff and the SSOB liaison librarian can work with
faculty, instructors, and staff on site to ensure that the library has an
active presence while students continue to study at the movie theatre.
As noted above, the approval of a second librarian to
assist with the SSOB liaison work, where the post bac program resides, may also
increase awareness, and ease the burden of access. A second study, to be
completed in 2–3 years’ time, may be beneficial to see if student awareness and
use of services improves with increased capability of presence. A longitudinal
study could bring interesting results, both in terms of the university’s
overall capability of adapting to changing geographic needs, and in the library’s
adaptation to the demands of communication in a changing environment. In a
related vein, it may also be worthwhile to study distance and ease of travel as
a predictor of library use; while this case offers a particular instance of too
distant for convenient access and limited public transit options, even studying
universities with large campuses may offer insights into the distance a student
is willing to travel to access a library.
As this study was limited primarily to a specific
subsection of the university (i.e., students in the post bac program, which is
almost entirely international students), it would be worthwhile to study the
experiences and needs of students in other programs who have courses at nearby
offsite locations. Furthermore, a greater understanding of the needs of
domestic versus international students in the same program would also be useful
should a larger number of domestic students enroll in the post bac program.
Indeed, studying a broader range of demographic groups in general would be
worthwhile should such an opportunity present itself.
Finally, the survey only captured the needs and
knowledge of students at the pseudo-satellite campus. No comparisons were drawn
between students at this location and students fully on campus. Such
comparisons can be studied in future works, or comparative analysis done by
future researchers to find any overlaps in needs.
Conclusion
CBU’s administration announced the Cineplex location
as a teaching space for the post bac program in response to an unplanned influx
of students. Because the library was not included in the planning for this
space, students noted a lack of key student space and services. The physical
disconnect from the library may have led to reduced student awareness of, and
access to, library services. The survey results showed that local-distance
students want library spaces and services. When universities are designing
satellite locations, it is imperative that consideration is given not only the
spaces for teaching, but other spaces students value that foster learning,
including the library.
Author Contributions
Jason Lee: Writing –
original draft, review & editing (equal) Rachel Head: Charts and
Graphs (lead), Writing – original draft, review & editing (equal) Courtney
Vienneau: Writing – original draft, review & editing (equal) Jasmine
Hoover: Charts and Graphs (editor), Writing – original draft, review &
editing (equal) Martin Chandler Methodology (lead), Writing – original
draft, review & editing (equal)
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Appendix A
Codebook
- Space (satellite/onsite library, study)
- Access to research material
- Technical (printing, laptops, etc.)
- Outreach/education
- Services (on-site librarian/library worker)
- Other or non-library
- All Good
Appendix B
Library and Archive Services to Satellite Campus
Survey
* Required
1.
Informed Consent and Data Reuse
You are invited to participate in this short (3 minutes to complete)
survey to share your insight and observations regarding Library and Archive
Services to students taking courses at the Cineplex location. You may leave the
survey at any time, and taking part, refusing, or leave the survey will in no
way impact your academic or personal life at CBU. If you are experiencing any
difficulties or distress, please remember that CBU has mental health resources
available to you: https://www.cbu.ca/current-students/student-services/health-wellness/mental-health-resources/
Confidentiality: No personal, identifying
information will be collected in this survey.
Data: The survey tool and data are hosted in Canada, and an analyzed,
aggregated data set will be made available on CBU's instance of Dataverse for
possible reuse and further research.
Survey results: The main study findings may be published in academic
journal articles and/or presented at conferences. Data will be reported and
stored in aggregate format. Anonymous quotations from open- ended survey
questions may be published.
Any questions about the survey can be directed to: Martin_Chandler@cbu.ca (902-563-1996) or Jasmine_Hoover@cbu.ca (902-563-1231). The
research office can be contacted at research@cbu.ca, or 902-563-1107.
This research has been reviewed by the Research Ethics Board, any ethical concerns can be directed to:
Co-Chairs, Andrew Molloy (Andrew_Molloy@cbu.ca or Bishakha Mazumdar (Bishakha_Mazumdar@cbu.ca).
Contact Jared Walters, CBU REB Administrator, at ethics@cbu.ca if you have any general questions about the ethics process at CBU.
* Do you consent to taking part in the survey?
About You
In order to ensure we include the
diversity of the CBU student body, we would like to ask a few questions about
you as a student.
2.
You are a
·
International student
·
Canadian student (non-Nova Scotian)
·
Nova Scotian student
3.
Your program of study:
·
Post-Baccalaureate in Health Care management
·
Post-Baccalaureate in Business Analytics
·
Post-Baccalaureate in Business management
·
Post-Baccalaureate in Supply Chain Management Other
4.
Year of study
·
1st year
·
2nd year
·
Other
5.
Most of your classes are at
·
Main CBU Campus
·
Cineplex
·
Some at each
Your Library & Archives Experience
We'd like to know how/if you interact with and use library and archive
services and resources.
6.
Which of the following in-person services are you
aware of at the library/archives? (select multiple)
·
Accessing books and articles
·
Borrowing a laptop, Using Computer Stations
or Computer Lab
·
Study rooms
·
Interlibrary Loan / Document Delivery
·
Research help with a librarian / archivist
·
Printing / Photocopying / Scanning /3d Printing
·
Other
7.
Which of these Online Services from the CBU Library
are you aware of? (can select multiple)
·
Live Reference Chat and Online Research Help
·
Online Library Resources (Catalogue, databases,
ebooks, subject guides, etc)
·
Digital Archives
·
Streaming movies / music
·
Interlibrary Loan / Document Delivery
·
Other
8.
Which of the following in-person services have you
used at the library/archives? (select multiple)
·
Accessing Books and Articles
·
Borrowing a laptop, Using Computer Stations
or Computer Lab
·
Study rooms
·
Interlibrary Loan / Document Delivery
·
Research help with a librarian / archivist
·
Printing / Photocopying / Scanning /3d Printing
·
Other
9.
Which of these Online Services from the CBU Library
have you used? (Can select multiple)
·
Live Reference Chat and Online Research Help
·
Online Library Resources (Catalogue, databases,
ebooks, subject guides, etc.)
·
Digital Archives
·
Streaming movies / music
·
Interlibrary Loan / Document Delivery
·
Other
10.
Where did you learn about the library and its
services?
·
Professor
·
Librarian
·
Website
·
Friends
·
Social Media
·
Other
11.
How comfortable are you with locating resources for
your classes and assignments using the library / archive?
·
Very comfortable
·
Somewhat comfortable
·
Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable
·
Somewhat uncomfortable
·
Very uncomfortable
12.
What barriers to accessing library services do you
face? (select multiple)
·
Unaware of services
·
Travel between campuses
·
Lack of technology (laptop, internet)
·
Don't know who to ask or where to look
·
Accessibility issues
·
Unable to login / access
·
Not familiar with searching for resources / don't know
where to start researching
·
Other
13.
What would services like to see from the CBU Library?
Specifically for those studying at Cineplex, how could we support you?
Thank you for your time!
Remember, mental health resources are available to all CBU students!
Please go to https://www.cbu.ca/current-students/student-services/health-wellness/mental-health-resources/ for more information
14.
If you would like to be eligible to win a prize,
please enter your CBU email address here (emails will not be correlated with
responses, and will be deleted following the draw):