Information about the library is worth knowing.
It is clear that CMU Global Campus students found the library instruction sessions to be helpful. The more interesting data comes from the open-ended responses.
Understanding what’s available was the most common response type over all...
Overall and at Global Campus centers, responses indicated that simply understanding what services and resources were available to them – a general knowledge of what the library is, what it offers and how it works – was most helpful. This was often referred to as “research capabilities”.
...but online students are more focused on getting the materials they need.
For online students (and a very close second for center students) the most helpful part of library instruction was learning how to use article databases – both mechanics and search strategies. This was followed by how to actually obtain materials in full text. From the responses available, online students tend to feel more comfortable understanding the library in general than center students, possibly due to more communication with their instructors (via electronic announcements) prior to the start of term.
Many students wanted this information yesterday.
9% of responses to the final question included a wish of having heard about the library earlier in their coursework. This suggests that GCLS may benefit by reaching out to students early, perhaps during orientations, with at least a cursory introduction to the library.
