Information Literacy and Research-Intensive Graduate Students: Enhancing the Role of Research Librarians

Abstract

This article investigates how psychology graduate students find information for coursework and research, who teaches them how to find it, and whether differences emerge over the course of their graduate careers. Findings indicate that these graduate students are comfortable using campus libraries, prefer electronic resources, ask supervisors when they need assistance locating information, and have some interest in furthering their information literacy knowledge. Finally, the master's students use different information management skills than do the PhD students, as evidenced by the use of bibliographic management software. Suggestions for furthering the role of research librarians focus on being more proactive, rather than expecting students to come to librarians for assistance.

KEYWORDS:

• information literacy
• graduate students
• research librarian

Notes

1. There is a push to double the number of graduate students enrolled in Ontario universities. The Council of Ontario Universities (COU)'s task force on graduate education is asking the Ontario government to fully fund graduate education and establish a ten-year goal to double graduate enrolment. From: http://www.cou.on.ca/content/objects/Advanced%20degrees%2021.pdf