Do PhD candidates need the library?
Do our library services meet the needs of PhD candidates? What is their information behaviour? The recently published report: PhD candidates and the research process : the library’s contribution, sheds light on these questions.
The report shows that PhD candidates are independent, and demand efficient time use. However, they are unsure of how to best get an overview of their field of study. When it comes to publishing the finished thesis, demands vary between disciplines, and guidance is rather haphazard.
Habits of literature searching
PhD candidates have established their habits of literature searching before they start work on their doctorate. They use Google in the initial phase, and follow up with specialised databases. The electronic availability of literature changes the type of material used.
Tailor-made services
Literature searching and the library’s services are seen as one of the areas where PhD candidates see scope for efficiency gains. Particularly in the initial phase of work there is a need for services tailored specifically for this group. In order to supply such serivces, librarians should have the knowledge of local research activities, processes and methods.
Lack of knowledge of the library’s services
The candidates need all aspects of the library’s services, from borrowing literature to coursces on finding literature and user support for handling references. Nonetheless, their knowledge of the library’s services are limited, and many of the services they want already exist. It is important to market the services for PhD candiates and to maintain proximity to the research environments in order to improve the quality of assistence for the PhD candidates.
The next stage of the project involves getting input from experienced librarians on their experiences in working with PhD candidates, and developing web-based resources of use to PhD candiates and librarians.
Read the entire report here:
PhD candidates and the research process : the library’s contribution by Eystein Gullbekk, Tove Rullestad, Maria Carme Torras i Calvo.
The report consists of a literature study and an interview-survey made by the project Information Management for Knowledge Creation.