Studying Practicing Researchers How Academic Libraries can Prepare Future Practitioners Jenny Emanuel Taylor Digital Services and Reference Librarian Reference, Research, and Scholarly Services

Study on Search Effectiveness Goals UIUC Library Understand how STEM researchers search for information in industry Understand researchers and research expectations Understand how to prepare STEM students for industry careers Corporation Understand how internal researchers search for information Improve search interfaces and tools offered Improve internal processes Improve training Had over 900 survey participants, did 27 interviews/observations

Results: Easy Access Low barriers (e.g., fewer login/passwords) Seamless search interfaces Linked full text Fewer steps to download Searchable text Their environment is not as robust as ours is—this study helped them make a case to get OpenURL. Many had experience in higher ed and wanted the same resources in industry.

Applications for Academic Libraries Make access as easy and simple as possible Keep in mind that users are intelligent and want to be engaged – make them partners in education Recognize that not all will become academic faculty Recognize information needs are changing, create instruction to meet needs of industry Learn basic research from their labs; need advanced and applied assistance from librarians Patent searching very important The need help, but only on an advanced level Want all resources, under one search, and one click to full text