1. Getting past the Google search box: employing screencasts in library information training Assumpta Byrne Athlone Institute of Technology

2. User education in AIT library Librarians provide information sessions to students which include: –Outline of information sources in a lecture style –Live search of the information sources by staff/students –Information sources demonstrated are usually the expensive subscription databases Supplementary information on library website e.g. subject guides, database search tips in a static format.

3. Search strategy concept No supplementary online material yet giving demonstration/overview of a search strategy creation, i.e. how to think outside the project title and use alternate keywords and Boolean logic to find information Camtasia had already been used to create a demo of a library record login.

4. Creating the screencast – location choices and problems

8. Search the information source Databases located on library website and searched using synonyms and Boolean operators. Demonstrated that typing in the title rather than phrases finds less results so alternate keywords use highlighted again at end of screencast.

9. Student feedback – pilot group Questions: 1.If your lecturer gives you an assignment, where would you go to get information? 2.What is the title of a current assignment you have? 3.If you use the computer/Internet to get information for this assignment, what are you going to put in the search box?

10. New question 1 1.(a)If your lecturer gives you an assignment, where would you go to get information? (b)If your answer to 1.(a) included “the Internet”, please name the site(s)

11. Student research Questionnaire handed out to students at the end of information sessions before screencast was available. Same questionnaire handed out to different student groups who had attended an information session which included the screencast.

12. Questionnaire results 1(a) – information sources

13. Questionnaire results – both groups – information sources Year 1Year 2Year 3 Year 4 & Masters Library/books35.71%44.00%27.37%42.04% Internet38.10%36.00%42.11%38.22% Library website13.49%6.40%12.63%5.73% Journals/Newspapers/Publications/Theses/ Previous Assignments5.56%8.00%6.32%6.37% Class notes/Moodle/supervisor4.76%3.20%3.16%3.82% Workplace/Companies/Contacts/Local sources0.79%1.60%3.16%3.18% Databases0.79%0.80%3.16%0.00% Other third level institutes0.79%0.00% Government services0.00% 2.11%0.64%

14. Questionnaire results – 1(b) web addresses

15. Traditional information session Information session with screencast Information source Library website 14.99%15.9% Databases 4.94%5.34% Search strategy Title search 56%58% Keyword/phrase search 44%42% Summarised changes following screencast viewing

16. Future work Short questionnaire for first years at induction to assess information sources Screencasting –Videos for other schools –Live database search – overcome network issues –Web OPAC usability study

17. Conclusions Slightly higher awareness of sources but not search strategy Reliance on Internet (Google) search box Collaboration between academic and library staff necessary Information literacy on syllabus??

18. Questions