EN:

Objective – Academic librarians consistently offer individualized help to students and researchers. Few studies have empirically examined the impact of individualized research consultations (IRCs). For many librarians, IRCs are an integral part of their teaching repertoire. However, without any evidence of an IRC’s effectiveness or value, one might ask if it’s worth investing so much time and effort. Our study explored the impact of IRCs on students' search techniques and self-perceived confidence levels. We attempted to answer the following questions: 1) Do IRCs improve students’ information searching techniques, including the proper use of keywords and/or subject headings, the accurate use of Boolean operators, and the appropriate selection of specialized resources/databases? 2) Do IRCs influence students’ confidence level in performing effective search strategies?

Methods – Our study used a mixed-methods approach. Our participants were students from the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine at the University of Ottawa, completing an undergraduate or graduate degree, and undertaking a research or thesis project. Participants were invited to complete two questionnaires, one before and one after meeting with a librarian. The questionnaires consisted of open-ended and multiple choice questions, which assessed students' search techniques, their self-perceived search techniques proficiency and their confidence level. A rubric was used to score students' open-ended questions, and self-reflective questions were coded and analyzed for content using the software QSR NVivo.

Results – Twenty-nine completed pre and posttests were gathered from February to September 2016. After coding the answers using the rubric, two paired-samples t-tests were conducted. The first t-test shows that students’ ability to use appropriate keywords was approaching statistical significance. The second t-test showed a statistically significant increase in students’ ability to use appropriate search strings from the pretest to the posttest. We performed a last paired-samples t-test to measure students’ confidence level before and after the appointment, and a statistically significant increase in confidence level was found.

Conclusion – Out of three paired t-tests performed, two showed a statistically significant difference from the pretest to the posttest, with one t-test approaching statistical significance. The analysis of our qualitative results also supports the statement that IRCs have a positive real impact on students’ search techniques and their confidence levels. Future research may explore specific techniques to improve search strategies across various disciplines, tips to improve confidence levels, and exploring the viewpoint of librarians.

EN:

Objective – Education offers advances in human and social development. It provides knowledge and resources that hold the potential for economic empowerment, resulting in a better livelihood. Hence, women need access to education with library services, if they are to have a voice, participate in sustainable development, and take care of their own health, as well as that of their children and members of their households. This paper examines the challenges women encounter in Onitsha metropolis, Anambra State, Nigeria. This study seeks to gain insight into the resources used to enhance learning, as well as the students’ perceptions and satisfaction with their learning experience.

Methods – A descriptive survey research design was used. The study was carried out in five adult education centres in the city with a sample size of 120 women, randomly selected for collection of data. Questionnaire, interview, and observation methods were employed. The physical assessment of the centres was done for an evidence based report and to assess the real situations of the centres.

Results – The findings show the challenges faced by Nigerian women in their pursuit of ongoing adult education included: time for the classes which are usually held in the evening, poor financial status, lack of encouragement from spouses and relations, poor learning environments, and stress. The data were analyzed using percentages and frequency counts. They are presented in tables and figures.

Conclusions – It is recommended that education and library management should assess these centres for program improvements like providing more enabling environments and learning facilities. The implication of the study is that library and information services should be extended to these women to stimulate and support learning with the right attitude for active involvement in the educational activities and for enhancement of social inclusion.

EN:

Objective – NosoBase® is a collection of documentation centres with a national bibliographic database dedicated to infection prevention and control (IPC), with over 20 years of experience in France. As a quality assurance activity, this study was conducted in 2017 with a three-step approach to evaluate the bibliographic database regarding (1) the availability and coverage of citations; (2) the scope and relevance of content; and (3) the quality of the documentation centre services.

Methods – The three-step quality approach involved (1) evaluating the availability and coverage of citations in NosoBase® by searching for the bibliographic citations of three systematic reviews on hand hygiene practices, published recently in three different peer-reviewed international journals; (2) evaluating the scope and relevance of content in NosoBase® by searching for all documents from 2015 indexed in NosoBase® under hand hygiene related keywords, and analyzing according to publication language, document type (e.g., legislation, research, or guidelines), and target audience; and 3) evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of the documentation centre services, with interviews involving the librarians.

Results – NosoBase® contained 70.8%-80.9% of references directly concerning hand hygiene cited by the three systematic reviews. Of the 200 articles indexed in NosoBase® under hand hygiene related keywords in 2015, 22.5% were French language based, with a significant representation of French non-indexed literature. The analysis of the documentation centre services highlighted future opportunities for growth, building on the strengths of experience and collaborations, to improve marketing and usability, targeting francophone IPC professionals.

Conclusion – Specialized bibliographic databases may be useful and time efficient for the retrieval of relevant specialized content. NosoBase® has significant relevance to French and francophone healthcare professionals in its representation of French documentation and healthcare literature not otherwise indexed internationally. NosoBase® needs to highlight its resources and adapt its services to allow easier access to its content.