ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Tirgar   A. (1)
Yaminfirooz   M. (*)






(*) General Education Department, Medicine Faculty, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
(1) Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Education Department, Medicine Faculty, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Ganj Afrooz Street, Babol, Iran
Phone: +981112194152
Fax: +981132194152
yaminfirooz@gmail.com

Article History

Received:  October  4, 2015
Accepted:  December 6, 2015
ePublished:  January 10, 2016

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-8] There are students who are not familiar with the laboratory resources or are without any sufficient capability to use the information resources [9, 10]. … [11-14] In addition, there are students with low information literacy [15].

Implementation of programs concerning the library resources and tools considerably affects the students’ understanding of the resources making them able to use the resources more favorable [11-14]. Education affects the persons’ functions in many domains [9, 10]. However, no study has been founded that shows the effectiveness of educational workshops on the freshmen students’ utilization of the scientific resources. … [16]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of educational intervention on the freshmen students’ utilization of the library resources and their performances in using the resources.

This is a cross-sectional study.

Medical, midwifery, and nursing students of Babol University of Medical Sciences, enrolled in 2013 (n=200), were studied at the 1st semester of the academic year 2013-14.

200 students were studied.

The students were divided into case (n=136) and control (n=64) groups based on a former participation in a workshop to be familiar with the library at the university entry at least one year ago. The students of case group voluntarily participated in a theoretical-practical workshop as some short-term programs (2 hours for each student group). The workshop content included the method to use the library resources, searching methods, introducing valid medical databases, and introducing library software. The students of control group did not participated in any workshop. Data was collected using a researcher-made form based on the study goals consisted of two parts. The first part included the students’ personal characteristics and former library membership (before the university entrance). The second part included the status of utilization of the university library during the last two semesters. The number of borrowed books and the number of delayed days in extradition the books were recorded on the 2nd form (based on the library rules education in the utilization of the resources). The values were regarded as criteria to investigate the students’ performance in the utilization of the resources showing the effectiveness of education on the utilization of the library. Pars Azarakhsh library software was used to complete the information on the 2nd part. Data was analyzed by SPSS 18 software using descriptive statics, Chi-square test (to compare gender distributions in case and control groups), and independent T test (to compare the students’ performance in case and control groups).

66 and 134 newcomers were male and female, respectively. 93, 72, and 35 newcomers were studying medical, nursing, and midwifery courses during two semesters, respectively. Totally, 4685 books were borrowed by 175 students, including 3538 books borrowed by the trained students (case group) and 1147 books borrowed by the students of control group. During the last year, every student of case and control groups averagely borrowed 26.0±22.2 and 17.9±18.8 books, respectively. Then, the number of the borrowed books in case group was 45% more than control group did (Table 1). Number of borrowed books by the females (3578 books) was considerably more than the males (1107 books).The mean numbers of the borrowed books by female and male students were 26.7±22.7 and 16.8±17.0 books in one year, respectively. Then, the rate of book borrowing by the females was 59% more than the males did. There was a similar situation inside the groups based on gender division, showing more book borrowing by the females than the males in case and control groups. (There were homologous gender distributions in case and control groups.) The mean delayed times in book extradition in case and control groups were 151.2±171.7 and 122.0±136.5 days, respectively. Then, there was a more unfavorable status in book extradition in case group. The mean delayed time (122 days) was similar in female and male students of control group. In case group, the mean delayed time in male students (162.1±214.5 days) was more than the mean delayed time in female students (146.3±149.8 days). 25 students did not borrow any book. All students who borrowed books extradited them after short or long delayed time lengths. The trained students’ referral to the library (124 persons) was more than the students of case group (51 persons). In other words, 91% of the trained students referred to the library and borrowed books during the last year, while 80% of the students of control group did so and 20% of the students never referred to the library. 111 students (82%) of case group were formerly members of a library. There was no such recorded information in control group, since they did not participate in the workshops.

There was a significant difference between the number of the borrowed books by case and control groups. Referral to a library and more utilization of the resources positively affect learning and educational outcomes [17-20]. … [21, 22] Many students feel upset during referral to the library. Library trainings can reduce such effects and enhance the utilization of the resources [23, 24]. … [25]

Introducing the library and implementation of the related trainings for the freshmen students might lead to better utilization of the scientific resources, higher education quality, and more efficient persons.

Limited sample size and limited variables were of the limitations for the present study.

At the students’ entrance into the university, the implementation of library familiarity training courses has positive and significant effects on the utilization of the scientific resources.

Research and Technology Deputy of Babol University of Medical Sciences and the statistic expert are appreciated.

There was no conflict.

The study was confirmed by Ethics Committee of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

The study was funded by Research and Technology Deputy of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

TABLES and CHARTS

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