The impact of information skills training on independent literature searching activity and requests for mediated literature searches.
BACKGROUND
Most NHS library services routinely offer both mediated searches and information skills training sessions to their users. We analyse the impact of these two services on the amount of literature searching demonstrated by users of hospital- based library services in the north-west of England.


METHODS
Data for (1) mediated literature searches, (2) number of library users attending information skills training sessions, (3) amount of library staff time devoted to information skills training, and (4) number of Athens-authenticated log-ins to databases were obtained from statistical returns for 2007, and analysed for significant correlations.


RESULTS
There was evidence of quite strong correlations between the two measures of training activity and the number of mediated literature searches performed by library staff. There was weaker evidence of correlation between training activity and total literature searching activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Attending training sessions may make some library users aware of the difficulty of complex literature searches and actually reduce their confidence to perform their own complex searches independently. The relationships between information skills training, mediated literature searches, and independent literature searching activity remain complex.
Addison
John
J
Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust-Kostoris Library, Wilmslow Road, Withington, UK.
Glover
Steven William
SW
Thornton
Christine
C
D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D007993:Libraries, Medical; D007998:Library Science; D009313:National Health Programs; D011361:Professional Competence; D057386:Search Engine / Q000379:methods; D013192:Staff Development; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D006113:United Kingdom