Embedded Librarian in Online Nursing Courses: A Preliminary Study

Concurrent Session 8

Brief Abstract

Levey-Nowak Embedded Librarian Presence Instrument was piloted to measure online nursing student perceptions of helpfulness, usefulness, presence, and confidence with an embedded librarian.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Janet Levey, Concordia University Wisconsin

Dr. Levey is committed to ensuring education and practice access for all students, with and without disabilities. Her research focus is on examining factors influencing nurse educators' willingness to adopt inclusive teaching strategies based in universal design for instruction (UDI) and embedded librarianship in online nursing courses. She has disseminated her research findings in manuscripts and at national and international conferences. Dr. Levey received her PhD in Nursing from Marquette University in 2015 with a focus on universal design for instruction. She is a National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator and Board Certified in Ambulatory Care Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Dr. Levey has taught in classroom, simulation lab, online, and clinical settings (community health, leadership, and gerontology).

Co-presenter: Karen Nowak, Concordia University Wisconsin

Extended Abstract

Embedded librarians provide library services directly to online students and are present throughout a course at the postsecondary level. In this role, embedded librarians are vital in guiding students to scholarly materials and developing the learners' research skills. An embedded librarian and faculty work collaboratively to ensure library resources are in alignment with assignments. Online courses have incorporated embedded librarians since 2005; however, this pedagogy is underutilized in online nursing education.

Use of an embedded librarian was new a concept for a private Midwestern university and collaboration with a nursing faculty member was a critical factor for the adoption of this pedagogy in online nursing courses. A preliminary study using the Levey-Nowak Embedded Librarian Presence Instrument was undertaken to measure student perceptions of the helpfulness, usefulness, presence, and confidence with an embedded librarian in an online nursing course.

Using the Models of Embedded Librarianship (Shumaker & Talley, 2009), the Levey-Nowak Embedded Online Librarian Presence Instrument (12-item, 5-point Likert) was created and launched in Fall 2014. Face Validity was determined by experienced librarians (N = 3). Content validity was established by expert librarians (N = 8). The instrument received a content validity index of.83. Initial Cronbach's Alpha was .75 (good reliability). Overall, students report the presence of an embedded librarian helpful in their online nursing course. Descriptive statistics will be shared during the poster presentation.

This is a ground-breaking study because no instrument exists that measures the presence of an embedded librarian in online learning. The preliminary study established the feasibility and initial reliability index. The study has been advanced to Phase II and results will be analyzed using exploratory factor analysis.