Librarians' assistance to students in the information seeking process: Perspectives of higher education teachers and librarians

Seeking information is an integral part of the tasks that students are assigned by their teachers. They turn to librarians, or librarians offer them assistance in relation to this pursuit. This qualitative study sought to obtain in-depth insights on the perceptions and expectations of university teachers and librarians with respect to the importance of and students' participation and librarians' assistance in the information seeking process. Teachers and librarians understand the importance of the information-seeking process for students in the development of their skills. Whereas most of their perceptions of the students' roles in the process do align, there are certain differences in their perceptions and expectations of students. The results enhance the understanding of the information-seeking process and teachers and librarians' perceptions on it. They contribute toward planning to facilitate cooperation between academic librarians and teachers in situations of information behavior resulting from the educational process and context.

Automated summary

This qualitative study aimed to gain in-depth insights into the perceptions and expectations of university teachers and librarians regarding the importance of information seeking process, students' participation and librarians' assistance. Both teachers and librarians recognize the significance of information seeking process for students' skill development. While they share similar perceptions of the students' roles, there are certain differences in their expectations. The results contribute to the understanding of information seeking process and teachers and librarians' perceptions, facilitating cooperation between academic librarians and teachers in educational contexts.