About the ReviewerApplying Research to Practice: How to Use Data Collection and Research to Improve Library Management Decision Making. (Papers presented at the Allerton Park Institute, No. 33, held October 27–29, 1991.) Edited by Leigh Stewart Estabrook. Urbana–Champaign: University of Illinois, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1992. 176 p. ISBN 0–878–45904–4.
The Library Research Center, established in 1961 for research related to public library development, has gradually assumed an ever larger teaching role. As part of this teaching mission a conference was designed to help conference participants in several ways: become better consumers of research, understand how research can help their work, and be encouraged to become informed collaborators in the research process.
Leigh Stewart Estabrook, the editor of the conference proceedings, characterizes succinctly and aptly the essential aspects of each presentation — 12 articles in all. The wide–ranging keynote speech was given by Glen E. Holt, executive director of the St. Louis Public Library. He notes that research is undertaken for many reasons, among them to define the institutional place, become aware of trends which militate against established rules, and discover possible aspects of future trends. Not infrequently, he observes, research has proven staff assumptions to be incorrect.
Holt makes a plea for action research, also called practitioner research. Holt implicitly adopts a broad interpretation of the term “research.” Here he is in agreement with most of the contributors to the volume, who explicitly or implicitly consider research as encompassing basic, applied, and action research, needs assessment, and evaluation, “a continuum with one end being the gathering of information for immediate decision making and the other being the ’big questions’ or basic research” (Debra Wilcox Johnson, p. 133). The annotated listing in the appendix to Holt’s article shows the extraordinarily large number of St. Louis Public Library research projects which were undertaken within the short span of four years.
Blaise Cronin explains what conditions must apply for a problem to attain research status. He also discusses such other pertinent topics as validity, reliability, utility, and time horizon (p. 124). Among the research traditions and methodologies, J.R. Bradley gives special attention to both the inductive and the deductive method (pp. 97–99). Keith Curry Lance and Katy Sherlock list types of statistical sources available as a basis for management decisions, and suggest ways to establish their suitability for specific projects (pp. 40–57). Then there is a thorough discussion of survey research, caution being advised against its pitfalls (Joe L. Spaeth, pp. 63–77). The importance of dissemination of research is stressed as an indispensable part of the research process. Without it investigations might be inadvertently repeated (Jane B. Robbins, pp. 78–79). Evaluation is always indicated both for internal and external purposes. Evaluation is also the procedure by which institutions usually demonstrate their accountability (Nancy A. Van House, pp. 52–62). Research efforts relating to young people and children are analyzed by Margaret Mary Kimmel, who deplores the scarcity of this type of research (pp. 89–96).
The authors of the last three articles offer sound and helpful advice in the area of funding. Dwight F. Burlingame’ s recommendations are of a general nature; W. David Penniman and Gail D. McClure, in addition to general considerations, note points specifically applicable to their respective institutions. Among the factors grantseekers have to consider, these stand out: Does a proposal fit the foundation’s philosophy? Does the grantseeker obtain the foundation’s advice before submitting the proposal? Is the proposal important not only to the applicant but also to the grantor? And finally, is the proposal well written?
This volume should prove helpful to both theoretician and practitioner. It identifies and clarifies many research problems and research procedures. It is likely to lead to closer cooperation between theoretician and practitioner. Moreover, the volume can serve as collateral reading in library science courses. A very good detailed index accompanies the text. The volume can be highly recommended to researcher, practitioner, and student.
Fritz Veit is Director Emeritus, Chicago State University Library.
© 1993 Fritz Veit.
Citation
Veit, Fritz, “Review of Applying Research to Practice: How to Use Data Collection and Research to Improve Library Management Decision Making (Papers presented at the Allerton Park Institute, No. 33, held October 27–29, 1991), edited by Leigh Stewart Estabrook,” Third World Libraries, Volume 4, Number 1 (Fall 1993).