Library Anxiety Paper

Just like test anxiety, library anxiety is a real problem that affects many new college students. “Comparing the issue to math and test anxiety gives context to the issue and supports the idea that such a problem can be quite debilitating, especially for students who are required to use specific library resources by course instructors” (Brown, 2011). More than ever, college professors are requiring their students to perform research in the college library. College libraries however, can be an intimidating place. Newer students may have a lack of familiarity and confidence in using the library at their new school. Because of this, newly entering college freshman sometimes feel overwhelmed, frustrated or inadequate when it comes to using
the library resources which can lead to added stress on the student.
What Causes Library Anxiety In 1986, Constance A.
Mellon, an assistant professor at East Carolina University in the department of Library and Information Studies, performed a qualitative study on library anxiety and its causes. During this study the author interviewed several college students on how they felt using the college library. Many of the students felt lost, scared, overpowered, helpless and confused when it came to the library. One student interviewed stated “I, as many freshmen, was lost in the library for a very long time. It was like a big maze to me and was easy to get lost in” (Mellon, 1986). Many of the other students interview felt they have a phobia when it came to using the library. “This phobia caused students to describe library use as a nightmare, something they dreaded all semester” (Mellon, 1986). Mellon found from her study that library anxiety can be caused by four factors. First is the size of the library. The bigger the library the more fear new students have finding their way around. Second is a lack of knowledge about where things are located. Third many of the students feared the library because they didn’t know how to begin when it came to performing research. Finally students didn’t know what to do to help them find the information they were looking for. Other more recent studies have found different reasons for library anxiety. According to Jiao and Onwuegbuzie (1998),
Many undergraduate and graduate students alike, when utilizing or contemplating a visit
to their libraries, experience one or more of the flowing dimensions of library anxiety: barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library and mechanical barriers.
What can be done to help library anxiety
Talk to the librarians While there are several services the library offers that can be used to minimize a student’s stress level, the best resource the library offers is that of the Librarian. Librarians hold a wealth of knowledge when it comes to researching different topics. It’s important for students to become familiar with the librarians and learn to ask them questions. “Librarians could do a great deal more to encourage questions from library users, even though many users are shy, reticent and often unwilling to approach library staff or the reference desk” (Brown, 2011). Therefore, one of the best ways to minimize library anxiety would be to learn to use the resources that are available to you such as the Librarian. A second method to help students learn to talk with their librarians is for their professors to give them an assignment that would require students to seek help from the reference desk. Many students feel uncomfortable asking for help as they may feel the librarians are too busy and can’t be bothered to help them. By incorporating an assignment into the students learning it would show the student that librarians are there to help.