| The purpose of this study was to determine if library anxiety was present among doctoral students at the University of Central Florida, and, if it was, then which aspects of the library (including online) and the Information Search Process were factors. A combination of instruments was used in the research design, with a survey used tar quantitative data, and several focus groups used as open-ended questions to expand on the information collected from the survey.; Because of the age of the original instrument used to measure library anxiety, it was decided to obtain permission to develop a new instrument which used items from Bostick's Library Anxiety Scale. This was done in order to determine if students perceived that barriers existed in the way in which the library currently delivers information and access to the user, and to examine the relationship between the Information Search Process and Library Anxiety.; The following conclusions were drawn concerning the Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale: Library Anxiety in an academic library may be measured using the instrument, and inter-correlations among items and factors were sufficient to ensure internal consistency.; Findings: doctoral students who responded to the survey evidenced some aspects of library anxiety, and participants exhibited higher levels of library anxiety at certain stages in the dissertation process that at others for certain factors. Anxiety concerning the Information Search Process and general Library Anxiety were highest in the first and third stages, which appears to correlate with Kuhltbau's model. Women had a marked preference to using tine library online compared with men, and men were reportedly more frequent users of library facilities than women. Students who scored “high anxiety” on the Multidimensional Library Anxiety Scale preferred to use the library online more than students who scored as “low anxiety”. The availability or lack of availability of full-text resources online did influence students' choice concerning use. |
