Library skills for student researchers

Students in higher education should acquire numerous skills. These skills will aid students in completing their studies, excelling in their academic pursuits, and easily navigating the world of academia. Notable skills include communication, IT, organisation, time management, critical thinking, data analysis, academic writing, and library skills.

In this article, we will elaborate on the library skills necessary for students to find, evaluate, manage, and utilise information effectively. Additionally, we will present the library support available to student researchers.

The library is at the forefront of reshaping the research process for students in higher education. Consequently, the importance of learning library skills is growing exponentially, as information is increasingly accessible on the internet, often at no cost. One might argue that a Google search can provide all the answers one seeks, so why learn library skills? The answer lies in acquiring knowledge on how to conduct searches, how to select reliable resources, and how to quote and cite references; all of these can save time and help you avoid deficiencies in academic writing. Furthermore, it can prevent you from encountering issues and accusations of plagiarism.

Know your library services and facilities 

Students in higher education should know that the library is the gateway to academia. Hence, they have to know the services provided by the library in their institution. This information is always presented in the orientation or induction program at the beginning of the academic year and sometimes at the beginning of every semester. To enlighten the reader on this part, libraries are responsible for providing updated material that includes monographs, periodicals, conference proceedings, and reference materials, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, indexes, thesauruses, etc. These could be found in print and electronic formats. As no library could acquire all published materials worldwide, they provide services such as Inter-Library Loan, which means bringing materials from a cooperative or lending library. Furthermore, libraries provide supplementary facilities such as printing, a help desk, guides and induction programs. 

Searching for information and keeping up to date

Many needs prompt the student to search the library for updated resources. For example, the requirement for writing a proposal or a literature review or looking for a research methodology. Therefore, before starting the library search, the researcher has to formulate the search question, develop a search strategy and use the Boolean operators in linking terminology and combining keywords to narrow down search results. All these are learned from the library. The student researcher also has to evaluate the resources' credibility to know how to select scholarly and reliable studies and avoid using predatory journals and other fake resources. In addition, he should also be aware of using alerting tools that keep him up-to-date with journal table of contents, cited references, new studies released and any other updates he is looking for (see Ishraqah, Sep 181, p.31). The above are the most important skills that could be learned and acquired from the library.

The library guidance to student researcher/author

To be successful in academic writing and publishing, the student author/researcher must possess a range of essential skills, including clarity and coherence in writing, critical thinking, and time management. Moreover, there are various tools typically provided by technology and obtainable from libraries to assist students in mastering academic writing. Such tools include citation management software and resources that rank authors and journals while providing their impact factors. In addition to generating citations, the library also aids students in obtaining their author IDS (see Ishraqah Oct 182) and provides guides for finding leading journals. The academic library is likewise responsible for offering plagiarism detection tools and training students on how to use them, guiding them through integrity and copyright rules in their writing and publishing as well.

AI in libraries and the student researcher

Libraries, like any other sector, have implemented AI in their services. Among AI tools used in libraries nowadays is a chatbot, which is incorporated to provide instant assistance to patrons. The chatbot could be merged with library services such as the library webpage, catalogue, and frequently asked questions. AI is also used by libraries to assist scholars while searching electronic databases for literature. It can help in suggesting the most relevant resources and make reviews and analyses.

The Main Library at the University of Nizwa is always keen to provide continuous support to students and assist them in their studies and research journey. The library conducts training sessions in searching the literature, using citation management tools and keeping up to date with preprints and newly released resources. The students and faculty can liaise with the librarians to organise training on how to use the library and research tools in person or even online.