Identifying Library Anxiety through Students' Learning-Modality Preferences

Research indicates that library anxiety comprises several dimensions, including the following: barriers with staff, affective barriers, comfort with the library, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers. Many students experience difficulties adapting to the library environment, suggesting that learning-modality preference is an antecedent of library anxiety. To date, no research has investigated the relationship between the dimensions of library anxiety and learning-modality preferences. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate this relationship by using a multivariate analysis. Participants were 203 students enrolled in several sections of a graduate-level research methodology course. A canonical correlation analysis revealed that graduate students who preferred to work in quiet surroundings, who liked structure, who preferred not to receive information via the tactile mode, who preferred to undertake difficult tasks in the morning, and who preferred not to undertake difficult tasks either in the afternoon or evening tended to have higher levels of library anxiety associated with affective barriers, comfort with the library, and mechanical barriers. In addition, students who preferred to work while surrounded by noise and who required mobility in learning environments tended to have higher levels of library anxiety associated with barriers with staff, affective barriers, knowledge of the library, and mechanical barriers. Based on these findings, it is clear that librarians need to share learning-modality information with administrators, faculty, and library users such that it will provide a powerful vehicle for communication among all parties involved in the learning process.