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About IRDL

The Institute for Research Design in Librarianship is designed to bring together a diverse group of academic and research librarians who are motivated and enthusiastic about conducting research but need additional training and/or other support to perform the steps successfully.

The Institute begins each year with the Summer Research Workshop, held annually in June. It is designed around the components of the research process. The summer workshop for IRDL Online will be conducted via Zoom, with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous delivery, held on half-days over a two-week period in June. Participants receive expert instruction on research design and small-group and one-on-one assistance in revising their research proposals. In the following academic year, participants receive ongoing support in conducting their research and preparing the results for dissemination. The Institute curriculum was initially informed by the results of a 2010 survey and collaboratively developed by the co-instructors, with input from advisors. It has subsequently been updated based on feedback received from participants in years 1–6.

The Institute assists librarians in developing the skills necessary to complete a research project of their design, as well as assist them in constructing a personal network of possible collaborators for future research projects. Each year's participants learn from Institute faculty and one another, improving their project proposals during the workshop. Participants are expected to conduct their studies during the coming academic year and share their experiences with the project co-directors. Over the course of the project, scholars from previous years will be incorporated into the growing community of researchers, encouraged and supported in providing mentorship to one another and to advise the Institute team on improving the experience for subsequent cohorts.

Between 2013 and 2019 IRDL was funded by two three-year grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Participation in IRDL was free of charge. The in-person Summer Research Workshop was held on the campus of Loyola Marymount University in the William H. Hannon Library. In 2020 the program transitioned to a fee-based model. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we were unable to offer that in-person program. Thanks to a new grant from the IMLS (2022–24) the program is being offered entirely online at no cost to participants.

Related Research

The following are publications and presentations resulting from this project.

Publications

  1. Kennedy, M. R., & Brancolini, K. R. (2018). Academic librarian research: An update to a survey of attitudes, involvement, and perceived capabilities. College & Research Libraries 79(6): 822-851. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.79.6.822.
  2. Brancolini, K. R., & Kennedy, M. R. (2017). The development and use of a research self-efficacy scale to assess the effectiveness of a research training program for academic librarians." Library and Information Research 41(124): 44-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29173/lirg760
  3. Kennedy, M. R., Kennedy, D. P., & Brancolini, K. R. (2017). The evolution of the personal networks of novice librarian researchers." portal: Libraries and the Academy 17(1): 71-89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0005
  4. Luo, L., Kennedy, M. R., Brancolini, K. R., & Stephens, M. (2017). "Developing online communities for librarian researchers: A case study." College & Research Libraries 78(4): 512-526. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.78.4.512
  5. Brancolini, K. R., & Kennedy, M. R. (2014, 4-6 August). Measuring the research readiness of academic and research librarians: A project report of the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL). Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment: Proceedings of the 2014 Library Assessment Conference. Washington, D.C.: Association of Research Libraries (pp. 188-193).
  6. Kennedy, M. R., & Brancolini, K. R. (2012). Academic librarian research: A survey of attitudes, involvement, and perceived capabilities. College & Research Libraries 73(5): 431-448. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5860/crl-276

Presentations

  1. Brancolini, Kristine R., and Marie R. Kennedy. (November 1, 2106). "Measuring the Effectiveness of a Research Continuing Education Opportunity for Librarians: Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL), 2014–2016." Paper presented at the Library Assessment Conference, Arlington, Virginia.
  2. Luo, Lili, Kristine R. Brancolini, and Marie R. Kennedy. (October 10, 2016). "Institute for Research Design in Librarianship: Impact on Information Literacy Research and Practice." Paper presented at the European Conference on Information Literacy conference, Prague, CZ.
  3. Luo, Lili, Kristine R. Brancolini, and Marie R. Kennedy. (May 25, 2016). "Institute for Research Design in Librarianship: Developing a Curriculum for Novice Librarian Researchers." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, London, UK.
  4. Kennedy, Marie R., David P. Kennedy, and Kristine R. Brancolini. (May 24, 2016). "The Evolution of the Personal Networks of Novice Librarian Researchers." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, London, UK.
  5. Kennedy, David P., Marie R. Kennedy, and Kristine R. Brancolini. (May 25, 2016). "From Personal to Groups: Using EgoWeb to Map the Change in Librarian Research Networks." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, London, UK.
  6. Stephens, Michael (convener), June Abbas, Martin Garnar, Marie R. Kennedy, Brian Kenney, Lili Luo. (January 7 2016). "President's Program: Researcher, What You Got? Exploring Practice and Research." [Invited panel] Presented at the annual conference of ALISE, Boston, MA.
  7. Luo, Lili, Marie R. Kennedy, Kristine R. Brancolini, and Michael Stephens. (January 6 2016). "Online Peer Support: Enhancing the Research Culture among LIS Practitioners." Paper presented at the annual conference of ALISE, Boston, MA.
  8. Flett, Bronia, Marie R. Kennedy, Frans Albarillo, John Jackson, and Lisa Zilinski. (September 28 2015). "Research Design and Librarianship." [Invited panel] In ACRL-Choice webinar series. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4AQ1G-u32Y9OX5hRzxdXrQ.
  9. Brancolini, Kristine, and Marie R. Kennedy. (May 2015). "A Scale to Measure the Research Confidence of Academic Librarians." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, Paris, France.
  10. Kennedy, Marie R., David P. Kennedy, and Kristine Brancolini. (May 2015). "The Personal Networks of Novice Librarian Researchers." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, Paris, France.
  11. Kennedy, David P., and Marie R. Kennedy. (May 2015). "Using EgoWeb to Collect, Process, and Analyze Social Network Data for Research on Libraries." Paper presented at the annual conference of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, Paris, France.
  12. Brancolini, Kristine, Marie R. Kennedy, Lili Luo, Greg Guest, and Michael Stephens. (October 8 2014). "Enhancing Librarians' Research Skills: A Professional Development Program." Paper presented at the Library 2.014 Conference.
  13. Brancolini, Kristine, and Marie R. Kennedy. (August 5 2014). "Measuring the Research Readiness of Academic and Research Librarians: A Project Report of the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL)." Paper presented at the Library Assessment Conference. Seattle, WA.
  14. Kennedy, Marie R., and Kristine R. Brancolini. (March 4 2014). "Academic Librarian Research: Survey Results Leading to Action." Paper presented at the annual meeting of SCELC Research Day.