Bloomsbury Knowledge into Action: Research Methods for Library, Archives, and Museum Professionals

This new edition of a trailblazing textbook is written for students and professionals who need real-world approaches to applying research methodologies to solve practical problems within their institutions. With extensive new and updated content, the second edition of Knowledge into Action retains respected authors Danny P. Wallace and Connie Van Fleet's focus on practical applications of research methods by library and information science professionals in workplace settings. Expanded to include the role of research methodologies in outcomes-based assessments, and to include the needs of museum professionals, this book is an invaluable resource for today's LAMs workplaces including libraries, archives, and museums. Author Susan K. Burke highlights the diversity of people who engage with LAMs institutions and emphasizes the importance of including diverse voices in research activities. This text introduces readers – both students and working professionals – to core principles of research, the structure and steps of a research project, the most common methodologies used in LAMs, and the use of study outcomes for continuous improvement of services and processes. In addition to learning how to design and implement studies of their own, readers will also learn to be educated consumers of research literature. A DIY guide to research, this hands-on text gives students step-by-step guidance to create and implement their own research studies. Exercises at the end of each chapter result in a complete research paper at the end of the course.