Academic
A study in 1975 of business students (undergraduate and graduate) at the University of Delaware, University of Maryland, and Wright State University showed that the students felt knowing how to use the library was necessary for academic success but not career success. (Source)
A survey reported in 1983 of students in freshman rhetoric classes concerning their choice of library orientation formats [without necessarily having experienced the options] showed that 156 students at the University of Iowa chose the following as the "most interesting" format:
librarian-guided tour 95 (61%) students
audiotape tour 44 (28%) students
slide-tape or videotape tour 17 (11%) students
The same students chose the following as "most instructive" format:
librarian-guided tour 102 (65%) students
audiotape tour 39 (25%) students
slide-tape or videotape tour 15 (10%) students (Source)
Ibid...showed that 112 students at the University of Missouri chose the following as the "most interesting" format:
audiotape tour 79 (71%) students
slide-tape or videotape tour 33 (29%) students
The same students chose the following as the "most instructive" format:
audiotape tour 86 (77%) students
slide-tape or videotape tour 26 (23%) students (Source)
