Psychology and Librarianship: Assessment of Psychological Experimental Potential in
Librarian and Librarian Behavior Studies
Interdisciplinary research is actually not a new thing in library science, but interdisciplinary
research with psychology is starting to emerge in library science. Most research is based on general
psychological theory but that is not successful due to cross-fertilization between disciplines so it
is better if they use experimental psychology methodology. There are two reasons why we need to
use this method. The first concerns the short, fast, and habitual nature of face-to-face meetings
between librarians and users. And the second concerns a number of psychological phenomena that
are too easily understood to be extended back to the library situation.
The experiment was carried out at the Edinburgh University Library on 6 - 17 November 1978.
The experiment was carried out by determining the point of the assistant's desk on the ground floor
of the library. The experimental period was carried out in ten pairs of sessions (one session lasting
three hours) with two assistants taking turns at the assistant's desk, on weekdays, and carried out
in the morning and evening sessions. The assistant's desk also displays 'busy' or 'not busy'
information. There are two other variables that are also taken, namely the number of library visits
during all sessions (calculated from the number of users entering and leaving through the main
door), and also the period when the assistant's desk is empty or unattended.
The experimental results on the information statement on the assistant desk show that there is
an effect when the information statement shows 'busy' and 'not busy'. Users tend to ask a lot of
questions or approach the assistant desk when the information statement is 'not busy' compared to
when it is 'busy'. But from the experimental results, the data is not necessarily said to be valid
because everyone's psychological actions cannot be seen from how the survey results, assessment
techniques, and other subjective calculations are. It is necessary to carry out various kinds of
further research such as interviews and observation of user behavior to be able to determine the
causes of the attitude of users choosing to come to the assistant's desk when they are 'busy' or 'not
busy'.
In conclusion, the experimental psychology methodology has considerable potential to be used
as a research method in researching problems in libraries. But keep in mind that this method cannot
immediately issue conclusions, this method also requires stages and needs to be broken down first
to produce experimental results . All experiments carried out have pros and cons that need to be
