A PERCEPTION STUDY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE GOALS FOR INDIAN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICE IN NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the Goals for Indian Library and Information Service, as jointly established in 1973 by the National Indian Education Association and the American Library Association, are being met in school and academic library services provided Native American students and to make recommendations for improvement, if so indicated, in the comprehension and implementation of the six Goal areas examined. These are: cultural needs, Indian representation, Indian materials, programming, Indian personnel, and funding.;The data collected were analyzed in order to make comparisons of perceptions between administrators and librarians, Indian and non-Indian educators, and school and college respondents. The research hypotheses stipulated that there is a difference between the perceptions of these various groups of educators regarding accomplishment of the Goals.;No statistical difference at the .05 level was found between librarians and administrators or between Indian and non-Indian respondents. However, a significant difference was indicated between school and college educators on four of the six Goals. College librarians and administrators generally noted a slightly higher degree of achievement of the Goals on cultural needs, materials, programming, and personnel than did their school colleagues.;In summary, the view of the accomplishment of the Goals for Indian Library and Information Service which emerges from this research is relatively conservative. Active support is not commonly evident in regard to the Goals on the employment of Native American library personnel or the provision of Indian materials reflecting principles of cultural awareness. Perceptions of the accomplishment of Goals on library programs and Indian representation, which are based upon communication, tend to reflect passive policies of implementation. Finally, the availability of continuous funding sources appears to be a significant factor in determining perceptions of achievement.;A survey questionnaire, containing a Likert-type scale for rating statements representing the Goals, was sent to librarians and administrators employed in American Indian schools and colleges. Out of a total population of 124 institutions, a usable response was received from 133 individuals representing seventy-three percent of the institutions.