University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Observations of Babies and Toddlers in Library Settings

McKechnie, Lynne

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/3664

Description

Title
Observations of Babies and Toddlers in Library Settings
Author(s)
McKechnie, Lynne
Issue Date
2006
Keyword(s)
  • Research methods
  • Observation
  • Observation of young children
Abstract
Participant observation, unlike the more traditional approach of querying adults about children’s experiences, is identified as an appropriate and effective method for studying babies and toddlers in public library settings in order to explore these experiences from the children’s own perspectives. In an observation study of eleven, thirty-minute baby storytimes conducted at two branches of a large public library system, the naturally occurring behavior of the children captured through observation field notes and audio-recording and transcription of the program successfully revealed numerous incidents of emergent literacy activities and social interaction. This article discusses the practicalities of implementing participant observation in storytime programs for very young children. Special requirements related to informed consent, the need to protect baby and toddler participants, and the challenge of gaining and maintaining access are addressed. Included is an appendix of recommended observation, child development, and research methods texts.
Publisher
Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
ISSN
0024-2594
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/3664
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2006 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Owning Collections

Library Trends 55 (1) Summer 2006: Research Methods PRIMARY
Library Trends 55 (1) Summer 2006: Research Methods. Edited by Lynda M. Baker.