The Effect of Commonwealth Libraries upon Academic Motivation

Abstract

A total of 484 tenth-grade students, evenly divided between schools with Commonwealth libraries and those without, were assessed for motivational dispositions (need for achievement, test anxiety, and sense of responsibility for successes and failures), academic values, and displayed motivation (as revealed in choice of tasks). The two groups of students did not differ with respect to dispositions and values, but those from schools with Commonwealth libraries showed greater motivation. This finding is interpreted as evidence that the effects of improved library facilities have now seeped through teaching and learning strategies to an important outcome in students.