Introduction

Doctoral studies offer a unique phase in the development and legitimization of researchers, in which PhD students shift from the consumption to the production of knowledge. If librarians are to support this process in an evidence-based manner, it is essential to understand the distinct practices of this population. While literature exists concerning the information behavior of graduate students and researchers, there is little work which focuses specifically on the information literacies of PhD students within the health sciences.

Aim

The aim of this project was to explore how Jönköping University Library can support the PhD students and their supervisors at the Research School of Health and Welfare.

Methods

Both PhD students and their supervisors were interviewed. The open-ended interviews were conducted and analyzed according to a hermeneutic dialectic process, resulting in synthesized constructions of the study participants’ experiences. A total of twelve interviews were held, resulting in two constructions: one for the PhD students and one for their supervisors.

Results

Preliminary findings revealed that PhD students find themselves in a phase of “in-between”, i.e., they are not merely graduate students and not quite recognized as researchers. A common assumption among supervisors was that PhD students already have the information literacy skills they need. Yet, the students self-reported that they often felt uncertain when searching and got “stuck” with one strategy. This difficulty was most prevalent at the beginning of their PhD journey. Responses indicated that the unique competency of research librarians is essential. However, both the PhD students and their supervisors noted that they were often unaware of what services and support the library could provide.

Discussion

This project highlights the need for more primary research on the information literacies of PhD students in the health sciences. Implications for health librarianship include the need to encourage collaboration between academic libraries and research schools, resulting in better guidance for researchers in training.