Academic reference librarians’ perception of information overload: An exploratory study

As digital information expands at an unprecedented pace, reference librarians in academic libraries face growing cognitive strain, commonly known as information overload (IO). This study investigates whether personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience), professional variables (self-efficacy, empowerment, and cognitive appraisals), and environmental factors (library disciplinary field and institutional type) are associated with academic librarians’ perceptions of IO. The study used a quantitative method, included 146 academic reference librarians and took place in Israel. Findings suggest that academic reference librarians’ perception of IO is mainly shaped by threat appraisal, self-efficacy, and the disciplinary field of their library. These insights improve the understanding academic reference librarians’ perception of IO and support the development of training and education programs that address discipline-specific information needs, helping academic reference librarians manage information overload more effectively.