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This study examines the relationship between formal library instruction and undergraduate student performance and persistence in higher education. Researchers analyzed two years of academic and demographic data collected from first-time freshmen at Middle Tennessee State University in an attempt to quantify the effect of librarian-led one-shot classroom instruction on students' grade point averages and their likelihood of returning to school for the sophomore year. 49[ARTICLE]

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Purpose This case study provides a new methodology for examining patron-initiated noise complaints in academic libraries by mining virtual reference chat transcript logs. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how noise complaints can be identified, analyzed and mapped to create a visual representation of the library’s soundscape. Design/methodology/approach This study reviewed 4,494 reference chat logs taken over four semesters at a large public university between August 2015 and May 2017. From these transcripts, the author identified 330 unique noise complaints and analyzed them by content, time of day, day of week, week of semester and floor of library. Complaints were also plotted on a library map to determine noise complaint hot spots. Findings Analysis of the noise complaints showed that 82 per cent of the reported incidents originated in designated quiet study zones and 55 per cent of the complaints occurred in the evenings when the library was more lightly staffed. Mapping the noise complaints revealed that most infractions were reported in areas where public computing areas and group study rooms were situated directly adjacent to designated quiet study areas. Originality/value Although there are numerous studies on noise in libraries and many published analyses of reference chat transcripts, this paper is the first to analyze chat transcripts for the purpose of studying noise complaints in the library. This paper is an expansion of a preliminary study presented at the 2016 Library Assessment Conference in Arlington, VA.