Digital Commons Network^™

Bibliography, Print Culture, And What To Do With Comics In A Rare Books Library, Michael C. Weisenburg

Faculty and Staff Publications

Comic books are among the rare books of the future. In fact, some comic books are scarcer and more valuable than many of the “old books” that fill special collections stacks. This essay proposes to answer the questions of “What do we do with comics in an academic library?” by analyzing comics as a popular phenomenon that is deeply rooted in book history and the developing print culture of the past 100 years. Using the traditional methods of bibliographic analysis, we might better situate comics within the mission of academic libraries as we work to foster learning, discovery, and inclusivity …

Seeking And Finding Research Collaborators: An Exploratory Study Of Librarian Motivations, Strategies, And Success Rates, Ngoc-Yen Tran, Emily Chan

Faculty and Staff Publications

Library and information science research is increasingly conducted in collaboration; a phenomenon that has been observed, but there is a lack of clarity on the factors that motivate librarians to seek research collaborators. This exploratory study presents librarians’ motivations, strategies, and their relative success rates for finding collaborations. Survey results indicate that the most prevalent motivators for seeking a collaborator were to acquire expertise that one lacked, sustain research interest, and obtain a sounding board. Workplaces, being open to collaborations, and attending conferences and meetings were the top selected strategies for finding research collaborators with the highest relative success rates.

Saving The Black Catholic Experience Of Xavier University Of Louisiana, Vincent S. Barraza, Jane Fiegel

Faculty and Staff Publications

The digital conversion and creation of accessible records from the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS) Oral History Collection includes recorded and transcribed interviews with the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who, in 1915, founded Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) and continue to serve today. This article reflects on the beginnings of XULA and its unique place in Southern black history as the only Roman Catholic historically black college or university (HBCU) in the United States. It examines the necessity of archival oral history preservation at an African-American institution of higher education and the work archivists at Xavier University of …

Perceptions Of Academic Librarians Toward Lgbtq Information Needs: An Exploratory Study, John Siegel, Martin Morris, Gregg A. Stevens

Faculty and Staff Publications

While previous studies have examined lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) information needs, none have addressed librarian confidence in addressing LGBTQ-themed information needs or the factors affecting this confidence. The authors used a mixed-methods survey to assess the knowledge and perspectives of academic librarians in responding to information inquiries related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Based on an exploratory factor analysis, three variables were identified: duty of care/vulnerability of inquirer, public visibility of work conducted, and personal biases and prejudices. These factors can reduce or otherwise influence the ability to meet LGBTQ information needs.

Bias In Publishing? Gender Trends In Academic Library And Information Science Monograph Publications, Ngoc-Yen Tran, Erin Nevius

Faculty and Staff Publications

For academic librarians, especially those in tenure-track positions, publishing is a necessity for tenure and promotion. While librarians and other information professionals publish in a number of formats, the publication of a scholarly monograph is undoubtably one of the highest levels of achievement and generally well regarded in the tenure and promotion process. As librarians, we understand that the monograph publication process and monograph publishers themselves can be skewed toward particular viewpoints and that these biases can limit the topics and types of items that are published, as well as who gets published. Although a lot of literature has been …

Modernized Collaborations: Technologies Affecting Librarian Research Connections, Ngoc-Yen Tran, Emily K. Chan

Faculty and Staff Publications

There is no doubt that now, more than ever, technologies have made it easier for library researchers to connect and collaborate with one another. The increase in adoption and use of cloud-based products that support group work in higher education (such as the G Suite for Education) have also encouraged the collaborative nature of library and information science (LIS) research and publications.

In our presentation, we will present the results of our study in identifying the methods by which librarians find collaborators for research projects. Employing a mixed methods study, we collected survey data from librarians on the tools and …

Examining Good-Game Design Mechanics That Enhance Student Motivation: A Case Study Of “The Research Race” Game, Ngoc-Yen Tran

Faculty and Staff Publications

The Research Race (hereon referred to simply as The Race) is an active learning game played in one-shot information literacy sessions. It is an exercise that has students working together in teams to find answers and to locate materials in a friendly competition with their classmates, while also introducing them to the physical and digital spaces of the library. This chapter outlines how to play The Race and gives rationale for how The Race can enhance motivation through the use of good game design mechanics.

Digital Inclusion Of Marginalized Seniors, Linda Crosby, Megan Anderson, Donna Sevenpifer

Faculty and Staff Publications

This research project aims to investigate the various methods seniors use to in order to access health care information. More specifically, this research focuses on seniors’ information-seeking behaviours in an online environment in order to identify potential obstacles to the retrieval of accurate and accessible health care information. The existing literature indicates that while there is a large body of research and study about the digital inclusion and exclusion of seniors, there is a dearth of information on the same topic when additional demographic factors are applied to seniors.This study focuses upon the marginalized groups of immigrant, Indigenous and rural …

State-It: Connecting Students To The Archives, Kayla Siddell, Katie Sutrina-Haney

Faculty and Staff Publications

The University Archives Department at Indiana State University (ISU) assists faculty, students, and the public by providing access to and preservation of primary resources and ISU history. Despite the resources and services available, archival holdings are often underused and receive few donations from students and student organizations. These students are often unaware of the function and uses of the archives. To address these concerns, Special Collections staff have created a website utilizing the Omeka platform called STATE-IT to engage students with the University Archives. This site houses digital archival materials, digital exhibits, and oral histories. STATE-IT also provides a quick …

In N Out — Reaching Out To The Community From Within Our Student Body, Ann Fiegen, Michael Germano, Julie Shen, Jordan Nielsen, Yuhfen Diana H. Wu

Faculty and Staff Publications

As a way to enhance their educational experience and promote global citizenship, students in higher education are often expected to participate in activities beyond the walls of their universities. These activities may include study abroad, internships, service learning projects, and much more. While these activities can take place far from the university setting, they also often occur in the university’s local community, where our students work or volunteer at local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and service agencies. These students bring their real world projects to their course work, where libraries and librarians engage with them to find real world solutions using …

Student Confidence/Overconfidence In The Research Process, Valeria Molteni, Emily Chan

Faculty and Staff Publications

Librarians with instructional responsibilities will base information literacy session content upon course syllabi and teaching faculty's assessments of student readiness. Often students' self-perceived competencies do not factor into the lesson planning process. The aim of this project is to collect the levels of self-confidence for a group of students who are primarily entering health care professions. This study observes students' levels of self-confidence in performing research-related activities and their corresponding ability to correctly answer content questions for those tasks. Students' self-confidence ratings are not reliable indicators for information literacy competence. The confidence levels for information literacy tasks of students entering …

Crafting Assessment Questions: Creating The Tools To Assess Information Literacy Objectives For Art And Design: A Workshop, Rebecca Feind, Kathy Clarke

Faculty and Staff Publications

Now that information literacy standards for higher education have been created and are commonly incorporated within university curricula, assessing student mastery of the objectives is the next step in creating a measurable information literacy program. In addition to responding to institutional needs for data on student learning, assessment data is a valuable resource for updating instruction programs based on student knowledge and performance. While many librarians have vast amounts of anecdotal knowledge about what students know, being able to gather hard data on what students learn from online and in-person instruction can quantify the strengths and needs of your instruction …

Reading The Tides: Identifying The Disparities Between Student Confidence And Information Literacy Competence, Valeria Molteni, Emily Chan

Faculty and Staff Publications

Developing information literacy skills in undergraduate students is an ongoing and dynamic process. Awareness of student backgrounds is a major factor that can influence instructional techniques and pedagogy. With this in mind, a research project was developed to better understand a student population. During Fall 2012, a convenience sample of undergraduate Health Professions students were surveyed during library instructional sessions. Demographic information, confidence in performing information literacy-related tasks, and mastery of information literacy questions were collected.This poster will highlight the differences between students' self-reported mastery levels and their actual quiz results. Which demographic elements are correlated with students' levels of …

Love In The Stacks: Popular Romance Collection Development In Academic Libraries, Crystal Goldman

Faculty and Staff Publications

This article begins to define the core collection of Popular Romance Studies, and discusses the likelihood of academic libraries allocating monetary funds for collecting in this discipline when universities do not have a major program to support in the area. An analysis of Library Science literature shows the justifications librarians use for why they do or do not collect popular culture materials, such as romance novels and films. Multiple arguments are presented for how popular romance should be classified within collections when libraries acquire material in this field. Finally, recommendations are made regarding how best to assure ongoing access to …

Collaborating Across The Campus: Librarians And Faculty Create A Course-Specific, Online Research Guide For Students, Ann Agee

Faculty and Staff Publications

Discover how librarians and faculty collaborated at San Jose State University to create a course-specific online tutorial and research guide designed to meet the growing demands of a popular GenEd (General Education) course, Health Science 1.

Learning Outcomes

*Understand the elements necessary in a successful online learning tool.

*Identify courses that could be good candidates for web-based library instruction.

*Recognize the steps essential to successful collaboration with campus faculty.

Cognitive Interviewing Using A Carl Grant: Keeping Research Valid On A Budget, Francis E. Howard, Tina Peterson, Tom Hewitt

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

First-Year Library Mentorship Opportunities, Crystal Goldman

Faculty and Staff Publications

The first-year experience at any university library sets the foundation for the future relationship between the new faculty member and the library as a whole. Not only is the librarian being acculturated to the organization, but he or she must decide if the library and university will provide a supportive environment for his or her career goals. In this probationary process, the tenured librarians evaluate their tenure-track colleagues’ professional progression and merit.

Many libraries institute a formal first-year mentoring program in order to facilitate the immersion of new faculty members into the organizational culture of the library and university. There …

Standardised Library Instruction Assessment: An Institution-Specific Approach, Shannon M. Staley, Nicole A. Branch, Tom L. Hewitt

Faculty and Staff Publications

Introduction
We explore the use of a psychometric model for locally-relevant, information literacy assessment, using an online tool for standardised assessment of student learning during discipline-based library instruction sessions.

Method
A quantitative approach to data collection and analysis was used, employing standardised multiple-choice survey questions followed by individual, cognitive interviews with undergraduate students. The assessment tool was administered to five general education psychology classes during library instruction sessions.

Analysis
Descriptive statistics were generated by the assessment tool. Results. The assessment tool proved a feasible means of measuring student learning. While student scores improved on every survey question, there was uneven …

The Local Is Global: Broker For Human Rights “Florence Kitchelt, Connecticut Peace Activist And Feminist,” 1920-1961, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

In this paper, I will explore the role of local peace activist and feminist, Florence Ledyard Kitchelt (1874-1961) in supporting social justice, equality, and world peace. In 1924 Kitchelt accepted a paid position with the Connecticut League of Nation’s Association (CLNA), and for nearly twenty years she served as secretary and director of the organization. Working through the CLNA she canvassed the state promoting peace education and to building support for the League of Nations and the World Court. In 1925 she traveled to Geneva to study the League of Nations and attended the Assembly. Between the wars she worked …

Documenting Second Wave Feminism: Regional Collecting R/Evolutions, Session “Documenting A Revolution: Second Wave Feminism And Beyond!, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Lobbying For Human Rights: From The League Of Nations To The Equal Rights Amendment—The Case Of Florence Kitchelt, Connecticut Peace Activist And Feminist”, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Shifting Sands Of Success: Digital Planning Case Study Utilizing Library Science/Archive Graduate Students, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Student & Faculty Perspective: Are We Engaged Yet?, Yuhfen Diana H. Wu

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Community Feminism And Politics; A Case Study Of Santa Clara County As The Feminist Capital, 1975-2006, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Implementing An Embedded Information Literacy Program At The University Level: Best Practices, Ann Agee

Faculty and Staff Publications

Information literacy is the ability of individuals "to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (American Library Association, 1989, para. 3). At San Jose State University (SJSU), information literacy has been traditionally taught through one-shot, 50-minute lectures delivered by university librarians to students enrolled in a select few undergraduate courses. This method of instruction has proven to be neither sustainable nor effective. The lectures are not tailored by discipline and students might receive the same lecture several times while completing their lower-division coursework. SJSU wants to replace this format …

Visual Representations Of Student Life At San Jose State University; Building Visual Critical Thinking Skills, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

"Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow: San Jose University 150 Years, 1857-2007, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow: San Jose University 150 Years, 1857-2007, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Storming Politics: San José Women In The “Feminist Capital, 1975-2006,, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Treading Water In A Sea Of Male Politicians—Women’S Organizations And Lobby Activities In Historical Perspective, Danelle L. Moon

Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.