Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Chimera In The Library: A Journey Through The Cultures Of It, Libraries, & Library It, Stephanie Walker

Librarian Publications

No abstract provided.

Essentialism, Social Construction, Or Individual Differences, Jenelys Cox, Jeff Rynhart, Shea-Tinn Yeh

University Libraries: Staff Scholarship

Per the United States Department of Labor Women’s Bureau’s latest available statistics, the percentage of women employed in computer and information technology occupations was consistently lower than the average for all occupations. When broken down by selected characteristics, these numbers range from 12.4% in computer network architectures to 35.2% in web development. Is this trend reflected in the libraries? Although no comprehensive statistics are available for women in library IT, Lamont’s study does reflect the same trend in that the number of women as library IT department heads has been about one half that of men between 2004-2008. Why is …

Where Is Government Information? The Complex Relationship Between Libraries & Federal Repositories, Dylan Burns, Jennifer Kirk

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Through data analysis and a survey, this research identifies the location of government documents departments/units in academic libraries – including their institutional orientation, current practices, & future plans.

This preliminary data analysis presents trends amongst the community of academic library participants in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), of which they comprise 55% of the total. We identify common practices and priorities that might foster collaboration.

Open Educational Resources: Why Libraries Are Incentivizing Open Content Creation, Curation, And Adaptation, Stacy Katz

Publications and Research

The movement toward Open Educational Resources is challenging and changing the paradigm of academic libraries. Libraries are leading and innovating in the movement for the creation and adaptation of openly licensed content, whereby the creator can retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute content. There are large-scale library or librarian-led projects that are broadening library services, such as SUNY Affordable Learning Solutions, the Achieving the Dream OER degrees, Affordable Learning Georgia, as well as smaller campus initiatives. These projects shift the library’s role in education and increase measurable retention rates, such as engagement, student satisfaction, grade performance, and successful completion of …

Fake Fur, Fruit Leather, And Ferrofluids: Challenges To Managing A Materials Library In The Middle East, Amy J. Andres, Richard J. Lombard

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Materials Library at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar is the only one of its kind in the Arab Gulf region. The library's mission is to provide students and faculty with access to various industries’ most innovative materials and products. But collection efforts are frequently challenged by the school's geographical location. How can a diverse and eclectic materials collection develop and expand in the face of strict customs regulations, exorbitant shipping costs, and, most recently, a political crisis that has severely restricted the country's airspace and shipping routes? A supportive administration and a creative approach to materials procurement have helped …

Resist: A Controversial Display And Reflections On The Academic Library’S Role In Promoting Discourse And Engagement, Stephanie Beene, Cindy Pierard

Urban Library Journal

Libraries engage communities in a variety of ways, including through exhibitions and displays. However, librarians may not always know how to promote critical discourse if controversy arises surrounding exhibits or displays. This article reflects on one academic library’s experience hosting a controversial display during a divisive political time for the library’s parent institution, its broader urban community, and the United States as a whole. The authors contextualize the display, created by a local art collective, against the backdrop of creative activism, and consider implications for library displays and exhibits within similar environments. Rather than retreating from controversy, libraries have an …

Resource Review: Apple Configurator 2 (Version 2.3), Lara Lasner-Frater

Touro College Libraries Publications and Research

The author reviews the Apple Configurator 2 utility.

Book Review: Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’S Future In An Uncertain World, Jennifer A. Bartlett

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Although the concept of “sustainability” has many possible meanings, its connection to environmental issues is perhaps the most familiar. Thus, a reader coming across Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s new book might assume that it is primarily about how libraries can best demonstrate stewardship of environmental resources. While this is certainly one important piece of the discussion, Sustainable Thinking has a much larger goal: advocating the capacity of libraries to build communities, whether it be through environmental, financial, leadership, political, or other initiatives.

Developing In-House Digital Tools In Library Spaces: Introduction, Meredith Powers

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Preservation Activities In School Libraries, Okonkwo Ebubechukwu, Evangeline Nwankwo Mrs, Adeyemi Emmanuel Tosin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The necessity of preservation activities in libraries cannot be over emphasized. Without preservation, no informative, educative, and historical materials of yester years cannot be made available for today’s development. Libraries will not be in existence, serving their clientele, if their collections are not preserved. This research tries to evaluate the strength and weakness of preservation activities in school libraries, using Federal Government Academy, suleja as a case study. The investigation shows factors that cause deterioration of materials in school libraries, and it also tries to proffer solution via recommendation; and how the effects of these agents can be brought to …

Information Technology And The Future Of Librarianship, Emmanuel Omeiza Momoh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

There is a growing concern by scholars in the field of library and Information science on the way technology is gradually taking over certain jobs performed by librarians and Information professionals. This may be the reason why many of the scholars have submitted that the discipline of librarianship may cease to exist in a couple of years if nothing is done to solve the problem.

In the light of this, this article seeks to identify ways in which technology has taken over certain aspects of the field of librarianship with the aim of proffering solutions and identifying other means in …

Bank Libraries In Nigeria: Its Roles And Challenges, Okonkwo Ebubechukwu, Amaka Uka Udeh Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information is a critical resource in organizational management and organizations use huge amount of information to enable solve their daily problems. The problems organizations are faced with maybe managerial, administrative or technical but no matter the nature of the problems, they can be managed properly if relevant information is provided to them at the right time and in the right form. Information is not just relevant in the personal development of individuals but also in increasing the viability of organizations. This study discovered the roles of bank libraries and the challenges they encounter with a view to determining the …

The Role Of Libraries And Librarians In Open Educational Resources In Tanzania: The Case Of Selected Public University Libraries, Chausiku Mtumwa Mwinyimbegu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper examined the Role of Libraries and Librarians in Open Educational Resources (OER) in selected public university libraries in Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to find out the level of OER awareness among librarians and the role played by libraries and librarians in OER in Tanzania. The study also identified challenges encountered by librarians in promoting access and use of OER. Fifty two librarians of different ranks and academic qualifications from four public university libraries participated in this study. These were selected using simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected through a self administered questionnaire and documentary review. Data …

Aligning Information Literacy Assessment With Metacognitive Strategies, Kirsten Hostetler, Tian Luo, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Despite the popularity of metacognitive research, and the inclusion of similar concepts in professional guidelines, librarians have not incorporated metacognitive tools into their assessment strategies. This systematic literature review found (1) metacognitive assessments can act as a learning aide in encouraging higher-order thinking; (2) metacognitive assessments can be effective measurements under proper conditions with experienced learners; and (3) librarians have limited options when selecting assessment tools even as the demand for demonstrating the library’s value to stakeholders is increasing. The paper concludes with gaps in the literature and areas for future directions.

Academic Librarians And Labor Unions: Attitudes And Experiences, Ian Mccullough

Ian McCullough