Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Reference Services: A National Survey Of Academic Health Sciences Librarians, Deborah H. Charbonneau, Emily Vardell

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the scope and adaptive nature of reference services provided by academic health sciences librarians over a one-year period (between March 2020 and March 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

In March 2021, academic health sciences librarians in the United States were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about their experiences providing reference services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey was developed, pretested, and distributed to various listservs.

Results:

A total of 205 academic health sciences librarians and other information professionals with health sciences liaison …

Transformational Leadership Practice In The World’S Leading Academic Libraries, Patrick Lo, Bradley Allard, Hermina G.B. Anghelescu, Yawei Xin, Dickson K. W Chiu, Andrew J. Stark

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

This article analyzes 12 semi-structured interviews within the framework of transformational leadership, using a set of open-ended questions addressed to 12 directors (six men and six women) of academic libraries in high-ranking universities in four different countries (Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America). It also investigates the interviewees’ approach to managing and leading their library organizations within the context of the opportunities and challenges facing their organizations as well as their parent institutions. The interpretation of the participants’ responses is based on the four ‘I’s, the four dimensions of the concept of transformational leadership: …

Copyright Awareness, Partnerships, And Training Issues In Academic Libraries, Deborah H. Charbonneau, Michael Priehs

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

This article reports on the results of a national survey of academic librarians and library staff (N = 226) in the United States about their awareness of various copyright policies, partnerships with campus groups to address copyright issues, and training needs. A majority of the survey respondents reported that they have answered copyright-related questions in the workplace, yet only 49% (n = 98) of the respondents perceived they were prepared to provide copyright information to library users. Awareness of various copyright policies among librarians and staff members varied, including a reported minimal awareness of the T.E.A.C.H. Act. In addition, survey …

The Information And Learning Commons: Some Reflections, Elizabeth K. Heitsch, Robert P. Holley

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

The Information and Learning Commons modes of library organization has become more prevalent over the past few decades and allows academic libraries to provide wider-ranging and more cohesive services to their constituents. Several issues, including relying upon a single, mythical "Patron" in planning for services; poor organization; a lack of cohesion and centralized leadership; and the "digital divide" may hinder the effectiveness of the Commons and negatively impact both patrons and staff. If these problems can be surmounted, this model shows great promise for both current and future application in academic libraries.

Rare Material In Academic Libraries, Susan Potter, Robert P. Holley

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

Purpose – This paper summarizes the importance of rare materials for academic libraries including developments since the arrival of the Internet and the effects of declining library budgets.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors reviewed the literature on the subject coupled with their experiences with collection development.

Findings – Collecting rare materials remains important for scholarly research though harder to justify during a period of budget stringency. Academic libraries should discover creative ways to discover and add rare materials to their collections. Rare materials require special expertise in their acquisition, processing, storage, and use. Digitization is making rare materials more accessible but …