Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"I Don't Think Librarians Can Save Us": The Material Conditions Of Information Literacy Instruction In The Misinformation Age, Amber Willenborg, Robert Detmering

Faculty Scholarship

This national qualitative study investigates academic librarians’ instructional experiences, views, and challenges regarding the widespread problem of misinformation. Findings from phenomenological interviews reveal a tension between librarians’ professional, moral, and civic obligation to address misinformation and the actual material conditions of information literacy instruction, which influence and often constrain librarians’ pedagogical and institutional roles. The authors call for greater professional reflection on current information literacy models that focus on achieving ambitious educational goals but which may be unsuitable for addressing the larger social and political crisis of misinformation.

Ai In Universities And Libraries, Aaron Tay

Research Collection Library

Everyone is familiar with ChatGPT. But can ChatGPT alone be used for information retrieval? In this Keynote speech, Aaron argues that ChatGPT or similar large language models alone is not sufficient for information retrieval. As databases such as Scopus, Dimensions announce new beta search tools that leverage generative AI, he provides a overview of how these tools that blend search with generative AI (large language models) work (using a technique known as Retrieval Augmented Generation or RAG) and explains the pros and cons of this new class of search tools.

He ends with a prediction of what the next 3 …

Teaching Inclusive Citation Through A Library Workshop, Andrea Baer

Libraries Scholarship

In response to calls for greater equity and inclusion in scholarly publishing and in academia in general, many academic instruction librarians are looking to ways to promote inclusive citation practices. Inclusive citation essentially involves citing sources that reflect a greater diversity of voices and perspectives, while being aware of how power and social structures have traditionally influenced what voices are amplified and which are often overlooked. Inclusive citation requires thinking creatively about how and where we search for information, since traditional scholarly practices and common structures and features of many search tools (e.g., citation metrics, relevance rankings) are part of …

Participation Of Academic Libraries And Provision Of Covid-19 Information Services During The Pandemic In Nigeria, Flora Orewa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information was sought on the level of collaboration between academic libraries and known key players championing the prevention and control of COVID-19, the activities carried out in compliance with set protocols, information services offered, and the challenges faced. Results showed moderate level of collaboration and very limited direct synergistic interaction with public health groups, while they provided patrons with an avenue to source updates from library websites. There was high compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines; however, there was no specialized COVID-19 information service desk for patrons' inquiries. Libraries participated in the dissemination of COVID-19 information during the pandemic, especially to …

Served Fresh Daily: Welcoming Students With An On-Site, Asynchronous Tour, Adrienne Warner

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This presentation, delivered at the LOEX 2023 conference, highlights the program impetus, design, and initial assessment, as well as a call to rediscover how in-person tours can be an essential part of an academic library instruction program. Academic library tours used to be a staple offering that acquainted users to spaces and services. Today, librarians provide many types of online orientations and virtual tours, but there is a need to help students feel welcome in our buildings. At the University of New Mexico, the First-Year Experience librarian created an in-person, asynchronous tour that students access with their smartphones. Pairing a …

Research Support Services: An Analysis Of Top Science And Technology Institutions, Vijay Kumar Verma, Charu .

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose – This research article aims to find out the different types of research support services provided by the top fifty libraries listed under science and technology institutions category in the QS ranking 2022. The analysis results will provide an in-depth view of the research support services offered by these institutions and will be helpful to libraries everywhere in designing their research support service.

Design/methodology/approach – The top 50 institutions listed in the 2022 QS World University Rankings in the category of science and technology were taken. Out of them, 44 libraries were selected on the basis of research support …

Equitable Sustainability Literacy Guide: Creating A Resource Guide To Educate On Environmental Problems Through A Social Justice Lens, Jennifer K. Embree, Neyda Gilman, Jacqueline Jergensen

Library Scholarship

The Equitable Sustainability Literacy Guide (ESLG) is an online resource guide created by three student interns (Jacqueline Jergensen, Haley Arnold, and Sage Block) and two librarians (Jennifer Embree and Neyda Gilman) at Binghamton University to educate the public on the environment, climate change, and sustainability through a social justice lens.

Academic Libraries In An Open Access And Ai First World – An Attempt To Peer Into The Future, Aaron Tay

Research Collection Library

Technology is rapidly advancing, and AI is becoming more sophisticated everyday, But what is even more exciting is that academic libraries are going to be impacted even more. Why is that? It's because even the most advanced algorithm will not work without data to train on.

Doing More With A Dm: A Survey On Library Social Media Engagement, Jason Wardell, Katy Kelly

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

Objectives – This study sought to determine the role social media plays in shaping library services and spaces, and how queries are received, responded to, and tracked differently by different types of libraries.

Methods – In April and May of 2021, researchers conducted a nine-question survey (Appendix A) targeted to social media managers across various types of libraries in the United States, soliciting a mix of quantitative and qualitative results on prevalence of social media interactions, perceived changes to services and spaces as a result of those interactions, and how social media messaging fits within the library’s question reporting or …

Librarian And Faculty Conversations About Information Literacy: A Pilot Study On Communication Across Disciplinary Boundaries, Carolyn B. Gamtso

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this pilot study is to discover how academic instruction librarians discuss the concept of information literacy with faculty colleagues outside the library and information science field; how they negotiate shared meanings of the term; and what pedagogical actions result from these conversations. The researcher interviewed a purposive, convenience sample of three early-career ILI librarians employed at private colleges in the Northeastern United States to ascertain their perspectives on the quality and nature of their conversations with faculty members about information literacy. The researcher used the theoretical framework of Etienne Wenger’s dimensions of boundary processes to interpret the …

Information Literacy Instruction In Asynchronous Online Courses: Which Approaches Work Best?, Elizabeth F. Pickard, Sarah L. Sterling

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Which modes of information literacy instruction (ILI) work best in asynchronous online courses? Recent national trends and COVID-19 have made it critical to answer this question, but there is little research comparing different modes of ILI specifically in asynchronous contexts. This multi-year study employed 5 different modes of ILI in different sections of an asynchronous online anthropology course and compared the modes' effects on students' coursework. Ethnographic analysis of students' bibliographies revealed nuanced changes to students' approaches to searching and source-selection. These findings can inform librarians' development of ILI curricula and pedagogy for the unique circumstances asynchronous instruction presents.

Students’ Perceptions Of Information Literacy At Two South African Universities, Mathew Moyo, Ezra Ondari Okemwa Prof

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study was to find out students’ perceptions of the information literacy intervention programme at two Universities in a developing country. The study adopted a survey research method in which both questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data about how students perceived information literacy in relation to its contribution to improved academic performance. Results show that students perceived information literacy as very relevant to their academic success. The respondents indicated that they gain skills on how to find and use information in all formats to address their day to day assignments. This study reveals the …

Promoting A Policy For Social Media Use In Nigeria, Adetola Akanbiemu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper discusses the development and promotion of social media policy in academic libraries in Nigeria. Academic libraries are charged with the responsibility of supporting their parent organisation in achieving the institutional objectives which involve providing support for research and educational activities. Having such crucial roles to carry out, the use of social media has become a helpful tool in the delivery of services to users. Social Media has provided new opportunities for libraries and librarians in the world. In academic libraries, they are used as a powerful tool for communication by providing an excellent platform for an active and …

Research On Digital And Online Resources Of Academic Libraries From 1981 To 2020: A Bibliometric Analysis, Sanila Aslam, Muhammad Naveed, Nusrat Ali, Muhammad Rafiq Awan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose/Rational - The study has exclusive purpose to find out the literature growth on “Digital and Online Resources of Academic Libraries” within a specific time span 1981 to 2020. Digital resources play an important role in the proliferation of quality research. Plenty of literature has been published on the topic from 1981 to 2020.

Design/Methodology - The present study attempts to analyze the literature using the biliometric technique. Further, the Science Citation Index (SCI) database and Web of Science (Core Collection) has been utilized as a source to extract the available published documents. Furthermore, the investigation utilizes VOS viewer …

Rethink, Reuse, Recycle: Turning An Existing Workshop Into A Virtual Opportunity For Outreach And Engagement, Jason Wardell, Bridget Retzloff, Joan Plungis

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

This case study of using a webinar series as a library marketing technique shares the process, communications, and assessment results from a well-attended online event, “Summer of Citations.” An in-person citation management software workshop for graduate students by librarians at a small midwestern private university served as a springboard for the series. Targeted to faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate honors students, the Zoom-based, 45-minute sessions covered a different product on each of three successive days. A common structure for each presentation, along with the use of Springshare modules for registration and assessment, facilitated the event’s rapid production and easy replication.

Communication Across The Electronic Resources Lifecycle: A Survey Of Academic Libraries, Jessica M. Morales, Christina A. Beis

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to identify common communication issues that arise during the electronic resource lifecycle and identify communication strategies academic libraries are using effectively to manage electronic resources. A survey of academic librarians and staff received 240 responses and included 5-point Likert scale ratings on communication surrounding acquisitions, access, administration, support, evaluation, and renewal at their institutions. The study found that the acquisitions, evaluation, and renewal stages of the lifecycle experienced the most issues in communication, while support had the most positive responses. This article provides further discussion on the communication mechanisms used by academic institutions across …

Connections In Information Literacy Responses: Il In The Undergraduate University Experience, Elizabeth H. Brown, Lauren Wittek, Mattias Olshausen

Library Scholarship

This study was conducted at a four-year state university to compare differences in information literacy knowledge between students at the first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior levels. The survey included questions about reading habits, library usage, and information literacy knowledge, and was shared with 10,967 students with a 15.7% response rate. Analysis of the responses found reduced participation from sophomores, a positive relationship between required course use of the library and actual use of the library, a positive relationship between library exposure and accuracy of responses, and other academic connections to information skills.

Awareness And Acceptance Of Emerging Technologies For Extended Information Service Delivery In Academic Libraries In Nigeria, Williams Torubo Saibakumo

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Expanding and modernising information services are crucial to the continual existence and patronage of academic libraries in the digital era. Technological evolutions have impelled libraries to incorporate all-encompassing, user-friendly and technology-driven service delivery approaches in academic libraries. Emerging technologies seem to fill this perceived gap. This study brings to light the level of awareness, adoption, preferred and readiness for the incorporation of emerging technologies into academic libraries activities in Nigeria. Amid 18 emerging technologies, adoption is stumpy, only an infinitesimal number (WebOPAC, library website, Cybrary, social media and Institutional repository) considered, and awareness remained high. Technologies like RFID, Integrated Library …

Peer Research Mentors At Gettysburg College, Meggan D. Smith, Mallory R. Jallas, Clinton K. Baugess, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Musselman Library at Gettysburg College developed a Peer Research Mentor (PRM) program to expand the library’s formal research and instruction program. Designed and coordinated by a group of research and instruction librarians, the PRM program is built around a cohort of eight undergraduate students from a variety of class years and disciplines. Each PRM has a librarian supervisor. The PRMs participate in intensive training, provide reference service alongside professional librarians at the Research Help Desk, and develop outreach projects to better connect student patrons with library collections and services. [excerpt]

Information Literacy Instruction For International Graduate Engineering Students: A Case Study At University Of Windsor, Guoying Liu

Leddy Library Publications

In recent years, the University of Windsor has seen a significant increase in international student enrolments, especially in the graduate engineering programs. Previous studies indicate that international students often have difficulties in developing information literacy skills. Furthermore, many engineering students lack library research skills essential for succeeding in academic study. However, there is a scarcity of studies focusing on information literacy instruction for international engineering students and existing research in this area seldom utilizes statistical analysis methods to determine the effectiveness of the instruction. This paper aims to fill in the literature gap by examining the impact of an information …

Empowering The Girl-Child Through Digital Media Literacy: The Role Of Academic Libraries, Opeyemi R. Oboh Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The girl child in times past has suffered marginalization due to the patriarchal sentiment that is pervasive in the society most especially in the developing countries. However, a ray of hope has shone on them as more voices of advocacy have risen to defend and project the value of a girl child towards societal development and the need to empower this class of gender for sustainable development. Technology is a great enabler for the empowerment of the girl-child, however, there are still traces of inadequate of opportunities, skills and the fear of discrimination which serve as stumbling block to the …

Wtf Online: How Smu Libraries Took A Bite Off The Pandemic, Sumita Govindan, Rajendra Munoo

Research Collection Library

No abstract provided.

Research Knowledge And Skills Of Academic Librarians In Northern Philippines, Rosielyn M. Austria, David A. Cabonero

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study utilized quantitative method of research to determine the level of knowledge and skills of academic librarians in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines on the five domains of research and the challenges they encountered relative to research writing. It also employed non-parametric Friedman test to determine the significant difference of librarians’ knowledge and skills across the five domains of research. Results revealed that the academic librarians had proficient knowledge in conceptualizing research problems, reviewing related literature and studies, and summarizing and formulating conclusions and recommendations while their level of knowledge in identifying appropriate research and writing analysis and interpretation of data …

Increasing Our Reach While Preserving Quality: Creating And Using Information Literacy Assessments And Rubrics For Non-Librarians, Rory Patterson, Angela Rice, Jeremy Roden

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2013

No abstract provided.

Common Intellectual Experiences And Academic Libraries, Susan Montgomery, Jonathan H. Harwell

Faculty Publications

As discussed throughout this volume, colleges and universities have explored ways to integrate high-impact practices into their campus learning. At Rollins College, a small liberal arts college with a graduate business school in Winter Park, Florida, faculty members have been essential in fostering initiatives that center on creating a common learning experience for their students. As library faculty members at Rollins, we have been heavily involved with the rFLA (Rollins Foundations in the Liberal Arts) curriculum for undergraduates. This chapter presents our work as a case study.

Strum A New Chord: Embracing The Uncomfortable & Switching To Learner-Centered Library Instruction, Courtney Eger, James Benner

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2013

No abstract provided.

Use Of Social Media Space For Library Service Delivery: Evidence From Southern Nigeria Universities, Titilayo Comfort Ilesanmi Mrs., Iyabo Mabawonku Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The incorporation of social media into service delivery by librarians is essential to render tandem library services to the users in the universities. Literature has established the awareness and perception of emerging technology for personal use while there is a paucity of literature on the use of social media for library service delivery. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the use of social media for service delivery by librarians in Southern Nigeria universities. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised the librarians in the university in Southern Nigeria. Total enumeration technique was …

Supporting The Changing Practices Of Teaching In Business At Queens College, City University Of New York, James Tasato Mellone, Edward F. Wall Iii, Qiong Xu

Publications and Research

This investigation sheds light on the teaching practices of Queens College (QC) faculty in Business. It identifies the Business faculty’s teaching support needs in order to develop ideas for improving Library services to them. This report is the result of research conducted under the guidance of Ithaka S+R, and in accordance with Office of Regulatory Compliance procedures at QC. Using a grounded theory approach to qualitative research, the investigators conducted in-person audio-recorded semi-structured interviews of seven full-time QC faculty who teach Business courses. Evidence derived from the transcribed interviews informed analysis of the current state of QC’s Business teaching experience, …

Student Information Use And Decision-Making In Innovation Competitions And The Impact Of Librarian Interventions, Heather A. Howard, Dave Zwicky

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

At a large Midwestern university, librarians work closely with an annual undergraduate agricultural innovation competition to guide students through the process of conducting market research and assessing patentability. In 2018, the authors conducted an exploratory study using focus groups of students who had participated in that year’s competition in order to learn how students find and use information in a competition setting, to evaluate the impact of library support on the students’ success, and inform further assessment activities. Results showed that students used information from the library and from their own research, notably seeking out first-hand expertise, to practice evidence-based …

The At-Risk Student Population You Might Be Overlooking: Working With Developmental Education Students, Lauren Colburn, Beth Fuchs

Library Presentations

Each year a considerable number of students are placed in developmental education courses which are intended to prepare them for college-level courses. In fact, a 2016 report published by the National Center for Education Statistics showed that 68% of students at public 2-year institutions and 40% of students at 4-year public institutions enrolled in at least one math, reading, or writing, developmental course between 2003-2009 (NCES, 2016). Nationally, many states have begun to focus specifically on these courses and the various ways institutions can surround these students with the academic support structures they need to succeed. However, one support structure …