Digital Commons Network^™

Little Did I Know, Christopher V. Hollister

Communications in Information Literacy

Christopher Hollister, co-founder and co-editor-in-chief, reflects on his time with CIL in this farewell editorial.

Lanthorn, Vol. 60, No. 08, December 1, 2025, Grand Valley State University

Volume 60, August 4, 2025 – April 20, 2026

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Multicultural Organizational Development (Mcod) Scans Of Public Space In Milner Library, Fall 2025: External Report, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, And Access Committee, Milner Library

Reports and White Papers - Milner Library

In Fall 2025, Milner Library’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee conducted Multicultural Organizational Development (MCOD) scans of the library’s public spaces, in continuation of the MCOD scans conducted in 2023 and 2021.

A Decade Of Knowledge Without Borders: Open Access And Global Reach Of School Social Work Research, Leticia Villarreal Sosa

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the International Journal for School Social Work (IJSSW), this article provides a reflection on a decade the last decade of breaking barriers and building bridges across practitioners, researchers, communities, and continents and looks forward to our responsibility for the future. This article discusses the benefits and challenges related to Open Access publishing, and addresses how Open Access is a public good—ensuring that practitioners, researchers, students, and policymakers can engage the best evidence regardless of geography, resources, or institutional affiliation. The impact of IJSSW is reviewed, including a summary of accomplishments, most downloaded …

“‘What Is One Takeaway You've Gotten From This Learning Experience?’ Analyzing Student Reflections On Introductory Information Literacy Instruction”, Amanda Nichols Hess, Emily Ruth Benoit, Rebecca M. Krystyniak, Stephanie Williams

Communications in Information Literacy

Reflection is a useful pedagogical tool for both learners in instructional settings and educators seeking to offer meaningful experiences; in this article, a group of academic librarians use the former to engage with the latter. We analyzed more than 830 first-year students’ responses to a reflection question posed at the conclusion of library instruction over the course of the 2023–2024 academic year with a specific eye to the concepts that were and were not resonant, as well as whether there were common areas of confusion. We used a grounded theory approach to make sense of the data and allow ideas …

The Library Instructor As Learner: A Survey Of Reflective Teaching Practices In Us Academic Libraries, Alicia G. Vaandering, Amanda Crego-Emley

Communications in Information Literacy

Reflective practice provides library workers with a critical opportunity to examine professional experiences, question assumptions and approaches, explore new perspectives, and develop innovative solutions to existing problems. When applied to instruction as reflective teaching, this practice better situates library instructors to meet the evolving needs of twenty-first-century library users. This research study explores how library workers engage with reflective teaching in academic libraries across the United States. A survey was distributed to academic library communities, and a total of 153 responses were collected. While 92% of respondents reported participating in reflective teaching practice in a variety of instructional contexts, results …

Teaching Research As An Interdependent Practice: Bringing Alternate Models Into The Scholarly Conversation, Natalia Kapacinskas, Veronica Arellano Douglas

Communications in Information Literacy

The customs and practices of research in academia are often mischaracterized as individualistic pursuits, ignoring the reality that research requires a great deal of collaboration. As teaching librarians, our research instruction often reinforces individualism as a scholarly virtue, even as we simultaneously engage with themes of connection between researchers and their ideas. We propose an approach to teaching research and information literacy grounded in the concept, intention, and practice of interdependence rather than individualism. In doing so, we will call in models of interdependence from critical disability studies, relational-cultural theory, Indigenous Ways of Knowing, and the Cite Black Women movement. …

Searching For Change: Exploring Historical Silences And Counterstorytelling Through Youth-Led Social Justice Movements, Ariana Varela

Communications in Information Literacy

During a first-year engagement program, a librarian and a cohort of students worked towards a shared understanding of dominant narratives, historical silences, and creating counterstories through research to center marginalized stories and complicate existing narratives. As information literacy professionals, we should design interactive lessons that demonstrate critical search and evaluation skills through topics that are relevant to students and encourage them to work with issues that impact their communities. Incorporating critical information literacy, feminist pedagogy, and critical race theory, this two-day micro-seminar introduced first-year students to the legacy of youth community activism in the neighborhoods around their university. They practiced …

Uni Scholarworks Readership Snapshot, October 2025, Bepress

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

No abstract provided.

Faxes, Emails, And Cad: A Case Study Of The Changing Landscape In Born-Digital Design Records, 1994-2006, Julia D. Larson

Journal of Western Archives

The article examines the technological changeover from analog to born digital design records in the mid-1990s, and is a case study in how one San Francisco Bay Area landscape architecture firm navigated the paradigm shift. The firm retained extensive documentation of the project management/construction administration for large scale projects, and this case study shows how archivists can utilize the analog documentation (like faxes and printed emails) to gain a greater understanding of how design firms began using Computer Aided Drafting and how CAD changed design and the process of archiving.

Understanding Faculty Engagement With Transformative Publishing Agreements, Benjamin H. Saracco, Marlowe Bogino, Daniel G. Kipnis, Andrea Goldstein Shipper

Libraries Scholarship

Presented at STEM Librarian Collaborative Conference 2025:

https://www.stemlib.co/schedule.html

Transformative agreements, also known as read and publish agreements, are a relatively new journal subscription model used by academic libraries to facilitate both access to scholarly content and open-access publishing for institutionally affiliated researchers. In these agreements, institutions pay publishers a single fee that covers both access to subscription content and the publication costs for their affiliated authors, thereby shifting the traditional subscription model towards a more sustainable and equitable system for scholarly communication.

A preliminary literature review has revealed previous studies that address several of the topics being investigated in this …

Museums In Public Libraries: An Ethnographic Case Study Of The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Yadira Y. Quintero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Access to information is a human right, and this thesis explores the benefits and challenges of integrating museums into public libraries by conducting an ethnographic case study of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library. The study's findings highlight the complexities of integration. The biggest benefit is the increased access to museum collections, information, and resources. However, challenges arise from the lack of cohesion within the museum and library disciplines, as well as strained community relations. Engaging the community is crucial for successful collaboration, emphasizing the importance of a bottom-up approach that allows for active participation. Integrating museums into public libraries …

Lessons From Tiktok: Using Popular Social Media Platforms To Engage Gen Z, Debra Bernstein

Urban Library Journal

This study looks at how academic libraries in the New York City metropolitan area are using TikTok to engage with their communities, particularly students. It analyzes the most popular videos from five active library accounts, categorizing content types and measuring engagement through TikTok’s built-in metrics. Results indicate that humorous and lighthearted content consistently receives the highest engagement, while instructional or “how-to” videos tend to underperform. These findings suggest that while TikTok may not be the most effective platform for instructional outreach, it holds potential as a tool for visibility, community engagement, and humanizing the library’s presence. As students increasingly turn …

Rebuttal To Winn Et Al. (2024) ’S “Redefining Searching In Non-Medical Sciences Systematic Reviews”, Laura Lipke, Jenn Monnin, Catherine Marie Fonseca

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Letter to the Editor and Rebuttal to Winn et al. (2024)

To the Editor and Readership of the Journal of Librarianship and Information Science:

We are writing to express concerns regarding the article, Redefining searching in non-medical sciences systematic reviews: The ascendance of Google Scholar as the primary database (https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006241256393). Our concerns are numerous, and include issues involving the research questions, data availability and validity, representations of evidence synthesis methods, and the disregard for established scholarship which refutes the reliability, transparency and reproducibility of Google Scholar searches for evidence synthesis reviews.

Rebuttal To Winn Et Al. (2024)'S "Redefining Searching In Non-Medical Sciences Systematic Reviews", Laura Lipke, Jenn Monnin, Catherine Marie Fonesca

Library Scholarship

Letter to the Editor and Rebuttal to Winn et al. (2024)

We are writing to express concerns regarding the article, Redefining searching in non-medical sciences systematic reviews: The ascendance of Google Scholar as the primary database (Winn et al., 2024a). Our concerns are numerous, and include issues involving the research questions, data availability and validity, representations of evidence synthesis methods, and the disregard for established scholarship which refutes the reliability, transparency and reproducibility of Google Scholar searches for evidence synthesis reviews.

Partnering For International Student Success: Opportunities For Academic Librarians And Esl Faculty To Support Research And Information Literacy Skills, Rachel E. Trnka

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Presentation at the Graduate Student Forum of the TESOL Virtual Conference

With the growing number of international students attending American universities in recent years, academic librarians recognize the importance of serving the needs of that population. However, many librarians acknowledge that they feel unprepared to support international students, due to a lack of training or experience working with multilingual or second-language learners. This presentation offers a review of the literature exploring collaborations between librarians and instructors to better support ELLs in a college and university setting and presents recommendations for both librarians and faculty. While this session focuses on academic …

University Of Alabama At Birmingham's Research Data Catalog, Amy Reese

Libraries Professional Work

A dataset catalog can be a quickly implemented solution when hosting an institutional dataset repository simply isn’t possible. These resources can make institutional research data more locally discoverable, accessible, and reuseable. A dataset catalog (composed of metadata records) connects users with the institution’s research datasets and can be hosted on any repository platform. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, our Research Data Catalog does not directly include or store datasets but is a functional directory that assists with discovery of datasets that researchers have deposited in external data repositories (such as Zenodo, Dryad, ICPSR, and Figshare), self-hosted, or a …

Getting Started In Graduate School: An Online Tutorial For New Graduate Students, Jill Mcmillan, Elana Geller, Angie Gerrard, Nazreen Beaulieu

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

In August 2024, our library launched an asynchronous online tutorial, Getting Started in Graduate School. The purpose of the tutorial was fourfold: to complement existing student orientation programming at the library and the university; to situate the library as a valuable resource for graduate student academic success; to align with a similar library-designed online tutorial for new undergraduate students; and to provide practical information about graduate school expectations, framed through existing library resources and programming. The tutorial was created using the Springshare LibGuide and LibWizard platform and features a mix of static and interactive elements, which were developed and …

Perspectives On Teaching Academic Publishing Skills: Helping Graduate Students Navigate The Hidden Curriculum, Martha Stuit, Christie Hurrell, Jill Cirasella, Christy Caldwell

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

Many graduate students feel pressure to publish but need guidance on navigating the scholarly publishing process, which often is not covered in their graduate curricula but rather learned in conversation with faculty mentors. In other words, publishing is often a hidden curriculum—not explicitly taught but a learn-as-you-go venture. In this article, we describe our individual approaches to teaching publishing literacy to graduate students, highlighting how our efforts are both responsive to the specifics of our campuses and informed by our own and others’ research. We also discuss how we spread the word about our services and how we advance equity …

Building Consensus For School Librarian Collaboration: A Delphi Study, Pamela C. Harland, Susan D. Ballard, Rachel V. Small

Learning Hub

This Delphi study engaged 38 national experts in school librarianship to develop a consensus-based model of school librarian collaboration (SLC) that reflects current practice. Through three iterative rounds the panel achieved strong consensus on a definition of SLC, a framework representing a continuum of collaborative practice, and necessary conditions for success. The resulting definition of SLC is "an educator-to-educator partnership to enhance student learning through complementary expertise that develops over time and is built on mutual trust, shared goals, and open communication." The seven levels continuum of SLC are: Autonomy, Curation, Contribution, Coordination, Integration, Partnership, and Assurance. These levels allow …

Budget And Collection Management Communication Strategies, Tools, And Methods, Evan Rusch, Heidi J. Southworth, Daardi Sizemore Mixon, Lisa Baures, Nat Gustafson-Sundell, Joe Holtermann

Library Services Publications

Many libraries face challenging budget situations. Communication with departments and administration about budget management and related changes to collections can be crucial to maintain constructive relationships and to improve cooperative planning. Academic libraries often rely on librarian liaisons to communicate directly with departments, but additional communication efforts are sometimes pursued. Libraries could learn from one another by sharing their communication strategies, tools, and methods. Our library has recently focused on collections communication across a range of projects and audiences. These projects have included a budget reduction plan and major print deselection project, as well as ongoing, prospective budget management. The …

When Cpu Is Worse Than A Stick In The Eye: Better Kpis For Strategic Journal Collection Management, Evan Rusch, Heidi J. Southworth, Nat Gustafson-Sundell

Library Services Publications

A video of this presentation is available as an Additional File and also available at https://link.mnsu.edu/kpis-video. 

Libraries frequently rely on variously calculated cost-per-usage (CPU) metrics, but there are other key performance indicators (KPIs) often more strategic for journal collection assessment. These other KPIs can also be more effective for communicating the value of journals. While CPU, in a variety of forms, will probably always be important for evidence-based decision-making, CPU can sometimes obfuscate the real value provided by journal packages and individual journals. We will discuss how CPU can lead to false impressions, especially at the package level. We’ll …

Analysis Of Libraries’ Onboarding Documentation At A Metropolitan University Consortium, Sonali Sugrim, Eric Silberberg

Urban Library Journal

This study investigates the extent to which onboarding documentation for academic librarians prioritizes long-term employee success. The authors applied content analysis to the onboarding documents from a consortium of libraries in a major metropolitan area in the United States. Study findings reveal that the onboarding documents prioritize introducing new hires to organizational structure rather than integrating them into the workplace culture. Most documents are checklists; however, some libraries provide comprehensive manuals, particularly regarding the tenure process. Notably, only half of the libraries include information about mentorship programs. Based on these findings, this study offers recommendations for improving onboarding documentation, including …

Collaborative Opportunities Between Academic Librarians And Esl Faculty To Support International Students, Rachel E. Trnka

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Session for the Sunshine TESOL Conference

This session will explore ways academic librarians and ESL faculty can collaborate to support not only the research skills of international students but also out of classroom learning opportunities for students. As an academic librarian working on a TEFL certificate, I hope to highlight the value of librarians learning about teaching and outreach techniques targeted to English language learners and faculty learning about unique challenges international students face using American academic libraries and conducting research.

Southeastern Librarian 73(3) Fall 2025 (Full Issue), John H. Barnett

The Southeastern Librarian

Complete issue of The Southeastern Librarian Volume 73 Number 3

Black Hibiscus: African Americans And The Florida Imaginary, Austina Jordan

The Southeastern Librarian

John Wharton Lowe, Ed.

Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2024

ISBN: 9781496848604

314 pp. $30.00 (Pbk)

Hell's Not Far Off: Bruce Crawford And The Appalachian Left, Loren Mixon

The Southeastern Librarian

Josh Howard

Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 2024

ISBN: 9781959000105

208 pp. $26.99 (Pbk)

Mommy Goose's Appalachian Melodies, Kathelene Mccarty Smith

The Southeastern Librarian

Mike Norris

Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2024

ISBN: 9781985901155

64 pp. $24.95 (Hbk)

Nowville: The Untold History Of Nashville's Contemporary Art Scene, Sarah Grace Glover

The Southeastern Librarian

Joe Nolan

Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2024

ISBN: 9780826507396

272 pp. $24.95 (Pbk)

Southerners Acting Southern: On Celebrities And Their Star Personas In The Imagined South, Chantelle Swaren

The Southeastern Librarian

Tison Pugh

Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2025

ISBN: 9780807184011

276 pp. $34.95 (Pbk)