Digital Commons Network^™

Ethos: A Computational Framework For Material Culture Research, Chelsea L. Grafe

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Museum catalog records make large collections searchable, but they do not always preserve the reasoning behind the claims they contain. A record may present a quilt's identity as settled while leaving the reasoning behind that claim invisible, making it difficult for later researchers to check, question, or reuse. This project asks whether museum catalog data can be analyzed in a way that keeps each analytical claim connected to the evidence that supports it. To test this question, the project applies a material-first computational framework named Ethos. Ethos formalizes an object-centered inquiry sequence in which material dependencies establish where analysis begins …

Southeastern Librarian 74(2) Summer 2026 (Full Issue)

The Southeastern Librarian

Complete issue of the Southeastern Librarian, Volume 74 Number 2, Summer 2026

The President's Column, Laura Slavin

The Southeastern Librarian

SELA President Laura Slavin's column for the Summer 2026 issue of the Southeastern Librarian

Proposed Constitution Of The Southeastern Library Association, As Amended

The Southeastern Librarian

Proposed Constitution of the Southeastern Library Association, as Amended (Effective October 2026 following election)

Government Documents For All: The Basics Of Public Patent Search, Tim Dodge

The Southeastern Librarian

The Basics of Public Patent Search: Column No. 10

Second Acts In Academic Librarianship: Trends, Impacts, And Implications, Tiffany Davis Norris, Phill Johnson

The Southeastern Librarian

This study investigates the increasingly common phenomenon of academic librarianship as a second career. Survey data from more than 500 academic librarians found that nearly 70 percent of respondents did not begin their professional lives in the library field. These findings challenge the long-held perception of librarianship as an early or primary career choice and highlight significant trends with implications for library education, recruitment, leadership development, and burnout prevention. The study explores patterns in first careers and examines demographic trends, age distributions, and correlations between career background and current leadership roles. By framing librarianship as a deliberate career pivot rather …

Christianity, Gender Identity, Parents’ Rights: Book Censorship Discourse In Tennessee Communities, Janet Kesterson Isbell, Shawn Hinkel

The Southeastern Librarian

Hate and hostility toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ (LGBTQ+) community and people of color, inflamed in recent years by political extremism and radical conservatism, have permeated many areas of society. One context where hostilities have emerged in the past decade is public debate surrounding book challenges, which prompted a yearlong investigation into the polarizing phenomenon of book censorship in the United States. After extensive reading of media reports from around the nation, the authors focused on public discourse related to book challenges in Tennessee public and school libraries, where debate was contentious, librarians were threatened, and the state’s …

Library Anxiety: A Mixed-Methods Comparison Between Honors And University Learning First-Year College Students, Anthony L. Paganelli, Larry Sean Kinder

The Southeastern Librarian

This study examines the results from a mixed-methods comparison study that explored library anxiety between first-year Honors students and first-year students enrolled in a University Learning course. The study explores the levels of library anxiety, overconfidence, barriers, and behavioral factors. Findings indicate that Honors students had higher levels of library anxiety and associated perfectionism and self-esteem more closely with library use. University Learning students worked longer and more independently to use resources before seeking help. Knowing these results, teaching librarians could create tailored instruction sessions to address and alleviate library anxiety and its effects.

Sela Member Spotlight: Tim Dodge, Blair Jones

The Southeastern Librarian

SELA Member Spotlight No. 5, Summer 2026; Tim Dodge, History, Political Science, Economics, and Theatre & Dance Librarian, Auburn University

Haint Country: Dark Folktales From The Hills And Hollers, Samantha Duncan

The Southeastern Librarian

Haint Country: Dark Folktales from the Hills and Hollers
Matthew R. Sparks and Olivia Sizemore
Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2024
ISBN: 9781985900974
216 pp., $24.95 (Pbk)

Of Slash Pines And Manatees: A Highly Selective Field Guide To My Suburban Wilderness, Ashley Roach-Freiman

The Southeastern Librarian

Of Slash Pines and Manatees: A Highly Selective Field Guide to My Suburban Wilderness
Andrew Furman
Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2025
ISBN: 9780813080963
208 pp., $28.00 (Pbk)

The Jewish South: An American History, A. Blake Denton

The Southeastern Librarian

The Jewish South: An American History
Shari Rabin
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2025
ISBN: 9780691208763
296 pp., $29.95 (Hbk)

Author Insights: Book Reviews In Depth: An Interview With Ann Hite, Author Of I Am A Georgia Girl: The Life Of Lucille Selig Frank, Melissa Lockaby Howell

The Southeastern Librarian

Ann Hite
I Am a Georgia Girl: The Life of Lucille Selig Frank
Macon: Mercer University Press, 2025
ISBN: 9780881469981
337 pp. $32.00 (Cloth)

News From The States, A. Blake Denton

The Southeastern Librarian

Library news reports from SELA member states

Editor's Notes: Summer 2026, John H. Barnett

The Southeastern Librarian

The Southeastern Librarian editor's column for the Summer 2026 issue

Sela Leadership

The Southeastern Librarian

List of SELA Officers, Executive Committee, State Representatives, Committees, Sections, Round Tables, Ad Hoc Committees, and Working Groups for the Summer 2026 issue

Board Exam Preparation Resource Trends In Academic Health Sciences Libraries Serving Colleges Of Osteopathic Medicine Programs., Joanne Muellenbach, Kyle Robinson, Hsin-Liang (Oliver) Chen, Harold S Bright, Lori Fitterling

PCOM Scholarly Works

BACKGROUND: The study seeks to identify the board exam preparation (prep) resources made available to medical students by academic health sciences libraries and other departments within U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine (COM) programs, and the extent to which these resources are utilized by medical students and educators.

METHODS: The study was conducted in two phases. In phase one, forty-two COM library directors were invited to complete a survey regarding their usage, funding, and access models for available board prep resources. In phase two, semi-structured interviews were conducted via Zoom to explore the library's role in providing access to these resources. …

Enhancing Research Communication With Visual Tools, Sonya Fogg

Library Class: Lunch & Learn

Understand the role of visual communication in medical research. Distinguish between data visualizations, infographics, and visual abstracts. Identify best practices and some resources and tools for creating effective visuals.

Printing Press Renewal, Ashley Mcguire, Margaret Wood Balch, Anna Kaetz, Timothy M. Wick

Libraries Professional Work

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Libraries are home to a Chandler & Price printing press, originally built in 1885. Unfortunately, this press was not whole or fully operational when it was acquired by the UAB Libraries in the 1970s. Among its defects, the press lacked the treadle, Pittman arm, and crankshaft to power the press, a functioning rotating ink plate, a chase for holding the type in place, and the pin that keeps the large wheel turning in time with the gears that lead the machine to function. Members from the UAB Libraries Historical Collections and Reference and …

Exploring The Experiences And Challenges Of Librarians In Cataloguing Academic Resources In Public University Libraries In The Volta Region Of Ghana, Hawa Osman Dr, Joana Dango Mrs., Hannatu Abue Kugblenu-Mahama Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: This study explored the experiences of librarians involved in cataloguing academic resources and examined the challenges they face in public university libraries in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Methods: A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain in-depth insights into librarians’ lived experiences. The study was conducted at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) Library and Ho Technical University (HTU) Library. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling, guided by Yamane’s formula for sample size determination. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software. Ethical standards, including …

An Analysis Of Public Library Services For The Tribal Community In Rayalaseema Region With A Special Reference To Healthcare And Hygiene, P Ramu Naik, V. K. Dhanyasree

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Public libraries have long been recognised as critical societal institutions, serving as information, education, and community engagement centres. In the context of tribal communities, their role in disseminating health information is particularly significant. Tribal populations often face unique health challenges and disparities, making access to accurate and reliable health information vital to their well-being. This study examines the pivotal role that public libraries play in disseminating health information to tribal people. The study is conducted among 13 branch libraries in the tribal areas of Rayalaseema region. A structured questionnaire was used for the survey. The results show that even though …

A Compass For The Forest: Curriculum Opportunities In A Post-Liaison World, Meghan Otoupalik, Erica Defrain

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

This poster highlights a project that reimagines what library instruction, faculty partnerships, and student impact looks like following the transition away from a liaison librarian model. Looking at the academic institution’s general education program’s learning outcomes that all undergraduates must complete, we found Information Literacy (IL) was already built into this multi-disciplinary program. The library was given access to the university’s repository of participating course documents and syllabi allowing us to analyze how the learning outcomes are being met, and even more insights into how IL is being taught across campus. We began a pilot program for the first of …

System Branding In Three Public Libraries: Live Oak Public Libraries, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, And Richland Library, Patrick Roughen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article examines library catalogs as brand artifacts in the context of two ancient libraries: the Library of Alexandria and the library of the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Egypt. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic capital and brand theory, this research argues that the catalogs of these two institutions functioned as early branding instruments. The Pinakes, the catalog of the Library of Alexandria, projected a brand of universal knowledge and intellectual prestige, and the inscribed wall catalog at Edfu reflected a brand focused on sacred authority and the sustaining of cosmic order (Ma'at).  Together, they illustrate two opposing …

An Unsolved Theft, Tim Pyatt

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article explores the mysterious theft of Civil War narratives from the libraries of the University of North Carolina and Duke University in the late 1970s while the author was an undergraduate at Duke. Using records preserved in the Duke University Archives and personal accounts, the author pieces together how the theft was discovered and the investigation was conducted. Potential suspects included the notorious thieves James Shinn and Stephen Blumberg as well as individuals identified during the investigation. The secrecy around the investigation as well as the effort to protect institutional reputation may have ultimately led to the theft never …

A Guide To Change Management Using The Sarah Model, Sara Kern, Sarah Barbrow, Sarah Jane Dooley, Sarah E. Lester, Sarah Over

Library Scholarship

Academic libraries are the heart of colleges and universities and, as such, are often centrally involved in and impacted by changes in the greater higher education landscape. For those working in these spaces, familiarity with strategies for managing change is essential to support yourself and others during especially turbulent times. The SARAH model, described below in bullet points with our modifications in brackets, offers a memorable way to understand responses to change, be they our own or others.

S - Shock or Surprise
A – Anger [Anxiety, Alert, or Anticipation]
R – Resistance or Rejection [Re-engagement, or Rationalization]
A - …

Disaster Preparedness, Prevention And Management In Lagos State University Library, Mausi A. Bokoh, Sophia V. Adeyeye Dr, Oluwaseun Adeola Abiodun-Asanre, Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Disasters pose significant threats to human lives, infrastructure, and national socioeconomic development. Effective disaster preparedness, prevention, and management are therefore vital for mitigating their impact and ensuring continuity of operations. This study examined disaster preparedness, prevention, and management practices at Lagos State University Library. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering key aspects of disaster management. Frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviations were used to analyze data.  The findings revealed that the library employs basic preventive strategies such as turning off electricity after work hours and ensuring timely evacuation during emergencies. …

Dealing With Generation Z (Gen Z) Library Users In Information Services Provision: The Challenges Before Nigerian Public University Libraries, Inemesit Udom Udoh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Generation Z are today’s bubbling population in various organizational settings, including students in the institutions of higher learning, with diverse information needs and expectations. This study examined the challenges of dealing with Generation Z (Gen Z) library users in information services provision in Nigerian public university libraries. It adopted a mixed methods research design of quantitative and qualitative types, with a population of four hundred and one (401) professional librarians from 8 public university libraries. A sample size of 205 professional librarians was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected with structured questionnaire, semi-structured interview and observation …

Sustainable Evidence Synthesis Services: Have We Figured It Out?, John J. Meier, Anne E. Rauh, Amy Van Epps

Librarian Publications

No abstract provided.

Leadership Reflections: The Unique Challenges And Rewards Of Leadership In Library Technical Services, Maria Savova

Library Staff Publications and Research

Library Technical Services functions are at the core of library operations and are indivisible from any public service the library provides. The way technical services librarians and staff approach their work, communications, and organizational experience, however, is distinct and requires thoughtful approaches and concerted effort from leadership. Greater visibility and institutional understanding are critical to resourcing these services properly and sustaining their excellence. Drawing on practice-based reflections, this column proposes approaches to capturing the insight and expertise of the people who steward the library’s largest investments, connecting their task-based sustainer activities to the larger strategic library context, supporting and empowering …

Academic Library Staff And The Use Of Social Media: Survey Of Academic Library Staff At Pakpatan And Sahiwal City., Dr.Shahid Mehmood Dr., Muhammad Faisal Mr., Ahmad Nawaz Dr, Bakht Yar Zafar Mr., Whaid Buksh Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The research libraries have benefited a lot with the aid of the social networking sites and this can hardly be overestimated. Due to the spread of the information technology in the university libraries, the user’s expectations, the type of services that the library can offer and the role of the library staff have all been changed. The research objective in general was to be familiar with the extent of familiarity and comfort of Pakpatan City library and Sahiwal City library staffs in Pakistan with the social media. The method of descriptive surveying was used to obtain these findings. The sample …