Digital Commons Network^™

Ucf Libraries 2026 Faculty Research Showcase, Thomas R. Caswell, Patrick D. Green, Rae Mair, Yuqing Li, Athena Hoeppner, Sai Deng, Jeanne Piascik, Nokimul Hasan Arif, Peter Spyers-Duran, Tina Buck

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Libraries’ Faculty Research Showcase is an annual tradition that celebrates the scholarly achievements, research, and creative work of library faculty.

The 2026 Showcase took place on August 4, 2026, and features six engaging presentations covering a diverse range of topics:

• Thomas Caswell – UCF Libraries Faculty Scholarship: Growth & Impact

• Patrick Green – Making Moves: A Cross-Institutional Presentation on Library Skill Transference

• Rae Mair & Yuqing Li – Generative AI as Peer Tutor: Designing & Evaluating a Prompt to Support Source Identification & Evaluation

• Athena Hoeppner – Have you ever …

Artificial Intelligence And The Thoughtful Reference Librarian At Valdosta State University’S Odum Library: A Practice Brief, Harikleia Georgiou Sirmans

Georgia Library Quarterly

This practice brief examines how reference librarians at Valdosta State University’s Odum Library integrate artificial intelligence into daily work while maintaining institutional policies and core library values. As AI reshapes their roles, they must carefully evaluate, verify, and ethically judge any AI output. They support students and instructors by teaching AI literacy, promoting responsible use, translating institutional policies into practical guidance, and emphasizing critical thinking. The brief also stresses the importance of human judgment, empathy, and professional expertise that AI cannot replace. It concludes with practical steps for academic research. For clarity, this article uses the term “instructors” to refer …

The Evolution Of The Modern Library Brand: Transforming Community Engagement Into Sustainable Revenue, Slone Williams

Georgia Library Quarterly

This article examines the development of the Cobb Library Shop, an e-commerce initiative launched by the Cobb County Public Library to generate sustainable funding through brand engagement. Built on a modest startup budget, the shop integrates a multichannel sales strategy and leverages internal talent to create a scalable, community-centered retail model.

The project achieved a full return on investment within 14 days and continues to demonstrate steady revenue expansion. By combining entrepreneurial practices with public service values, this case study highlights how libraries can diversify funding streams, enhance community engagement, and establish a replicable model for revenue-generating library systems.

News From Live Oak Public Library, Elizabeth Mccullare

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Library Of Congress Honors Georgia Library Service For The Blind And Print Disabled, Deborah Hakes

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

University System Of Georgia Names Angela Stanley As State Librarian, Deborah Hakes

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Radioactive Dixie: A Nuclear History Of The American South, Will Jones

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Land Of Everlasting Hills: George Masa, Jim Thompson, And The Photographs That Helped Save The Great Smoky Mountains And Blaze The Appalachian Trail, Linh Uong

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Nature Of Pain: Roots, Recovery, And Redemption Amid The Opioid Crisis, Justin J. Mueller

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Leading The Change: Staff-Driven Ai Transformation In Smu Libraries’ Collection Team, Siew Khim Lim, Fion Goh

Research Collection Library

No abstract provided.

Role Of Libraries In Promoting Sustainable Development: A Thematic Literature Review, Ayushi Soni, Dr. Ritu Singh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Sustainable development is a priority worldwide and is driving institutions in different sectors to be environmentally, socially and economically responsible. Libraries have also taken action on the topic of sustainability, including greening, sustainable service, digital transformation and support for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The library's contribution to Sustainable Development is explored in this study by reviewing the literature on the topic from 2020 to 2025. Scholarly databases were searched for literature and analysed to find key trends and themes on sustainability in libraries. Five thematic areas were identified during the review process: Sustainable resources and services, Sustainable library practices, ICT …

Computer Self-Efficacy As Predictor Of Electronic Information Resources Use By Academic Staff Of Selected Polytechnics In South-West, Nigeria., Temitope Adeleke Osisanwo Dr, Yemisi Tomisin Babalola Prof

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Electronic information resources have become a significant portion of library resources available to academic staff for teaching and research purposes. However, studies suggest that their use has not been fully optimized by academic staff at polytechnics located within South-West, Nigeria. This could be attributed to the low level of self-effectiveness of technology among the academic staffs. In light of this, this study aimed to examine the relationship between computer self-efficacy and the usage of electronic information resources among polytechnics academic staff in South-West, Nigeria.

A survey research design was used for this study, while 3,807 academic staff members were selected …

De-Centering And Re-Centering Digital Scholarship, Ten Years On, Matthew Hunter, Aaron Retteen, Micah Vandegrift

Faculty Scholarship

Ten years after the publication of a manifesto attempting to describe what digital scholarship could do for and within libraries, some of the original authors reflect on the progress of the call-to-action. This article describes areas in which the integration of digital scholarship activities as core parts of librarianship has and has not become commonplace and traces larger-scale developments in the academy and global knowledge landscape that have contributed to the accuracy of the predictions made in 2017.

From The President, Tamika Barnes

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Summer 2026 - Full Issue, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Georgia Library Quarterly Thanks Past And Current Members Of The Peer Review Board, Wilhelmina Randtke, Chelsee Dickson

Georgia Library Quarterly

The purpose of this article is to acknowledge recent past peer reviewers for the Georgia Library Quarterly (GLQ), serving since 2021 when the peer review board was established, and to provide background on the current peer review process at GLQ for other journals wishing to establish or modify their peer review processes or to formalize and expand their peer review.

How Can We Help? An Exploration Into Graduate Student And Faculty Perceptions And Use Of Georgia Library Learning Online (Galileo), Jessica Banks, Whit Gaines, Michelle Jones

Georgia Library Quarterly

The authors explored the knowledge graduate students and faculty in Columbus State University’s College of Education and Health Professions have surrounding the Georgia Library Learning Online (GALILEO) platform. Additionally, the authors wanted to determine how students used GALILEO and how faculty may have supported their efforts. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore the questions posed. Quantitative data included usage reports from GALILEO and descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were coded to determine themes and opinions of faculty/students. Quantitative reports showed the databases students prefer and how they prefer to use them. The qualitative findings showed that faculty may not …

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, And Access Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2026, Joshua Altshuler, April Anderson-Zorn, Elizabeth Babin, Karmine Beecroft, Chad E. Buckley, Leah Gutierrez, Ellie Harman, Laura Killingsworth, Heather Koopmans, Joshua Newport, Ryan Peters, Seth Peterson, Lindsey Skaggs, Caitlin Stewart, Eric Willey, Angela Yon

Reports and White Papers - Milner Library

Report of Milner Library's activities and initiatives related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in Fiscal Year 2026. Compiled by the IDEA Committee.

Paperless Society, Paperless Future And Borderless Libraries, Ukoha O. Igwe

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: This study explores the indispensability of books and physical libraries despite the digital technologies and digital transformation engulfing our lives, work and society.

Design/Methodology: This study used qualitative design and methodology utilizing a systematic review and synthesis of empirical research, institutional reports and documents published between 1978 and 2025 to achieve its objectives. An extensive review of the pertinent literature was undertaken to underscore the journey and permutations of the death of books and libraries. This conceptual review synthesizes the interplay between digital technologies, digital transformation,and libraries in information dissemination. This provided a basis for inferences and extrapolation of …

Finding And Using Validated Surveys In Health Science Research, Tracy Ashby

Library Class: Lunch & Learn

Join us as we introduce techniques for identifying and using validated surveys in health sciences research. Learn strategies for finding reliable, evidence-based measurement tools in the databases and gain tips on how to evaluate their quality and relevance.

Lecturers' Academic Self-Concept And The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Tools On Scholarly Output In Lagos State University Of Education, Adesanya Oyeleye Olusegun Phd, Cln, Nneka Gift Lazarus Phd, Cln

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated lecturers’ academic self-concept and use of artificial intelligence tools on scholarly output in the Lagos State University of Education, Nigeria. This is to ascertain lecturers’ academic self-concept and the use of artificial intelligence tools in their scholarly output. The descriptive research design was adopted, and total enumeration was used for the study; a total of 179 lecturers participated in the study. A structured questionnaire tagged ‘Academic Self-concept, Artificial Intelligence, and Lecturers’ Scholarly Output (ASAILSO) with a reliability coefficient of 0.81 was used for data collection. Four research questions were answered from the data collected; the results showed …

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2025-2026, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2026. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

Demographic Context Of Media And Information Literacy (Mil) Skills Among Senior High School Students In Ghana, Patience Emefa Dzandza Ocloo, Aurelia Ayisi, Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin, Annie Oye

Journal of Media Literacy Education

This paper explores the media and information literacy (MIL) competencies of young Ghanaians in senior high schools. It is premised on the rising spate of misinformation, online security breaches, and the avalanche of content young people must navigate. Together, these factors demand young persons to be new media savvy in order to use the affordances of the current media ecology to their benefit. To advocate for comprehensive MIL education in senior high schools in Ghana, the study adopts a comparative analysis logic to examine demographic differences that attend young people’s media and information literacy. A nationwide survey of 1200 senior …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Faith-Based Advocacy Experiences Of Leaders Of Christian Academic Libraries, Melanie Lewis Croft

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the faith-based advocacy experiences for library leaders at Christian institutions of higher education. The theory guiding this study is spiritual leadership theory, which demonstrates how library leaders connect library resources and services to the advancement of the mission and goals of a Christian institution of higher education. The central research question asked, What are the lived experiences of library leaders in Christian institutions of higher education who have engaged in faith-based advocacy? Participants in this study were those who served as the primary administrator of an academic library within a …

Analyzing Energy Use In 2d & 3d Imaging Systems And Workflows, Michael J. Bennett

Published Works

This study examines energy consumption in cultural heritage imaging systems and workflows, addressing a gap in sustainability research that has to date focused primarily on data storage infrastructure estimations. Using Home Assistant edge computing and Z-Wave smart plugs, seven distinct imaging systems were monitored over 203 hours, capturing 55,211 images, and rendering 2,448 objects. Results show an average energy requirement of 11.1 Wh per object, with an annual total of 747 kWh for digitization activities. Findings highlight opportunities to reduce energy demand and improve efficiency, such as automating continuous light shutoff and optimizing postprocessing routines that support institutional sustainability goals …

Using Handwriting Text Recognition (Htr) Technology To Create A Language Learning Model (Llm) For Blythe Owen’S Handwriting, Aiko J. Ayala Rios, Marianne Y. Kordas

Journal of Adventist Libraries and Archives

Handwriting Recognition Technology (HTR) has proven to be a valuable support for the fields of digital humanities and archival resources, as more scholars strive to make documents machine-readable and accessible. With this in mind, the newest phase of the Blythe Owen letter transcription project commenced in the summer of 2025, utilizing Transkribus, a software that aids in transcription and the creation of Language Learning Models (LLMs) tailored to specific writing styles. This report outlines the progress made in learning to use the program, the various issues that arose, and provides suggestions for the project's future as well as for similar …

Mississippi Libraries Volume 88, Number 1 And 2

Mississippi Libraries

No abstract provided.

A Brush With History: Shared Authority, Distributed Archives, And Artist M.B. Mayfield, Jeannie S. Latartara

Mississippi Libraries

In 2020, a school librarian volunteered to lead preservation of the papers of visionary artist M.B. Mayfield that were discovered during the restoration of the artist’s Mississippi home. In March of 2020, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic threatened the success of the community-led project, due to the project’s physical isolation, limited resources, and inability to garner support for the paper’s preservation. In early 2021, the librarian and community partners formed a shared authority and distributed archives partnership with public history faculty at the University of Mississippi that would help preserve and increase awareness of the importance of the papers. …

Mississippi Library Association Annual Conference: 2025 Recap, Janessa Ullendorf

Mississippi Libraries

Recap from the 2025 annual conference of the Mississippi Library Association.

Slis Notes: Psst...Do You Have This Dirty Book?, Stacy Creel, Crystal Walker

Mississippi Libraries

Romance fiction is one of the most commercially successful and culturally significant genres in contemporary publishing, and this is not a one-year instance; it is a multi-year trend (Adams, 2026). In 2025, sales were up in the United States, and the growth was across platforms and formats—digital audio, e-books, and print. Two subgenres have sparked greater interest—romantasy and dark romance. Romantasy, the combination of romance and fantasy, has drawn new readers with the explosion of Sarah J. Maas, and dark romance, which gained some notoriety with Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) has seen strong growth and acceptance. In fact, the …