Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Queries To Retrieval-Augmented Generation Ai Tools By Inferring The Sources Of Bad Results, Julie Arendt

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Since ChatGPT’s wide release, businesses have rushed into expanding their use of generative artificial intelligence. Information providers, including suppliers of library databases and integrated library systems, are joining the trend, with many products combining the verifiability of direct source access and citation with the conversational answers produced through large language models. Retrieval-augmented generation is a common technique that overlays search results with text extracted and processed through generative artificial intelligence. This poster provides an overview of retrieval-augmented generation and summarizes ways that it can produce errors. Strategies for improving results, based on those error modes are suggested.

Navigating Censorship: The Impact Of Book Challenges On Library Professionals And Advocates In Virginia, Hope Y. Kelly Phd, Easter Digangi

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

This work seeks to document the effects of book challenges and other censorship efforts on library professionals and advocates in Virginia in the early 2020s. The results offer insights into the lived experiences of individuals, highlighting the implications of censorship across the state. This work was a collaborative effort with a Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Librarian and an active member of Virginia Library Association’s (VLA) Intellectual Freedom Committee that developed after initial interviews from association leaders (VLA & Virginia Association of School Librarians) had been collected in 2023.

Best Practices For Cataloging Digital Media Storage Devices Using Rda And Marc21, Online Audiovisual Catalogers Inc. Cataloging Policy Committee And The Music Library Association Cataloging And Metadata Committee Joint Mla/Olac Media Devices Best Practices Task Force, Kristi Bergland, Bruce Evans, Mary Huismann, Barbara R. Tysinger

OLAC Publications and Training Materials

No abstract provided.

Give Your Data A Glow-Up: Data Visualization With Tableau For Non-Programmers, Rachel Blume, Cameron Nielsen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

A well-designed data visualization can be a huge boost in effectively communicating your research findings. Tableau is the most popular, most powerful software for creating custom visualizations from complex datasets without requiring coding skills. This hands-on workshop will walk you through the basics of getting your data loaded into Tableau, choosing the right chart or graph type to best show off your findings, and customizing the results to look professional and aesthetically pleasing.

Genre Audiences, Lcgft And User Warrant: An Exploratory Study, Deborah Tomaras, Allison Bailund, Joshua Bergmann, Abby Dover, Steven W. Holloway, C. Rockwell Strader

Law Librarian Scholarship

The Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT) vocabulary is among the most prominent genre vocabularies used in library cataloging. To investigate how the current application of LCGFT affects users’ genre access, we gathered data from library patrons, library staff, and parties involved in genre creation and use. The results demonstrate that patrons actively seek out genre materials in libraries, often via library catalogs, and that LCGFT has room for growth and expansion that might enhance patrons’ search experience.

Oer Review: Research Methods For Criminal Justice Students, Youngki Woo

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Building upon these foundational works and leveraging extensive experience and expertise in conducting qualitative and quantitative research within social science settings, Monica Williams, the author of Research Methods for Criminal Justice Students, has crafted a well-designed research methods textbook. This comprehensive guide is designed for both undergraduate and graduate students in criminal justice. It draws on Williams’ extensive academic career, which includes conducting a wide range of research projects, analyzing empirical data, and publishing peer-reviewed journal articles. The textbook covers various research methodologies such as surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, observation, focus groups, content analysis, and secondary analysis of …

Old Dominion University Libraries Annual Report 2024-2025, Jennifer Hoyt, Alisa Faumore, Alex Aycock

Libraries Reports and Documents

Annual Report of the Old Dominion University Libraries for FY 2024-2025.

The report was written by the Libraries' Department of Engagement:

• Jennifer Hoyt, Head of Libraries’ Engagement
• Alisa Faumore, Communications Coordinator
• Alex Aycock, Assistant Communications Coordinator

Introduction, Amanda Koziura, Amy Tureen

Library Faculty Research

Introduction to the book Making Values-Based Decisions in the Academic Library.

2025 Parkview Research Repository Library Report - Infographic, Sarah Ellsworth Mls

Parkview Library Reports

A infographic compilation of data regarding readership and metrics of content in the Parkview Research Repository for the year of 2025. The platform, Digital Commons, is provided by Elsevier and the institutional repository is managed by the Parkview Research Library. This institutional repository (IR) was started in 2017 and is accessible worldwide.

A Phenomenological Study Of Gender And The Leadership Of Female Academic Library Directors, Julia D. Grace Dr

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how the gender of female academic library directors affects their leadership. The theory guiding this study was Acker’s theory of the ideal worker, as it offers a framework for examining the impact of worker gender in the workplace. The central research question of this study examined how the gender of female library directors at medium nonprofit private universities and colleges in the U.S. affected their leadership. This study utilized a phenomenological approach, conducting semi-structured interviews of female academic library directors at medium nonprofit private universities and colleges in the U.S. The …

Why Academic Law Librarians Quit: Results Of The Law Librarian Exit Survey, Laura J. Ax-Fultz

Faculty Scholarly Works

The pandemic exposed the struggles of workers everywhere. The complexity of handling family, work, illness, and a host of other issues led many to reconsider their employment. The phrase “The Great Resignation” summed up the zeitgeist of the early pandemic. Concurrently, open positions for academic law librarians were increasing. I sought to unravel the apparent surge in open positions by surveying academic law librarians to discover why they resigned from their positions or considered leaving them during the period of January 2020 through June 2023.

These findings were evaluated within the context of a high volume of job postings in …

Math And Aftermath: Impacts Of Unbundling A Large Journal Package On Researcher Perceptions And Behavior, Kizer S. Walker, Adam Chandler, Caitlin Finlay, Gabriela Castro Gessner, Tobi Hines, Jesse Koennecke, Susan Kendrick, Leah Mcewen, Jacob Sayward, Henrik W.W. Spoon

Articles

This study seeks to understand the effects on researchers’ work at a large research university in the wake of the university library’s shift from a near-comprehensive journals package with a single, large publisher to a selective list of individual journal subscriptions. Analyzing historical journal usage, along with turnaway and interlibrary loan trends from the years following the changes, the authors made use of structured interviews with local researchers to bring context and meaning to the quantitative data. The interviews highlighted researchers’ strategies for gaining access to literature in their fields to which the library does not subscribe, and revealed assumptions …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Uncovering Libraries Instagram Engagement, Kenneth Saito

Library Research Scholars Program Spring 2025

The Binghamton University Libraries utilizes its Instagram platform to engage its audience to share information regarding its resources and services. Current research suggests elements such as color grading, scenic backgrounds, and maintaining a proper online social media presence affect how Instagram users engage with content. However, additional elements such as audience type and how they engage with content may factor into the Libraries’ reach on their platform. This project seeks to identify how the Libraries Instagram platform can maximize engagement based on their audience needs and identified interaction behavior. A literature review determined that a qualitative survey is the best …

2025 Winter - Friendly Correspondence Newsletter, Courtright Memorial Library

Friends of the Library

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• Archive Renovation Fundraiser
• LSP Migration
• New Art Gallery Pieces
• Otterbein Singers
• Spring Library Events
• Common Book 2025

Digital Chinese Medicine In The Western World: A Conceptual Framework, David C. Mainenti

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Digital technology plays an increasing role in Chinese medicine and Western modalities alike. This research uses content analysis and grounded theory for developing a conceptual framework for a digital health system in the Western world termed Digital Chinese Medicine (DCM). Four research questions were proposed: • What are the functional requirements of a DCM system? • What inputs, processes, and outputs are necessary for a DCM system to be both effective and efficient? • What components and features are most desired in a DCM system? • What will a graphical representation of a DCM system look like? Over 475 publications …

Bridging Gaps: Librarians Fostering Intellectual Freedom Across State Lines, Harley Rogers, Lindsay Decker

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

Spring 2025 Oer Seminar, Pamela Thielman, Katherine Tsan

Open Educational Resources

This slide presentation was created by Pamela Thielman and Katherine Tsan for the Baruch College Center for Teaching and Learning.

Understanding The Determinants Of Blockchain Adoption: An Empirical Study, Amarpreet Kohli, Nihar Kumthekar, Piyush Shah, Rebecca Jauch

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Blockchain technology (BT) has the potential to enhance security and robustness of transactions through a distributed ledger bookkeeping process. This study employs technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and threat-rigidity theory (TRT) to examine whether perceived disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the adoption of BT, and inclination to adopt BT in the US. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique backdrop, as it affected businesses across all industries, sizes, and geographies. Results show a non-significant effect of perceived pandemic disruption on the current stage of BT adoption and intention to adopt BT. However, disruption readiness positively influences the current stage of BT …

Framing Large Language Models: Teaching Foundational Concepts Of Generative Ai And Information Literacy For Critical Student Engagement, Isaac Wink, Jennifer Hootman

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

This chapter situates the emerging scholarly conversation around AI literacy within the established Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. We apply three frames in particular: 1) Authority Is Constructed and Contextual, 2) Information Creation as a Process, and 3) Research as Inquiry, considering competencies relevant to students encountering generative AI applications in educational contexts and addressing ways that both students and instructors may seek to engage productively with such tools.

This chapter primarily focuses on tools such as ChatGPT that are built atop large language models (LLMs)—systems trained on massive text corpora—rather …

Storage Media Prioritisation With Technical And Archival Appraisal, Andrew Mcdonnell, Megan M. Mummey

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

This spreadsheet tool is designed to provide archives and libraries a means of prioritizing the order in which data is migrated from physical media carriers and other sources in their collection in need of preservation. It is an adaptation of work from the Archives and Special Collections at the University of Glasgow, who developed a methodology for prioritizing archival processing of digital collections stored in physical storage media.

The original tool (downloadable here: https://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/1634/ ) permits users to calculate a priority score by weighting the following factors: the DPC BitList Endangered Digital Media score, the age of the media, its …

The Information Practices Of Undergraduates Encountering Material Objects As Information Resources In Classroom Learning Tasks, Christopher A. Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Undergraduate students sometimes encounter material objects as information resources in small-group classroom learning activities. Examples include art, artifacts, specimens, and anatomical models. This dissertation sought to identify common features of the students’ information practices in such situations, regardless of the activity’s discipline or content, and to explore how making material information central shapes students’ information practices. The conceptual framework combined theorizations of materiality and information practices. Methods involved video recording students doing a variety of simulated classroom activities with objects, video elicitation, qualitative content analysis, and praxiographic interpretation. The praxiographic interpretive descriptions illustrated how all aspects of the site–material, bodily, …

Research On Biosecurity Intelligence Work, Ting Zhang, Hui Li

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]Biosecurity intelligence plays an important role in promoting the development of biomedication industry, and it will contribute to the in-depth development in this field by sorting out the research issues of Biosecurity intelligence. [Method/process]Firstly, the concept and classification of biosecurity intelligence are elucidated. Following this, from the foundational theories of intelligence studies and biosecurity science, the application of these theories in the work of biosecurity intelligence is analyzed. Subsequently, an overview is provided of research on biosecurity intelligence work geared towards biosecurity governance within China, alongside which the challenges faced by such work in our country and corresponding strategies are …

Book Challenges And Censorship Attempts In Louisiana: A Case Study, Jennifer E. Steele

Faculty Publications

Book challenges and censorship have long played a significant role in the cultural and educational landscapes of the United States. In recent years, Louisiana has become a focal point in national conversations about intellectual freedom, public and school library governance, parental rights, and the political pressures surrounding children and young adult literature. This dynamic environment has led to significant debates about what materials should be accessible to young people, how libraries should be managed, and what role the state and local governments should play in determining the availability of information. The rise in book challenges across Louisiana reflects national trends …

Urgent Expertise, Explored Together: A Scholarly Communication Peer-Mentoring Group, Alex Crowley, Lily Susman, Rosemary Farrell, Michael Kahn, Carrie Jedlicka, Eric Silberberg, Michelle Ehrenpreis, Marta Bladek, Jill Cirasella

Publications and Research

In Spring 2025, the authors participated in a structured peer-mentoring program designed to deepen their knowledge of scholarly communication topics and issues. In this article, based on our panel at the 2025 LACUNY Institute, we share our perspectives on the program and discuss how current events are making scholarly communication expertise more essential than ever.

Dominance Of Leading Business Schools In Top Journals: Insights For Increasing Institutional Representation, Rodrigo Romero-Silva, Erika Marsillac, Sander De Leeuw

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

The competitive push for business schools to publish in prestigious journals has resulted in a disproportionate number of papers in prestigious Management and Operations Research/Management Science (OR/MS) journals coming from a select group of institutions. Our analysis shows the Matthew effect of prestigious journals favors established schools with 51.2% of papers in 18 Management ABS 4* journals and 61.3% of papers in 3 OR/MS ABS 4* journals involving authors from the 100 top business schools identified by the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Citation patterns are similarly concentrated among papers authored by scholars from UTD-listed business schools, with nearly …

"I’Ll Wait Zero Seconds": Faculty Perspectives On Serials Access, Sharing, And Immediacy, Rachel Elizabeth Scott, Anne Shelley, Chad E. Buckley, Cassie Thayer-Styes, Julie A. Murphy

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

This study explores how faculty across disciplines access and share scholarly serial content and what expectations they have for immediacy. The authors conducted twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with faculty of various ranks representing all Illinois State University (ISU) colleges. The findings, presented in the words of participants and triangulated with data from local sources, suggest that faculty use a variety of context-specific mechanisms to access and share serial literature. Participants discuss how they use library services such as databases, subscriptions, interlibrary loan, and document delivery, coupled with academic social networks, disciplinary repositories, author websites, and other publicly available sources to …

Educating The Educators: Six Frames For Three Identities, Eric Silberberg, Laura Cameron, Christina Jones, Amy James, Alison Lehner-Quam, Robin Ewing, Margaret Gregor

Publications and Research

Educating tomorrow’s teachers is a complex and evolving process. !ey are preservice teachers in undergraduate programs, current teachers pursuing career advancement in master’s programs, and aspiring educational researchers in doctoral programs. Perhaps nowhere else on campus does information literacy instruction have more potential to affect generations of information users than when librarians educate the educators as education students will, in turn, impart information literacy skills to the students in their classrooms for many years.

Education students inhabit three overlapping identities as they progress through degree programs: as students fulfilling assignments, professionals conducting evidence-based research, and future teachers responsible for teaching …

The Politics, Policy, And International Relations Section Companion Document To The Framework: Process And Outcomes, Mary K. Oberlies, Brett Cloyd, Erin Ackerman, Stephanie Crowe, Christopher Lemery, Kimberly Macvaugh, Chelsea Nesvig, Winn W. Wasson

Librarian Publications

The Politics, Policy, and International Relations (PPIRS) section of ACRL is a forum for librarians to exchange information and ideas relevant to disciplines such as political science, law, international relations, security studies, public policy, and related fields. From 2018-2021, an ad hoc committee of section members worked to develop an addition to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education focused on the Framework’s applications to PPIRS disciplines, now known as the Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Politics, Policy, and International Relations (the PPIRS Companion Document).1 In this chapter, we provide an …

The Community College Library: A Historical Literature Review, Samantha Minnis

Books and Contributions to Books

Community college libraries are busy places, where no two days are the same. In the midst of the busyness of the day-to-day work, there is value in taking time to reflect. The act of writing this chapter is one way of taking time to reflect on the literature produced by community college library professionals over the last thirty years. It is the author’s hope that this review will produce a picture of some of the stories of community college libraries and how they strive to serve their students.

In examining the literature, several main themes arose to describe the conversations …