Digital Commons Network^™

An Uphill Battle: School Library Professionals Fostering Student Reading Engagement, Margaret Kristin Merga, Saiyidi Mat Roni

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Reading engagement influences students’ literacy attainment. School library professionals provide resources, environments and guidance to promote reading for pleasure, but little is known about how this role is currently supported or challenged. Drawing on mixed methods survey responses from 971 school library professionals from 63 countries, integrated findings suggest that younger students had greater access to the library, and that limiting access may negatively influence student engagement. The educative value of reading aloud and reading for pleasure may be poorly understood in some schools. Most parents had no access to the school library; in some contexts, this was due to …

School Library Professionals’ Perceptions Of Students’ Digital Information Literacy, Margaret Kristin Merga, Saiyidi Mat Roni

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Young people need strong digital information literacy (DIL) skills to effectively source, interpret and evaluate the credibility of online information. As DIL educators and advocates within contemporary schools, school library professionals can provide cross-contextual insights into their students’ DIL knowledge, skills and learning opportunities. Data from the 2024 International School Library Workforce Survey suggest that developing DIL may not be a typical priority in all schools and countries. Students’ DIL was felt to be low. School library professionals may be underutilized for supporting DIL learning in 35% of contexts, highlighting the need for greater understanding of this professional role.

Teaching Generative Ai Literacy: Approaches And Challenges, Susan G. Archambault, Nicole Murph, Shalini Ramachandran

Librarian Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Battle Of The Chatbots: An Exploratory Comparison Of Chatgpt, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity And Huggingchat, Karen Okamoto

Publications and Research

This exploratory study compares the output of the free versions of six generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots—ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity and HuggingChat. Five questions were submitted to all of the chatbots and examined according to the length of the response, tone of the response, and any additional features provided by the chatbots such as citations, web links, and helpful follow-up questions. This comparison found that Perplexity excelled at responding to all of the questions though others provided strong outputs as well, pointing to the possible importance of using multiple chatbot for answers and for continually examining different chatbots given …

Milner Library Annual Report, 2025, Milner Library Illinois State University

Reports and White Papers - Milner Library

2025 annual report for Milner Library, Illinois State University.

Ai Literacy For All: A Universal Framework, Leo S. Lo

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Artificial intelligence has become a pervasive force shaping society, economy, and daily life. Despite widespread media coverage and business adoption, a significant gap persists between superficial awareness and meaningful understanding of AI's principles, ethical dimensions, and societal implications. This paper introduces AI Literacy for All: A Universal Framework, a comprehensive model designed to foster responsible engagement with AI across diverse populations.

The framework integrates five essential components—Technical Knowledge, Ethical Awareness, Critical Thinking, Practical Use, and Societal Impact—each structured into four progressive levels guiding learners from basic awareness to strategic insight. This design balances accessible technical understanding with ethical reasoning, critical …

Lived Experiences Of Marginalized Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Ownership And Acquisition Of Digital Skills, Jerolyn Brown, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

Despite increasing access to technology, persistent disparities in digital competence and self-efficacy remain among marginalized pre-service teachers, often exacerbated by systemic inequities and the digital divide. This research explores the gap in knowledge of the lived experiences of marginalized pre-service teachers’ (PST) prior access to technology and their current perceptions about educational technology integration.

Background

Grounded in Sociocultural Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study seeks to answer how marginalized pre-service teachers perceive prior and current technology ownership and related skill acquisition, what beliefs and intentions they have for future classroom technology integration, and what systemic disparities …

Vcu And The 2025 Virginia Course Materials Survey, Abbey Childs

Scholarship about Open Education

In 2025, VIVA distributed an updated Virginia Course Materials Survey. Its goal was to build on the first iteration of the survey, providing updated data for the areas explored in the original survey, along with new data to address the changing open and affordable landscape in Virginia. The 2025 survey aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What is the impact of course material costs on educational equity among Virginia students?

2. What course content materials do students find to be most beneficial to their learning?

3. What barriers are presented to students due to course material costs and how can those barriers …

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Investigating Post-Adoption Abandonment Of Mental Health Mobile Applications Among Young Adults, Donald Harris

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The rising prevalence of mental health issues among young adults has driven increased interest in Mental Health Mobile Applications (MHMAs), which offer accessible and cost-effective solutions to traditional barriers such as financial limitations, stigma, and restricted healthcare access. Despite their promise, MHMAs frequently experience high rates of attrition and abandonment, significantly limiting their long-term effectiveness. Employing a mixed-methods, multi-stage research design, this dissertation explores the determinants of MHMA abandonment among young adults, emphasizing the interplay between technological inhibitors and enablers, individual user characteristics, and the mediating roles of user satisfaction and perceived usefulness.

Study 1 utilized quantitative text analysis, including …

Managing Compliance: The Role Of Leadership Styles In Information Security Practices In Nigerian Public University Libraries” Insights From North-East Nigeria, Musa Giade Ya'u Musagiade, Gaberial O. Alegbeleye, Madukoma Ezinwanyi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: Information security compliance comprises adhering to established policies, protocols and to ensure absolute security. Despite the importance of security compliance in academic libraries, evidence from previous studies reported a low level of information security compliance among personnel in public university libraries in North-East Nigeria. However, proper leadership styles influence information security compliance leading to absolute protection of information systems. So, this study explored the influences of leadership styles in security compliance in public university libraries in North-East, Nigeria.

Method: This study adopted a survey research design. The population consisted of 618 library personnel from the 14 public university libraries …

Problematic Behavior In Urban Public Libraries: Are Library Policies And Rules Keeping Staff And Patrons Safe?, Jessica Jackson

Urban Library Journal

Public librarians often encounter problematic patron behaviors that put staff and other patrons at risk of physical and psychological harm. A comparison of the user behavior policies at urban public libraries is a useful starting point for developing evidence-based best practices for ensuring that public libraries are safe spaces for all and can fulfill their missions to their communities.

The Voice Of The Voiceless: Countering The Festival And Elevating Reyog Obyokan As Cultural Capital, Albert Tallapessy, Ikwan Setiawan

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article examines two performance models of Reyog Ponorogo: the festival model and the obyokan model. These two competing models represent differing perspectives on one side, the interests of the artists and the community, and on the other, the interests of the state. By applying cultural studies theories, particularly those of representation and hegemony, this study analyzes data collected through observations of Reyog performances at both festival and obyokan events, as well as interviews with artists and community members. The findings reveal that the obyokan model emphasizes an egalitarian spirit, allowing artists greater aesthetic freedom and providing the community with …

Graduate Student Journal Article Writing Group: Creating Community Around Publishing, Gabrielle Brehne, Catherine Baird, Alicia Remolde

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

At Montclair State University, the online and outreach librarian and the assistant director of the Center for Writing Excellence paired up to create a supplemental program to support graduate students seeking to publish journal articles. A graduate assistant joined the team and created content based on Wendy Laura Belcher’s book Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks. We will discuss how we collaborated to establish this writing group and what we learned from the experience. A journal article writing group is a great addition to any graduate program, and we hope our story will inspire others.

Complete Issue: Vol. 12, No. 2, Stacy L. Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

No abstract provided.

Lgbtq+ Content In The Ala Top Most Challenged Books, Kaelynn Edmondson, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

2,571 titles were challenged in 2022, double what was recorded in 2021, but it was noted that 45.5 percent of all those titles were LGBTQ+ books (Perfas, 2022). The rise in challenges and the fact that almost half the books contained LGBTQ+ topics indicates that, within recent years, there has been a shift in the type of content and the speed at which challenges are happening in the United States. Books like Obie is Enough by Schuyler Bailar are banned in states that do not allow books that discuss gender identity, and in turn, these books cannot reach the audiences …

Historical Use Of Libraries In Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment In The United Kingdom, Jessica Buckey, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

In the 19th and 20th centuries, libraries were a common amenity in psychiatric hospitals, particularly private ones. This paper sheds new light on the history of these libraries in inpatient psychiatric treatment centers. The prevailing medical philosophy held that occupation and moderate intellectual stimulation were important for recovery, a mode of thought culminating in the 20th century bibliotherapy movement. This is not a clinical study, and it assumes no stance on the therapeutic value of reading. Instead, it is a historical study of libraries in inpatient psychiatric centers: how these libraries were curated; how patient libraries, throughout their history, responded …

Mental Health And Well-Being In Academic Libraries: A Bibliometric Survey Of Scholarly Publications, 1994-2024, Rebecca Arthur, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

Academic libraries are crucial pieces of the higher education system; national accreditation standards for colleges and universities require the existence of accessible library collections and knowledgeable, trained staff. Traditionally, the academic collections, both physical and digital, of these libraries have been their focal point, and the importance of the academic library on campus has been derived from its ability to provide instructional materials and support to students, faculty, and staff. However, the educational paradigm of academic librarianship has shifted as higher education has evolved throughout the twentieth century. Previously long-established pedagogies have become insufficient in the face of changing technologies …

Book Review: Creating Inclusive Libraries By Applying Universal Design: A Guide By Carli Spina, Katrina Williams

School of Information Student Research Journal

Creating Inclusive Libraries by Applying Universal Design: A Guide is a practical and useful resource for improving libraries so that they are accessible to the broadest range of people possible. The format is well organized, and the case studies illustrate principles in engaging and recognizable ways. A reader who starts with no knowledge of Universal Design would acquire a working knowledge and be able to assess their own spaces with the guidance provided through examples and checklists. Rather than focus on resources for disabled patrons, Spina encourages readers to adopt a reflective practice for considering the needs of all library …

Coding With Those Who Show Up: Two Methodologies On Technical Committee Work, Mark E. Eaton

Publications and Research

This paper considers our library’s attempt at applying a “laissez-faire leadership” model to technical committee work. Since its introduction in the 1990s, scholarship on laissez-faire leadership has historically viewed the concept very negatively. However, we argue here that many of these perspectives are straw man arguments that do not adequately consider the possibilities of a laissez-faire model. Following some dissenting voices in the literature, we would like to reclaim the laissez-faire model as a way to facilitate library technical work under certain very specific circumstances. This paper will describe the organizational context where these laissez-faire methods worked for us. Our …

The Living Document, Camilla Lyckblad

Proceedings from the Document Academy

This physical interactive art piece of thesis research in progress aims to deepen comprehension of information behavior in clinical contexts, where the contemporary medical record, with its increasing digital properties such as open record access for patients, can be viewed as an entity that both listens and influences. The art piece sheds light on the complex dynamics of truth within clinical environments, where patients and healthcare professionals might selectively disclose or withhold information, aiming to protect both patient, clinician and the information itself. Set within a small, dimly lit room, the exhibit features eight aged medical records, each inscribed with …

Conceptual Curiosity: Sense(Un)Making, Rebekah L. Cowell

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Across disciplines, sensemaking is a theoretical and methodological research program, over forty years in development, that has been treated as a framework for understanding how humans behaviorally respond to external information sources and interpret to construct and actualize actionable outcomes; however, sensemaking is an interlinking process that does not operate in singularity–behaviorally or actionably–it is neurobiological (autonomous drive), cognitive (perceptual and predictive), and psychological (congruency in meaning).

This paper enlarges the conceptual framework for studying sensemaking and redefines it by addressing what sensemaking is, does, and needs. At the core of this conversation is addressing the absence of knowledge and …

Conversations On Cultural Heritage: Confirming The Family Home As An Archive, Vanessa Reyes, Vanessa Irvin

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Family archives, as repositories of cultural heritage, play a crucial role in preserving multi-generational knowledge. The family is the first collaborative unit in which community memory-keeping is operationalized. The family home is an archive or library of data for generations of family members living through historical movements, patterns of migration, and technological advancement. Thus, 'home' is a data-rich repository of local history. Memory-keeping tasks, such as recording events in family Bibles and maintaining photo albums, scrapbooks, and journals, are multi-generational literacy practices. The stories within a family archive endure, but the narrators may change over time. Archiving family cultural heritage …

Space And Context: Exploration Of Information Experience And Document Experience, Carrie A. Boettcher

Proceedings from the Document Academy

This paper explores documents that are recorded and cataloged, but the original is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon that only exists once. It ponders where information ends, and document begins and the concepts of space and context that contribute to the shape or structure of the document. Specifically, the confidential counseling session, only experienced by the individuals present during the session, repeated but not duplicated, and how information and documents contribute to understanding of the counseling session.

Time And The Catalogue, Alec Mullender

Proceedings from the Document Academy

This paper explores the multiple ways in which concepts of time are incorporated in cataloguing and classification to see how these temporal concepts influence how material is organised in library space. It discusses multiple concepts, including the structural influences of the capitalist ‘exchange-view’ of time in how the discipline is organised and its incorporation into the so-called ‘universal’ cataloguing systems. The continued issues of obsolescence within cataloguing systems as language and concepts constantly evolve, and how these are integrated into the systems themselves. The paper also discusses the semantic difficulties with how time itself is expressed within cataloguing systems, as …

The Mutability Of Personal Documents And Mediated Memories As We Age: A Collaborative Reflection, Vanessa Reyes, Bhuva Narayan, Annemarie Zijlema, Mary Anne Kennan

Proceedings from the Document Academy

How do our personal documentation practices change as we age, and how can we create and save personal evidence of ourselves for our family’s future? All of us continually accumulate information about ourselves in our everyday lives, intentionally, incidentally, or otherwise, for self-presentation, self-fulfillment, reminders of our past, reinforcing identity, as a hobby, for personal documentation, or for peace of mind. Increasingly, this evidence is in digital form, and often in the cloud. The authors use a collaborative autoethnography and narrative methodology, as outlined by Ford (2020), to document how aging affects our personal documentation and our memories. In the …

Libraries On The Front Lines: The Imperative For Disaster-Ready Information Professionals, Feili Tu-Keefner Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Libraries, particularly local public libraries, have evolved into hubs for community-first services, extending beyond traditional roles. Library personnel are now expected to act as first responders and crisis leaders during times such as natural disasters. This report documents the critical crisis leadership qualifications required for library personnel, identified through comprehensive research from 2015 to 2023. Findings from these situation-specific case studies call attention to the community’s needs for library services during emergencies, underscoring the requirement for LIS education to include disaster management. Continuing education (CE) is also critical in preparing information professionals for these essential roles.

Integrating Diverse Perspectives In Graduate Statistics Education Through Academic And Library Faculty Collaboration, Christina Jones, Ethan Fridmanski, Julie A. Lorah

Journal of Graduate Librarianship

Graduate-level statistics education is often narrowly focused on the mathematical aspect of modeling. While this aspect is important, this focus results in a gap in the student’s understanding regarding the context of the development and use of statistical models. This article provides a description and initial evaluation of a program designed to address this gap. Specifically, the authors collaborated to create a reading list related to the topic of social justice in statistics and integrated the resources on this list into a graduate-level statistics class on the topic of multilevel modeling. The article describes this integration, preliminary evaluation, and future …

Bringing The Library Into Brightspace, Stephen Francoeur, Rebecca Hyams, John Delooper, Robin Naughton, Eric Silberberg

Publications and Research

This panel presentation highlights collaboration among CUNY libraries and LMS administrators to automate integration of library course reserves, research guides and other web-based services into Brightspace. The presentation begins discussing how learning tools interoperability (LTI) integration provides library resources to students at their point of need. It then describes the technical requirements to automate and customize the Springshare LTI library platform within Brightspace. The panel concludes with examples from several campuses demonstrating what this integration looks like.

Chaos Creator: Misinformation Inoculation In Information Literacy Instruction, Mandi Goodsett

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Combating the spread of misinformation is a struggle that has inspired considerable research in the fields of psychology, education, political science, and information science, among others. Such research has found that “prebunking” or “inoculation” techniques—strategies that reduce the acceptance of misinformation before one has encountered it—have had marked success. However, there is little evidence that librarians are deliberately employing inoculation techniques in their information literacy (IL) instruction. Via a quasi-experimental study, this research explores the effect of prebunking techniques in an IL instruction session on undergraduate students’ ability to recognise misinformation. The prebunking techniques are delivered through a competitive game …

Oer Curation Worksheet, Theodore J. Szpakowski

All Musselman Library Staff Works

This worksheet aids library staff in curating open educational resources for a given class.