Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Business Courses And Beyond Through Collaborative Outreach, Neal Baker

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

2024 Furman University Scholarship Reception Program, Madeline Eastergard, Kathie Sloan

Libraries Institutional Records

On February 16, 2024, the Libraries and the Office of the Provost hosted the Furman University Scholarship Reception. The reception showcased scholarly publications, creative works, and professional accomplishments of Furman faculty or staff from the 2024 calendar year. It highlighted Furman faculty and staff who completed a degree, received a grant from an external funding source totaling more than $1,000, and/or published books, book chapters, journal articles, exhibits, recordings, performances, films, or other works. The following Furman presenters provided four-minute speeches about their scholarly or creative works:

• Chris Alvin, Associate Professor of Computer Science
• Caroline Davis, Assistant Professor of Theatre …

Entire Issue Vol. 12 No. 1, Stacy L. Creel, Ph.D., Teresa S. Welsh, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

No abstract provided.

Selection Of Spring And Fall 2023 Master’S Project Posters, Stacy L. Creel, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Students are required to create academic research posters on their capstone research project and present them in class. The following selection of the Master’s Project Capstone Posters are from LIS 695 in the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023.

Novel Outreach: A Report Of Public Library Engagement Within Virginia Communities, Joy Doukas

SLIS Connecting

This study seeks to showcase how Virginia Public Libraries have harnessed the power of innovative outreach to service populations traditionally resistant to library adoption. It examines concepts such as community partnerships, the library as a Third Place (Thiele & Klagge, 2020), and the increasing function of social services in the public libraries sphere. It highlights the evolution of modern public libraries from mere book repositories to thriving community centers for education and personal growth. Mining current website data, this study explores each of the 94 public library systems in Virginia websites, determining their reach throughout their communities to show what …

From The Gas: Congratulations, Publications, And Presentations, Stacy L. Creel, Ph.D., Teresa S. Welsh, Ph.D.

SLIS Connecting

Includes book reviews by the graduate assistants for Finch House, Mall Goth, Maid for It, and Your Personal Penguin. Highlights what SLIS faculty are reading, alumni updates, faculty publications and presentations, and student congratulations.

Spotlights: Faculty, Alumni, Festival, Stacy L. Creel, Ph.D., Mary A. Osborne

SLIS Connecting

Meet Dr. Welsh, Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Science, and Adjunct Faculty for SLIS. Meet MLIS SLIS alum, Marjorie Hills, the Library Director for Iberia Parish Library. Learn about the exciting speakers for the 2024 Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival.

An Evidence-Based Approach To Prison Library Provision: Aligning Policy And Practice, Jayne Finlay, Susannah Hanlon, Jessica Bates

Journal of Prison Education Research

The aim of this paper is to enable a better understanding of the possibilities of prison library services and offer evidence that can help to support efforts to align policy and practice in prison library provision. Alongside an examination of existing policies, guidelines and literature, the paper presents findings that emerged from interviews with six prison library experts, undertaken as part of a recent national review of prison library services in Ireland. Following a discussion of these findings, a set of ten principles for prison library provision in Ireland is presented which holds relevance for global prison library policy and …

Children In The Workplace: An Exploration In Library Policy Making, Sharolyn Swenson, Marissa Anne Bischoff, Ryan Lee

Faculty Publications

Children in the workplace are becoming a more common discussion in various work environments, including libraries. Since the university has no policy addressing this issue, a task force was charged to draft a recommended policy for the university library regarding bringing children to the workplace. The task force reviewed existing policies and conducted a survey and interviews with library employees. The resulting policy provided guidelines for employees and their supervisors without being overly prescriptive. This article provides a case study of how the task force used assessment methods and tools to create an appropriate and inclusive policy. While the specific …

5 Million Global Downloads: Expanding The Reach & Impact Of The University Of Northern Iowa, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

UNI ScholarWorks, UNI’s institutional repository, reached 5 million global downloads! Our repository showcases the knowledge, creativity and innovative spirit of UNI. UNI ScholarWorks demonstrates the reach and impact of campus departments and programs on a global platform. Works by UNI authors are being used to help solve global society issues and problems. The repository contains over 43,500 works and receives over 1 million downloads per year. The top downloaded work is a student article, “Factors Affecting Economic Growth in Developing Countries” (Major Themes in Economics), by Parash Upreti, with over 73,000 downloads. The Graduate College …

The Impact Of English Language Propagated By The Advancements Of Information And Technology Services In Libraries On The Vernacular Languages Of Sri Lanka, Anurin Diwakara Prof., P.D.D.D. Wickramasinghe, N.S. Gunawardana, Chaminda Chiran Jayasundara

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The development of information and communication technology has become the prominent reason for language contact in the native language varieties spoken in the South Asian region. The island nation Sri Lanka is home to a multi-ethnic population and the main vernacular spoken in the country is Sinhala Language. Using materials drawn from social media platforms, websites, internet forums and personal knowledge, this study sets out to examine the ways in which the English language has been making significant contact with the Sinhala language, which is the dominant vernacular language spoken in Sri Lanka due to the advancements in information technology. …

Leadership For Social Change: Clara Whitehill Hunt And The Evolution Of Children’S Librarianship, Suzanne Marie Stauffer

Faculty Publications

The first generation of children’s librarians, who created the profession in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, were followed by a second generation who enlarged, expanded, and refined the scope of the collection. One of these women was Clara Whitehill Hunt, Superintendent of Work with Children for the Brooklyn Public Library from 1903 to 1940. In addition to developing training courses for children’s librarians, she wrote Library Work with Children for the A.L.A. Manuals of Library Economy series, The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls, a catalog of recommended children’s books and The First Three Hundred Books for the Children’s Library. For …

Do The Research!: Conspiracy Theorists And Public Libraries, Timothy Cole Hale

Georgia Library Quarterly

Since 2020, conspiracy theories have crossed into mainstream media with dastardly effects. In attempting to prove conspiracy theories to be real, “researchers” try to back their claims with information. As major institutions within the information society, libraries and archives play a unique role in a world in which more and more people are interested in misinformation and disinformation. This article uses a review of selected literature to address three questions in relevance to public library systems and conspiracy theorists. The first is: what is the ethical responsibility of information managers in providing misinformation and disinformation in regard to intellectual freedom? …

February 2024 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the February 2024 (Volume 2, Issue 7) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Winter 2024, Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Anchor: February 2024, Hope College

The Anchor: 2024

The Anchor began in 1887 and was first issued weekly in 1914. Covering national and campus news alike, Hope College’s student-run newspaper has grown over the years to encompass over two-dozen editors, reporters, and staff. For much of The Anchor's history, the latest issue was distributed across campus each Wednesday throughout the academic school year (with few exceptions). In recent years The Anchor moved to monthly print issues and a more frequently updated website. The Anchor is now published in print twice per academic semester. Occasionally, the volume and/or issue numbering is irregular.

Professionalizing A Student’S Library Employment Through Experiential Learning Workshops, Marissa Anne Bischoff, Matt Armstrong, David Waddell

Faculty Publications

If intentional, college students in campus jobs can develop professional skills valued in the post-college workforce. However, many students are not likely to realize the potential of their experience without advisement or instruction that teaches them how to reflect on experience and articulate its value, usually in the form of a resume or in an interview. This study examines the value of three workshops to help students reflect on their development of NACE career readiness competencies as a result of their library work experience. Survey and focus group data suggest students’ confidence in their ability to articulate and apply their …

Effect Of Staff Training On Information Services Delivery To Library Users In Public Libraries In The South-West Nigeria, Abdulahi Mayowa Olaniyi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Training has been observed to be a very important element in personnel management. Even though no organisation can grow in its services without continuous training of their staff, it has been observed that most public libraries’ staff are not well trained nor exposed to continuous training programmes. This study, therefore, seeks to examine the effect of staff training on information services delivery to library users in public libraries in the South-west of Nigeria.

The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprises all the staff in the six State Library Boards in the …

Systematic Review Search Strategies: Non-Arthritic Hip Diseases And Psychosocial Factors, Jenn Monnin

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The following search strategies were built for a systematic review addressing non-arthritic hip diseases and psychosocial factors. An a priori protocol for this review was developed and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021248562). The search was originally designed in PubMed, then translated to the other databases searched (Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus). Search peer review was performed by Anna Crawford using a modified version of the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies guideline. The original search was run on July 12, 2021, with a search update performed on June 21, 2023.

Arbiters Of Ugliness: A Review Of Strategies For Describing Offensive Archival Materials, Leah Minadeo

School of Information Sciences Student Scholarship

As archivists increasingly concede that neutrality is impossible, we suggest that non-action is still action. It follows that to treat reasonably offensive records as any other record is to apply an interpretation that they are innocuous, unremarkable, and uncontroversial. Archivists may perceive the stakes of describing these materials as particularly high, but they lack a comprehensive set of descriptive strategies in consideration of interpretive ethics. As a result, existing practices are likely to be local or ad hoc. This research aims to identify and explore descriptive strategies archivists use which serve to construct (or concede) the meaning that certain historical …

Representing Historically Marginalized Communities In Archives: Moving Beyond Lcsh To Create More Inclusive Subject Headings, Melissa A. Ewing

School of Information Sciences Student Scholarship

The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) are widely used around the world in libraries and archives to add access points for users searching their collections. This can be problematic because LCSH has many embedded issues including inconsistency and complexity, the myth of neutrality that surrounds it, systemic biases, and how slow it is to change. These problems lead to poor descriptions of people, especially those who belong to historically marginalized communities. Archives can move beyond LCSH to create local thesauri, crowdsourced vocabularies, and collaborative partnerships with historically marginalized communities to create more inclusive subject headings.

Genrefication In Secondary School Libraries, Lindsay E. Pulsipher

School of Information Sciences Student Scholarship

Most school libraries organize fiction books alphabetically by an author’s last name. In order for a student to find and compare potential fiction reading material, the traditional school library model would have the student either search the library system for the topic and then go from stack to stack looking for books about the topic from any number of locations or seek advice from school library staff who would direct the student to potential titles as part of a reader’s advisory. In an effort to make fiction book selection easier for students, some school librarians have turned to genrefied fiction …

Computer Self-Efficacy, Computer Anxiety And Information Retrieval Skills As Correlate Of Electronic Library Use Among Lis Undergraduates In Southern Nigeria Universities., Lucky O. Akpojotor

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined computer self-efficacy, computer anxiety and information retrieval skills as correlate of electronic library use among library and information science undergraduates in universities in Southern Nigeria. One research question guided the study while one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 10,345 library and information science (LIS) undergraduates from ten federal, seventeen state and eight private universities in Southern Nigeria. The study explores purposive and quota sampling technique to determine the sample size which arrived at 1, 006 used for the study. …

Digital Phobia: An Inquiry For Mapping The Unseen Dimension Of New Digital Anxiety, The ‘Digiphobia’, Amarjit Kumar Singh ,Library Assistant, Md. Arshad Ali , Professional Assistant, Dr. Pankaj Mathur, Deputy Librarian,

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: As technology continues to advance, individuals' interactions with digital platforms have become integral to daily life. Amidst this technological evolution, a novel concern emerges—Digital Phobia, hereafter referred to as “Digiphobia.” This phenomenon, although not previously explored in scholarly literature, necessitates an in-depth investigation due to its potential impact on individuals' well-being. Our research employs a two-step methodology to investigate its existence, implications, and manifestations.

Introduction: This research paper introduces and proposes the term "Digiphobia" as a comprehensive conceptualization of anxiety arising from interactions with digital spaces, applications, and environments. The proliferation of digital technologies has led to the emergence …

Ischool Student Research Journal, Vol.13, Iss.2, Student Reseach Journal

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Ethics: Conceptual Preliminaries Scope And Justification, Norman Mooradian

School of Information Student Research Journal

This paper lays out the conceptual groundwork for a long-term project examining ethical issues raised when addressing the value of knowledge to a knowledge economy. The project includes a series of papers on specific topics that interrelate to the subjects of knowledge, ethics and organizations. While some of the planned articles for the project will have a practical focus, others, such as this one, will be conceptual in nature. The following outlines selected key concepts for an ethics of knowledge and their relationship with cognate areas of inquiry and practice.

The Role Of Women Librarian In Eradicating Gender Based Violence In Rivers State, Nigeria., Roseline Omolola Oladipupo, Eberechi Ejuh, Princess Solomon, Princess

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examined the roles of women librarians in eradicating gender based violence in Rivers State, Nigeria. Four (4) objectives were formulated to guide this study. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the research. The population for the study comprised 70 women Librarians in Rivers State. Census sampling was adopted. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. Mean and percentage were used for analyzing the elicited responses. Based on the findings, the various forms of gender based violence are; emotional violence, sexual violence, physical violence, socio-economic violence, amongst others. The study also identified the roles of women librarians in …

Research Collaboration Among Library And Information Science (Lis) Professionals In Nigeria., Ebisemen Patience Lulu-Pokubo, George Azubuike Onwueme

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The paper investigated research collaboration as a tool for professional development among Library and Information science Professionals in Nigeria. Survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprises of all the professional librarians of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) members in Rivers and Delta states. The findings of the survey showed that the professional librarians as members of NLA Delta and Rivers States are highly involved in research collaboration. The study also revealed the relevance of research collaboration and it was observed that research collaboration brings about higher quality of result in the LIS profession …

Representing Historically Marginalized Communities In Archives: Moving Beyond Lcsh To Create More Inclusive Subject Headings, Melissa Ewing

The Information Warrior Journal

The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) are widely used around the world in libraries and archives to add access points for users searching their collections. This can be problematic because LCSH has many embedded issues including inconsistency and complexity, the myth of neutrality that surrounds it, systemic biases, and how slow it is to change. These problems lead to poor descriptions of people, especially those who belong to historically marginalized communities. Archives can move beyond LCSH to create local thesauri, crowdsourced vocabularies, and collaborative partnerships with historically marginalized communities to create more inclusive subject headings.

Genrefication In Secondary School Libraries, Lindsay Pulsipher

The Information Warrior Journal

Most school libraries organize fiction books alphabetically by an author’s last name. In order for a student to find and compare potential fiction reading material, the traditional school library model would have the student either search the library system for the topic and then go from stack to stack looking for books about the topic from any number of locations or seek advice from school library staff who would direct the student to potential titles as part of a reader’s advisory. In an effort to make fiction book selection easier for students, some school librarians have turned to genrefied fiction …