Digital Commons Network^™

Character Demographic Assessment In An Academic Library's Graphic Novel Collection: Implications For Collection Development, Bridgette L. Whitt

The Southeastern Librarian

This article presents an analysis of the main character demographics across a graphic novel collection housed at the Paul Meek Library, University of Tennessee at Martin. The study evaluates the presence of specific identified character traits such as race, ethnicity, ability, emotional or psychological themes, and the settings of the 451 evaluated titles. The assessment also evaluates the genre distribution of fiction, nonfiction, and biographical content and how often the novels were set outside of the United States. The goal of this study was to better understand the narrative scope and representation within the graphic novel collection, with a focus …

The President's Column, Laura Slavin

The Southeastern Librarian

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

Mob Rule In The Ozarks: The Missouri And North Arkansas Railroad Strike, 1921-1923, Kristine Stilwell

The Southeastern Librarian

Author: Kenneth C. Barnes

Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2025

ISBN: 9781682262627

304 pp., $24.95 (Pbk)

Building Community At An Academic Library With Bilingual Story Trails, Laura Bright, Janice S. Lewis

The Southeastern Librarian

A story trail is an activity that combines exercise and literacy as visitors read sequentially displayed book pages while walking. Story trails are often set up outdoors along existing paths and feature rotating selections of children’s picture books. Many story trails are set up and maintained by community groups, public libraries, or schools. Academic libraries can use story trails as opportunities to promote literacy, foster a sense of local community, support families, and encourage healthy habits. The authors of this article use City of Greenville (North Carolina) StoryWalks® created by staff at East Carolina University’s Joyner Library as an example …

Chet Atkins: Mr. Guitar, David W. Young

The Southeastern Librarian

Author: Don Cusic

Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2025

ISBN: 9780820373393

464 pp. $24.13 (Hbk)

Cultural Humility In Libraries: A Call To Action And Strategies For Success, Megan Callaghan

The Southeastern Librarian

Authors: Shannon D. Jones & Beverly Murphy, eds.

Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2024

ISBN: 9781538162156

196 pp. $39.95 (Pbk)

News From The States, Blake Denton

The Southeastern Librarian

Library news reports from SELA member states

From Print To Pixels: Preserving Alabama’S Historic Newspapers Through Digitization, David Ferrara, Melissa Young

The Southeastern Librarian

This article presents a case study of the Alabama Digital Newspaper Project (ALDNP), a grant-funded initiative to digitize Alabama’s historic newspapers. It outlines the establishment and history of ALDNP, including its accomplishments, and the challenges faced and overcome by University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections (UALSC) staff. This case study details ALDNP’s workflows, including title selection, metadata creation, technical standards, and microfilm digitization. This article also highlights outreach efforts, including collaborations with regional archives, student workers, and community educators. In addition to providing details on the accomplishments of ALDNP, it also outlines potential areas for growth and expansion. Detailing a …

Editor's Notes, John H. Barnett

The Southeastern Librarian

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

Sela Leadership: Officers, Executive Committee, State Representatives, Committees, Sections, Round Tables, And Ad Hoc Committees, John H. Barnett

The Southeastern Librarian

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

The First Cut Is (Hopefully) The Deepest, Michelle Colquitt

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Keep It 100 @ The Sea*: Navigating The Choppy Waters Of Departmental Change, Michelle Colquitt

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Lesson Plan For Dataone Lifecycle’S “Describe” Stage Using Historical Data From The Alabama Insane Hospital Annual Report (Aihar) Collection, Marla Hertz, Tricia Martone

Libraries Professional Work

This activity will teach the value of documentation in research data management using real data from Alabama mental institutions. During the Describe stage of data management, the why, who, what, when, where, and how of the data is provided to improve the interpretation and reuse of research data. This lesson includes options to complete the activity in an analog or digital fashion and is appropriate for undergraduate students and up.

Learning outcomes:

• Learners will be able to articulate the value of documentation in data creation and sharing.
• Learners will be able to construct a data README to describe their data …

Reshaping Academic Libraries As Dynamic Partners And Knowledge Hubs For Research Productivity And Professional Development For Academics, Abdullahi Olayinka Isiaka, Benjamin Adebisi Bamidele, Adelani Rotimi Ibitoye, Abdullahi Adebola Yusuf, Kaliat Oyindamola Abdulwahab, Ajeigbe Emmanuel Afolami, Ifelayo Esher Bamidele

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Academic libraries have long been regarded as repositories of knowledge, but their roles are rapidly evolving to meet the growing demands of research productivity and professional development among academics. This paper explores how libraries are transforming into dynamic partners and knowledge hubs to facilitate access to resources, tools, and services that enhance research output and academic growth among academics. This study adopted a survey design approach. The population of this study is all the 86 academic librarians from the nine university libraries in Kwara State. Total enumeration sampling technique was used and data were collected via questionnaire from the respondents. …

Exploring Information Literacy Skills, Attitudes, And Barriers Among Medical And Nursing Students In Bahrain: A Mixed-Methods Perspective, Asif Altaf, Suchita N. Dsilva, Simple Sibi Joseph, Fida Mukhtar, Muhammad Zeeshan, Bindhu Nair

Communications in Information Literacy

Information literacy is essential for evidence-based medical education, yet Gulf-region studies rarely examine student competencies and barriers. This study examines the information literacy skills, attitudes, and challenges faced by medical and nursing students at RCSI Bahrain. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quantitative survey (n = 343) with qualitative focus groups (n = 10). Students reported high self-perceived information literacy across domains. Time constraints and information overload were identified as the primary barriers to effective communication. Focus group findings highlighted the late introduction of curricula, technical access challenges, and inequities between medical and nursing programs. Library training attendance, academic …

Critical Information Literacy In Higher Education: An Evolution In Theory, Practice, And Assessment, Dan Williford

Communications in Information Literacy

This article offers a critical synthesis of scholarship on critical information literacy (CIL) in higher education from 2015 to 2026, extending and recalibrating prior longitudinal reviews to account for post-2020 theoretical, political, and technological shifts. Drawing on a corpus of 48 peer-reviewed publications published between 2020 and 2026, the study employs thematic cluster analysis—building on Tewell’s four-domain framework—to examine developments in theory, pedagogy, digital and political engagement, reflexive critique, and assessment. Rather than treating critical information literacy as a settled framework, this review positions it as an evolving and contested practice shaped by the political economy of higher education. It …

Librarian Leaves Behind A Lasting Impact, Jennifer Hoyt

Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

A retirement party to recognize Stuart Frazer, Administrative Services Librarian & Assistant Dean of Libraries, brought dozens of colleagues, friends, and family to Perry Library’s Gallery space, along with dozens of freshly-baked brownies. A must on the party menu, guests prepared their own special batches with full knowledge that the retiree prefers the signature dessert. When asked what ingredients helped define Frazer’s longtime career, guests listed a unique mix of expertise, knowledge, and creativity.

Joining Forces: Enhancing Website Usability Through Ux And Assessment At An Academic Library, Josie Cotton, Liz Bober

Researchers, Instructors, & Staff Scholarship

In this chapter, we show how we used assessment and user experience (UX) methods to improve our library’s website. We conducted usability testing, during which we observed participants complete tasks on our website. To help support our testing, we used our library’s biennial user satisfaction survey, where we included several targeted questions that assessed user engagement with the website. We used the results of both assessments to inform updates to the website. Together, the results of our usability testing and survey provide a full picture of website use and lead to a more user-centered website. While the survey was quantitative …

Review Of Instructional Design For Teaching Information Literacy Online: A Student-Centered Approach, By J. Mattson, D. Lemmons, V. Linsinbigler, And C. Lowder, Kendall Morgan

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Mattson, J., Lemmons, D., Linsinbigler, V., & Lowder, C. (2025). Instructional design for teaching information literacy online: A student-centered approach. Association of College and Research Libraries.

Application Of Information Literacy Skills To Everyday Life Information Seeking In College Students: Implications For Instruction, Stephanie Ward, Rachel Dineen, Darren Ilett

Communications in Information Literacy

Academic librarians who teach information literacy (IL) skills hope students will transfer those skills to their information seeking in everyday life. However, there is little evidence that students are transferring what they learn about research to their lives outside college. This study aims to find out what search and evaluation strategies college students who have had IL instruction apply to their own personal information seeking behaviors. To do this, a talk-aloud protocol was used to record participants’ thoughts and actions as they navigated scenarios that required them to select a source that met a non-academic information need. The findings indicate …

Field Report: Communicating The Uottawa Library Collection Rightsizing Effort, Mackenzie Kathmann

Collaborative Librarianship

This field report examines the development and evaluation of a communications strategy for an academic university library’s multi-year Collection Rightsizing Effort. Recognizing that weeding projects often provoke stakeholder concerns around transparency and consultation, the project team adopted best practices from the Weeding Communications in the Collections Lifecycle Project Communications Matrix framework, developed by a subgroup of the joint Rosemont/ Partnership Communications and Advocacy Working Group, to guide and assess communication practices. The report outlines the creation, evaluation and improvements made to a comprehensive communications strategy. Survey results from the first year reveal strong awareness of the project and shared print …

Activating Shared Print As A Strategy For Legacy Print Access, Michael M. Brewer, Niamh A. Wallace

Collaborative Librarianship

While most libraries participate in collaborative shared print efforts but tend only to rely on them as a failsafe, this article underscores the timeliness and importance of more libraries “activating” shared print as a core strategy for access to legacy print content. The University of Arizona’s experiences with SCELC and HathiTrust for monographs and the WEST-Internet Archive pilot for serials are discussed as examples of how libraries might choose to pursue this approach.

Trends In U.S. Academic/Public Joint-Use Libraries Since 2000, Karen Tatarka

Collaborative Librarianship

Joint-use academic/public libraries in the United States experienced a surge in popularity at the turn of the millennium following the formation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose, CA and the Alvin Sherman Library in Davie, FL. These partnerships were met with a mix of enthusiasm and trepidation, and as the number of joint-use libraries grew, a corresponding body of literature developed to help guide prospective partners through the process. Now, twenty-five years after the boom, this article provides a current literature review and examines the existing landscape of academic/public joint-use libraries in the United States. …

What Collaboration Means To Me: From Coordination To Collective Action: Cclp And Cyclops As Infrastructure For Collaborative Collection Stewardship, Boaz Nadav-Manes

Collaborative Librarianship

Academic libraries face growing pressure to manage complex collections under significant resource constraints. While consortial collaboration has long been recognized as a strategic response, existing models remain limited, often failing to influence the full collections lifecycle. This article examines how the Collaborative Collections Lifecycle Project (CCLP) and the Cyclops platform together offer a new model for moving beyond coordination toward genuine collective action in collection stewardship. CCLP provides a community-governed framework structuring collaboration from selection and acquisition through preservation and deaccessioning, while Cyclops complements it with an open, analytics-driven infrastructure that aggregates data across institutions, enabling cross-institutional analysis and translating …

Notes For The Stalled, V18n09, June/July 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Rod Library.

Rod Library newsletter: Notes for the Stalled

Contents:

--- Did You Know . . .?
--- You Belong @ Rod
--- Pardon Our Progress
--- Information Overload!
--- Upcoming Events

The Record, Issue 3, Bank Street College Of Education. Archives

The Record

The third quarterly newsletter from the Bank Street Archives

But That’S Not What We Said: Communication Strategies For Digital Project Collaboration, Robert G. Weaver, Matthew Mceniry, Megan Scott

Collaborative Librarianship

The Texas Tech University (TTU) Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL) often collaborates on digitization projects with the Southwest Collection (SWC) archives. Within the past three years the DSL has branched out to new sources of projects, including university research institutions, other colleges and departments, and Lubbock community entities. At times, these partnerships became entangled with the SWC’s collecting goals, resulting in the need for expanded and more effective communication about integrated project management. This paper will look at three examples of communication and collaboration between the DSL and the SWC on unique projects, their results, as well as the interdepartmental enhancements …

Patent Analyses And Technology Forecasting: Advances Into Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Sarah Over, Emma Jiren Wang, M. Shehryar Khan

Journal of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association

For several decades, patents have been utilized in analyzing technology and forecasting future trends. Historically, this has been done via keywords, citations, and some bibliometric approaches. The efficiency that is promised by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, natural language processing, and related technologies has also heavily entered the domain of intellectual property. There is a growing body of research that is using AI technologies to analyze, learn, and make predictions for patents. Some of the most common applications in practice are those that assist searchers and examiners in review of patents. Journals such as World Patent Information have even developed …

Hallucinations And Hits: Generative Ai Patent Searching Performance, Pitfalls, And Library Best Practices, Aidan J. Whitlock, Denise A. Wetzel

Journal of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association

One of the most challenging aspects for inventors seeking to obtain a patent is conducting an effective preliminary prior art search. The process requires specialized skills and experience to assess the relevant information that many novice inventors do not possess. However, artificial intelligence (AI) tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) offer potential new ways of accessing legal and technical expertise. This study surveys five popular publicly available LLMs ability to aid in conducting a preliminary prior art search. A list of best practices and strategies for using AI tools to conduct preliminary patent searches are outlined at the conclusion of …

Mass Produced: Using Local Historical Patents And Trademarks As Outreach Tools, Brendan Kelly, Rebecca Reznik-Zellen, Lisa Di Valentino

Journal of the Patent and Trademark Resource Center Association

Historical patents and trademarks are an effective way to showcase the industries critical to the development of a region. The UMass Patent and Trademark Resource Center, based out of the Science and Engineering Library of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, created an exhibit focusing on four different industries integral to the development of Western Mass, and the patents and trademarks associated with them. We hosted an opening reception attended by campus members interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as community patrons interested in the industrial history of the region. As many regions around the United States have their own …