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Community Engagement Newsletter, February 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

UNI’s Day of Service - April 8, 2026
Service-Learning & Engaged Department Institutes
Inspire Conference
UNI's 150th on IPR's "Talk of Iowa"

Exploring Slow Librarianship As An Intervention To Support Library Workers With Adhd, Valerie Linsinbigler, Liana Bayne-Lin

Faculty Scholarship

While scholarly conversations about supporting library patrons who are neurodivergent have grown in the past years, conversations about library workers who are neurodivergent lag behind. As it becomes easier to encourage students to destigmatize their neurodivergence, share their experiences, and seek formal and informal accommodations in university spaces, when, and how, will it become easier for neurodivergent library workers to do the same?

Perhaps slow librarianship is one answer to this question. Following in the footsteps of Jocelyn Swick-Jemison (2023), this chapter is part autoethnography, in which two early-career librarians will share their perspective of learning how to be liaison …

Living Between The Lines: Economic Insecurity And Older Americans, Caitlin E. Coyle, Michelle Ward, Nidya Velasco Roldán, Ceara Somerville, Jan Mutchler

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

New estimates from the 2025 Elder Index(TM) suggest that over half of older adults living alone, and about one out of four older couples, lack the financial resources required to pay for basic needs. We compared household incomes for adults age 65 and above living in one- and two-person households to the 2025 Elder Index for each state to calculate Economic Insecurity Rates (EIRs), the percentage of independent adults age 65 or older with annual incomes that do not support economic security. National averages suggest that 53% of older adults living alone and 25% of older couples have annual incomes …

From The President, Tamika Barnes

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

From The Editor, John Mack Freeman

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Georgia Library Spotlight Spot Dot: Sequoyah Regional Library System’S Discovery Outreach Transport, Sarah Childers

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Task Intensive Virtual Circulation Management To Meet Rising Patron Demand: Analyzing Ebook And Eaudiobook Acquisition Workflows In Fulton County Libraries, Elizabeth F. Keathley, Stephanie Galipeau

Georgia Library Quarterly

Managing eBook hold times while adhering to budget constraints is a critical challenge for public libraries. In a budgetary landscape where models of licensing and cost are in constant flux, this article offers a snapshot in time of strategies employed by the Fulton County Library System (FCLS) in Atlanta, Georgia, during Spring and Summer 2024. Librarians deployed a multi-pronged approach of daily carts in OverDrive, daily monitoring and response to patron holds and recommendations, daily updates of OverDrive records and bi-weekly updates of Hoopla records to meet patron demand. Documenting strategies like these is crucial for collection management professionals adapting …

Put Your Best Chat Forward: Analyzing Chat Reference For Best Practices, Kytt Everdeen Moore, Tera A. Ray, Emily Rogers

Georgia Library Quarterly

Chat transcript analysis studies are a proven method of evaluating levels of instruction and patron satisfaction. For more than 20 years, Odum Library at Valdosta State University has offered chat service but had never conducted an assessment. In summer 2024, three reference librarians at VSU reviewed literature and developed a means of evaluating 520 chat transcripts from spring semester 2024. Using a codebook implemented through a Qualtrics form, the researchers analyzed transcripts to examine the ways library reference staff responded to chat questions and to develop a list of best practices. The analysis showed that while most transactions had high …

Book Review: Peach Pit Corazón: A Judith Ortiz Cofer Reader, Thomas C. Weeks Ii

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Wyche Fowler: A Political Life In Georgia, Congress, And Abroad, Amy Shaw

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Searching Smarter, Connecting Better, Abby Veiman

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: White Papers

In Searching Smarter, Connecting Better, Abby Veiman reflects on her experience as a data-driven researcher to reimagine the future of research libraries. Drawing from her work as an Ameritas Research Assistant in Actuarial Science and Risk Management, she highlights how modern research is increasingly digital, analytical, and dependent on technological infrastructure rather than physical materials. Veiman argues that libraries must continue evolving beyond access to databases by strengthening technological capacity, supporting responsible AI integration, and providing clearer guidance on the effective and ethical use of emerging research tools. She emphasizes the need for libraries to serve as trusted institutions …

The Feelit System: Application Content-Aware Perspectives And Challenges On Understanding User Likes In Social Network Posts, Konstantinos Theocharidis, Hady W. Lauw, Panagiotis Karras

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In a series of our prior works, we study influence and subscription maximization problems in social networks that are based on posts having influential content; as content we consider a set of features where each feature corresponds to a specific social network page, whereas influence and subscription relate to gaining the postlike and subscription-to-brand page of targeted users, respectively; subscription is conceptually achieved as repetitive influence on users. So, both influence and subscription depend on content that gains the likes of users; however, to be realistic, modeling and estimating such likes is a complex problem that has not been adequately …

February 2026 Table Of Contents Newsletter - Artificial Intelligence, Alicia Ikerd

Table of Contents Newsletter

While artificial intelligence (AI) takes the world by storm, students and faculty may notice AI popping up in library databases like weeds in the spring. Variety in AI functionality in scholarly databases remains limited, with the majority of AI being used to power tools called “reading assistants. ” Reading assistants attempt to summarize text, recommend adjacent sources, or extract search terms.

While these tools can be useful, they are not foolproof and are still prone to hallucination, thus it is always important to read and cite the actual source material. Additionally, the ability to use these tools can depend on …

Lgas: A Librarian's Tool For Instructional Sustainability, Sarah H. Moukhliss

Library Presentations & Publications

Sarah Moukhliss, STEM Online Learning Librarian with a background in K–12 curriculum, instructional design, and pedagogy, identified a gap in standards for student-centered library guide design. Moukhliss remixed the SUNY OSCQR rubric into the Library Guide Assessment Standards (LGAS) for Quality- Checked Review, transforming it from a course development framework into a peer review and quality assurance tool by writing detailed annotations for each of its 32 standards.

Lunch & Learn Webinar Series, Jenny Stockton

TMC Library Newsletter (2015-)

This session offers a comprehensive introduction to Zotero, a free, open-source reference management tool. Learn practical skills to streamline your research and writing process.

Register here to attend the session.

A Word From The Writing Team (February 2026), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

February 2026 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean’S Office Communications Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the February 2026 (Volume 4, Issue 7) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Serials Spoken Here, Michelle E. Colquitt, Megan Horn, Jessica Berkana, Joni L. Addis, Michelle Sharla Navarro, Rachel E. Scott, Nancy A. Henke, Amy Kendrick, David Fiora, Uyen Nguyen, Kayla Kipps

Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Public Opinions On Mining Governance And Preferences For Interventions To Enhance Battery Mineral Access, Mahelet G. Fikru, Sreeja Koppera, Nhien Nguyen

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Based on an online survey of 1200 individuals, we examine support for new mining projects in the United States, opinions on mining governance, and preferences for various strategies to access battery minerals. We find support for domestic mining more so at the national (54 % support) than local level (32 % support), with a strong emphasis on environmental protection and multi-level governance. Respondents generally support government intervention to secure access to battery minerals, with over half agreeing with subsidizing electric vehicle (EV) producers and consumers to prioritize the use of domestic minerals in EV batteries. However, there is measurable opposition …

Himmelfarb Liaison Letter - February 2026, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

A Social Norm Perspective On Distorted Information In China, Zhe Li, Massimo Massa, Nianhang Xu, Hong Zhang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Can social norms give rise to distorted information in China? We observe that China’s leading social norm related to alcohol consumption and social drinking enhance earnings management. An analysis of toxic alcohol scandals supports a causal interpretation. Further evidence suggests that the influence of alcohol may come from the negative externality that it creates, which is propagated by corporate leaders and cannot be attenuated by market-oriented institutions. Our results reveal a social norm externality that may have important normative implications.

The Guardian The Month Of February 2026, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of February 2026. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

"We're Going To Tear Up The Caldera So We Can Have An Electric Car": Wrestling With Prospective Lithium Mining In The Oregon Desert, Elizabeth Bartholomew, Alida Cantor, Kate Berry, Noel Vineyard

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Extraction of lithium, a key ingredient for renewable energy transitions, is a land- and water-intensive process. In this study, we use qualitative, place-based research to explore socio-environmental imaginaries surrounding a landscape on the verge of change due to lithium mining. We examine the ways that different actors are wrestling with the costs, benefits, and uncertainties of potential open-pit lithium mining in Oregon’s section of the McDermitt Caldera. In contrast to previous research which has described support for mining amongst those closest to the mine site, we find that in this case, perceptions of mining are characterized by ambivalence, uncertainty, and …

Global Shocks, Institutional Development, And Trade Restrictions: What Can We Learn From Crises And Recoveries Between 1990 And 2022?, Joshua Aizenman, Hiro Ito, Donghyun Park, Jamel Saadaoui, Gazi Salah Uddin

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic were two major shocks to the world economy in the 21st century. In this study, we analyze the patterns of recessions and recoveries of 101 advanced and developing economies. We identify the turning points of recessions and expansions between 1990 and 2022, and perform cross-country analysis of domestic and external drivers of economic recovery. In addition to the standard independent variables, we include institutional development, political stability, the extent of democracy, and trade restrictions indexes, and explore their roles in explaining recessions and recovery patterns. For the whole sample, we find that …

Reflective Practice For Slow Librarianship, Este Pope

Dartmouth Library Staff Publications

This book chapter explores reflection as a concrete practice of slow librarianship. The author discusses how developing a regular reflective practice as an academic librarian and technologist creates opportunities to be a more mindful, collaborative, and adaptive leader and team member. The chapter provides background on the reflective practice approach, discusses the connections to slow librarianship, and provides examples and recommendations for incorporating reflective practice in the library workplace. Resources and further readings are also provided.

Hold Paramount The Health, Safety, And Welfare Of The Public And The Planet, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Approach To Sovereign Finance, Guan Seng Khoo, Annie Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In a commentary, SMU Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice) Annie Koh and Khoo Guan Seng, Asia-Pacific advisory council member of the SWF Academy and EU-Asean Centre, opined that in a volatile world, the strength of a sovereign wealth fund lies in its ability to fulfil its specific, sovereign purpose. Prof Koh and Mr Khoo said that sovereign wealth funds are bespoke instruments of national policy, and in the world of sovereign capital, one size does not, and cannot, fit all. They noted that each fund is a reflection of a country’s unique ambitions, its resource endowments and its specific fears …

Perceptions Of Game-Based Assessments: The Role Of Test Takers' Occupational Background, Marie L. Ohlms, Klaus G. Melchers, Filip Lievens

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Game-based assessments (GBAs) have become increasingly popular in personnel selection. However, research on perceptions of GBAs has yielded mixed results, highlighting the need to explore variables that may shape perceptions of GBAs. Therefore, we examined whether test takers' occupational background and other person-related characteristics (i.e., gender, age, video game usage, openness to experience) are associated with their perceptions of GBAs. N = 179 individuals from technical and social occupational backgrounds rated their perceptions of GBAs and non-gamified tests. We found that GBAs were generally rated more positively than non-gamified tests in terms of organizational attractiveness, behavioral intentions toward the organization, …

Situation Descriptions In Situational Judgment Tests: A Matter Of Including Trait-Relevant Situational Cues?, Philipp Schapers, Stefan Krumm, Filip Lievens, Jan-Philipp Freudenstein, Julian Schulze, Cornelius J. Konig

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

SJTs have traditionally been conceptualized as low-fidelity simulations of how respond to work-related situations. Yet, several studies demonstrated that situation descriptions were necessary to solve some SJT items, whereas they were not needed for other SJT items. So far, no solid support was found for various factors (e.g., item characteristics, presentation format, instructions, and content domain) that make some situation descriptions relevant and others irrelevant for responding to SJT items. Building on trait activation theory, we posit that trait-relevant situational cues serve as an ignored factor in SJT situation descriptions. Across two main studies (N-1 = 269, N-2 = 1,092), …

The Social And Cultural Challenges Experienced By Children With Send Through Quasi-Inclusion Practices In Two Mainstream Primary Schools In Postcolonial Guyana, Lidon Lashley, Clevelon Gordon

IALS Journal

This ethnographic study investigates the sociocultural experiences of 36 children with SEND and two non-SEND peers in two rural mainstream primary schools in Guyana. Through interviews, observations, and situational analysis, the study explores how ableism, colonial legacies, prejudice, poverty, linguistic barriers, and inadequate educational support shape the experiences of children with SEND. Findings reveal persistent stigmatization, discrimination, marginalization, exclusion, and "fated failure" discourses that negatively affect learning, participation, agency, and wellbeing. The study concludes that teachers require greater support, training, and specialist resources to foster genuine inclusion within Guyana's mainstream schools.