Digital Commons Network^™

Library Staff Perceptions Of Virtual Library And Information Services At Makerere And Uganda Christian Universities, Uganda, Lydia Namugera, Joyce Bukirwa, Constant Okello-Obura

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study, which was underpinned by the ServQual model aims to determine the perceptions of library staff of Makerere and Uganda Christian Universities on the provision of virtual library and information services (VLIS), the challenges faced and strategies for the enhancement of VLIS provision. A qualitative design was used to collect data from eight library staff who were selected through purposive sampling until data reached saturation. The findings indicated that majority of librarians exhibit poor perceptions towards VLIS; as manifested in their reluctance to participate in VLIS provision, their conservatism, which impedes acceptance of new VLIS and their …

Restoring School Librarians: Challenges And Strategies, Debrah E. Kachel

Learning Hub

The article examines efforts to restore school librarian positions across eleven urban U.S. school districts, despite significant financial and administrative obstacles. It documents strategies used by district library leaders to advocate for staffing, funding, and policy changes, emphasizing equity in access to certified school librarians. Through structured interviews and analysis, the report highlights key barriers, advocacy methods, and funding mechanisms that have influenced school library staffing. The study's findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational equity and policy reform in K-12 library services.

“Burned Through”: Performing Social Justice In The Academy, Matthew P. Bejar, Saemi Lee, Terilyn C. Shigeno, Leslie K. Larsen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this chapter, we discuss and interrogate our experiences of infusing social justice into our research, teaching, and service amidst sexism, racism, and other intersectional forms of oppression that are prevalent within the academy and how this tension has tended to elicit performative social justice. First, we situate this chapter by summarizing our individual journeys with social justice in sport and exercise psychology (SEP). Second, we describe our collective journey as former graduate students and early career professionals. Third, we discuss the challenges that we encountered with respect to our social justice work. Fourth, we share the ways that we …

Spartan Daily, February 6, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 7

Spartan Daily, February 5, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 6

Enhancing Care: Child Protective Service Workers’ Perspectives And Experiences Of Serving Children With Disabilities, Meekyung Han, Celia Rocio Murillo Lechuga, Gaby Solis

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Children with disabilities (CWD) are overrepresented in the child welfare system (CWS), yet limited research exists on how child protective service (CPS) workers respond. This exploratory qualitative study conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 12 CPS workers in Northern California to explore their experiences. Thematic analysis identified five key themes: contributors to maltreatment, challenges of working with CWD, the influence of personal/professional experience, collaboration with disability experts, and the need for training. Findings suggest that disability-focused training in the graduate Title IV-E program and ongoing professional training can enhance CPS workers’ competency and strengthen interactions with CWD, leading to better outcomes.

Spartan Daily, February 4, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 5

Intelligent Blind Crossings For Suburban And Rural Intersections, Shahab Tayeb

Mineta Transportation Institute

Blind intersections in suburban and rural areas pose significant safety challenges due to limited visibility and inadequate infrastructure. This project proposes an innovative solution leveraging the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) paradigm, utilizing connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) for seamless communication to enhance safety at these intersections. The research focuses on developing a specialized Road-Side Unit (RSU) system equipped with a Virtual Traffic Light Algorithm implemented on a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Key stakeholders, including transportation authorities, vehicle manufacturers, and local communities, stand to benefit from this initiative. The RSU system acts as a critical infrastructure component, facilitating efficient intersection management …

Understanding The Prevalence Of Mental Health And Behavioral Distress In Transit Assaults And Presenting Targeted Response And Mitigation Methods To Reduce Victimization Trends, Kathleen Moore, Emilie Ellenberg, Melissa Carlson, Jodi Godfrey, Lisa Staes

Mineta Transportation Institute

This research project was performed to better understand the prevalence of mental health and behavioral distress in transit assaults and present corresponding targeted response and mitigation methods to reduce victimization trends. It includes a literature review, a data presentation and overview of reported public transit assault-related events, an examination of the contributing factors to those events, and documentation of 10 transit agency case studies. The literature review discusses some of the misconceptions of mental illness and associated stigmas and discrimination that can occur in response to these misconceptions. It discusses various approaches and strategies that transit agencies have used to …

Death And Disappearance: Measuring Racial Disparities In Mortality And Life Expectancy Among People In State Prisons, United States 2000-2014, Bryan L. Sykes, Ernest K. Chavez, Justin D. Strong

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background Research on carceral institutions and mortality finds that people in prisons and jails have a high risk of death immediately following release from custody and that while incarcerated, racial disparities in prisoner mortality counter observed death patterns among similarly situated non-incarcerated, demographic groups. Yet, many of these studies rely on data prior to the millennium, during the COVID-19 pandemic, or are relegated to a small number or select group of states. In this paper, we explore changes in mortality and life-expectancy among different demographic groups, before and after the Great Recession, across forty-four states that reported deaths in custody …

Use Of Generative Ai In Aiding Daily Professional Tasks: A Survey Of Librarians’ Experiences, Lili Luo

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study examines how librarians are using third-party generative AI (GAI) tools such as ChatGPT to aid their daily professional tasks. An online survey of 272 librarians found that text-generating AI tools were the most popular. The majority of respondents felt that GAI tools were effective in improving productivity. Key challenges included ensuring content accuracy and designing effective prompts. Top suggestions for better preparing librarians to use GAI include practical training on using GAI, establishing AI policies and guidelines, fostering collaboration and communities of practice, and providing access to useful GAI resources. The study highlights popular use cases that can …

Feedbacks Between Fjord Circulation, Mélange Melt, And The Subglacial Discharge Plume At Kangerlussuaq Glacier, East Greenland, M. Wood, I. Fenty, A. Khazendar, J. K. Willis

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In recent decades, the Greenland ice sheet has been losing ice and contributing substantially to global sea level rise. Approximately half of this recent loss is due to glacier acceleration, increasing the calving of icebergs into the ocean. This process has been linked with increased ocean heat content on the continental shelf, yet the pathways delivering this heat into Greenland's fjords and its interactions with fjord-scale processes modulating glacier ice loss are still unclear. In this study, we use a series of numerical ocean model configurations to examine feedbacks between ocean circulation, subglacial discharge, submarine glacier melt, and ice mélange …

The Impact Of Vacations On Urban Women's Well-Being From The Perspective Of Feminist Urbanism, Jie Gao, Deborah Kerstetter, Tianfu Wang

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Vacations are known to foster well-being outcomes, yet few researchers have accounted for the influence of individual attributes such as gender, residential setting, or cultural context. As a result, there is a noticeable gap in the well-being literature concerning well-being outcomes for female travelers whose subjectivities have been shaped in as well as by their residential environment (urban) and culture. Using qualitative inquiry informed by the feminist urbanism perspective, this study uncovered urban Chinese women's cognitive representations of well-being outcomes from vacations. Findings revealed that vacations provide liberation from cultural constraints, boosting of social bonds and relationship building, enabling reflection …

Spartan Daily, January 30, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 4

Spartan Daily, January 29, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 3

Spartan Daily, January 28, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 2

Is Buddhist View Of Mental States In Consonance With The Foundational Tenets Of Their System?: Investigating Nyāya And Buddhist Debate On Perception In Jayanta Bhatta’S Nyāyamanjari, Ajay K. Verma

Comparative Philosophy

The first noble truth in Buddhism points toward a purely phenomenal experience. Though purely qualitative in nature, the experience of suffering has an existential aspect. As stated in the second noble truth, suffering has a cause that relates to our situatedness in the world. Notwithstanding, the cause of suffering has to be something external to the mental state of suffering itself. Some of the more recent studies on mental states suggest two different positions on the nature of mental states. One may view mental states as self-referential, reflexive and purely qualitative in nature; alternatively, one could view them as transitive …

A Constructive Dialogue Between Confucianism And Transcendentalism Of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Yuedi Liu

Comparative Philosophy

Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American Transcendentalist, is known as “the American Confucius”. He is also deeply influenced by the Confucianism from Confucius to Mencius, moreover, there is a constructive dialogue and engagement between them. However, it can not be inferred that Confucianism is also transcendentalism. First, Confucianism is based on “One-worldness”. Second, Confucianism is a kind of Guanxi-ism (relationism), so it is not individualism. Third, Confucianism is not intuitionism, but has the“structure of emotion-reason”. Fourth, Confucianism is not focus on “Oversoul”, but towards a pan-aestheticism based on the integration of Rites and Music. However, there are many similarities between American …

Spartan Daily, January 23, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 164, Issue 1

In Touch With Those In Need: How Touchscreen Devices Lead Consumers To Support Social Causes, Aekyoung Kim, Hyojin Lee, Saerom Lee

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

As consumers are increasingly using touchscreen devices (e.g., tablets or smartphones) when exposed to various marketing messages, this research explores how touchscreen devices alter consumer reactions to social cause marketing. This research shows that using touchscreen (vs. nontouchscreen) devices while viewing online charity ads featuring human victims increases consumers’ support for the advertised social causes. Four studies demonstrate this effect by examining consumers’ social media activities, donation intentions, and actual donations in field and lab settings. Mediation analysis reveals that using touchscreen (vs. nontouchscreen) devices enhances consumer support through increased empathy for the victims featured in charity ads. Together, this …

Spherical And Sessile Droplet Dynamics By Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, John B. Bell, Andrew Nonaka, Alejandro L. Garcia

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We simulate the mesoscopic dynamics of droplets formed by phase-separated fluids at nanometer scales where thermal fluctuations are significant. Both spherical droplets fully immersed in a second fluid and sessile droplets which are also in contact with a solid surface are studied. Our model combines a Cahn-Hilliard formulation with incompressible fluctuating hydrodynamics; for sessile droplets, the fluid-solid contact angle is specified as a boundary condition. Deterministic simulations with an applied body force are used to measure the droplets' mobility from which a diffusion coefficient is obtained using the Einstein relation. Stochastic simulations are independently used to obtain a diffusion coefficient …

Action Research As A Pathway To Discovery In The School Library, David Vickers Loertscher, Michelle Young

Learning Hub

No abstract provided.

(Missed) Opportunities To Build Solidarity: A Critical Analysis Of Spanish-English Bilingual Children’S Books, Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica, Allison Briceño

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Two-way dual language (TWDL) programs have traditionally served white and non-Black Latinx students, with limited attention to other cultures and races. This limitation can result in the erasure of Afro-Latinx culture from bilingual programs. This study explores the ways Black characters are represented in bilingual picturebooks, which can serve to perpetuate or combat anti-blackness within bilingual education. We completed a critical content analysis of Spanish-English bilingual picturebooks that include Black or Afro-Latinx characters, employing LatCrit and BlackCrit theoretical frameworks to explore how Black characters are positioned. Findings show a significant dearth of bilingual books that include Black or Afro-Latinx characters. …

Tsao, H.-S. Jacob, San Jose State University

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Biographies

University of California, Berkeley, Operations Research, Ph.D. 1984

University of Texas at Dallas, Mathematical Statistics, MS, 1979

National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan, Applied Mathematics, BS, 1976

Self-Directed Learning In The Elementary Library, Maggie B. Doud

Learning Hub

This article examines the implementation of the "My Time" self-directed learning framework in elementary school libraries, focusing on its impact on student autonomy, critical thinking, and engagement. "My Time" integrates structured choices with flexible guidance, enabling students to take ownership of their learning. The author reflects on practical experiences and connects them to theoretical foundations, including Glasser’s Choice Theory, Knowles' self-directed learning model, and constructivist principles. Key findings demonstrate that "My Time" significantly improves student engagement, autonomy, and behavior through activities such as makerspaces, inquiry-based projects, and reflective goal-setting. The article emphasizes the program's potential to transform school libraries into …

The Data-Driven Library: Communicating The Value Of Your School Library Program To Administrators, Parents, Students, And Colleagues, Shala Howell

Learning Hub

This article examines the use of data dashboards as a tool for teacher librarians to advocate for their school library programs. It emphasizes the importance of linking library services to district priorities to secure funding, increase collaboration, and demonstrate the library’s impact on student outcomes. An eight-step process is detailed, including defining objectives, identifying target audiences, collecting and visualizing data, and publishing dashboards using accessible tools like Google Workspace. By crafting coherent, audience-specific narratives, librarians can highlight how their programs support educational goals, improve resource utilization, and foster collaboration. The article concludes that data dashboards provide a sustainable and compelling …

Characteristics Of World Class School Librarians, David V. Loertscher, Michelle Young, Charlene Peterson

Learning Hub

Over 30 school librarians across the U.S. and Canada and who had been nominated by their peers for their excellence were interviewed as a part of the AliveLibrary Project at San Jose State University. The major question was “What are the major characteristics of world class school librarians.” Each was read and rated by three researchers, and in several rounds resulted in eight major characteristics that seem to undergird high impact on teaching and learning across a wide spectrum of locations, affluence, diversity, and communities.

Inspection Technologies For Construction And Maintenance Of Highway Infrastructure – Review And Analysis, Manideep Tummalapudi, Prem Raj Timilsena

Mineta Transportation Institute

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) seek to provide high quality infrastructure that meets or exceeds the desired quality standards crucial for ensuring safety and efficiency in our nation's transportation systems. Efficient inspection practices—which enable conformance with plans, specifications, and quality standards—are an essential part of this effort. In this digital age, state DOTs are relying on emerging technologies to improve inspection practices. However, there is limited knowledge available regarding various emerging technologies used for highway infrastructure construction and maintenance inspection. This study identifies various emerging technologies that are implemented at the state DOTs and …

Conceptual Critical Success Factors Model On Infrastructure Sustainability Rating System For California Construction Projects, Joseph J. Kim, Jose A. Arroyo-Turcios

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report addresses the sensitivity and reliability of the sustainability rating systems by comparing each category’s verified scores with its respective submitted scores to evaluate how points are awarded for infrastructure projects, examine which categories present the most challenges for verification, and identify the best category for verification in the sustainability rating system. The authors conducted three analyses using credit score data obtained from fourteen actual civil infrastructure projects certified under Envision. First, the Natural World category had the highest average score from the submitted and verified data. Pairwise comparisons using t-tests indicate that the mean value of one category …

Survey Of Building Information Modeling For Infrastructure (Bim4i), Maria Calahorra-Jimenez, Nigel Blampied, Elhami Nasr, Tariq Shehab

Mineta Transportation Institute

The rapid development of information technologies is transforming how data and information are produced, shared, exchanged, and managed. This transformation is accelerating in state departments of transportation (DOTs) across the country due to the pressing need for efficient means of delivering transportation projects and an enhanced need for internal and external collaboration. A key driver for this transformation is the implementation of Building Information Modeling for Infrastructures (BIM4I). The primary objective of this research was to develop actionable recommendations for DOTs to facilitate the effective adoption of BIM4I, based on national and international lessons learned and best practices. A four-step …