Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"What Are You?": Multiracial Library Workers' Experiences In Libraries, Diana Wakimoto

Urban Library Journal

While increasing attention, research, and writing have elevated issues faced by library workers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), multiracial library workers are often, if not always, left out of the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The work around DEI in the library profession often erases the lived experiences of multiracial library workers. In turn, this erasure silences our experiences of racism and microaggressions, as well as our unique views and experiences.

This paper shares the findings of an exploratory mixed methods study, consisting of an online survey of and interviews with multiracial library workers …

Notes From The Editor, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

I am very pleased to welcome you to the second issue of the 29^th volume of Urban Library Journal, which is a collection of proceedings from the LACUNY Institute held on Thursday, May 11, and Friday, May 12, 2023. The theme of the Institute was “The Evolving Library through Professional Development.” Since professional development is an integral component of librarianship, the Institute invited proposals that explored professional development and information work.

Shaping An Inclusive Lis Workforce: Insights From Information Professionals, Rajesh Singh

Urban Library Journal

This study investigates how information professionals deliver culturally sensitive services, their experiences in serving patrons from diverse cultural backgrounds, their self-perceived intercultural skills, and their views on addressing cross-cultural challenges in the workplace. The sample, comprised of 125 information professionals representing a range of organizations, including libraries, museums, and archives, reveals a noticeable trend in their perceptions regarding their ability to provide culturally responsive services and their cultural competence skills. These perceptions are significantly influenced by their participation in cultural competence-related educational programs and academic preparation for cross-cultural work. The research findings provide fresh insights into the integration of diversity, …

Improving Disability Inclusion Through Professional Development, Carli Spina

Urban Library Journal

Building a shared understanding of the importance of disability inclusion and the concrete steps everyone at the library can take towards this goal, is an important first step towards improving services for disabled patrons and the work environment for disabled employees. Offering training on these specific topics can jumpstart this activity at virtually any library. Guided by existing research in the field, this article offers concrete guidance on creating and offering this training at libraries to improve disability inclusion in the community.

The Imposter Among Us: How Imposter Syndrome Is Fueled By Diversity Discourses, Tina Liu

Urban Library Journal

In this paper, first presented at the 2023 LACUNY Institute, the author discusses definitions of imposter syndrome and how imposter syndrome fits within the diversity model. The diversity model, as used in this paper, emerges from an oversimplified framing of racial inequity as a problem that is solved by simply hiring diverse bodies to appear inclusive. In conjunction with the proliferation of imposter syndrome in post-secondary institutions, the ongoing phenomenon of imposter syndrome among librarians and academics reveals an underlying systemic problem rather than individual shortcomings. Workplace discomfort in post-secondary institutions is too easily brushed off as imposter syndrome, without …

Making Publishing Less Painful: Shifting To A Relational Peer-Review Process, Sajni Lacey, Kristina Clement, Lalitha Nataraj, Nicole Pagowsky

Urban Library Journal

Navigating confusing peer-review structures in publishing can be daunting for librarians at all stages of their career. In this paper, the authors will differentiate peer-review models and reflect on their experiences with these formats in the context of the [redacted] special issue of [redacted]. Additional discussion will include the hidden curriculum of publishing; areas for growth in peer-review related to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and peer-review as an individual and collective form of professional development that shapes how we engage with scholarship in LIS.

How Peer Specialists Can Enhance A Library’S Services, Sine Rofofsky

Urban Library Journal

Peer Specialists work with others with lived experiences similar to themselves. Drawing on experiences in academic, public, school, and special libraries this article explores how skills and training of a peer specialist can enhance the services offered by a library and the work of any library staff member.

All Onboard! An Exploration Of Perceived Organizational Support In Onboarding Best Practices Of Academic Librarians, Patrick J. Raftery Jr, Jeffrey Delgado

Urban Library Journal

This study builds upon previous research of academic librarian onboarding. Current literature has explored how academia differs from other professional occupations, what and how academic librarians wanted/gained from onboarding, and established best practices for ACRL libraries using an organizational socialization model. However, the organizational socialization model used failed to address the role of perceived organizational support (POS). This study attempts to elevate the previous research by investigating the role of POS and organizational socialization in onboarding academic librarians using the City University of New York (CUNY) as its sample population. The researchers requested participants to complete a questionnaire designed to …

What Are Library Graduate Students Learning About Disability And Accessibility?: A Syllabus Analysis, Jj Pionke

Urban Library Journal

A study was conducted that examined readily available syllabi from library and information sciences graduate programs to discover what their instructors taught library graduate students about accessibility and disability through an analysis of the structure and topics of their syllabi. Of the 149 courses identified, 77 syllabi were available to examine. Findings include a lack of consistency and accuracy across syllabi structure, as well as components like poor citations, an emphasis on digital accessibility above all other types as a topic, and a lack of learning assessment on the topics of accessibility and disability. This syllabi analysis indicates that while …

Conversations That Matter: Engaging Library Employees In Dei And Cultural Humility Reflection, Angel Truesdale, Kimberly Looby, Christin Lampkowski, Abby Moore

Urban Library Journal

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs subcommittee at University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte’s Atkins library formed in 2019 and created a series of DEI-themed staff development programming to engage library employees. The programs, which included facilitated discussions, short presentations at staff meetings, and interaction with video or article content, were all intended to foster a culture of reflection and awareness. To accommodate changing necessities of virtual and in person work environments, the subcommittee transitioned their work to be applicable both online and in person with an educational hub to promote cultural humility practices. The subcommittee began assessing the …

Notes From The Editors, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

I am very pleased to welcome you to the first issue of the 29^th volume of Urban Library Journal.

Notes From The Co-Editor, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

I am very pleased to welcome you to the second issue of the 28^th volume of Urban Library Journal, which is a collection of proceedings from the LACUNY Institute held on Thursday, May 12, and Friday, May 13, 2022. The theme of the Institute was “Built to Exclude: Confronting Issues of Equity and Otherness in Libraries.” The Institute highlighted how library workers, patrons, and scholars are grappling with questions about what it means to have access, to belong, and to feel welcome and included.

Imposter Syndrome In Academic Libraries: Indigenous Women Edition, Emilee Bews, Kaia Macleod, Bethany Paul

Urban Library Journal

This is a written proceeding of the LACUNY 2022 panel presentation “Imposter Syndrome in Academic Libraries: Indigenous Women Edition”. The authors discuss personal instances and feelings of the imposter phenomenon (also known as imposter syndrome) as it may relate to their Indigenous identities. Additionally, the authors describe how imposter syndrome may affect their ability to be successful in their careers, and the internal pressure they feel to present a more Indigenous identity (whatever that may entail) for scholarship and positions. The authors also share their experiences with external pressures to exhibit a more “stereotypical Indigenous” appearance for the sake of …

The Clash Of The Commons: An Imagined Library Commons Discourse, Emily Benoff

Urban Library Journal

The commons has been adopted by LIS as a metaphor for transformational library spaces. However, post-colonial scholarship exposes the material violence and exclusionary practices that coincide(d) with commons-making in Europe and North America. When weighing such assessments against the traditional role of American libraries as mechanisms of colonial values, it becomes necessary for library professionals to critique their continued evocation of commons discourse from a perspective that centers decolonization. Responding to this challenge, I historicize the commons as both an imagined ideology and an actual instrument of power to contextualize Indigenous and post-colonial assessments of commons-making in the settler colonial …

Neurodiverse Navigation And Disability Equity In A Nyc Doe Early College Library, Nava Bahrampour, Jess Decourcy Hinds

Urban Library Journal

The Bard High School Early College Queens (BHSEC Q) serves high school students who are simultaneously earning college associates degrees. The library works in partnership with a student affinity group called the Abled-Disabled Alliance (ADA). During the 2021-22 school year, the ADA has recommended a library renovation and a disability studies course, among other initiatives. The librarian taught “Disability and Equity in the Library,” to 13 students, many of whom identified as neurodiverse or disabled, and invited them to reflect on their learning needs. The course culminated in research-based proposals to redesign library space and services. This work complements one …

Notes From The Editors, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

We are very pleased to welcome you to the first issue of the 28^th volume of Urban Library Journal. Currently, the new issue features one article.

An Interprofessional Public Library-Academic Partnership For Community Outreach On Women's Health, Lyndonna Marrast, Eun Ji Kim, Danielle Ezzo, Joseph Conigliaro

Urban Library Journal

This article describes a collaboration between a branch of the Queens Public Library in NY and an academic medical center that delivered a women’s health educational program with an interprofessional team of faculty, trainees, and students. The team delivered interactive 1-hour long monthly sessions in a Question and Answer format guided by a Powerpoint presentation. The overall goal was to deliver health education workshops on common medical conditions (i.e. diabetes, heart disease) and concerns of interest to women across the lifespan (i.e. infertility, dementia) to improve the health literacy of local community members. We outlined the steps in establishing this …

Notes From The Editor, Derek Stadler, Leila Walker

Urban Library Journal

We are very pleased to welcome you to the second issue of the 27^th volume of Urban Library Journal, which is a collection of proceedings from the LACUNY Institute held on Wednesday, May 5, and Thursday, May 6, 2021. The theme of the Institute was “Ending the Library Stereotype: Non-traditional Practices for the 21st-century.” The Institute highlighted the different roles that librarians play in our society as librarians wear different hats. Librarians are mentors, supervisors, activists, instructors, unofficial guidance counselors, gamers, artists, and so forth.

Uplifting Diverse And Marginalized Voices Through Community Archives And Public Programming, Annie E. Tummino, Jo-Ann Wong, Obden Mondésir

Urban Library Journal

Queens Memory is a local community archiving project co-administered by the Queens Public Library and Queens College Library. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Queens Memory embarked on a collaborative series of online programs that covered social justice, current events, and the creation of social change. This programming built upon ongoing community oral history and documentation efforts. This article explores how the public programs and oral history initiatives fueled one another, serving to uplift diverse voices within our communities and preserve those voices in the archives. Key ingredients of the programs are discussed, including technology, outreach, collaboration, consent, and format.

More Than Just Cataloging, In Three Acts: Reflections, Adrian Applin, Regina Carra, Sarah Nguyen

Urban Library Journal

This article contains proceedings from a performance-presentation at the 2021 LACUNY Institute called “More Than Just Cataloging, In Three Acts.” It features three performing artist-librarians, showcasing dance, music, and theatre while reflecting on connections between the performing arts and the information professions. Accompanying performance footage shared at the Institute is referenced in this article.

I Am Not A Badass: Against The Librarian-As-Superhero Stereotype, Rachel King

Urban Library Journal

This paper explores cultural tropes portraying librarians as heroes and superheroes. In this work, the writer has drawn on social reproduction feminist theory to explain the appearance of this emerging librarian stereotype, as well as to help readers better understand the role of academic librarians in today’s underfunded and pandemic-ravaged neoliberal university.

Librarians Don’T Use Google!: Breaking Stereotypes And Myths About Smart Searching, Nora B. Wood, Dhy Edwardsberry

Urban Library Journal

Students often assume that librarians sit with their noses stuck in dusty volumes all day. These same students are typically surprised to learn that many librarians actually work extensively with online resources and are adept at navigating websites and databases to uncover the best information. What comes as even more of a surprise? Learning that librarians rely heavily on Google to conduct thorough and credible research.

In this article, the authors will discuss how they helped break this librarian stereotype and turned the tables on preconceived notions of how to conduct smart research using Google for a group of undergraduate …

Turning Data Into Art, William Denton

Urban Library Journal

Data analysis and visualization can be fascinating, but such work doesn’t need to stop there. We can take the product of our professional data work and turn it into a personal practice of art. Two projects covered are a visualization of collections and a sonification of help desk activity. There are many ways that we can turn our professional practices of librarianship and archives into personal practices of art. In this talk I briefly point to a performance piece (about archival digitization) and a theatrical production (about information literacy) I did with others, then look in more detail at turning …

Notes From The Editor, Derek Stadler, Leila Walker

Urban Library Journal

We are pleased to welcome you to the first issue of the 27th volume of Urban Library Journal. Although this issue is not themed, the topics addressed by these articles invite us to imagine the innovations necessary to the future of our profession, effectively extending the conversation about urban librarianship during the pandemic that was the focus of our previous issue.

Embracing The Non-Traditional: Incorporating Non-Traditional Elements Into Library Identity, Melissa Fraser-Arnott

Urban Library Journal

A shift in library and librarian identities occurs as libraries and library workers evolve and explore new practices. These changes prompt a discussion of what constitutes “traditional” and “non-traditional” practice in libraries. Identity and gatekeeper theories provide a lens through which the process of introducing and incorporating professional practices in libraries can be understood and offer insights into how ‘non-traditional’ ideas can be incorporated into the concepts of what constitute library collections and services for library workers and other stakeholders. Acceptance of non-traditional practice is aided by three factors. First, library organizational and professional identities must be sufficiently broad to …

Prison Librarianship And Lis Schools: Is There A Career-Path?, Patrick J. Raftery Jr

Urban Library Journal

Library Information Science research has inquired and advocated for prison librarianship since as far back as the 1930s. While most of the articles published focus on the problems facing these institutional libraries, (budgets, censorship, best practices, and standards), very few focus on the preparations LIS schools take to prepare and promote prison librarianship. For many years’ civilians, not professional librarians, operated prison libraries. Although the rise in professional librarians in prison libraries has grown, has the preparation and quality of professionally trained institutional/prison librarians changed? Previous research states LIS schools often overlook or ignore institutional/prison librarianship. This article explores past …

Shhh-Tereotypes: A Conversation Among Librarians With Hearing Loss, Jill Cirasella, Lee Ann Fullington, Monica Berger, William Gargan

Urban Library Journal

We are four hard of hearing librarians dependent on hearing aids. Our hearing loss complicates our work, often in ways that are not apparent to colleagues and patrons. In this article, based on our panel at the 2021 LACUNY Institute, we share our experiences, challenges, and self-accommodations, and offer suggestions for supporting and effectively communicating with hard of hearing colleagues.

Communication During A Crisis: Keeping Our Patrons Informed During The Covid-19 Pandemic, John P. Delooper, Michelle Ehrenpreis

Urban Library Journal

This article discusses the Leonard Lief Library’s communications strategy to keep its patrons informed during the COVID-19 crisis. The Leonard Lief Library at Lehman College (CUNY) made use of its website, social media, and research guides to effectively convey timely information about service changes, library resources, and to improve outreach activities to our patron community while the library’s physical building was closed to its students, faculty, and staff.

Notes From The Editor, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

I am very pleased to welcome you to the second issue of the 26^th volume of Urban Library Journal. The second, or fall issue, of each volume is typically a collection of proceedings from the LACUNY Institute, held annually in spring. However, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Institute was not held in 2020. Therefore, this issue will not contain proceedings. Instead, it is a special issue devoted to urban libraries and the pandemic. All articles underwent peer-review.

Weeding Into Outreach: A Case Study Using An Urban Community College’S Reserve Collection, Jeffrey Delgado

Urban Library Journal

Urban Community colleges face a unique constraint on students. The price of textbooks has skyrocketed in recent years, forcing our students to incorporate additional expenses in order to gain access to class material. College libraries play a crucial role in facilitating students with access to reserve collections, however, library policies do not always assist students in the most practical way. Using a reserve collection that was overloaded with copies and older editions of popular textbooks titles, this case study illustrates how weeding a reserve collection can facilitate an event where students can take copies of textbooks for themselves. Moreover, this …