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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Anatomy Of An Exhibit: The Academic Library As Place Of Self-Instruction, Matthew Chase
Anatomy Of An Exhibit: The Academic Library As Place Of Self-Instruction, Matthew Chase
San Marcos, Fall 2019
This exhibition project addresses the central question: How can we creatively transform academic library spaces to support and engage students in critical information literacy? The project used physical library space to install a series of exhibitions at the San Marcos Campus Library of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Foucauldian perspective on knowledge and discourse, Falk and Dierking’s Contextual Model of Learning, and critical librarianship, the exhibit series engages students in a self-guided journey to discover and evaluate how knowledge is constructed, produced, and disseminated. Particular focus is directed to the Fall …
The Public Library As Resistive Space In The Neoliberal City, Sofya Aptekar
The Public Library As Resistive Space In The Neoliberal City, Sofya Aptekar
Publications and Research
With reduced hours, decaying infrastructure, and precariously positioned staff, local public libraries provide much needed services in cities devastated by inequality and slashed safety nets. In this article, I draw on ethnographic research of a small public library in a diverse, mostly working class neighborhood in Queens, New York. I show that in addition to providing an alternative to the capitalist market by distributing resources according to people’s needs, the library serves as a moral underground space, where middle class people bend rules to help struggling city residents. Although the library occasionally replicates hegemonic ideologies about immigrant assimilation, it provides …
The Convergence Of Libraries, Voter Education, And Civic Literacy, Natalie Lowengruber
The Convergence Of Libraries, Voter Education, And Civic Literacy, Natalie Lowengruber
Honors Projects
The aim of this project was to explore how libraries, particularly academic libraries, intersect with voter education in promoting civic engagement. After reviewing research on the library’s role in democracy and civic engagement, I forged this connection through collaborating with librarians to develop an interactive workshop open to the Grand Valley community. The main goal of this workshop was to increase voter education and equip voters with tools to become better informed on candidates, legislation, and policy before the midterm elections of November, 2018. Participation in democracy is a lifelong practice and civic duty that begins with a strong educational …
Eighteen Blind Library Users’ Experiences With Library Websites And Search Tools In U.S. Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Study, Adina Mulliken
Eighteen Blind Library Users’ Experiences With Library Websites And Search Tools In U.S. Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Study, Adina Mulliken
Publications and Research
Telephone interviews were conducted with 18 blind academic library users around the U.S. about their experiences using their library and its website. The study uses the perspective that blind users’ insights are fundamental. A common theme was that navigating a webpage is time consuming on the first visit. Issues identified include the need for “databases” to be defined on the homepage, accessibly coded search boxes, logical heading structure, and several problems to be resolved on result pages. Variations in needs depending on users’ screen reader expertise were also raised. Suggestions for libraries to address these issues are offered.