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.

A Question Of Space: Surveying Student Usage Of Lgbtq Resources In The Lgbtq Student Center Library And The Campus Library, Anne Hays

Publications and Research

This article explores how self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students use the library located within a culture center on campus serving LGBTQ students, compared to the ways those students use the main campus library. In particular, this study asks how LGBTQ students’ needs of library collections may differ based on where those collections are located. While much has been written about pluralism, diversity, and multiculturalism in the library, there have been strikingly few studies by librarians attempting to work with minority student cultural centers on campus. Through an in-depth survey, this study directly asks LGBTQ students …

Building Bridges: Fostering Dynamic Partnerships Between The Library Department And Office Of Student Disability Services In Higher Education, Nilda Alexandra Sanchez-Rodriguez, Joseph Logiudice

Publications and Research

Building effective communication and interdepartmental partnerships are essential components of strengthening services, policies, and procedures to meet the individual information needs of students, faculty, and the college community. Despite major advancements in library services for users with disabilities, there are ongoing challenges, which need to be addressed. It is essential to develop inclusion and accessibility frameworks that serve mutual departmental interests to share and document lessons learned along the way.

This article explores the evolving shared leadership between an Architecture Librarian/Liaison to the AccessAbility Center; and the Director of Student Disability Services at the City College of New York to …

Addressing The Technical Challenges Of Open Educational Resources, Steven Ovadia

Publications and Research

As open educational resources (OER) becomes a more established concept, its growth and continued success not only center around the creation of new content but also depend upon the development and evolution of existing content, licenses permitting. The evolution of and persistent access to existing content requires easily editable works and the ability to download local copies of OER files so that no technical limitations hinder what the license permits. Such measures as text files, OpenDocument formats, and version control present a way to keep OER content editable and shareable, in compliance with licenses. Librarians are uniquely positioned to help …

The Cuny Dominican Studies Institute Library: Bringing The Community To The Academic Library, Nelson Santana, Sarah Aponte

Publications and Research

The Dominican Library is a haven where a diverse group of users congregate not only to learn about Dominican-related sources, but also to become information literate. This chapter provides an overview of the history and development of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library since its inception in 1994 to its transformation from a local resource to an internationally recognized resource. In addition, this chapter seeks to establish the work the Library has done in making a unique contribution to Dominican studies scholarship and to the preservation and dissemination of Dominican history and culture in the United States and beyond. The …

Visualizing Archives And Library Collections, Thomas Cleary

Publications and Research

Archivists and special collections librarians have struggled for a long time with how to show patrons what we have in our holdings. Collections have been made accessible through container lists, finding aids, and collection and content management systems such as ArchivesSpace, Islandora, and CONTENTdm. Each of these documents and systems also has its own learning curve and different functions, but even then the scale of some topics in collections or the connectedness between collections is not always apparent.

This article showcases two projects the author has worked on to assist in creating data visualizations in a library/archives context. The GLAMViz …

A Promising Partnership: An Undergraduate Intern And Librarian Collaborate On Research Guides And Collection Development, Lee Ann Fullington, Alexandra Torres

Publications and Research

Though library science internships for undergraduates are not as well documented as those for MLIS students, internships for undergraduates can be impactful for both the intern and the library. Undergraduate students have firsthand, immersive experience with their major curriculum, and this expertise can benefit science librarians making collection development decisions and creating content for research guides. This article discusses two such projects undertaken by an undergraduate mathematics major as part of a science librarianship internship.

Contingent Appointments In Academic Libraries: Management Challenges And Opportunities, Marta Bladek

Publications and Research

Academia’s overwhelming reliance on non-tenure track, or contingent, faculty is a well known fact. While the status and working conditions of contingent classroom faculty have been well studied and documented, the corresponding trend in academic libraries has not been explored as deeply. As this paper reviews the limited LIS literature on the subject, it aims to provide administrators and managers with a deeper understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of contingent appointments. It also offers strategies for fostering a workplace culture that recognizes contingent librarians’ contributions and promotes their professional growth.

Latino Students And The Academic Library: A Primer For Action, Marta Bladek

Publications and Research

As the growth in Latino college enrollment is expected to continue for years to come, academic libraries at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and beyond will be serving increasing numbers of Hispanic students. Since Latino educational attainment remains lower than than of other groups and academic libraries’ impact on retention, GPA and related educational outcomes has been well documented, it is crucial that academic libraries actively foster Latino students’ success. A review of the literature on Hispanic students and library use, the article also includes recommendations for practice and offers a local example to illustrate strategies libraries may implement to better …

Leveraging Library Expertise In Support Of Institutional Goals: A Case Study Of An Oer Initiative At Lehman College, Stacy Katz

Publications and Research

Incentivizing faculty adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) as a method for reducing textbook costs to increase access and affordability of higher education has been an area of development in academic libraries. This manuscript describes the experience at Lehman College, CUNY, the only four-year public college in the Bronx, NY. The OER initiative involves the creation of a new program, which includes assisting faculty with adopting and adapting OER, as well as training and discussion around issues pertinent to OER, such as finding and evaluating OER. The case study explains local conditions and provide an overview of the financial implications …

Engaging The Framework For Information Literacy For Higher Education As A Lens For Assessment In Eportfolio Social Pedagogy Ecosystem For Science Teacher Education, Wesley Pitts, Alison Lehner-Quam

Publications and Research

This article highlights a case study that assesses how graduate-level, in-service science teachers engage in an ePortfolio social pedagogy ecosystem to document their growth in knowledge practices and dispositions in information literacy. The ePortfolio social pedagogy ecosystem and this study are situated within the context of the Catalyst Framework. The three modes of interrelated social learning activities include: (1) authoring the written ePortfolio in an online ePortfolio digital media platform, (2) presenting the ePortfolio in the webinar platform, and (3) presenting the ePortfolio in- person in a physical setting. We used case study methodology to systematically investigate how each participant …

Student Textbook Purchasing: The Hidden Cost Of Time, Stacy Katz

Publications and Research

Choice in textbook purchasing has been portrayed as beneficial to students. However, the time spent exploring options for purchasing textbooks takes students away from other obligations in their lives. This research is a study of student textbook purchasing. In this paper, the literature regarding the textbook acquisition process is explored. Students were surveyed regarding their textbook purchasing habits. I found that most students visited multiple stores or websites, but those who purchased textbooks ultimately only purchased from the campus bookstore/bookstore website or Amazon.com. Approximately twenty percent of students reported spending more than two hours purchasing textbooks. The ways in which …

What's The Real Cost Of Your Textbook?, Sharell Walker, Kathryn Anastasi

Publications and Research

A presentation on a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) initiative that collected the narratives of students who faced financial difficulty as a result of the high cost of textbooks. The project is meant to shed light on the benefit of zero textbook cost courses and urge faculty to convert their courses to ZTC courses.

From Women-Staffed To Women-Led: Gender And Leadership In Academic Libraries, 1974-2018., Marta Bladek

Publications and Research

This article reviews post-1974 scholarly literature on women’s leadership in academic libraries, with the emphasis on the United States. The purpose of this synthesis is to highlight research areas and themes that have significantly expanded the profession’s knowledge about gender and its impact at the top administrative level. The article starts with a brief overview of theories of gender and leadership before tracing scholarship on the gendered career patterns singled out in Schiller’s work (1974). The article then focuses on additional issues related to gender and library administration, including leadership styles, perceptions of differences between male and female leaders, and …

Research 101 Certificate Program Materials Fall 2018, Neera Mohess

Open Educational Resources

This document lists the materials used in administering the Research 101 Certificate Program for the Fall 2018 semester at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York.

Using Fan Studies To Put Information Literacy In Context: On Teaching A Credit Course With A Theme, Nancy M. Foasberg

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Bot Literacy: Teaching Librarians To Make Twitter Bots, Mark E. Eaton, Robin Camille Davis

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Revolution Won’T Be Live Tweeted: On Jen Schradie’S “The Revolution That Wasn’T: How Digital Activism Favors Conservatives", Emily Drabinski

Publications and Research

Review of Jen Schradie's "The Revolution That Wasn't: How Digital Activism Favors Conservatives"

Comics, Questions, Action! Engaging Students And Instruction Librarians With The Comics-Questions Curriculum, Stephanie Margolin, Mason Brown, Sarah Laleman Ward

Publications and Research

In a four-session Summer Bridge programme, we experimented with new curricular and pedagogical ideas with a group of incoming freshmen. We developed the Comics-Questions Curriculum (CQC), which melds students’ question asking with a focus on comics. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale for and ongoing development of the CQC as well as the ways the CQC fosters engagement of students and librarians, builds upon students’ existing skills but propels them forward toward college-level work, and positions librarians as partners in students’ college work. Although it was designed for a specific purpose initially, the CQC in its …

Opting Out Is Not An Option: Why All Academic Librarians Must Understand Open Access, Jill Cirasella

Publications and Research

This presentation challenges the still-too-prevalent notion that scholarly communication competencies are essential only for scholarly communication librarians and optional for other academic librarians. It focuses on one competency in particular: a robust understanding of open access.

Responsible Use Of Materials For Oer: A Hands-On Workshop For Faculty, Madeline Cohen

Publications and Research

This lightening talk will give an overview of an active-learning workshop at Lehman College for faculty developing OER. The goals of the 90 minute workshop are to provide practical exercises through which faculty learn how to identify, provide attribution for, and reuse materials that are under copyright, open access (public domain) or under Creative Commons licenses. Research Guides and tutorials on copyright and Creative Commons have been provided to faculty, but the content can be difficult for the novice to absorb. In fact, faculty often think of copyright and Creative Commons as more confusing than they are in practice.Therefore, the …

Use And Awareness Of Reference Management Software Among Community College Students, Ajatshatru Pathak, Sarah Johnson,

Publications and Research

This research study investigates the use and awareness of reference management software (RMS) among community college students. An in-person survey was conducted in April and May 2017 at two mid-sized urban public community colleges in New York City. Researchers recruited 124 participants for this survey. The 13-item survey instrument was designed to determine participants’ awareness and use of RMS. The results show a low awareness and use of RMS among community college students regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, field of study, undergraduate class level, English proficiency, or academic level. The article discusses areas for further research and suggests strategies …

Global North And South In Scholarly Publishing: The Affiliations Of Authors And The Situating Of Journals, Beth Evans, Beth Evans, Nanette Johnson

Publications and Research

An important goal of the open access movement in scholarly publishing has been to broaden access to research globally. Electronic delivery and removing paywalls has allowed published, open access research to flow more readily across borders. Furthermore, although subscription publishing platforms continue to be maintained as they have been historically in the Global North (GN), new publishers, often located in the Global South (GS), have seen an opportunity to offer platforms of their own that publish in an open access environment. Journals situated in the GS, nonetheless, have often been suspected as being predatory, in part, because of their unfamiliar …

The Roles Of Academic Libraries In Shaping Music Publishing In The Digital Age, Kimmy Szeto

Publications and Research

Libraries are positioned at the nexus of creative production, music publishing, performance, and research. The academic library community has the potential to play an influential leadership role in shaping the music publishing life cycle, making scores more readily discoverable and accessible, and establishing itself as a force that empowers a wide range of creativity and scholarship. Yet the music publishing industry has been slow to capitalize on the digital market, and academic libraries have been slow to integrate electronic music scores into their collections. In this paper, I will discuss the historical, technical, and human factors that have contributed to …

Zines For Teaching: A Survey Of Pedagogy And Implications For Academic Librarians, Susan E. Thomas

Publications and Research

Zines have begun to gain a place in higher education as pedagogical tools studied or made by students, and many academic libraries maintain zine collections. The library literature reveals little about how nonlibrarian faculty use zines in their classrooms. This paper describes the results of a survey of faculty from a range of academic disciplines and professions who teach with zines and other booklet forms. Survey results reveal the extent to which faculty zine pedagogies include collaboration with librarians and use of library collections. Faculty describe instructional activities and attitudes that many library professionals, including reference and instruction librarians, directors …

Understanding Fake News By Teaching With The Game "Factitious"., Sharell Walker

Publications and Research

This presentation introduces readers to the online game "Factitious" as a tool for teaching students about fake news. "Facititous" is a collaboration between the American University Game Lab and the American University School of Communication.

Referencing Audre Lorde, Shawn(Ta) Smith-Cruz

Publications and Research

This chapter is close a reading and textual analysis of canonical texts, speeches, and archived audio recordings of Audre Lorde. It embraces Lorde’s many identities, including her identity as a librarian who chose to depart from the library as a means of survival. The author urges reference librarians to study Lorde’s example and learn from Lorde’s choice to act in a space where silence can be transformed into language and action. Acknowledgment of the limitations and opportunities that Lorde teaches us in reference service and institutional structures, may allow for librarians to move toward a realm of justice.

Lesbian Librarianship For All: A Manifesto, Shawn(Ta) Smith-Cruz

Publications and Research

This essay intends to bridge the gap between two under-appreciated communities by committing to ways that each enhances the other. The complications for being a lesbian librarian outlined here may be applied to any librarian or any lesbian by acknowledging how the two communities mirror each other in positions of marginality, struggle, and implication for silence, each active in a movement toward justice. I intend for this chapter to act as a type of autobiographical manifesto, coupled with an invitation for both lesbians and librarians to stake a claim as lesbian librarian.

A Blueprint On Self-Exploration To Justice: Introduction To “Referencing Audre Lorde” & “Lesbian Librarianship For All”, Shawn(Ta) Smith-Cruz

Publications and Research

My approach to social justice problematizes the profession by challenging the librarian to focus inwardly to a space concentrated with identity and self-exploration. To galvanize justice, the librarian may impose her or himself into the reference interaction as an element of praxis.

Crafting A Research Question: Differentiated Teaching For Instruction With Primary Sources Across Diverse Learning Levels, Jen Hoyer, Kaitlin Holt, Julia Pelaez

Publications and Research

This case study illustrates methods for drawing on primary sources to instruct students on how to generate and refine research questions (Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy, learning objective 1C) and to recognize that research questions may change (Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy, learning objective 1D). The authors are educators with the Brooklyn Connections program, the school outreach arm of Brooklyn Public Library’s archive and rare book division. Given the diversity of the students served by this program, this case study focuses on adapting a lesson to three examples of lesson implementation, one each in elementary, middle, and high school, varyingly …