Library and Information Science Commons^™

Everything Counts Toward Book Collection Development, Terry Kennedy

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Soloing With Friends, Jeannie Ferriss

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

How To Thrive As A Solo Librarian, Andrea Abernathy, Renee Carey, Terry Kennedy, Jim Mancuso, Deborah Mcconkey, Paul Roberts

Faculty Publications - George Fox University Library

Your faculty may play a positive role for you as a solo librarian. Consider using our FINEST CHINA:

Communicate with your faculty

Harness their expertise

Inform them of options that will help them and their students

kNow what they are teaching

Acknowledge that you appreciate them

Decoding Virtual Reference: Using Chat Transcripts To Guide Usability Testing And Improve Web Design, Kate E. Wimer

Faculty Publications - George Fox University Library

Background and Aim

Given the importance of user-centered design in library websites and virtual reference environments, this study sought to utilize existing chat transcript data at the University of Denver library to build a framework of patron patterns and natural language in students asking reference questions.

Method

This study employed a word-cloud analysis on cleaned transcript data to identify patterns in student language and behavior when describing reference needs on the library website. Data from two consecutive fall quarters were analyzed separately and trends were identified by comparison.

Findings

This study identifies five top term/phrases in student chat transcript data: …

Digital Commons @ George Fox University: 3-Year Report, Alex Rolfe

Faculty Publications - George Fox University Library

A look at the use and content of our institutional repository three years in.

Cassell And Hiremath's "Reference And Information Services: An Introduction (3rd Ed.)" (Book Review), Paul Hartog

The Christian Librarian

A review of Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2013). Reference and information services: An introduction (3rd ed.). Chicago: Neal-Schuman. 510 pp. $88.00. ISBN 9781555708597

Open Educational Resources: Expanding The Conversation Regarding Adoption And Use On A College Campus, Erin Mccoy

The Christian Librarian

As more institutions explore Open Educational Resource (OER) initiatives, librarians should be involved in the campus-wide conversation. Also, OER means more than free online textbooks; a broader conversation needs to be prioritized as institutions step into the OER movement. This article is an adaptation of the author’s presentation at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Association of Christian Librarians, titled “Out of Bounds: Exploring Open Educational Resources.”

A Survey Of Church Libraries, Ellen Bosman

The Christian Librarian

This article reports the results of a survey of congregational libraries, documents the current state of congregational libraries, and updates previous statistical studies. A survey was conducted to collect demographic statistics, information on collection size and composition, budgets and acquisitions methods, staffing characteristics, automation, and circulation.

A Generation Of Information Anxiety: Refinements And Recommendations, Paul Hartog

The Christian Librarian

Richard Saul Wurman’s groundbreaking Information Anxiety (1989) was published exactly one generation ago. The passage of time has allowed information specialists to reflect further upon the notion of information anxiety and such related concepts as “info-glut,” “techno-stress,” and “infoaddiction.” The interval has also allowed librarians to develop best practices to inoculate against information anxiety and to alleviate the symptoms of information overload. This essay will address definitional concerns regarding information anxiety and related phenomena; investigate the causes and effects of information anxiety; discuss specific difficulties in relationship to the reception, processing, and application of information; and consider the role of …

The “Genius” Of Reference Service: A Threefold Framework As A Simple Assessment Tool, Paul Hartog

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Successful Libraries Survey, The Tcl Editorial Team

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor, Garrett Trott

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter (The Christian Librarian 59:1)

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Play On: The Use Of Games In Libraries, Christa Hill

The Christian Librarian

The use of games in the library is a currently trending topic of discussion and writing in the Library and Information Science profession. Upon first consideration, gaming may seem to be irrelevant at best and a waste of time and resources at worst. However, gaming does have several significant implications for all types of libraries, including greater exposure to new information technologies and the sense of community that a gaming program can foster. Thus, libraries should seriously consider the benefits of gaming programs and be prepared to carefully develop collection policies and to properly plan gaming opportunities for their patrons. …

Letter From The Editor, Garrett Trott

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The Christian Academic Librarian In The Technological Society, David B. Malone

The Christian Librarian

In our contemporary society, technologies establish the course of our lives. Libraries have always engaged various technologies to bring order to disorder and over the last two decades, academic libraries have undergone significant technological change. Librarians have sought to convey an orderliness to the visible world and humanity’s body of knowledge. How this technology and body of knowledge is engaged bears significance. The engagement of the Christian academic librarian should include a distinctly Christian perspective. This paper examines the engagement of the Christian academic librarian in the technological society.

You Want Coffee With That? Revisiting The Library As Place, Shelia Gaines

The Christian Librarian

The constantly changing roles of libraries and librarians, as well as the onslaught of electronic resources and mobile technology, have refocused attention on the library’s place and value in today’s society. This paper highlights a 2015 academic library conference presentation and includes supplemental information on the subject. It focuses on the library less as the traditional place to gather information and more as the meeting place – a third place – where like-minded individuals, their information-gathering devices in tow, enter and expect “super-sized” customer service.

Annotated Bibliography: Free Books Online, Murl Winters

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Librarian Hacks: Introducing The Virtual Theological Library Project, Seth Allen

The Christian Librarian

Acquiring a low-cost library catalog is problematic, but there are a number of tools to ‘hack’ a library catalog. While no free product rivals the usability and searching sophistication of proprietary ILS systems, I believe that the Virtual Theological Library Project presents a solution is that is affordable and easy to implement. Using tools freely available on the web, librarians in churches and small academic libraries can created a cloud-based library catalog that is searchable to the public and supplement their local holdings with millions of theological texts on the web. Using Google Site and Google Sheets to create a …

Is Authority Always Constructed And Contextual? A Classical Challenge To The Framework For Information Literacy, Nathan Rinne

The Christian Librarian

The 2015 Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (or Framework) is the latest effort of academic librarians to provide relevant guidance for the teaching of information literacy. One claim made within this “living document,” in line with current academic trends of constructivism and social constructivism, is that “Authority is Constructed and Contextual.” Questions are raised concerning authority’s relationship to the idea of truth, and an effort is made, largely through a Socratic method of inquiry, to delve into the meaning of the Framework’s statement on authority using the further explanations provided concerning this particular “frame,” as well as the …

Religious Accommodations For Sabbatarian Observance Among Library Staff, Paul A. Hartog

The Christian Librarian

Over the last twenty-five years, litigation related to religious discrimination in the workplace has been on the rise. One of the tension points has been the religious practice of Sabbath keeping, leading to employment scheduling conflicts. Title VII and its subsequent amendments require that employers seek “reasonable accommodations” for Sabbatarian observance. Such adjustments should not cause “undue hardship” to the employer, who is required to make a “good faith effort” at accommodation. This article discusses creative alternatives that managers of public libraries and nonsectarian academic libraries may implement when accommodating Seventh-Day Adventist and similar Sabbatarian staff members.

Evans And Alire's "Management Basics For Information Professionals" (Book Review), Paul Hartog

The Christian Librarian

A review of Evans, G.E., & Alire, C.A. (2013). Management basics for information professionals. Chicago: Neal-Schuman. 577 pp. $88.00. ISBN 9781555709099

Annotated Bibliography: Helps On Navigating The Art Of Leadership And Empowering Team Members, Jeannie Ferriss

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The Power Of Encouragement: The Role Of Christian Academic Librarians In Supporting The Whole Student, Earleen J. Warner

The Christian Librarian

Christian librarians are exhorted to consider the role of providing encouragement, care, and emotional and spiritual support to college students. Caring for the whole student can have a positive impact on college student success and retention, as well as have a transformational effect on students’ spiritual lives. By treating college students as whole persons created in the image of God, Christians academic librarians can not only help these students succeed by meeting their academic needs, but also help students thrive by supporting them emotionally and spiritually.

Teaching Library History: Engaging The Academic Community, Ben Brick

The Christian Librarian

The author provides an overview of an upper-level undergraduate course on library history he has created and taught at a small Bible college. He reviews the lessons learned from the experience as well as the opportunities this course provided for information literacy instruction.

Using Library Events And Programs To Reach Out To Patrons, Robert Lee Burgess

The Christian Librarian

"In the 2014-2015 academic year, Southwestern Libraries had significant changes in faculty and staff. We decided that our librarians would take the initiative to reach out to the students in order for the library to be more welcoming. Our ultimate goal was try to get students to see the library as a place of learning and community, and not just a place to pick up books."

Using Your Library’S Objectives As The Organizational Framework For Library Documentation In Planning, Assessment, And Accreditation, Jennifer S. Ewing, Ruth E. Martin

The Christian Librarian

The San Diego Christian/Southern California Seminary Library1 uses its objectives as the organizational framework for its strategic plan, annual report, assessment plan, and policies and procedures manual. This article describes how the library’s objectives compare to the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Standards (to ensure best practices), relate to the areas covered in the library strategic plan, annual report, and operations manual, and correspond to the standards and criteria from their respective accrediting agencies, showing how easy it is to identify supporting evidence for a program review or self-study when using this organizing method.

Acl News & Notes

The Christian Librarian

This section of The Christian Librarian includes updates to the membership, announcements from members, and reports from various committees and groups around the Association of Christian Librarians.

Mitchell And Seiden's "Reviewing The Academic Library: A Guide To Selfstudy And External Review" (Book Review), Donald E. Day

The Christian Librarian

A review of Mitchell, E., & Seiden, P. (Eds.) (2015). Reviewing the academic library: A guide to selfstudy and external review. Chicago: ACRL. 334 pp. $65.00. ISBN 9780838987834

Comparative Study Of Ethics In Librarianship And The Bible, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya

The Christian Librarian

This paper is a comparative study that discusses ethical issues in librarianship and the Bible. Such issues include: Laws in librarianship vs. laws in the Bible; censorship in librarianship vs. censorship in the Bible; Bible teachings on access to information and access to information in librarianship; purification (i.e., book binding), conservation and preservation practices in the library and in the Bible; weeding of library collections and weeding practices in the Bible; privacy and confidentiality in the library and in the Bible; orderliness of the library collections and the Bible; consortium building of library collections and in the Bible; and consequences …