Library and Information Science Commons^™

Strengthening Your (Dublin) Core For Stronger User Discoverability (And Possibly Abs), Andrea Payant, Paul Daybell, Liz Woolcott, Becky Skeen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Utah State University Libraries Cataloging and Metadata Services unit investigated user search behavior using web log analysis to determine how users interacted with CONTENTdm, which categories of search terms were used, and where search terms were found in a metadata record. This presentation will discuss the key findings from data analysis and how this will influence metadata practices to improve digital collection user experience.

Library After Hours: Reinventing The First-Year Experience, One Epic Party At A Time, Katie Strand, Niki Fullmer, Paul Daybell

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

What if we could transform student perceptions of the academic library in one night? Our library orientations may be the key to changing the library image from that of a stuffy and intimidating place to a hub for exploration, creativity, and fun. This presentation will highlight how one institution threw out the rule book on the traditional library orientation, trading in our tired PowerPoints and scavenger hunts for laser tag and escape rooms, to give students a night to remember. Presenters will share details about the planning, execution, and assessment of an after-hours library event attended by 1,500 first-year students.

We're Bringing Spacers Back: Secondary Processing At Utah State University Archives, Kelly Rovegno, Heather Housley, Paul Daybell, Becky Skeen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Processing can be an iterative process but finding time and resources to re-evaluate existing collections is difficult, especially with backlogs and new acquisitions. However, secondary processing can greatly improve access, discoverability, and the physical condition of the materials. This session examines the process in which Utah State University Archives, as part of a larger cataloging project to modernize University began and carried out an evaluation of collections for secondary processing and rehousing.

It's Time For An Ead Glow Up! How To Make Finding Aids More Attractive To Users, Paul Daybell, Liz Woolcott, Kelly Rovegno, Andrea Payant, Becky Skeen, Heather Housley

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

USU Libraries investigated discoverability of local Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aids using different levels of description. The research team created two dueling finding aids of the same collection; one with an MPLP stripped down box level inventory, and the other with a more robust item level of description. Both finding aids were posted online simultaneously and left untouched for over a year. The data was then pulled and assessed for each collection with the more 'glowed up' item level finding aid being, on average, 61x more discoverable than the finding aids described at the file level. Presenters will discuss …

The Revised Dacs Principles In Action: Applying Modern Practice To Legacy Description, Ryan Lee, Rebecca A. Wiederhold, Becky Skeen, Paul Daybell, Heather Housley, Kelly Rovegno

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Since SAA revised DACS's archival description principles from 8 concepts into 11 reworked value statements in 2019, archivists have wondered how to incorporate the revised principles into existing description practices. Archivists from BYU and USU libraries have undertaken large projects on legacy collections informed by these principles. We invite attendees to learn from our experiences in implementing current DACS principles while grappling with less-than-ideal records. BYU will describe a project to revise the description of a significant collection of Mesoamerican materials after discovering the finding aid had serious problems introduced by previous revisions by archivists. USU will describe an undertaking …

Connections: Library Orientation, Usu Libraries

All E-Learning Resources

Attention: As of 2026 updated versions of this module will no longer be available on Digital Commons. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

This module is a library introduction for incoming USU Connections students. This module will discuss library spaces on USU campuses, money-saving resources, and research tips and resources. This module can be embedded in USU-1010 Canvas courses.

Defining And Interrogating The Collection File In Archival Collection Management, Audra Eagle Yun

Journal of Western Archives

What is a collection file, anyway? This work-in-progress summarizes the results of a sample survey of archivists to better understand the purpose, function, and contents of collection files, how archivists learn to create collection files, and their potential for public access and use. From these results, we can extrapolate a preliminary definition of the collection file, as well as the potential for future study and critical analysis of the practical elements of collection file work, especially in relation to archival accessioning, deaccessioning, and repatriation.

Is Microethnography An Ethnographic Case Study? And/Or A Mini-Ethnographic Case Study? An Analysis Of The Literature, Rebecca Y. Bayeck

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Selecting the research approach that addresses the research question is often challenging for novice researchers. However, getting a better understanding of the research approaches available in the field, is likely to help novice researchers identify and choose the research approach that fits their situation. In this paper, we discuss microethnography, ethnographic case study, and mini-ethnography case study in order to show that these approaches may have similarities but are different. The author hopes that this discussion will help researchers get a better understanding of these approaches and dissipate the confusion that may exist.

Review Of Museum Archives: Practice, Issues, Advocacy, Laura J. French

Journal of Western Archives

Review of Museum Archives: Practice, Issues, Advocacy.

Review Of Born-Digital Design Records, Nicole Grady Mountjoy

Journal of Western Archives

Book review of Born-Digital Design Records part of the Trends in Archives Practice series by the Society of American Archivists.

Connecting Beliefs, Mindsets, Anxiety, And Self-Efficacy In Computer Science Learning: An Instrument For Capturing Secondary School Students’ Self-Beliefs, Luis Morales-Navarro, Michael T. Giang, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Context

Few instruments exist to measure students’ CS engagement and learning especially in areas where coding happens with creative, project-based learning and in regard to students’ self-beliefs about computing.

Objective

We introduce the CS Interests and Beliefs Inventory (CSIBI), an instrument designed for novice secondary students to learn by designing projects (particularly with physical computing).. The inventory contains subscales on beliefs on problem solving competency, fascination in design, value of CS, creative expression, and beliefs about context-specific CS abilities alongside programming mindsets and outcomes. We explain the creation of the instrument and attend to the role of mindsets …

Review Of Managing Business Archives, Erin M. Louthen

Journal of Western Archives

Business archivists need to be flexible, adaptable, and creative so that they can easily pivots to meet their companies' changing priorities and needs. With insightful examples and practical discussions, Managing Business Archives provides direction for archivists making decisions in a dynamic business climate, as well as archivists in all fields.

Candles Burning At Both Ends: Experiences Of Dual-Role Archivist/Librarians, Robert Perret

Journal of Western Archives

Workers with both archivist and librarian responsibilities were surveyed to examine their experience of this dual role. Their self-identity, training, responsibilities, and place of work are explored, as well as their feeling of being prepared for a dual role. This study finds that while the preponderance of respondents feel prepared, more than half regularly engage in more than 40 job activities spanning both archives and libraries. The diversity of responsibilities, combined with the tension between two distinct professions, places significant strain on those in a dual role. At the same time, respondents felt isolated and underappreciated, and expressed feelings of …

Neon In Nevada: A Case Study In Statewide Collaboration, Amy J. Hunsaker, Cory Lampert, Teresa Auch Schultz

Journal of Western Archives

Neon signs in Nevada capture the spirit of glitzy gambling meccas, boom and bust towns, and frontier settlements that dot the vast geography of this unique state. However, many iconic and hidden signs are in constant danger of disappearing as populations shift and the elements naturally break down the physical aspects of the signs. In addition, neon signs in Reno and remote, Northern Nevada locales have remained relatively undiscovered. UNLV has had a long history of documenting the art of neon and has partnered with the Neon Museum in Las Vegas to preserve this rapidly disappearing cultural heritage. Digital Humanities …

The Predictive Validity Of The Gre Across Graduate Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis Of Trends Over Time, David F. Feldon, Kaylee Litson, Brinleigh Cahoon, Zhang Feng, Andrew Walker, Colby Tofel-Grehl

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This meta-analysis assesses the predictive validity of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) across outcome variables, including grade point average, for graduate students. In addition to aggregate effects, this paper also assessed changes in observed effects over time as related to increasing diversity in the graduate student population and as a function of gender and racial/ethnic composition of study samples. Framed using a lens of critical whiteness, this analysis examined n = 1,744 individual effects across k = 208 studies. Overall, 61.6% of reported effects were nonsignificant (i.e. no predictive value of GRE scores on student outcomes). Further, the magnitude of …

To Be Or Not To Be A Publisher: Supporting Open Educational Resource (Oer) Development, Stephanie Western

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

This is a handout from ACRL 2023. It contains roundtable discussion questions regarding the trending landscape of open publishing and lists of resources to help participants make intentional choices about their role in OER development.

None Of Our Business: Critically Examining Power Dynamics And The Role Of Libraries In The Information Industry, Alex Sundt, Stephanie Western, Erica Finch, Becky Thoms

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Talk of the prestige economy is cheap, while open access and APCs are big business. Librarians dream of bolder action but are fearful of institutional backlash. How do we find a new path forward?

Green Oa Day Media Toolkit, Erica Finch, Kellianne Gammill

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

This media toolkit contains materials used by Utah State University to promote faculty and student involvement in green open access by encouraging them to submit their accepted papers to the institutional repository. The graphics in the toolkit are designed to attract attention and generate interest in the repository. The toolkit features graphics for different social media platforms, all of which incorporate the #GreenOADay hashtag.

Library Instructional E-Resources As Oer: Finding The Right Home, Erica Finch, Niki Fullmer, Stephanie Western

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Apcs And 123s: Estimating How Much Your Faculty Are Spending On Article Processing Charges., Erica Finch, Lindsay Ozburn, Becky L. Thoms

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

No abstract provided.

Designing Hybrid Human-Ai Orchestration Tools For Individual And Collaborative Activities: A Technology Probe Study, Vanessa Echeverria, Kexin Yang, Luettamae Lawrence, Nikol Rummel, Vincent Aleven

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Combining individual and collaborative learning is common, but dynamic combinations (which happen as-the-need arises, rather than in pre-planned ways, and may happen on an individual basis) are rare. This work reports findings from a technology probe study exploring alternative designs for classroom co-orchestration support for dynamically transitioning between individual and collaborative learning. The study involved 1) a technology-probe classroom study in an authentic, AI-supported classroom to understand teachers' and students' needs for co-orchestration support over dynamic transitions; and 2) workshops and interviews with students and teachers to get informed feedback about their lived experiences. 118 students and three teachers from …

Review Of Metadata For Digital Collections: A How-To-Do-It Manual, Elyse Fox

Journal of Western Archives

Review of Metadata for Digital Collections: A How-To-Do-It Manual, Second Edition by Steven Jack Miller.

Getting To Know Digital Collections Users, Emily Lapworth

Journal of Western Archives

Use and user studies can provide valuable information to archivists and librarians who wish to improve their services and systems. However, studying the use and users of digital archival collections can be challenging. This study describes the methods and findings of a study conducted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) to explore questions such as, who is using UNLV Digital Collections? How are they using the materials? What are their user interface preferences? Are they satisfied? The methods used include web analytics, an online survey, and interviews. The author shares lessons learned to aid other repositories in designing …

Intro To Primary Sources, Katie Strand, Jen Kirk, Dan Davis, Lara Petersen

All E-Learning Resources

Attention: As of 2026 updated versions of this item will no longer be available on Digital Commons. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

The Identifying Primary Sources tutorial teaches students how they find, evaluate, and use primary sources in their own research. Along the way, they'll learn about some great places to start researching when looking for primary sources.

"The Village That Learns": A Learning Journey Across Intraventions And Domains Over Two Decades In A Rural Thai Community, Deborah A. Fields, Luis Morales-Navarro, Paulo Blikstein

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

What does it mean to become a village that learns? In this paper we document the transformative learning journey of a small Thai village over 24 years, becoming a community that identified, tackled, and iterated on problems, altering their everyday practices and lives. In that process the village shifted from a subsistence agricultural community staggeringly in debt to one known for its sustainable environmental, agricultural, and financial initiatives. To understand the village’s learning journey, we consider the village itself as the primary unit of analysis, applying an iterative case study approach, with chronological sequencing, thematic, and biographical narrative analysis …

Cycles Of Learning And Growth: Developing The Tribal Digital Stewardship Cohort Program Guided By Indigenous Perspectives, Lotus Norton-Wisla

Journal of Western Archives

This article provides lessons learned through four cycles of the Tribal Digital Stewardship Cohort Program at Washington State University’s Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation. The author coordinated the hybrid online and in-person training program from 2015-2020, focused on the unique needs of staff at Indigenous archives, libraries, and museums at the beginning of digital projects with unique access considerations. The learning and professional growth of program staff was informed by the participants in the program, whose words and work are highlighted in the article. The author reflects on the program design, curricular outcomes, site visits, building relationships and peer …

Optimizing A Library Website For Student Research: Comparing User Metrics Between Encore And Google Scholar, Lindsay Ozburn, Ryan Bushman, Kade Stevenson, Margaret Winward, Liz Woolcott

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

The paper addresses the methods and general conclusions portion of an experiment that evaluated user preference and search experience using Google Scholar and Utah State University (USU) Libraries' Encore discovery layer as a starting point for research. USU's 2019 Ithaka S+R Faculty survey highlighted that our faculty utilize Google Scholar more as a starting point for their research. To triangulate these findings, the experiment attempts to identify which search methods undergraduates prefer.

Review Of Making Your Tools Work For You: Building And Maintaining An Integrated Technical Ecosystem For Digital Archives And Libraries, Lindsey Memory

Journal of Western Archives

Review of Making Your Tools Work for You: Building and Maintaining an Integrated Technical Ecosystem for Digital Archives and Libraries.

Analyzing Discoverability In An Mplp World: How Levels Of Description Impact Findability, Anna-Maria Arnljots, Paul Daybell, Kurt Alan Meyer, Andrea Payant, Becky Skeen, Liz Woolcott

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Libraries and archives have differing opinions on how much effort to put into content description. Yet, descriptive practices meant to reduce processing time and increase exposure to collections can have unintended impacts on long-term user discovery. This project tests minimal and full description to determine the effects on discoverability.

A Dashboard To Support Teachers During Students’ Self-Paced Ai-Supported Problem-Solving Practice, Vincent Aleven, Jori Blankestijn, Luettamae Lawrence, Tomohiro Nagashima, Niels Taatgen

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Past research has yielded ample knowledge regarding the design of analytics-based tools for teachers and has found beneficial effects of several tools on teaching and learning. Yet there is relatively little knowledge regarding the design of tools that support teachers when a class of students uses AI-based tutoring software for self-paced learning. To address this challenge, we conducted design-based research with 20 middle school teachers to create a novel real-time dashboard, Tutti, that helps a teacher monitor a class and decide which individual students to help, based on analytics from students’ tutoring software. Tutti is fully implemented and has been …