Library and Information Science Commons^™

Turbulent Times In Content Development: Remaining Efficacious Among Reorganizations, Fires, And The Serials Crisis, Casey D. Hoeve

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

All too often, the internal organization of collection development departments are ignored. Perhaps inadvertently, more pressing issues of budgets, resource renewals, and vendor negotiations divert our attention; yet at the same time, the completion of these initiatives require capable and efficient faculty and staff. Burnout, now classified by the World Health Organization as a “syndrome conceptualized resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” (WHO, 2019) is appropriate to juxtapose against the organization of collection development departments. As self-care is vital to our health, the same question of vitality should be applied in collection development departments — …

Digital Libraries, Intelligent Data Analytics, And Augmented Description: A Demonstration Project, Elizabeth Lorang, Leen-Kiat Soh, Yi Liu, Chulwoo Pack

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

From July 16-to November 8, 2019, the Aida digital libraries research team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln collaborated with the Library of Congress on “Digital Libraries, Intelligent Data Analytics, and Augmented Description: A Demonstration Project.“ This demonstration project sought to (1) develop and investigate the viability and feasibility of textual and image-based data analytics approaches to support and facilitate discovery; (2) understand technical tools and requirements for the Library of Congress to improve access and discovery of its digital collections; and (3) enable the Library of Congress to plan for future possibilities. In pursuit of these goals, we focused our …

A Brief History To The Future Of Open Access, Margaret Mering, Casey D. Hoeve

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

There are many challenges when attempting to understand the current open access environment, and the frameworks and best practices that are driving the movement forward. Collection development and scholarly communications have become a partnership of blurred lines, as paid subscriptions must be managed in parallel with open access content. Given the rapid pace of change, the coverage of the past 20 years of open access is the most relevant to grasp present conditions and the trajectory of the future of open access initiatives. Within that time frame, important milestones, advocacy groups, open access models, and sprouting enterprises will illustrate what …

Research Libraries, Emerging Technologies—And A Pandemic, Scout Calvert

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Last October, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and EDUCAUSE partnered to explore how research libraries can leverage emerging tech-nologies to meaningfully and productively support research and learning, given ongoing evolutions of digital tools and data collections. Even while we were working on the slippery task of identifying and predicting technologies and processes that could have big impacts on research library objectives, we did not anticipate that a pandemic with world-stopping power might be a scenario we should consider.

Pandemic Advice Not long after the novel coronavirus reached US shores in late Janu-ary 2020, …

Emerging Technologies For Research And Learning:Interviews With Experts, Scout Calvert, Mary Lee Kennedy, Clifford Lynch, John O'Brien

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This report is a companion to Mapping the Current Landscape of Research Library Engagement with Emerging Technologies in Research and Learning,1 which was commissioned by the Association of Research Libraries, the Coalition for Networked Information, and EDUCAUSE to survey research libraries’ adoption and use of emerging technologies2 to collaborate for the benefit of research and learning. The present report complements the landscape review by summarizing and synthesizing a series of interviews conducted in late 2019 and early 2020 with experts in research and academic technologies from several allied sectors: associations, businesses, academia, and the nonprofit research sector (see Appendix A). …

Evolution Of An Institutional Repository: A Case History From Nebraska, Paul Royster

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The 13-year history of the institutional repository (IR) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is recounted with emphasis on local conditions, administrative support, recruitment practices, and management philosophy. Practices included offering new services, hosting materials outside the conventional tenure stream, using student employees, and providing user analytics on global dissemination. Acquiring trust of faculty depositors enhanced recruitment and extra-library support. Evolution of policies on open access, copyright, metadata, and third-party vendors are discussed, with statistics illustrating the growth, contents, and outreach of the repository over time. A final section discusses future directions for scholarly communications and IRs in particular.

Your Internet Data Is Rotting, Paul Royster

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The internet is growing, but old information continues to disappear daily.

Many MySpace users were dismayed to discover earlier this year that the social media platform lost 50 million files uploaded between 2003 and 2015. The failure of MySpace to care for and preserve its users’ content should serve as a reminder that relying on free third-party services can be risky. MySpace has probably preserved the users’ data; it just lost their content. The data was valuable to MySpace; the users’ content less so.

Preserving content or intellectual property on the internet presents a conundrum. If it’s accessible, then it …

Academic Library As Learning Space And As Collection: A Learning Commons' Effects On Collections And Related Resources And Services, Deeann Allison, Erica Defrain, Brianna D. Hitt, David C. Tyler

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

A tremendous amount has been written about the library as a learning space and about this model's two most popular outgrowths, the information commons and the learning commons. Little to nothing, however, has been written about how reshaping an academic/research library and repurposing library space affects the library as a collection, its resources, and its collections-related services. This study looks at the immediate impact of opening a learning commons in an academic/research library on circulation, document delivery and interlibrary loan requests for returnables, and on- and off-campus database accesses at one institution.

Additional tables and statistical analysis are contained in …

Resource Management In A Time Of Fiscal Scarcity: Combining Qualitative And Quantitative Assessment For Journal Package Cancellations, Casey D. Hoeve

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

As a result of continual resource inflation and a decreasing budget, Kansas State University Libraries were required to conduct a large-scale electronic journal cancellation project. The current organizational model does not require librarian subject specialists to perform comprehensive collection development duties; therefore, content development librarians developed a methodology of collecting quantitative and qualitative statistics to collaboratively evaluate journals. This article will demonstrate the methodology of assessment, and serve as a working model for libraries operating under circumstances of labor shortages, budget cuts, and leadership restructuring.

Re-Centering Teaching And Learning: Toward Communities Of Practice At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Erica Defrain, Leslie Delserone, Elizabeth Lorang, Catherine F. Riehle, Toni Anaya

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) presents important opportunities that can transform learning, but many academic librarians at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln (UNL) struggle to find a scholarly center when their teaching roles are frequently that of external collaborator. Challenges such as access to student data, meaningful evaluations of instruction, limited opportunities for funding and professional development, and uncertainty over how to negotiate for these have contributed to librarians remaining on the periphery of SoTL work. Hoping to overcome some of these hurdles, UNL librarians are developing a community of practice (CoP) around teaching and learning.

In the …

Dissemination, Access, Preservation: A Case Study Of Publications From The Organic Agriculture Research And Extension Initiative, Leslie M. Delserone

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, administered by USDA-NIFA, is the major federal funder of organic agricultural research. Analysis of 733 publications produced during the initiative’s first five years explored the dissemination of this research, and accessibility to and preservation of the publications. Publications associated with conferences (e.g., abstracts) were most numerous (36%). Many publications (69%) were openly accessible online in 2017 but fewer than 10% of these appeared in a stable digital repository. In four of the eight publication categories, access disappeared over time. No program exists to systematically collect and preserve these outputs of organic agricultural research. …

The Scholarly Impact Of Books Acquired Via Approval Plan Selection, Librarian Orders, And Patron-Driven Acquisitions As Measured By Citation Counts, David C. Tyler, Brianna D. Hitt, Francis A. Nterful, Mckenna R. Mettling

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Patron-driven acquisition has been an important, if contentious, topic for decades, with numerous programs having been piloted, adopted, and reported on, largely favorably, in the library literature. Still, questions and doubts persist for academic libraries, especially where the composition of vendor plans and packages and the judgment of patrons are concerned. Past literature has approached the assessment of patron-driven acquisition by analyzing circulation/usage, comparing peer-library holdings, seeking patrons’ or librarians’ judgments of utility and suitability, looking for evidence of collection imbalances, and testing for overlap in patrons’ and librarians’ purchases. To contribute to this literature, this study addresses scholarly impact …

Through Faculty's Eyes: Teaching Threshold Concepts And The Framework, Lorna M. Dawes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This study investigates faculty perceptions of teaching information literacy. Using 24 semi-structured interviews, a phenomenographic approach identified four qualitative ways in which faculty experienced teaching information literacy (IL). This paper analyzes the challenging information literacy concepts that faculty identify—known to many librarians as threshold concepts— and their relationship to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.” The study highlights the transdisciplinary nature of IL instruction and indicates that, although unaware of the ACRL Framework, faculty already teach at least three concepts from that document. This finding suggests new opportunities for collaborations between …

Plan Your Impact: Stacking Your Skills To Make Yourself Irreplaceable [Chapter 12], Kiyomi D. Deards, Leo S. Lo

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• construct and maintain a professional reputation in order to advance in the profession and be sought after for service and scholarship opportunities;

• describe effective methods of becoming involved in professional associations in order to bypass the barrier of needing-to-have-experience-to-get-experience; and

• construct effective narratives in order to effectively advocate for promotion and/or tenure.

Introduction

Success, defined as career progression, is a primary concern for new librarians and library school students in this era of constantly shifting priorities. Stacking your own unique skill sets establishes your professional reputation and can …

The Complete Guide To Personal Digital Archiving, Blake Graham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

As one of the more recent professional publications on PDA, The Complete Guide to Personal Digital Archiving provides practitioners in libraries and archives with a collection of thoughtful essays on common practices, case studies and instructional programs, and ethical implications related to the management and preservation of personal data. The book’s editor, Brianna Marshall, is a bright information professional quickly rising in the ranks of the library and archives community. Since earning an MLS from Indiana University Bloomington in 2014, Marshall has held a leadership position in data curation and research services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries, and recently …

This Is Not A Library! This Is Not A Kwik-E-Mart! The Satire Of Libraries, Librarians And Reference Desk Air-Hockey Tables, Casey D. Hoeve

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Librarians are obsessed with stereotypes. Sometimes even so much so that, according to Gretchen Keer and Andrew Carlos, the fixation has become a stereotype within itself (63). The complexity of the library places the profession in a constant state of transition. Maintaining traditional organization systems while addressing new information trends distorts our image to the outside observer and leaves us vulnerable to mislabeling and stereotypes. Perhaps our greatest fear in recognizing stereotypes is not that we appear invariable but that the public does not fully understand what services we can provide. When we lose our ability to maintain relevancy, we …

African Poetry Libraries-A Global Collaboration, Lorna M. Dawes, Charlene Maxey-Harris

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

In 2014, the African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) and the University of Nebraska (UNL)literary magazine-thePrairie Schooner established African Poetry Libraries in five countries; Ghana, Kenya,Uganda, Gambia and Botswana. The purpose of these libraries wasto support the creativity of aspiring and establishedpoets in their local communities. The University of Nebraska Libraries was asked toserve as consultants on the initiative by working with local volunteers to set up thelibraries and provideongoing assistance and advice to the new libraries during thefirst three years of their inception. The goal of the librariesis to support thelocal community of poets through access to contemporary poetry, and …

Scholarly And Creative Activities, Unl Libraries: 2017, 2018, & 2019, Blake Graham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

82 articles, books, websites, presentations, etc.

Selling Smiles And Coffee, Erica Courtney

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

As he stood behind the counter, dressed in all black, hi s orange and pink shoelaces matching the neon Dunkin' Donuts sign hanging above, Vernon Joseph focused on the latte he was making. Almost eve ry morning at 7:30, Joseph arrives at Dunkin ' Donuts in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Adele Coryell Hall Learning Commons to work his sh ift as general manager. Joseph sa id he started working for the coffee chain in 2014 to make extra money, but he sa id he loved the fast-paced environment and the positive impact he cou ld make on people with a …

Ready For The Robot: Bovines In The Integrated Circuit, Scout Calvert

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Situating cows as co-laborers in global technology sectors, “Ready for the Robot” explores the predicament of cows working as robot operators, information workers, and data producers. The data cows produce shape the conditions in which they work, including their own bodies, as statistical evaluations of cattle abstract profitable traits and warp their connection to breed. Milking robots are posited as providing freedom to dairy cows, but this is far from guaranteed. Rather, cow bodies are programmed to fit the limitations of the robot and the routines of the automated farm, coding that breaches categories of breed. Drawing on Donna Haraway’s …

Reformatting Files: Let's Talk About It, Blake Graham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Any stage of genealogical research involves creating and collecting a large amount of digital files, and to ensure these files remain accessible, it's important to consider reformatting them regularly. Digital archivist Blake Graham will discuss at-risk and open file formats, as well as explain several techniques for reformatting common file types for longer accessibility.

First-Gen Stories, Blake Graham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Brief presentation focused on the First-Gen Stories project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- an oral history project that encourages first generation Nebraska to create videos about their perspectives and experiences as the first in their family to attend college. This project serves as a proactive way to help connect first generation students with campus and campus resources, and contributes towards building a sense of place between students of different backgrounds. This lightening round talk will include some of the statistics for first generation students, the strategy used for launching the project, and similar initiatives at other institutions.

Use Of Discovery Tools In Arl Libraries, Deeann Allison, Margaret Mering

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Libraries provide discovery tools as a means to bring together resources that will assist researchers in locating the best sources for their information needs. As the Web evolves and user expectations for library resources change, librarians are questioning the effectiveness of these tools and are considering if libraries should explore other options that could provide a similar or better user experience. Survey invitations were e-mailed to academic libraries that were members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to investigate current trends in the use of discovery tools at their institutions. Twenty-five of the 112 libraries responded. The survey results …

Chemists Atwitter, Raychelle Burks, Stephani Page, Kiyomi D. Deards, Joan Barnes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Twitter can be used to promote chemists, their work, and their events to other scientists and the general public. From checklists to timelines; how to use Twitter successfully as an individual or institution is discussed. This chapter includes: examples of how the authors have used Twitter, how to find and use common subject tags, tags most used when Tweeting about chemistry and science, and a discussion about measuring success. Knowing when and how to Tweet will help chemists communicate successfully with their peers and the general public in 280 characters or less.

How Important Are Data Curation Activities To Researchers? Gaps And Opportunities For Academic Libraries, Lisa R. Johnston, Jacob Carlson, Cynthia Hudson-Vitale, Heidi Imker, Wendy Kozlowski, Robert Olendorf, Claire Stewart

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Data curation may be an emerging service for academic libraries, but researchers actively “curate” their data in a number of ways—even if terminology may not always align. Building on past user-needs assessments performed via survey and focus groups, the authors sought direct input from researchers on the importance and utilization of specific data curation activities. Methods: Between October 21, 2016, and November 18, 2016, the study team held focus groups with 91 participants at six different academic institutions to determine which data curation activities were most important to researchers, which activities were currently underway for their data, and how …

Cultural Memory In Danger: Sustainable Information, Preservation, And Technology In The Humanities: A Theoretical Approach, Casey D. Hoeve

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Management of library collections is an inherently collaborative process. Spanning multiple generations, materials are selected that support user communities, as librarians strive to achieve optimization of storage and access at the lowest cost.i While established partnerships are crucial for the survival of libraries, within any cooperative network, there exist opportunities for divergent practices. Alternative initiatives may have progressive intentions, but competing systems and groups have the potential to disrupt recognized standards and infrastructure, some of which can prove detrimental to information organizations.

Abrupt format changes and technological advancements have altered the ways in which materials are currently acquired, accessed, and …

Working Out The Bugs: Piloting Library Instruction In An Online Entomology Graduate Program, Andrew Cano

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Like most of its peer institutions, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries faced the challenge of meeting the needs of a growing number of students taking online courses. The author, hired as the new Virtual Learning Librarian in January 2016, was charged with creating a new Virtual Learning Program. This tutorials-based program was first fully implemented in a fully online Entomology graduate program. This paper summarizes the development of the Virtual Learning Program, how it was adapted to the Entomology program, and the initial results from the first semester of implementation.

Introducing Genealogy To The Academic Library In The 21st Century, Tom Mcfarland, Joan Barnes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This case study examines the development of a new program to foster genealogical research in an academic library that did not encourage or promote genealogical research. In early 2014, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries set a strategic initiative of increased outreach. As one way to reach the goal, the staff development officer and the community engagement librarian proposed a genealogical program with three objectives: • to reach out to campus faculty, staff, and students • to involve library faculty and staff • to bring community users into the academic library The staff development officer and the community engagement librarian became …

Making Babies With Cows, Scout Calvert

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

The conceit of section one of this essay is partial role reversal. How would a doctor who was a cow explain to yearling interns how to breed humans? This is what a cow might sound like if she thought about humans the ways that human purebred livestock breeders think about cows. Section two switches back to a human perspective and treats the extensive interventions into cattle reproduction as the mundane options that they have become for many farmers. This essay highlights the traffic of reproductive technologies across the porous human-bovine species boundary.

Year At A Glance: Moving Digital Archives At A Public University, Blake Graham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

In late 2016, the Archives and Special Collections unit at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries hastily began migrating archival information from a local file server to Rosetta, an Ex Libris preservation software solution. With the aid of the Computer Operations and Research Services team – the primary information technology support team for UNL Libraries – several tasks were divided between select individuals in order to carefully move 9TB of metadata and digital objects. This presentation discusses the scope and details of the archival data migration project, as well as the subsequent impact on workflows for digital objects and metadata.