Library and Information Science Commons^™

Out With The Old, In With The New: Best Practices For Replacing Library Signage, Mark Aaron Polger, Amy F. Stempler

Publications and Research

Signage is an essential way of communicating with users and is a vital way to alert patrons to important information, news, upcoming events, policies, and directions. Literature on library signage has emphasized the importance of consistency and clarity, to avoid clutter and contradictory messaging, and the need for buy-in from library staff, faculty and patrons. However, few scholarly studies address user preferences in signage. This article fills the void between theory and practice, and offers step-by-step details for revamping signage, specifically in an academic library. At the heart of the authors’ thesis is that library signs are living documents. Libraries …

Markdown For Librarians And Academics, Steven Ovadia

Publications and Research

The article offers information related to Markdown, a flexible markup language that allows text to be easily converted to different formats and has implications as a way to make academic content mroe shareable.

Glis 709 Revisited, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

The author describes a 2012 follow-up research project, where he revisited and re-implemented a survey project that had originally been done in 1992.

Review Of The Book The Swastika’S Darkening Shadow: Voices Before The Holocaust, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

Review of the book The swastika’s darkening shadow: Voices before the Holocaust.

Neoliberalism And Library & Information Science: Using Karl Polanyi’S Fictitious Commodity As An Alternative To Neoliberal Conceptions Of Information, Jonathan Cope

Publications and Research

This paper examines the Library & Information Science (LIS) and Knowledge Organization (KO) literature on neoliberalism and argues that insufficient attention has been paid to the neoliberal conception of information’s relationship to the market. After an examination of the LIS and KO literature on neoliberalism, the key claims of neoliberalism with regards to information and markets are scrutinized and the role of the Internet is discussed. Karl Polanyi’s concept of the fictitious commodity is used to examine the ways in which markets are embedded within society and to provide an alternative to neoliberalism.

Linux For Academics, Part Ii: The Advantages Of Free And Open-Source Software, Steven Ovadia

Publications and Research

The article discusses the Linux free and open-source operating system and methods for installing software within it, including office and statistical software.

Transferring Cataloging Legacies Into Descriptive Metadata Creation In Digital Projects: Catalogers’ Perspective, Junli Diao, Mirtha A. Hernández

Publications and Research

With the emergence of digital collections in libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions, catalogers are redefining their roles by participating in digital projects, creating, maintaining, and developing non-traditional metadata records. This article provides a discussion on how catalogers are ensuring that the cataloging legacies of quality control, authority control, and creative cataloging become important components in the creation of descriptive metadata for digital projects.

Lilac: Planted At Cuny Ten Years Ago And Still Blooming, Galina Letnikova

Publications and Research

CUNY’s Library Information Literacy Advisory Committee (LILAC) will celebrate its tenth anniversary in February 2015. A decade ago twenty librarians from all CUNY libraries came together to review the mission of a new professional committee and establish its charge. Since then the committee members have been working hard and have succeeded in integrating information literacy across the City University curriculum. They have been creating information literacy tutorials and assessment tools, providing support to all CUNY librarians by coordinating and running professional development meetings, seminars, and conferences. This CUNY-wide professional organization, its structure, achievements, and ongoing work deserve to serve as …

Holocaust Denial Literature Twenty Years Later: A Follow-Up Investigation Of Public Librarians' Attitudes Regarding Acquisition And Access, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

This study was undertaken to learn about public librarians' attitudes and opinions concerning the sometimes conflicting issues of intellectual freedom, collection balance, and controversial materials, and whether those attitudes and opinions have changed over twenty years. The investigation focused on Holocaust denial literature, a body of work which ranges from minimizing the Holocaust to outright denying that it happened. Public librarians in Nassau County, New York, were surveyed, and the results were compared with a similar survey from 1992. The results indicate that librarians are even more open to Holocaust denial literature than they were twenty years ago and, regardless …

Cuny Librarians And Faculty Status: Past, Present, And Future, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

Librarians in the City University of New York system have held faculty ranks since 1965, but their faculty status dates back two decades further. How did they achieve faculty status and faculty ranks? What role did their professional association (LACCNY, later known as LACUNY) play? Is their status secure?

Controlling Our Vocabulary: Language Consistency In A Library Context, Mark Aaron Polger

Publications and Research

As a result of his experience as an interim academic web/systems librarian, Mark Aaron Polger embarked on a study of consistency of terminology in a library context, looking at usage across three media - promotional material, signage and websites. In this article, after reviewing the literature, he reports the results of his study, points out its limitations, and suggests ways in which the work could be taken forward.

Stages Of Instruction: Theater, Pedagogy And Information Literacy, Julia M. Furay

Publications and Research

The author uses personal observations as inspiration to examine what has been written in scholarly literature about various theatrical practices in instruction, applying the conversation to the library instruction context. Additionally, research from business and professional literature is also incorporated into the discussion. This literature review focuses on three general areas. First, a review on how to use tools and perspectives from the theater to help librarians prepare their lessons; second, an examination of the librarian as performer; and third, a discussion on how theater might help librarians deal with repetition and burnout.

Student Library And Technology Questionnaire, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This questionnaire was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Faculty Library And Technology Questionnaire, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This questionnaire was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Faculty Personal Learning Environment Interview Protocol, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This interview protocol was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Student Information Diary Interview Protocol, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This interview protocol was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Faculty Information Diary Interview Protocol, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This interview protocol was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Student Personal Learning Environment Interview Protocol, Jean Amaral

Publications and Research

This interview protocol was used in a research study, “Community College Student and Faculty Information Needs and Information Seeking,” at Queensborough Community College, 2013-14.

Proceedings Of The 1st Annual Cuny Games Festival, Robert O. Duncan, Joe Bisz, Francesco Crocco, Carlos Hernandez, Kathleen Offenholley, Leah Potter, Maura A. Smale, Cuny Games Network

Publications and Research

Proceedings of the CUNY Games Conference, held from January 17-18, 2014, at the CUNY Graduate Center and Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Topics in Game Design - Teaching with Virtual and Augmented Realities - Writing with Games - Breaking the Magic Circle: Games & Real Life - Interactive Game Design (What's Your Game Plan? - Designing Ethical Games - Games and Gender - Gaming English Language and Literature - Game, Narrative, Literacy - Teaching with Games - Games, Storytelling, and Narrative - Games and STEM - Learning by Design - Students as Game Designers - Experiencing Reality in Popular Games …

Talking About Open Access: Smash And Subtler Tactics, Jill Cirasella

Publications and Research

This slideshow covers different ways of answering the question “Why open access?” It reviews the knee-jerk reactions many people have when they hear about open access, describes the many benefits of open access, invokes @openaccesshulk’s strategy of SMASH, and discusses what arguments work best with different populations (students, faculty, administrators, etc.). Finally, it addresses why librarians should try to talk about open access without resorting to constant use of the term “open access” and describes a few ways to sneak open access advocacy into other conversations.

The Impact Of Global Trends On Ilds, Beth Posner

Publications and Research

There are a variety of important developments in digital information, globalization, demographics, economics, education, technology and more affecting all aspects of 21st century life. These trends are also reflected in changes in new ways that libraries are facilitating the discovery and delivery of information. Using the 2014 New Media Consortium’s “Horizon Report: Library Edition” and the discussion draft of the American Library Association Policy Revolution! Initiative’s “Trends Report: Snapshots of a Turbulent World” this article examines several key trends and disruptions impacting libraries and the world and how these are likely to influence the ways libraries facilitate the discovery and …

Whose To Use? And Use As They Choose? Creative Commons Licenses In Wikipedia And Scholarly Publishing, Jill Cirasella

Publications and Research

Unlike traditional scholarly journals, Wikipedia and open access journals do not ask contributors to sign away their rights. Contributors to these venues retain the right to copy, distribute, and reuse their own words and works. This presentation takes a careful look at the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (used by Wikipedia) and the Creative Commons Attribution License (used by many open access publishers).

Librarianship, Art, And Activism. A Transatlantic Interview With Alycia Sellie, Alycia Sellie, Martin Persson

Publications and Research

Alycia Sellie is an activist, librarian and the editor of the zine The Borough is My Library. She joined Martin Persson for a talk about hardships and possibilities for librarianship today, the intersection between art and libraries, and the struggle to promote free/open access culture and readers' rights.

Threesource: Reimagining How We Collect And Share Information About Social Issues, Jen Hoyer, Stephen Macdonald

Publications and Research

This chapter examines management of information about social justice issues through discussion of the development and implementation of an online database, threeSOURCE. Managed by the Edmonton Social Planning Council, threeSOURCE is an online research database and library catalog created to help community organizations in the Canadian province of Alberta retrieve information about local social issues that they work to address. Reflections highlight issues related to creation, design, and implementation of a database, examining new ways to think about information delivery in line with the core values of our profession.

Sustaining Scholarship: Librarians And The Political Economy Of Print, Emily Drabinski

Urban Library Journal

As workers in the knowledge industry, librarians have particular insight into the implications of the tectonic shifts wrought by the decline of print. Drawing on work to make the journal Radical Teacher open access, this paper discusses how librarians can mobilize our insider knowledge to transform our communities of practice.

Cuny Librarians And Reassignment Time: What Is It? How Do I Get It?, John A. Drobnicki

Publications and Research

Although librarians in CUNY had achieved Faculty Status by 1946 and Faculty Rank in 1965, they were still never put on the Faculty Calendar with the Summer (or its equivalent) off. Professional Reassignment leave for library faculty was added to the contract in 1978 as a two-week research leave, and it has since expanded to a maximum of six weeks. However, as Professional Reassignment leave increased, the amount of annual leave for new librarians decreased.

Linux For Academics, Part I, Steven Ovadia

Publications and Research

The article focuses on GNU/Linux, an open-source operating system based on Unix. Linux offers more choice and control to academic users. The article encourages academic users to explore Linux as a way to be more productive.

The American Association Of School Librarians (Aasl) Standards For The 21st Century Learner Lesson Plan Database, Christina Miller

Publications and Research

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st Century Learner Lesson Plan Database (AASL Database) is a free, Open Access, interactive tool recently (2011) developed by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association, to assist librarians, teachers and other educators in implementing the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner (AASL Standards) and the Common Core State Standards. It is comprised of vetted, content-area lesson plans meant to provide excellent models to integrate AASL Standards across K-12 curricula; the platform also includes social networking features and a user portfolio. The AASL …

Speaking As One: Supporting Open Access With Departmental Resolutions, Madeline Cohen, Maura A. Smale, Jill Cirasella, Cynthia Tobar, Jessie Daniels

Publications and Research

Library faculty at the City University of New York (CUNY) have engaged in promoting and advocating for open access publishing at each of our campuses as well as across the University. Inspired by the passing of a faculty senate resolution in support of the creation of an open access institutional repository and associated policies, many CUNY librarians felt the need to raise their level of commitment. In this article, the authors—four library faculty members and one faculty member from outside the library—share their experiences creating and approving open access policies in the library departments of four CUNY schools and promoting …

Passion Of A Young Cataloger, Junli Diao

Publications and Research

The article discusses library cataloging from a passionate cataloger's viewpoint. The author mentions that cataloging requires courage, logical thinking and skill learned through education, repetition, and investment of time. He considers cataloging an art of rules based on personal judgment making books easily discoverable and accessible. He also notes that in the Internet age, cataloging has evolved as a tool to synchronize databases for effective information delivery from resources to users.