Library and Information Science Commons^™

Western Name Authority File: Linked People And Corporate Bodies, Jeremy Myntti, Anna Neatrour

Faculty Publications

Presentation at the ALA ALCTS/LITA Linked Library Data Interest Group.

Champions Of Democracy: Libraries' Essential Contributions To A Civil Society, Elizabeth Ramsey

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Librarians are rolling up their sleeves, taking off their glasses, and pulling no punches in their efforts to ensure that Americans understand Democratic processes and the essential nature of community participation in those processes. By making the most of their positions as community centers and trusted information providers, libraries are bringing people together to learn about and discuss political issues face to face, empowering them to work collectively for their civil rights and the rights of others.

Winter 2018 Notes From The Stacks, Central Washington University

Notes from the Stacks: CWU's Library Newsletter

No abstract provided.

African Americans In Times Of War, Auburn University

Ethnic History

Bibliography and photograph of a display of government documents from Auburn University Libraries.

Making Usage Stats Usable: Evaluating Usage Stat Tools And Maximizing Excel/Pivot Tables, Alie Visser, Melissa Seelye, Samuel Cassady, Debbie Collard

Western Libraries Presentations

This presentation outlines the results of an environmental scan about usage statistic solutions available to libraries, and provides the experience of implementing both vendor-based and home-grown tools.

You Too, Can Prevent Librarian Burnout, Jennifer A. Bartlett

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Contrary to popular opinion, libraries present numerous challenges and stressors to their employees that can contribute to occupational burnout. This New and Noteworthy column presents recent resources including books, journal articles, and online resources discussing the unique issues of librarian burnout.

Are "Stress Busters" The Solution? Teaching Wellness At The Academic Library, Emily Carlisle

FIMS Publications

No abstract provided.

Resource Review: Apple Configurator 2 (Version 2.3), Lara Lasner-Frater

Touro University Libraries Publications and Research

The author reviews the Apple Configurator 2 utility.

Chimera In The Library: A Journey Through The Cultures Of It, Libraries, & Library It, Stephanie Walker

Librarian Publications

No abstract provided.

Librarians' Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence And Its Potential Impact On The Profession, Barbara A. Wood, David Evans

Faculty Articles

The subject of artificial intelligence (AI) is being discussed everywhere in the media. Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates regularly sound the alarm about AI as an existential threat to humankind. Open a newspaper, turn on the television, or log on to the internet, and you will find a plethora of information and opinions on AI and its potential impact on human endeavors. In addition to being a hot topic in the media, the scholarly literature in medicine and law is replete with AI research. It acknowledges AI as a transformative, if not disruptive, game changer. AI is being …

Gender-Inclusive Library Workgroup Report, Erin White, Donna E. Coghill, M. Teresa Doherty, Liam Palmer, Steve Barkley

VCU Libraries Task Force Reports

The Gender-Inclusive Workgroup explored how VCU Libraries can better serve trans and gender-nonconforming users and staff. The group’s recommendations cover library spaces, staff, systems, services, and culture. Key recommendations include highlighting existing all-gender restrooms; building more gender-inclusive restrooms; expanding availability of menstrual products and disposal bins; continuing support for name-of-use changes in library systems; minimizing display of legal name in library systems; offering ongoing staff training in gender-inclusive language and customer service; and encouraging staff to share pronouns. The workgroup also recommends pursuing a culture of shared learning and inclusive thinking, with a reminder that gender identity is one facet …

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 …

Resiliency And The Long-Tail Of The Research Cycle: Western's Approach To Thinking Through Research Data Management, Erin Huner, Bobby Glushko

Western Libraries Presentations

No abstract provided.

Fake Fur, Fruit Leather, And Ferrofluids: Challenges To Managing A Materials Library In The Middle East, Amy J. Andres, Richard J. Lombard

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

The Materials Library at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar is the only one of its kind in the Arab Gulf region. The library's mission is to provide students and faculty with access to various industries’ most innovative materials and products. But collection efforts are frequently challenged by the school's geographical location. How can a diverse and eclectic materials collection develop and expand in the face of strict customs regulations, exorbitant shipping costs, and, most recently, a political crisis that has severely restricted the country's airspace and shipping routes? A supportive administration and a creative approach to materials procurement have helped …

Why Can't We Be Friends? Examining The Benefits And Challenges Of Maintaining Your Friends Of The Library, Maureen Rust, Julia Stringfellow

Library Scholarship

One of the most fruitful collaborative relationships a library can have is with its Friends of the Library organization, providing that group is vibrant and progressive. This article provides insight into the history of the Friends of the Library group at a regional comprehensive university since its founding in 1962 to nearly becoming defunct in 2015. The steps taken in the transformation of the Friends of the Library since then from an inactive group with no clear direction, to a robust organization with an active board who have identified goals and strategies for successful library advocacy are described. The work …

Developing In-House Digital Tools In Library Spaces: Introduction, Meredith Powers

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Essentialism, Social Construction, Or Individual Differences, Jenelys Cox, Jeff Rynhart, Shea-Tinn Yeh

University Libraries: Staff Scholarship

Per the United States Department of Labor Women’s Bureau’s latest available statistics, the percentage of women employed in computer and information technology occupations was consistently lower than the average for all occupations. When broken down by selected characteristics, these numbers range from 12.4% in computer network architectures to 35.2% in web development. Is this trend reflected in the libraries? Although no comprehensive statistics are available for women in library IT, Lamont’s study does reflect the same trend in that the number of women as library IT department heads has been about one half that of men between 2004-2008. Why is …

Book Review: Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’S Future In An Uncertain World, Jennifer A. Bartlett

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Although the concept of “sustainability” has many possible meanings, its connection to environmental issues is perhaps the most familiar. Thus, a reader coming across Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s new book might assume that it is primarily about how libraries can best demonstrate stewardship of environmental resources. While this is certainly one important piece of the discussion, Sustainable Thinking has a much larger goal: advocating the capacity of libraries to build communities, whether it be through environmental, financial, leadership, political, or other initiatives.

Open Educational Resources: Why Libraries Are Incentivizing Open Content Creation, Curation, And Adaptation, Stacy Katz

Publications and Research

The movement toward Open Educational Resources is challenging and changing the paradigm of academic libraries. Libraries are leading and innovating in the movement for the creation and adaptation of openly licensed content, whereby the creator can retain, reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute content. There are large-scale library or librarian-led projects that are broadening library services, such as SUNY Affordable Learning Solutions, the Achieving the Dream OER degrees, Affordable Learning Georgia, as well as smaller campus initiatives. These projects shift the library’s role in education and increase measurable retention rates, such as engagement, student satisfaction, grade performance, and successful completion of …

Libraries Play Pivotal Role In Our Communities, Karen Diaz

Text

No abstract provided.

Library Instruction, Net Promoter Scores, And Nudging Beyond Satisfaction, Ted Chaffin

WashU Libraries Publications

Washington University in Saint Louis Libraries are beginning to use the Net Promoter Score (NPS), in place of satisfaction surveys, to measure how library instruction sessions for the College Writing 1 program are received. NPS uses the 10-point Likert-scale question “Would you recommend this library instruction session to your friends and colleagues?” NPS determines whether library instruction participants and faculty are active “promoters,” simply satisfied “passives,” or dissatisfied “detractors.” Nudge theory is also introduced. “Nudge” is an attempt to unconsciously influence positive behaviors in place of using mandated activities. The author believes that NPS is inherently a “nudge.”

Copyright For Creators: Bridging Law And Practice, Carla-Mae Crookendale, Hillary Miller, Sue Robinson

VCU Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Everyone is a publisher, a maker, or a creator in the digital age, and understanding copyright is a foundational skill. Artists, designers, and arts scholars need acute awareness of the legal landscape and fair use. To help meet this need, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Libraries, in concert with the VCU School of the Arts, created a series of programs on the nuances of copyright for artists, designers, and art scholars.

Aligning Information Literacy Assessment With Metacognitive Strategies, Kirsten Hostetler, Tian Luo, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Despite the popularity of metacognitive research, and the inclusion of similar concepts in professional guidelines, librarians have not incorporated metacognitive tools into their assessment strategies. This systematic literature review found (1) metacognitive assessments can act as a learning aide in encouraging higher-order thinking; (2) metacognitive assessments can be effective measurements under proper conditions with experienced learners; and (3) librarians have limited options when selecting assessment tools even as the demand for demonstrating the library’s value to stakeholders is increasing. The paper concludes with gaps in the literature and areas for future directions.

Where Is Government Information? The Complex Relationship Between Libraries & Federal Repositories, Dylan Burns, Jennifer Kirk

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Through data analysis and a survey, this research identifies the location of government documents departments/units in academic libraries – including their institutional orientation, current practices, & future plans.

This preliminary data analysis presents trends amongst the community of academic library participants in the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), of which they comprise 55% of the total. We identify common practices and priorities that might foster collaboration.

Resist: A Controversial Display And Reflections On The Academic Library’S Role In Promoting Discourse And Engagement, Stephanie Beene, Cindy Pierard

Urban Library Journal

Libraries engage communities in a variety of ways, including through exhibitions and displays. However, librarians may not always know how to promote critical discourse if controversy arises surrounding exhibits or displays. This article reflects on one academic library’s experience hosting a controversial display during a divisive political time for the library’s parent institution, its broader urban community, and the United States as a whole. The authors contextualize the display, created by a local art collective, against the backdrop of creative activism, and consider implications for library displays and exhibits within similar environments. Rather than retreating from controversy, libraries have an …

Creating A Town Library Team: Collaborative Projects Between Public, School, And Academic Librarians, Maureen Rust

Library Scholarship

Library outreach, especially at the public and academic levels, is not a new concept. In the current climate of library budget cuts, instantaneous information, and readily available nonauthoritative sources, librarians, library staff, and library directors are making it a priority to educate their communities on the benefits of and accessibility to quality library resources. Collaboration between different types of libraries is also not uncommon. Partnerships between public and school libraries assist in coordinating information literacy curricula, promoting reading programs and providing access to materials and resources. This article encourages pushing those boundaries even further out to include academic libraries, thereby …

An Assessment Of Preservation Activities In School Libraries, Okonkwo Ebubechukwu, Evangeline Nwankwo Mrs, Adeyemi Emmanuel Tosin

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The necessity of preservation activities in libraries cannot be over emphasized. Without preservation, no informative, educative, and historical materials of yester years cannot be made available for today’s development. Libraries will not be in existence, serving their clientele, if their collections are not preserved. This research tries to evaluate the strength and weakness of preservation activities in school libraries, using Federal Government Academy, suleja as a case study. The investigation shows factors that cause deterioration of materials in school libraries, and it also tries to proffer solution via recommendation; and how the effects of these agents can be brought to …

Information Technology And The Future Of Librarianship, Emmanuel Omeiza Momoh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

There is a growing concern by scholars in the field of library and Information science on the way technology is gradually taking over certain jobs performed by librarians and Information professionals. This may be the reason why many of the scholars have submitted that the discipline of librarianship may cease to exist in a couple of years if nothing is done to solve the problem.

In the light of this, this article seeks to identify ways in which technology has taken over certain aspects of the field of librarianship with the aim of proffering solutions and identifying other means in …

The Role Of Libraries And Librarians In Open Educational Resources In Tanzania: The Case Of Selected Public University Libraries, Chausiku Mtumwa Mwinyimbegu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This paper examined the Role of Libraries and Librarians in Open Educational Resources (OER) in selected public university libraries in Tanzania. Specifically, the study sought to find out the level of OER awareness among librarians and the role played by libraries and librarians in OER in Tanzania. The study also identified challenges encountered by librarians in promoting access and use of OER. Fifty two librarians of different ranks and academic qualifications from four public university libraries participated in this study. These were selected using simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected through a self administered questionnaire and documentary review. Data …

Bank Libraries In Nigeria: Its Roles And Challenges, Okonkwo Ebubechukwu, Amaka Uka Udeh Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information is a critical resource in organizational management and organizations use huge amount of information to enable solve their daily problems. The problems organizations are faced with maybe managerial, administrative or technical but no matter the nature of the problems, they can be managed properly if relevant information is provided to them at the right time and in the right form. Information is not just relevant in the personal development of individuals but also in increasing the viability of organizations. This study discovered the roles of bank libraries and the challenges they encounter with a view to determining the …