Library and Information Science Commons^™

Is Artificial Intelligence Intelligent? Trust, Verification, And The Responsible Use Of Al In Libraries, Norman Desmarais, Janice Schuster

Library Faculty and Staff papers

We live in an age of alternate realities. If we do not like the current situation, we can pick or rearrange facts to suit our worldview. It appears our information systems follow suit, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). Developers in the Al industry generally want friendly Al that does what the human user wants (as long as it is not too naughty). They do not want Al that says "I do not know," so they design models to be fluent, not factual. Consequently, the engines confidently invent citations, titles, or people if not constrained or verified, a phenomenon called AI …

This Platform Combines Multiple Learning Resources. That Creates Some Challenges., Janice Schuster

Library Faculty and Staff papers

No abstract provided.

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2025-2026, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2026. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

Changes In The Dental & Oral Health Information Landscape, Alisun Dekock, Melissa Ernst, Jimmy Gonzalez Vicker, Kelly O'Brien

Individual Scholarship

As we navigate rapid changes to information access and utilization, dental and oral health care professionals are finding new ways to meet the needs of their users. Practitioners locating, evaluating, and applying research continues to encounter new obstacles, including significant changes to institutions that share health data and make recommendations. This poster discusses effective strategies dentistry librarians have used for information retrieval, method analysis, and patient education.

Background  

This poster provides an overview of how four dentistry librarians are responding to trends and changes in the dental and oral health information landscape at their various institutions and organizations.

Description   

Within …

How Can Librarians In Developing Countries Apply Evidence-Based Information Practices To Enhance Library Services In The Digital Era? A Scoping Review, Jackline Estomihi Kiwelu, Martha Lyaka, Patrick Ngulube

Libraries

This scoping review maps existing literature on how librarians in developing countries apply evidence-based information practice (EBIP), identifying key themes and evidence gaps for future research. The review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework and applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 checklist alongside the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for appraising study quality. From 6,693 records retrieved, ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The mapped studies suggest that librarians apply EBIP in diverse professional activities such as collection development, advocacy, reference services, information literacy instruction, decision-making, evaluation, monitoring performance, and enhancing service quality. Evidence-based approaches were …

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2025 - Journal Requests (Controlled) By Title, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests (Controlled)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 850,324

Unique Item Requests - 628,581

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Dr_D1 Report Fy2025 - Database Search And Item Usage, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / R5.1 Report DR_D1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The DR_D1 report is defined as "Database Search and Item Usage." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Searches Automated - 38,089

Searches Federated - 1,810

Searches Regular - 1,304,882

Total Item Investigations - 933,864

Total Item Requests - 286,912

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Ir_M1 Report Fy2025 - Multimedia Item Requests, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report IR_M1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The IR_M1 report is defined as "Multimedia Item Requests." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 3,357

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Pr_P1 Report Fy2025 - Platform Usage, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report PR_P1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The PR_P1 report is defined as "Platform Usage." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Searches Platform - 294,352

Total Item Requests - 1,451,061

Unique Item Requests - 1,078,034

Unique Title Requests - 55,776

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_B1 Report Fy2025 - Book Requests Controlled) By Title, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report TR_B1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The TR_B1 report is defined as "Book Requests Controlled)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 194,197

Unique Title Requests - 60,001

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_B1 Report Fy2025 - Book Requests (Controlled) By Platform, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report TR_B1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The TR_B1 report is defined as "Book Requests Controlled)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 194,197

Unique Title Requests - 60,001

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Tr_J1 Report Fy2025 - Journal Requests Controlled) By Platform, Andrée Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 / 5.1 Report TR_J1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025. The TR_J1 report is defined as "Journal Requests Controlled)." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Total Item Requests - 850,324

Unique Item Requests - 628,581

Designing Ai-Aware Media 101 Curriculum Through Faculty–Librarian Collaboration, Miranda Gale Smith, Elizabeth Oppe

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Concurrent Session Papers

This presentation explores faculty–librarian collaboration as a teaching practice. It will inform attendees about the work done by a faculty member (Elizabeth) and a Student Success & Instruction Librarian (Miranda) to design and implement an AI-aware curriculum into an existing Media 101 course at West Virginia University. This resulted in the careful integration of subject-specific and information literacy expertise into the course’s curriculum. More broadly, this is meant to illustrate that in terms of practice, treating AI-aware curriculum development as a shared, iterative process grounded in mutual respect for distinct but complementary forms of knowledge has the potential to yield …

Notes From The Editor, Derek Stadler

Urban Library Journal

I am very pleased to welcome you to the first issue of the 31^st volume of Urban Library Journal. This issue includes articles about history and archives, training programs in librarianship, recommendations on how to improve the onboarding of librarians, and the social media platform TikTok.

Taming The Chaos: Strategies For Streamlining Library Work In An Interruption-Driven World, Melanie S. Brasher, Amanda K. Izenstark

Public Services Faculty Presentations

Library workers often can’t follow the typical productivity advice doled out by productivity experts. In a job that is essentially managing ongoing interruptions with the added bonus of needing to describe what you’ve accomplished to numerous stakeholders, how can you keep track of what you do, what you need to do, and what you need to know? Join this session for some examples of frameworks and connect with others to tame the chaos that is modern library work. Due to the size of this topic, we will poll attendees live in order to choose the topics of greatest interest to …

For Researchers In Literature, This Database Offers A Vast Array Of Resources, Janice Schuster

Library Faculty and Staff papers

Despite some gaps in coverage and shortcomings in the user experience, EBSCO’s LitBase impresses with the size and diversity of its collection.

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2025. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

Alma Link Resolver Referring Sources Report 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics from 2024-2025 on the number of OpenURL requests made to the Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Source, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Subject Report 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2024-2025 on the number of OpenURL requests by Library of Congress classification code made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Classification Code, Classifications, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Material Type Report 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2024-2025 on the number of OpenURL requests by material type made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Material Type, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Title & Issn Report (Top 500) 2024-2025, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2024-2025 on the total number of OpenURL requests by journal title and ISSN made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries. Includes only the top 500 journals.

Information provided includes journal Title, ISSN, EISSN, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

The Spring 2025 Issue, Destiny Dehart, Laura K. Clark Hunt, Crystal Walker, Austin Bello, Lauren Nimon-Viola, Sarah Gonzalez

Fonds and Feathers

This issue, edited by Destiny DeHart, features “Advances in Storytelling” by Assistant Professor Laura K. Clark Hunt, Ph.D., “Evolving Storytelling in Libraries: Project Techne” by Crystal Walker, “Who’s Rewriting History” by Austin Bello, “Soldiers in Disguise: Women’s Stories from the Civil War” by Lauren Viola, “Once Upon a Map: Storytelling in Libraries with ARCGIS Storymaps” by Sara Gonzalez, “Mold in the Archives: How Bias Influences Stories” by Destiny DeHart, and interview with managing reference archivist Devin McGeehan Muchmore of the GLBT Historical Society. In addition, upcoming conferences are listed. A list of students who will graduate in December 2024 with …

Navigating Campus Partners, Dymond Bush, Sarah Campbell, Olivia Seymour

Library Staff Publications, Presentations & Journal Articles

Demonstrating the value of the library’s resources to campus partners can be challenging for librarians. In this session, learn how Bryant University Research and Instruction Librarian Dymond Bush built relationships with the Athletics Department to bring this community into the library. Olivia Jones with Salve Regina University’s McKillop Library will discuss her partnership with the Office of Multicultural Programs and Retention and their Inclusive Reading Club. Sarah Campbell, Research and Instruction librarian at JWU will explore how developing partnerships with the graphic design department and the Center for Teaching and Learning created new opportunities for instruction and pedagogy-focused professional development. …

Back To Basics: Rebulding Student Engagement And Outreach Post Covid, Jonathan Wilson, Lydia Gwyn

ETSU Faculty Works

Introduction: In the aftermath of COVID-19, libraries faced the challenge of reengaging students and rebuilding disrupted outreach efforts. At East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library, librarians recognized the need to rebuild, innovate, and restructure our approach to student outreach. This presentation will explore how ETSU reference and instruction librarians revamped existing strategies to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment for students by redesigning our student orientation process, by developing several casual student-centered clubs, and by opening a new reference desk for drop-in research help. This presentation will provide insights and practical takeaways for libraries looking to revitalize their student outreach programs …

Beyond ‘Fake It ‘Till You Make It’: Impostor Phenomenon In Archivists, April K. Anderson-Zorn, Tiffany Cole, Taylor Flinn, Jane Labarbara

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

In December 2022, members of the College and University Archives Section of the Society of American Archivists conducted a survey that examined the prevalence of impostor phenomenon (IP) among archivists. This study, the first to specifically focus on archivists, measures the prevalence of IP in the professional archival community. Using demographic data and the Clance Survey, the authors seek to identify factors that may lead to increased IP in archivists. This paper will review literature related to IP in the information sciences profession, detail the survey results, and suggest personal approaches and workplace initiatives to combat the phenomenon.

Alma Link Resolver Material Type Report 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2023-2024 on the number of OpenURL requests by material type made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Material Type, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Referring Sources Report 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics from 2023-2024 on the number of OpenURL requests made to the Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Source, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Subject Report 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2023-2024 on the number of OpenURL requests by Library of Congress classification code made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Classification Code, Classifications, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Title & Issn Report (Top 500) 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2023-2024 on the total number of OpenURL requests by journal title and ISSN made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries. Includes only the top 500 journals.

Information provided includes journal Title, ISSN, EISSN, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

Usage Statistics: Project Counter R5 Pr_P1 Report Fy2024 - Platform Usage, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Project COUNTER R5 Report PR_P1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. The PR_P1 report is defined as "Platform Usage." This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.

File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.

Results:

Searches Platform - 317,298

Total Item Requests - 1,153,277

Unique Item Requests - 855,010

Unique Title Requests - 56,418