Information Literacy Commons^™

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - April 2025, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Raise Your Voice, Amy Cooper Cary

Library Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Ai Literacy: A Guide For Academic Libraries, Leo S. Lo

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This article presents a comprehensive framework for AI literacy in academic libraries, encompassing technical knowledge, ethical awareness, critical thinking, practical skills, and societal impact. It argues that libraries must take a leading role in developing AI literacy programs to help communities understand, evaluate, and ethically engage with AI technologies in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.

Lbsci 700 / Info 7001. The Technology Of Information., Brandon K. Jeffries Mr.

Open Educational Resources

This course will introduce the student to the conceptual and practical elements of visual and computer literacy for the library and information science profession. Particular attention will be paid to the place and role of libraries and information centers. A laboratory session following each class will give students the opportunity to apply some of the concepts learned in class.

Designing Effective Library Treasure Hunts: Theory, Practice, And Framework Alignment, Ellwood Colahan

University Libraries: Faculty Scholarship

Treasure hunts have long been employed in academic library instruction as an interactive method for fostering information literacy skills through active learning, exploration, and adventure. This essay offers a comprehensive analysis of the theory and practice of library treasure hunts. It begins by distinguishing treasure hunts from scavenger hunts and emphasizing the importance of accurate terminology. The pedagogical principles underlying their effectiveness are then examined, followed by a review of the relevant literature. The essay also addresses the challenges associated with the labor-intensive process of designing and implementing these activities. A separate analysis course alignment, learning outcomes, and how the …

Lbsci 700 / Info 7001. The Technology Of Information., Brandon K. Jeffries Mr.

Open Educational Resources

This course will introduce the student to the conceptual and practical elements of visual and computer literacy for the library and information science profession. Particular attention will be paid to the place and role of libraries and information centers. A laboratory session following each class will give students the opportunity to apply some of the concepts learned in class.

Promoting Library Services And User Education With Digital Tools, Sarah-Anne Kennedy, Jennifer Flynn

Case studies: Digital Education

Library Services has adopted a Digital First Approach for Communications and Marketing focusing on primary channels such as the library website, LibGuides, plasma screens, and social media. Re-designed visual promotional materials direct users to online content for more information on how to engage with a service, resources, or support. This shift ensures that our content is accessible and streamlined for the digital age. All content is standardised to align with TU Dublin brand guidelines with accessibility features incorporated to support users with disabilities.

Exploring The Impact Of Research And Instruction Librarian Accessibility On Graduate Student Achievement, Fatemeh Kholoosi Raftar, Jennifer Dyer

Velma K. Waters Library Faculty Publications

This article explores the impact of embedding a research and instruction librarian within the graduate school at East Texas A&M University to address the unique research challenges faced by graduate students. Relocating the librarian to the graduate school increased accessibility to library services, promoted personalized support, and enhanced visibility among students and faculty. Data collected through LibInsight and user feedback revealed significant increases in research consultations, workshop attendance, and faculty engagement following the relocation. The initiative also led to the development of targeted instructional resources and collaborative research tools. While logistical and awareness challenges were encountered, the outcomes highlight the …

Searching Practice, Sandra Teft

Handouts

This in-class assignment was prepared for a WRT 150 class in order to have the students track their searching process in a non-digital way. Data gathered includes key terms, database used, resources found, etc.

Building A Regional Library-Led Case Competition: Reflections From Librarians And Vendor Partners, Zoeanna A. Mayhook, Annette Bochenek, Elizabeth Grauel, Hunter Minser, Terence O’Neill, Ilana Stonebraker, Juan Vasquez

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Libraries are increasingly involved in supporting and facilitating case competitions, leading to competitions that emphasize decision-making and understanding of a larger ecosystem of information. This paper examines existing literature on the topics of librarian support for case competitions, the growing trend of library-led case competitions, and the expanded role of libraries in support of entrepreneurs, students, and faculty in entrepreneurial programs. The conversation is expanded through a discussion of the Midwest Entrepreneurship Case Competition (MECC), a library-led case competition that prioritized the participation of undergraduate students and grew from a local to a regional event. Vendor engagement, case development, competition …

Teaching Archival Silences With The New Hampshire Maps Collection, Kai H. Uchida

Faculty Publications

This conference presentation was given at the Annual Spring 2025 Meeting for New England Archivists.

For the past two years, the University Archivist at Milne Special Collections and Archives at the University of New Hampshire has partnered with an instructor in the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Department to teach about its historic map collections. This presentation will discuss the planning, execution, and lessons learned from using a historic state maps collection to educate students on the concept of "archival silence," and to advocate for the use of historical map collections to develop critical archival and data literacies.

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - March 2025, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Are Emojis The New Words? A Sentiment Analysis Of Social Media Brand Conversations, Yashodhan Karulkar, Dev T. Vora, Siddharth Vaddepalli, Yash Thakur

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Emojis have become an increasingly important aspect of consumer-brand interactions in the Indian subcontinent. However, the impact of emoji use on brand image and mental health remains underexplored, particularly in emerging economies like India, where structured research on this topic is limited. To address this gap, the present study analyzes over 4,600 consumer tweets related to 19 prominent brands across eleven industries. Using VADER sentiment analysis, the research develops a metric to assess consumer sentiment and brand engagement in relation to emoji usage. The findings indicate that effective integration of emojis contributes to positive consumer sentiment and enhanced brand engagement. …

Researching The U.S. Senate Presidential Nominee Confirmation Process, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The beginning of 2025 has seen renewed public attention and emphasis on the constitutionally mandated U.S. Senate confirmation process. This stems from the beginning of the second Trump Administration as its nominees navigate this process. The presentation provides historical background on this process, demonstrates what nominees, Senate oversight committees, and the full Senate in administering this process and enables readers to find out how to access information resources documenting this process. The confirmation process continues throughout presidential administrations and may involve little public attention and controversy or acute public attention and controversy. The contrasting 2025 confirmation experiences of Secretary of …

California Teacher Librarians & The Differences They Make, Keith Curry Lance, Mary Ann Harlan

Learning Hub

In August 2024, the California Department of Education released data gathered via its 2022-23 school library evaluation. Following are major findings of an analysis of this dataset focusing on factors associated with where there are credentialed teacher librarians and how their presence helps to shape school library programs—details about staffing levels, library access, staff activities, collection size and budget, and implementation of the Model School Library Standards. Because data were reported by a voluntary sample covering approximately a third of California public schools, the dataset was not adequate to generate state totals or averages. Most responding schools had on-campus libraries. …

Building An Inclusive Community: Hosting An International Graduate Student Orientation, Adelia B. Grabowsky, Liza J. Weisbrod, Timothy Dodge, Juliet T. Rumble

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

In 2018, library faculty at a large, public land grant university formed a working group tasked with assessing the information needs of graduate students and implementing action plans to support this user population. From the beginning, the librarians recognized that graduate students are not a homogeneous group. Desiring a more nuanced understanding of these students, they held focus groups in 2019 to explore students’ experiences with navigating graduate school and, more specifically, the University library. One sub-group of particular interest to them was international graduate students, who make up a sizable percentage of the graduate student population on campus. International …

Teaching Information Literacy In A Genai World: A 5cs Framework For Fostering Critical Engagement, Paul Cook, Adam Maksl

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Teaching Information Literacy in a GenAI World:
A 5Cs Framework for Fostering Critical Engagement

This interactive workshop will equip participants with a robust framework for teaching students the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the modern, multifaceted information ecosystems upon which GenAI is built and operates. The 5Cs of news literacy (context, creation, content, circulation, and consumption), as outlined in Tully, Maksl, Ashley, Vraga, and Craft (2021), will be adapted to information literacy more broadly and we will explain how that framework presents an excellent foundation upon which broader information literacy knowledge and skills can be built. As GenAI becomes …

Engaging Students With Interdisciplinary Learning Community Project For Freshman Composition And Digital Media Students, Hsi-Ling Huang, Xin Xu

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Studies have shown that Learning Communities have many benefits, including “[f]ostering workforce skills, encouraging problem-solving skills, and increasing retention and success” for both faculty and students (Dodge and Kendall, College Teaching, 2004). In this project, we created an interdisciplinary Learning Community Project that allowed a Freshman Composition (FC) course to pair with a Digital Media (DM) course (Sophomore students) for students to work on a mini magazine. Students in FC were writers whose tasks focusing on writing and researching, whereas students in DM were copy editors whose tasks focusing on graphic design and layout. The goal was for students …

Teaching The Information Has Value Frame Through The Price Is Right, Kevin J. Reagan, Dawn ("Nikki") Cannon-Rech

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

When navigating library resources, students often remain unaware of the cost of information, particularly scholarly academic journal articles– and rightly so, given that the mission of the library is to provide patrons with free access to information. Part of the ACRL Framework, nevertheless, entails teaching students about issues with lack of information access, which can be difficult to teach in higher education, where students might have never lacked access to quality information sources. To teach students about the cost of information and the economic factors that prevent some from accessing information, two academic librarians integrated the Information Has Value Frame …

From The Stacks To Student Success: Understanding Faculty Perceptions Of Collection Management And Its Impact On Student Use Of Library Resources, Alyshia K. Bagley, Jessica L. Swaringen

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Effective collection management is vital for a library’s ability to support the evolving needs of its academic community. Faculty engagement with library resources plays a crucial role in how students access and benefit from these collections. This research seeks to identify gaps between faculty understanding of collection management practices and their influence on student use of library resources.

This study will explore how faculty perceive collection management at GS Libraries, examining factors that shape their views and their subsequent impact on teaching, research, and collaboration with library staff. Following a review of existing literature, a survey containing quantitative and qualitative …

Empowering Learners, Shaping The Future: Cultivating Metaliteracy Across The Curriculum, Vivian Bynoe, Jessica L. Swaringen, Lauren Mcmillan

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

The rapid evolution of the information landscape requires students to be adaptable to a complex information environment. Students are not just information users but also informants and creators who act based on their social identities and social power (Oliphant, 2021). As educators, part of our responsibility involves empowering students to take ownership of the learning process, not only in the classroom but in ways that transfer to their everyday lives. Students who enter the college classroom may or may not be equipped with important 21st century skills such as those identified by the P21 framework for 21st century learning (Soulé, …

The Disinformation Vaccine: A Case For Integrating Comprehensive Disinformation Education Into First Year Writing Classes, Benjamin F. Jackson

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Students’ exposure to disinformation and misinformation is far greater than it has ever been. As the ability of generative AI to produce image, video, and audio deepfakes grows more sophisticated, disinformation will become even easier to spread and harder to detect. The rapid spread of social, political, scientific, and medical disinformation has been deadly and its potential is disastrous. Security experts now warn that dis/misinformation is the greatest threat to national security. Americans at large and students in particular have a demonstrated lack of information literacy when it comes to detecting false information, and bad actors nationally and globally are …

Transformative Nudges: Fostering Well-Being & Digital Literacy With Generative Ai, Kay Coates, Jessica Garner

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

In a transformative, technological era heralded by the emergence and advancements of Generative Artificial (Gen AI), educational landscapes are gradually evolving. Evidently, opportunities go abegging, innovations and reflections become invitations to be accommodated. This presentation explores the harmonious interplay between Gen AI and Nudge Theory — a substantive framework grounded in behavioral science that encourages positive change that can be executed through gentle, strategic prompts.

Carefully crafted prompts that could read like subtle interventions can profoundly influence learners' decisions and corresponding actions. Thus, Nudge Theory can be a utility vis-a-vis an effective approach for cultivating an adaptable educational culture within …

Navigating The Hidden Curriculum: A Partnership For Student Success At Coastal Carolina University, Kimberly Foster, Loren Mixon

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

As librarians who do a significant amount of introductory-level library instruction, over the years we have become aware of some gaps in students’ understanding of certain “hidden curriculum” skills. First introduced in the 1960’s, “the term hidden curriculum refers to attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge that are covertly or unintentionally learned through the schooling process” (Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice, 2014). We have found that many students have never encountered an academic article prior to coming to college, and lack the “hidden curriculum” skills to properly read and understand these types of articles. Our goal, in collaboration with the Student …

Measuring Outreach In Unexpected Places, Renee Cole Montgomery, Chereeka Garner, Katy A. Miller

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

The University of Central Florida hosts one of the largest student bodies in the nation. Just looking at the numbers, it may seem like every library event is a huge success. However, when you compare this with the number of students represented, it becomes apparent that we are only reaching a fraction of the students who attend the university. For this reason, librarians are always looking for ways to reach as many students as possible. One of the best methods to develop meaningful programming is to ask students themselves what they want to experience.

To collect as much student feedback …

Weeding Out Dishonesty: Rhetoric And Information Literacy For The Age Of Disinformation, Victoria M. Tischio

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

We live in what some call a post-fact world where what is presented as true becomes true and circulates widely. Politicians lie because they have calculated that they gain more than they lose, and media outlets repeat those lies because they profit from them (Adair 2024). Fear and suspicion make individuals vulnerable to these lies (Young 2017). Like an invasive species, it is nearly impossible to eradicate these lies once released into the media ecosystem. While fake news is not new (think P.T. Barnum and 17th-century canards), its virulence has reached epidemic proportions, infiltrating all aspects of society. This constitutes …

Enhancing Engagement With Ux/Ui Design: How The Laws Of Ux Inform Information Literacy, Laura A. Palmer, Tyler M. Eckert

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This presentation will draw on a case study in which a recent graduate of a user experience design (UXD) program was able to apply UXD principles and research practices to increase the discoverability of training materials used by a library consortium. The case study presented will demonstrate to educators and students the importance of learning how UX laws can inform best practices for development, assessment, and iteration of digital spaces. Attendees will learn how laws/heuristics drawn from UXD play a critical role in ensuring that resources are accessible, intuitive, and engaging.

Our case study centers on how a library consortium …

Teaching The Researched Family Profile Essay As Meaningful Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy And Counterstory, Amy L. Garrett Brown

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

My students have been asked to create a researched narrative about their family history (the definition of “family” is loose and includes families of choice) using personal interviews, artifacts, research and reflection. They will mix the voices of their family members with the voices of scholars and historians from the university library and databases. This is a conversation. In many ways, these are counterstories. In order to focus on using Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Alim and Paris) with this assignment, I thought about several of the tenets of CSP: “Instead of being oppressive, homogenizing forces, CSP asks us to reimagine schools …

Harnessing The Power Of Chatgpt To Streamline Reference And Research Librarian Workflows: Sample Productivity Use Case Scenarios And Their Roi, Ladislava Khailova

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

After the public release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, GenAI systems have been applied and tested in a wide variety of contexts, including those aimed at increasing workplace productivity. In fact, some studies estimate the GenAI enhancements to work functions to generate a shocking additional trillions of dollars annually in the nearest future, with the knowledge work industry especially likely to be impacted. This presentation uses these predictions to look into the potential of ChatGPT to enhance reference and research librarian workflows. The specific explored productivity use case scenarios include harnessing the power of the chatbot to streamline …

Restoring School Librarians: Challenges And Strategies, Debrah E. Kachel

Learning Hub

The article examines efforts to restore school librarian positions across eleven urban U.S. school districts, despite significant financial and administrative obstacles. It documents strategies used by district library leaders to advocate for staffing, funding, and policy changes, emphasizing equity in access to certified school librarians. Through structured interviews and analysis, the report highlights key barriers, advocacy methods, and funding mechanisms that have influenced school library staffing. The study's findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on educational equity and policy reform in K-12 library services.