Information Literacy Commons^™

Critical Information Literacy In Higher Education: An Evolution In Theory, Practice, And Assessment, Dan Williford

Communications in Information Literacy

This article offers a critical synthesis of scholarship on critical information literacy (CIL) in higher education from 2015 to 2026, extending and recalibrating prior longitudinal reviews to account for post-2020 theoretical, political, and technological shifts. Drawing on a corpus of 48 peer-reviewed publications published between 2020 and 2026, the study employs thematic cluster analysis—building on Tewell’s four-domain framework—to examine developments in theory, pedagogy, digital and political engagement, reflexive critique, and assessment. Rather than treating critical information literacy as a settled framework, this review positions it as an evolving and contested practice shaped by the political economy of higher education. It …

Decolonizing The Academic Library: Examining The Successful Indigenization Of Ubc And Unm’S Library Services, Emily T. Villars

School of Information Student Research Journal

This article examines decolonization and indigenization initiatives at two academic libraries: the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of New Mexico (UNM). It asks how these institutions have implemented indigenization in their libraries and what lessons can inform broader reconciliation work across North America. Through a comparative lens, it analyzes how national and organizational frameworks, such as the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA-FCAB) Truth and Reconciliation Report and Recommendations and the American Indian Library Association’s (AILA) organizational goals, can shape these efforts. The study highlights three core strategies: decolonizing access and classification, transforming library spaces, and expanding …

From The Stacks To Student Success: Findings From A Study Of Faculty Perceptions Of Collection Development, Jessica L. Swaringen, Alyshia K. Bagley, Payton Sapp, James Mayes

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Effective collection development is essential for a library’s ability to support the evolving needs of its academic community. Faculty perceptions of library resources will undoubtedly influence how students engage with and benefit from these collections. This research explores how faculty at Georgia Southern University (GS) Libraries understand collection development practices and how their views shape teaching, research, and collaboration with librarians.

Following a review of existing literature, a mixed-methods survey was distributed to faculty via email. The survey combined quantitative and qualitative questions to capture faculty attitudes toward library collections, their use in course curricula, and their role in supporting …

Advancing Research Appointments: Enhancing Patron Satisfaction Through Assessment, Kytt Everdeen Moore, Tera A. Ray, Laura B. Wright

The Southeastern Librarian

As research appointments continue to be a service offered across reference departments, it is important to regularly assess their effectiveness at meeting patrons’ needs and to seek improvement. To do this, patrons were surveyed after scheduling a research appointment to understand their reasons for scheduling an appointment, preferred formats, expectations, knowledge gained, and overall satisfaction. The findings revealed that most patrons were students, and the most common way to learn about appointments was from instructors. Patrons primarily scheduled appointments online, citing convenience and location as main reasons for their choice. Their main expectation was to learn effective search strategies. Recommendations …

Enhancing Access And User Engagement Through The Implementation Of The Library Mobile App, Kebede H. Wordofa

The Southeastern Librarian

Mobile applications (apps) are prevalent across all sectors, including libraries. Today, libraries are in-creasingly adopting mobile technologies to enhance the delivery of resources and services to smartphone and tablet users (Singh & Madhusudhan, 2023). This article presents a case study of the implementation of the Ex Libris Library Mobile App by the Woodward Library at Austin Peay State University (APSU) to improve access to library resources, enhance service delivery, and promote user interaction. The article discusses the app platform, design features, the app’s benefits, and the various resources and services made available through the app. It also highlights the app …

"I Don't Think Librarians Can Save Us": The Material Conditions Of Information Literacy Instruction In The Misinformation Age, Amber Willenborg, Robert Detmering

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This national qualitative study investigates academic librarians’ instructional experiences, views, and challenges regarding the widespread problem of misinformation. Findings from phenomenological interviews reveal a tension between librarians’ professional, moral, and civic obligation to address misinformation and the actual material conditions of information literacy instruction, which influence and often constrain librarians’ pedagogical and institutional roles. The authors call for greater professional reflection on current information literacy models that focus on achieving ambitious educational goals but which may be unsuitable for addressing the larger social and political crisis of misinformation.

What Language Are We Speaking?: Marketing Information Literacy On University Library Websites, Aleksandar Golijanin

Communications in Information Literacy

This study investigates how Canadian university libraries communicate information literacy (IL) to non-library faculty members on faculty-facing web pages. A content analysis was conducted of websites from institutions affiliated with the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (n = 25) to identify trends in the terminology used to describe IL. The findings reveal that the term "information literacy" appears with varying frequency across website headings, subheadings and body text, while terms like “research skills” and “critical information use” may appear in its stead. University libraries may intentionally be employing these terms to enhance faculty engagement in response to the existing …

From Data To Discovery: Empowering Research With Comprehensive Library Services At Smu Libraries, Redzuan Abdullah

Research Collection Library

Academic libraries face increasing challenges in supporting complex research data needs across multiple financial and business databases. These challenges are amplified by the diverse nature of data sources, the intricacy of data extraction processes, and the varying levels of research support required by different user groups. While data quality issues persist, commercial databases in finance, accounting, and economics remain of significant interest for academic research (Liu et al., 2024; Reiter, 2020).

This presentation presents SMU Libraries’ comprehensive research & data services, particularly our specialized Data Discovery support, which emphasizes three distinctive offerings: expert guidance on data navigation and retrieval across …

Beyond Information Literacy: Exploring Ai's Impact On Labor In Academic Libraries, Nicole Murph

Librarian Publications & Presentations

This semi-autobiographical essay explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on academic libraries and in particular, information literacy instruction. In exploring the ethical implications of AI and the importance of (re)imagining how AI will affect labor in academic libraries, the author utilizes sociological and historical approaches. The author also reflects on the parallels between past and current technological disruptions and transformations.

Library Experience Day: Fostering Student Engagement And Recruitment Through A Community Partnership, Melissa Dennis, Amanda T. Osborne

The Southeastern Librarian

This study explores the creation of a community engaged partnership between a university librarian and high school librarian. The article underscores the significance of university-school collaborations in ad-vancing K-12 education, offering insights for academic and educational institutions seeking to strength-en community engagement and recruitment initiatives. The authors discuss how the collaboration helped bolster an academic library’s strategic initiative to foster community engagement, particularly with local K-12 schools, and advance college readiness skills for area students. Collaborating with four high school librarians, the authors designed an interactive day on campus with activities and tours high-lighting the diverse roles within an academic …

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 …

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 …

Usability, Visibility, And Style: Libguides Usability Testing To Support Students’ Needs, Tera A. Ray

The Southeastern Librarian

The study aimed to discover the level of knowledge students have regarding LibGuides, the preferred navigational layout, and how students use guides to conduct research. Ten undergraduate students par-ticipated in a mixed-methods study consisting of semi-structured interviews and usability tasks. The study revealed that the usability test was the first time any of the participants had interacted with a guide, resulting in data free from bias or previous experience. Participants did not exhibit a clear prefer-ence for navigation style, and an emphasis was placed on the importance of an aesthetically pleasing design and a functional search bar. The study's findings …

25 Reading Challenges An Interactive Reading Competition, Marion O. Finnegan, Etchel Barina

Presentations

This poster aims to guide the audience through the process of creating a relevant and engaging reading challenge for third-level students in the UAE, using a real-world example created by librarians for the UAE’s Month of Reading in 2024.

For this reading competition, librarians created 25 fun reading challenges to encourage university students to read in various genres and formats, sometimes outside their comfort zone. Challenges included ‘Cook a Dish from a Recipe Book’, ‘Read a Story to a Child’, ‘Read a Book by an Emirati Author’ and ‘Listen to an audiobook using the Libby App’.

Platforms and software used …

The Decline Of The Traditional Reference Desk: How Library Reference At Francis Marion University Is Adjusting To The Shifting Trend Compared To Other Academic Libraries, Bernadette Johnson

The Southeastern Librarian

In a world of advanced technology, traditional reference faces the ever-increasing challenge to maintain its relevance and significance. Statistics show a drastic decline in reference desk transactions in academic libraries nationwide over the last few decades. As academic libraries around the nation are now transforming their services to adjust to the changing needs of today’s library users, how does the Reference department at Francis Marion University compare to its peers in keeping pace with this trend?

Taking It To The Street: Designing Archival Walking Tours For Cultural Heritage Months, Catherine M. Fonseca

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This chapter discusses an archives-based walking tour piloted by a mid-size academic library as part of a campus-wide Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Drawing on materials from university archives, the event served to highlight Latin@/x historical points of interest across campus. The chapter examines the significance of identity-specific programming for distinct BIPOC groups, details aspects of program planning and implementation, and offers practical suggestions and considerations for librarians seeking to offer similar culturally affirming programming. While the following case study discusses a walking tour event primarily designed to support the needs of Latin@/x students, strategies shared can be applied to walking …

Academic Library Book Digitization And Contemplative Reading, Robin Phillips

The Christian Librarian

Since the beginning of this century, academic libraries have been at the forefront of book digitization and access. During this same period, many individuals have made the transition from reading printed materials to reading on screens. This change in reading habits has led to profound shifts in how libraries conceive their mission, how they structure their spaces, how they organize their resources, and where they allocate funds in their budgets. These changes have been reflected in the Library and Information Science literature, which now includes a rich corpus of research on the impact of digitization on librarians and library services. …

Fostering Udl-Informed Library Instruction Practices Developed From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Niki Fullmer, Katie Strand

Library Faculty Research

Purpose: This case study explores how universal design for learning (UDL)-informed online instruction modules developed during COVID-19 can better support student information literacy outcomes. This study will also examine how hybrid learning lends itself to UDL and may resolve some of the issues within library instruction.

Design/methodology/approach: This case study explores how a team of librarians at Utah State University developed three UDL-informed modules to support library instruction and hybrid learning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was sent to composition instructors to understand how they utilized the three new UDL-informed modules and if the modules helped …

Making Publishing Less Painful: Shifting To A Relational Peer-Review Process, Sajni Lacey, Kristina Clement, Lalitha Nataraj, Nicole Pagowsky

Urban Library Journal

Navigating confusing peer-review structures in publishing can be daunting for librarians at all stages of their career. In this paper, the authors will differentiate peer-review models and reflect on their experiences with these formats in the context of the [redacted] special issue of [redacted]. Additional discussion will include the hidden curriculum of publishing; areas for growth in peer-review related to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and peer-review as an individual and collective form of professional development that shapes how we engage with scholarship in LIS.

Ai In Universities And Libraries, Aaron Tay

Research Collection Library

Everyone is familiar with ChatGPT. But can ChatGPT alone be used for information retrieval? In this Keynote speech, Aaron argues that ChatGPT or similar large language models alone is not sufficient for information retrieval. As databases such as Scopus, Dimensions announce new beta search tools that leverage generative AI, he provides a overview of how these tools that blend search with generative AI (large language models) work (using a technique known as Retrieval Augmented Generation or RAG) and explains the pros and cons of this new class of search tools.

He ends with a prediction of what the next 3 …

Addressing Challenges & Reactions To Covid-19 In Academic Libraries, Teisha Robertson, Edna Foxhall, Monica Hodge

Alabama Libraries

The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has impacted many universities and academic libraries resulting in normal operations ceasing temporarily. Overall, academic libraries at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic immediately adjusted to the so-called new normal and accommodated disrupted work operations to operate successfully. This article discusses the procedures implemented, positive and negative reactions to these changes, and the challenges experienced at Alabama State University, Levi Watkins Learning Center, and other libraries. This article will also highlight implemented procedures carried out by other university libraries, including difficulties and successes that libraries experienced during peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. To conclude, academic …

Teaching Inclusive Citation Through A Library Workshop, Andrea Baer

Libraries Scholarship

In response to calls for greater equity and inclusion in scholarly publishing and in academia in general, many academic instruction librarians are looking to ways to promote inclusive citation practices. Inclusive citation essentially involves citing sources that reflect a greater diversity of voices and perspectives, while being aware of how power and social structures have traditionally influenced what voices are amplified and which are often overlooked. Inclusive citation requires thinking creatively about how and where we search for information, since traditional scholarly practices and common structures and features of many search tools (e.g., citation metrics, relevance rankings) are part of …

Participation Of Academic Libraries And Provision Of Covid-19 Information Services During The Pandemic In Nigeria, Flora Orewa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information was sought on the level of collaboration between academic libraries and known key players championing the prevention and control of COVID-19, the activities carried out in compliance with set protocols, information services offered, and the challenges faced. Results showed moderate level of collaboration and very limited direct synergistic interaction with public health groups, while they provided patrons with an avenue to source updates from library websites. There was high compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines; however, there was no specialized COVID-19 information service desk for patrons' inquiries. Libraries participated in the dissemination of COVID-19 information during the pandemic, especially to …

Served Fresh Daily: Welcoming Students With An On-Site, Asynchronous Tour, Adrienne Warner

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

This presentation, delivered at the LOEX 2023 conference, highlights the program impetus, design, and initial assessment, as well as a call to rediscover how in-person tours can be an essential part of an academic library instruction program. Academic library tours used to be a staple offering that acquainted users to spaces and services. Today, librarians provide many types of online orientations and virtual tours, but there is a need to help students feel welcome in our buildings. At the University of New Mexico, the First-Year Experience librarian created an in-person, asynchronous tour that students access with their smartphones. Pairing a …

Research Support Services: An Analysis Of Top Science And Technology Institutions, Vijay Kumar Verma, Charu .

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose – This research article aims to find out the different types of research support services provided by the top fifty libraries listed under science and technology institutions category in the QS ranking 2022. The analysis results will provide an in-depth view of the research support services offered by these institutions and will be helpful to libraries everywhere in designing their research support service.

Design/methodology/approach – The top 50 institutions listed in the 2022 QS World University Rankings in the category of science and technology were taken. Out of them, 44 libraries were selected on the basis of research support …

Academic Libraries In An Open Access And Ai First World – An Attempt To Peer Into The Future, Aaron Tay

Research Collection Library

Technology is rapidly advancing, and AI is becoming more sophisticated everyday, But what is even more exciting is that academic libraries are going to be impacted even more. Why is that? It's because even the most advanced algorithm will not work without data to train on.

Equitable Sustainability Literacy Guide: Creating A Resource Guide To Educate On Environmental Problems Through A Social Justice Lens, Jennifer K. Embree, Neyda Gilman, Jacqueline Jergensen

Library Scholarship

The Equitable Sustainability Literacy Guide (ESLG) is an online resource guide created by three student interns (Jacqueline Jergensen, Haley Arnold, and Sage Block) and two librarians (Jennifer Embree and Neyda Gilman) at Binghamton University to educate the public on the environment, climate change, and sustainability through a social justice lens.

From Rookie To Researcher: Integrating Information Literacy Into Undergraduate Research, Larissa K. Garcia, Dee Anna Phares, Kimberly Shotick

Faculty Books & Book Chapters

Undergraduate research is a specific pedagogical practice with an impact on teaching and learning, and the definition of what counts as research continues to expand to include different types of projects, mentors, and institutions. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in librarians’ work with students and faculty are present and growing. Collaborations between faculty, librarians, and students are furthering student knowledge in new ways. This community and an awareness of students’ non-academic challenges demonstrate the library’s contribution to students’ overall sense of belonging within their institutions. This chapter describes the involvement of an academic library with an undergraduate research program.

Beyond Session Counting: A Program Development Model For Information Literacy In A Liberal Arts College, Christine Bombaro, Theresa S. Arndt

Harrisburg University Faculty Works

Academic librarians have long struggled to evaluate, report, promote and grow library services in order to effect positive changes in curricula. Metrics reported to faculty and administration generally include how many information literacy sessions are taught, how many students were present, and what subject areas were taught. However, merely counting information literacy sessions does not convey goals, opportunity, or progress. The Information Literacy Program Development Model (ILPDM) described in this article demonstrates how academic librarians at a small, liberal arts college moved beyond counting the number of information literacy sessions as a measure of value by clearly defining what a …

A Case Study Of Perceptions Of Academic Liaison Librarian Roles In The Instructional Design Process, Brent C. Swearingen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The academic liaison librarian model is evolving and increasingly includes a greater emphasis on collaborative work with other academic professionals. Little is known about how these new roles are viewed either by liaison librarians or their prospective partners. This study explored the evolution of the liaison model, as well as perceptions of academic liaison librarian roles in the instructional design process. Using systems thinking and frames as conceptual frameworks, the study utilized a qualitative, single-site case study for its methodology.