Scholarly Communication Commons^™

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 …

Southeastern Librarian 73(2) Summer 2025 (Full Issue)

The Southeastern Librarian

Complete issue of The Southeastern Librarian Volume 73 Number 2

The President’S Column, Laura Slavin

The Southeastern Librarian

No abstract provided.

Now More Important Than Ever: Understanding Censorship, Fighting Book Challenges, And Celebrating Banned Books Week, Rachel Hooper, Stephanie White, Jennifer Long

The Southeastern Librarian

Although censorship is an international problem with a long history, American public and school libraries have faced increased censorship efforts from parents and politicians concerning materials available to children over the past few years. Just this past year, book challenges resulted in heated debates and book removals from the library shelves across the U.S. Now more than ever, it is important to understand censorship, keep abreast of recent legislation and developments, fight book challenges, and celebrate Banned Books Week. While there have been some setbacks in fighting book challenges, library advocates are encouraged by recent success stories. The American Library …

The Life And Music Of Booker “Bukka” White: Recalling The Blues, Tim Dodge

The Southeastern Librarian

David W. Johnson Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2024 ISBN: 9781496817518 260 p. $99.00 (Hbk)

In Memory Of Dr. Gordon N. Baker: A Life Of Service, Leadership, And Love For Libraries, Crystal Gates

The Southeastern Librarian

Dr. Gordon N. Baker, Dean of Libraries Emeritus at Clayton State University, passed away after a lifetime of unwaver-ing dedication to libraries, library workers, and the communities they serve. Affectionately known as “Mr. Library” throughout Georgia and beyond, Dr. Baker’s life was a powerful testament to servant leadership, advocacy, and an enduring commitment to ad-vancing the library profession.

Anatomy Of A Purple State: A North Carolina Politics Primer, David W. Young

The Southeastern Librarian

Christopher A. Cooper Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2024 ISBN: 9781469681719 216 p. $22.00 (Pbk)

Unpalatable: Stories Of Pain And Pleasure In Southern Cookbooks, Adam Johnson

The Southeastern Librarian

Carrie Helms Tippen Jackson: University Press of Mississippi , 2024 ISBN: 9781496854803 264 p. $30.00 (Pbk)

An Interview With Dan Leach, Author Of Junah At The End Of The World, Melissa Lockaby

The Southeastern Librarian

Dan Leach Spartanburg: Hub City Press, 2025 ISBN: 9798885740494 217 p. $17.95 (Pbk)

News From The States

The Southeastern Librarian

No abstract provided.

I Hate It Here, Please Vote For Me: Essays On Rural Political Decay, Peter R. Dean

The Southeastern Librarian

Matthew Ferrence Morgantown: West Virginia Uni-versity Press, 2024 ISBN: 9781959000273 228 p. $21.99 (Pbk)

Waring Library Society Newsletter, Summer 2025, Waring Library Society, Waring Historical Library, Medical University Of South Carolina, Jude Arendall, Robert Ball, Jerry Reeves, Joann Livingston Zeise, Tabitha Samuel

The Waring Library Society Newsletters

In this issue, Waring Library Society President Robert Ball, M.D. highlights the accomplishments of Dr. Randolph D. Smoak, Jr., emphasizing his leadership in medical organizations, advocacy for health reform and anti-smoking efforts, and recognition as a distinguished alumnus of MUSC. Jerry Reves, M.D., shares a brief new history of the Medical College. The Waring’s staff also provide updates: JoAnn Zeise, provides updates on the Waring’s restoration project, including the asbestos; Tabitha Samuel shares the new Spring 2025 titles added to MEDICA@MUSC, Jude Arendall makes a return to the Waring.

Creation Of An Open Access Textbook, Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

Slide presented during the PRCA Research Celebration, June 3, 2025, in the University Libraries, University of Nebraska-Lincoln titled Creation of an Open Access Textbook, about the development and publication of Concepts in Animal Parasitology, co-edited by Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner and published by Zea Books (Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) in 2024.

The Impact Of Ai Bots And Crawlers On Open Repositories: Results Of A Coar Survey, April 2025, Kathleen Shearer, Paul Walk

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

There are a growing number of AI bots crawling repositories. These automated bots, or crawlers, navigate the internet, gathering data and indexing information for search engines, AI and large language models, and other purposes. While some bots are rather innocuous, others are sufficiently aggressive that they are increasingly causing service disruptions in repositories (and other scholarly communications infrastructures). To learn more about the current state and gain a better understanding about the impact of bots and crawlers on repositories, COAR distributed a survey to members in April 2025. The survey received 66 responses from repositories around the world (22 from …

Authorship Policy, Munster Technological University, Ireland

Policies & Procedures Documents

The purpose of this document is to define the university’s policy on assignment of authorship to research outputs arising from the university’s research and scholarly activities. This policy promotes integrity in the authorship of research outputs arising from the research and scholarship of staff and students aligned with university, national and international best practice.

Elbow Patches To Eye Patches: A Phenomenographic Study Of Scholarly Practices, Research Literature Access, And Academic Piracy, Lance Eaton

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Changes to academic publishing in the form of digital technologies and copyright law over the late 20th century have created increasing roadblocks for scholars to consistently and conveniently access research literature in their pursuit of scholarly work. As a result, academic pirate networks (APNs) such as Sci-Hub and Library Genesis have risen to fulfill the unmet needs of scholars. This study examined the experiences of scholars using APNs with a focus on how scholars make sense of their experiences with participating on APNs. By identifying meanings that scholars attributed to their participation on these networks, the study clarifies how these …

Degrees In Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise To Expand The Reach Of Oer, Taylor "Lainie" Allen, Shelley Wigley

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

Students' expertise plays a crucial role in promoting Open Educational Resources (OER). The “Degrees in Action: Utilizing Public Relations Students' Expertise to Expand the Reach of OER” poser presentation highlights a collaboration between a Public Relations (PR) Campaigns Course and OER and Digital Scholarship Department. PR students were empowered to apply their skills in developing and executing a public awareness campaign that highlighted the benefits and availability of OER on the University of Texas in Arlington campus.

Through strategic planning, creative messaging, event coordination, and student/faculty surveys, the PR students gained hands-on experience in communication and advocacy while addressing the …

Common Challenges Faced By Early-Career Researchers In Latin American And Small U.S. Universities, Daniela Cejas, Fatima Rodriguez Acosta, Juan Rivera-Correa

Publications and Research

Early-career researchers from Spanish-speaking Latin American countries and small U.S. universities are underrepresented in international scientific databases. They have geographical importance, infectious disease endemicity, and exceptional researchers in microbiology, but these factors do not translate to representation in high-impact scientific publications. Many reasons could be involved, including financial burdens such as the inability to pay article processing charges. Additional teaching, institutional, and service responsibilities also highly influence their research productivity. Despite this, they are expected to publish high-impact articles, and their career development highly depends on it. There is an opportunity for global peer collaboration to tackle this inequity and …

Book Review: Creating Inclusive Libraries By Applying Universal Design: A Guide By Carli Spina, Hannah P. Martin

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Faculty Spotlight With Prof. Ferretti: Q&A On Critical Librarianship, Pearl Kim

School of Information Student Research Journal

In an interview with the Student Research Journal (SRJ), Prof. Jennifer Ferretti discusses the principles and impact of critical librarianship—an approach grounded in critical theory that interrogates power and inequity within libraries and archives. Drawing on her experience as a practitioner, educator, and student, she reflects on the role of critical theory in shaping library pedagogy, professional ethics, and institutional practices. Prof. Ferretti, an artist and information professional, formerly taught a course called “Building a Critical Culture: Information Ethics, Diverse Communities, and Critical Librarianship” at San Jose State University’s iSchool. She is currently the Documentation and Archives Director at the …

And The Test Of Resilience Continues, Pearl Kim

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Águila: The Vision, Life, Death & Rebirth Of A Two-Spirit Shaman In The Ozark Mountains, Adina Riggins

The Southeastern Librarian

María Cristina Moroles & Lauri Umansky Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2024 ISBN: 9781682262436 208 p. $34.95 (Hbk)

Finding The Singing Spruce: Musical In-Strument Makers And Appalachia’S Mountain Forests, Tammera Tace

The Southeastern Librarian

Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 2023 ISBN: 9781959000006 248 p. $26.99 (Pbk)

Sela Officers And Executive Committee, Sela State Representatives

The Southeastern Librarian

Current SELA officers and representatives.

Shaker Made: Inside Pleasant Hill's Shaker Village, Tim Daniels

The Southeastern Librarian

Carol Peachee Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2024 ISBN: 9780813198767 228 p. $50.00 (Hbk)

Some Nightmares Are Real: The Haunting Truth Behind Alabama’S Supernatural Tales, Kathelene Mccarty Smith

The Southeastern Librarian

Kelly Kazek Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 2024 ISBN: 9780817322007 144 p. $22.95 (Hbk)

Southeastern Librarian 73(1) Spring 2025 (Full Issue)

The Southeastern Librarian

Complete issue of The Southeastern Librarian Volume 73 Number 1

News From The States

The Southeastern Librarian

No abstract provided.

Sela News

The Southeastern Librarian

News from the Southeastern Library Association

Politics And Collection Development: Behaviors In Library Collecting Based On Political Climates, Zachary G. Stein, Lindsey M. Reno

The Southeastern Librarian

Over the last several years libraries in the United States have dealt with an increasing number of book challenges and calls for censorship of materials. The challenges and calls for censorship are no longer only from library patrons, but now include national organizations and even local and state legislators. Some of these actions have moved to criminalize librarians and curtail first amendment rights. Due to this new climate, it is important to examine the effect these culture wars have on library collection development decisions. This quantitative study seeks to answer that question with a nationwide survey of library professionals.