academic librarians Archives | Page 3 of 5 | American Libraries Magazine

Meet the I Love My Librarian Award Winners

December 10, 2019

“Our nation’s librarians serve the needs and aspirations of their communities by promoting education, employment, entrepreneurship, empowerment, and engagement,” said ALA President Wanda Kay Brown. “Congratulations to this year’s I Love My Librarian Award recipients, who represent the highest qualities in social service and transform lives every day.” Winners will each receive a $5,000 cash … Continue reading Meet the I Love My Librarian Award Winners →

From left: Catherine Morse, Joe Bauer, Matt Carruthers, and Sara Hughes at a research sprint held in October 2019 in partnership with University of Michigan Library. The group worked on developing a data management system for information on public drinking water.

Ready, Set, Research!

By Timothy Inklebarger | December 3, 2019

In this multipart series, American Libraries presents case studies and interviews with thought leaders looking at research trends in academic libraries. We’ll be covering the topics of social justice, information literacy, digital archives, faculty outreach, and new technology. This is the fourth story in the series. Also referred to as scholar sprints, the intensive forums are … Continue reading Ready, Set, Research! →

The University of Michigan’s Computer and Video Game Archive. Photo: Alan Pinon

Librarians, Start New Game

By Diana Panuncial | November 1, 2019

The University of Michigan’s (UM) Computer Video and Game Archive (CVGA) in Ann Arbor boasts more than 8,000 videogames and 60 consoles dating back to the 1970s. “Because we have such a large collection, there are many examples from which to pull and get inspiration, things [students] would never be able to afford on their … Continue reading Librarians, Start New Game →

Global Themes and Reflections in LIS Education

By Raymond Pun | October 1, 2019

Day 1: Perspectives on diversity and inclusion, data ethics, and fake news In “The Hoax and the President: Historical Perspectives on Politics, Truth, and Academia” on September 24, Sharon McQueen, an independent scholar, explored the rise and impact of fake news in journalism and the information ecology. She said fake news can be traced back … Continue reading Global Themes and Reflections in LIS Education →

Mies Martin (left) and Beth Martin present their findings at the Association of College and Research Libraries Conference in Cleveland on April 12.

The Impostor Phenomenon

By George M. Eberhart | April 13, 2019

At an April 12 session at the Association of College and Research Libraries Conference in Cleveland, Beth Martin, head of professional programs at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, and Mies Martin, electronic resources and serials librarian at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, described their own recent IP research. Beth Martin said IP is … Continue reading The Impostor Phenomenon →

From left: Amy Fyn, Amanda Foster-Kaufman, Christina Heady, and Allison Hosier at the Association of College and Research Libraries Conference in Cleveland

Why Librarians Leave

By Sally Stieglitz | April 12, 2019

The study identified 20 factors spread across four categories that indicated librarian job dissatisfaction, most significantly workplace morale, with 79% of respondents identifying it as their top reason for leaving. Following closely behind was dissatisfaction with library administration (72%). “Overall the comments indicated that unfair practices and lack of transparency were the highest areas of … Continue reading Why Librarians Leave →

Become Future Ready

By Karen Muller | March 1, 2019

Transforming Libraries: A Toolkit for Innovators, Makers, and Seekers, by Ron Starker, begins with the premise that libraries are at a tipping point in the evolutionary process, from being book warehouses to serving as centers for collaboration and learning. Starker analyzes issues that are changing libraries, including their historical context, the specific challenges each faces, … Continue reading Become Future Ready →

Penn State University student Luz Sanchez Tejada uses the school's microcredentialing platform in Pattee Library to earn badges as part of her peer research consultant training. Photo: Steve Tressler

The Making of a Microcredential

By Emily Rimland | January 2, 2019

In the last two years, Penn State University Libraries has seen rapid adoption of its information literacy microcredentials among students. Microcredentials—transferable forms of metadata-encoded, performance-based educational credits—are not new; they started gaining traction in academic libraries around 2012. What is different at Penn State is that to help manage the sudden volume of badge submissions, … Continue reading The Making of a Microcredential →

Faculty and librarians work on a research sprint at the University of Kansas Libraries in 2017.

Academic Speed Trials

By Timothy Inklebarger | January 2, 2019

Karna Younger, faculty engagement librarian at Kansas University Libraries, says the idea of research sprints—during which faculty and librarians work together for about a week on the same project, and, more importantly, in the same space—is not a wholly new idea. But the approach is being formalized into a method that can be replicated. “It … Continue reading Academic Speed Trials →

Disability and Equity

By Joanne Oud | January 2, 2019

Many people with disabilities challenge these attitudes and advocate for change. They point out that cultural attitudes often create more difficulties for them than the disability itself. Despite their efforts, stereotypes persist—even in the workplace. I recently surveyed 288 librarians, interviewing 10 who identified as having a disability, about their experiences working at academic libraries … Continue reading Disability and Equity →

Unions 101

By Carrie Smith | November 1, 2018

Librarians realized this when their union, the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) Unit 17, filed grievances against the UC administration regarding disciplinary actions for such things as managers reprimanding librarians over product assessments and conference presentation titles. Their grievances were rejected. The union’s contract expired September 30, and at press time … Continue reading Unions 101 →

Clifford Anderson, associate university librarian for research and learning, at the Vanderbilt Television News Archive.

Bookend: News to Peruse

November 1, 2018

This year the archive of more than 1.1 million abstracted segments—including the only known coverage of its kind of the Vietnam War, the Apollo spaceflight program, and Watergate—celebrates its 50th anniversary. “We want people to have an objective record of what has been broadcast,” says Clifford Anderson (pictured), associate university librarian for research and learning, … Continue reading Bookend: News to Peruse →

Latest Library Links

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Booklist Reader—a publication that offers diverse readers’ advisory recommendations, author interviews, original features, and top 10 lists for library patrons of all ages—is celebrating its first anniversary by launching a new print option for subscribers. Starting January 2023, monthly print quantities of 50–5,000 copies will be available for US and Canadian Booklist subscribers for an additional fee. The digital addition of Booklist Reader is already included as a Booklist subscriber benefit. “We’re excited by the number of libraries sharing Booklist Reader via their websites, but Booklist understands that not all library patrons do or can interact with their library digitally,” says Booklist Publisher George Kendall.

ALA: Booklist Publications, Sept. 27
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On September 27, the Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concerns about threats directed at public and school libraries and library workers. The letter cites bombing or shooting threats in the past two weeks that have temporarily closed Hawaii State Public Library System, Salt Lake City Public Library, Denver Public Library, Fort Worth (Tex.) Public Library, and Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library. “Given the seriousness and proliferation of these threats of violence and other acts of intimidation increasingly taking place in America’s libraries, we are gravely concerned for the safety of library workers and the millions of Americans who visit libraries each day,” the letter states.

ALA, Sept. 27
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Erin Hennessy writes: “As bills hostile to LGBTQ communities, people of color, and women continue to proliferate, associations will increasingly face challenges. The uptick in these discriminatory laws at the state level flies in the face of the values and missions of many higher education organizations. Deciding where to host an annual national conference—and if or when to relocate—has become a much weightier and costlier decision, and one that is going to continue to surface for associations. Adding to the difficulty is the timeline and its associated costs; these conferences and annual meetings are usually booked multiple years out. It is critical for associations to have site-selection policies in place.”

Inside Higher Ed, Sept. 22
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Nicholas Brown writes: “The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 67.3 million Americans speak a language other than English at home, a number that has more than doubled since 1990. That’s a huge number with powerful implications for social institutions, including libraries. For many of us, getting started serving those communities feels like an overwhelming task. I’m here to tell you—you can do it. Our library has made significant progress on expanding multilingual access, starting with hiring bilingual English/Spanish speakers for branches. There are a few lessons our library has learned along the way that can help your library advance this important work.”

WebJunction, Sept. 22
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Vitaly Friedman writes: “Given just how complex the web has become, it’s easy to overlook some fine little details just before the big release. And sometimes it’s difficult to pick out just the right technique or strategy to address a particular problem. That’s where design checklists can help.” Friedman provides a variety of user experience (UX) checklists that cover best design practices, accessibility, tables, research methods, and more.

Smashing Magazine, Sept. 8
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Alejandra Domenzain writes: “At a time when book bans are targeting marginalized voices, it’s more important than ever to ask: Why does access to these books matter? I want to argue that the stakes are high not just for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in children’s books, but that we need to go further to demand social justice books in our schools and libraries. Social justice books ask questions that inevitably expose differences in power and privilege. They make the reader accountable: Is this fair? Should we do something to change it? Because these questions may be inconvenient or uncomfortable, many educators reserve social justice books for occasions such as Black History Month or Cesar Chavez Day, when they can be confined to a narrow scope, often historical, rather than challenging our current policies, systems, and institutions.”

Latinxs in Kit Lit newsletter, Sept.
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Kathleen Hughes writes: “Job seekers with a criminal record face an enormous barrier to employment. While legal service providers can assist with the expungement process, they are predominantly located in urban centers, making access difficult for those in rural areas. In this episode of FYI: The Public Libraries Podcast, Adult Program Manager Elena Coelho and Assistant Branch Manager Marshall Shord, both from Worcester County (Md.) Library, share their experiences starting and running a bimonthly expungement clinic in an area with few pro bono legal resources.”

Public Libraries Online, Sept. 26

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