Medical Librarianship

Call Number Podcast: Medical Librarianship

November 30, 2022

In Episode 77 of Call Number, we explore the work of medical librarians by highlighting two initiatives presented at the 2022 Medical Library Association Annual Conference. First, American Libraries associate editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Jennifer Davis, Gail Kouame, and Lachelle Smith. The three collaborated on virtual reality programs that teach … Continue reading Call Number Podcast: Medical Librarianship


The Value of a DEI Audit

November 1, 2022

Assessment work is multifaceted and needs both leadership and expertise to be successful. When assessments include matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), you have an even more complex situation. Traditional library assessment practices often exclude DEI elements, or many academic libraries may be unsure about DEI assessments. Yet it’s crucial to consider: If institutions … Continue reading The Value of a DEI Audit


Jennifer Embree, subject librarian and Sustainability Hub coordinator for Binghamton University Libraries, speaks at the American Library Association's 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C., on June 26. Photo: Rebecca Lomax/American Libraries

Join the Hub

June 27, 2022

“Despite how big our school is, there was no sustainability office,” Embree said at  “Sustainability Hubs in Practice: How Libraries Can Develop Dynamic Spaces and Services to Help Foster an Action-Based Sustainability Culture in Communities,” a June 26 session at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C. “Unless you’re … Continue reading Join the Hub



Taylor Healey-Brooks and Michelle Lee

Pairing Up

May 2, 2022

Research demonstrates that people of color in libraries benefit from having a mentor with a similar background, but it can be difficult for new librarians to find such a person with years of training. Because of the lack of diversity in librarianship (in 2020, approximately 83% of credentialed librarians were white) and problems retaining librarians … Continue reading Pairing Up


Academic Insights, by Raymond Pun, Melissa Cardenas-Dow, and Kenya S. Flash

Prioritizing Ethnic Studies

March 1, 2022

In August 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed California Assembly Bill 1460, requiring all students in the 23-campus California State University system to take a three-unit ethnic studies class—in Native American studies, African American and Black studies, Asian Pacific American studies, or Chicanx and Latinx studies. During the 2021–2022 academic year, thousands of students enrolled in … Continue reading Prioritizing Ethnic Studies


Headshots of panelists at Curating for Inclusion session at LibLearnX

The Public Interest

January 23, 2022

What are the obligations of a public or private university to its local and global community? How have public libraries extended a sense of welcome to their patrons while safeguarding their rarest and most special collections? A panel of two public librarians and one academic librarian (moderated by architect Sindu Meier) discussed these questions during … Continue reading The Public Interest



Illustration: Hands add to collection of yellow gears on teal background (Illustration: Prostock Studio/Adobe Stock)

The Necessity of Collaboration

November 1, 2021

I conducted an informal survey and found that a typical large academic library has around 15–25 collaborative partners, while a large public library has about half that number. For example, Georgetown University Library in Washington, D.C., has roughly 20 partners, including large national organizations (HathiTrust), a regional consortium (NorthEast Research Libraries), campus partners (Georgetown Writing … Continue reading The Necessity of Collaboration


Academic Insights by Naomi Bishop

Fighting Medical Racism

November 1, 2021

I am a health science librarian at University of Arizona’s Phoenix Biomedical Campus. I am also Akimel O’odham (Pima) from the Gila River Indian Community. From a Native perspective, the needs of the community are greater than the wishes of the individual. Mask mandates are in place on tribal lands, and colleges and universities occupy … Continue reading Fighting Medical Racism


11 Questions: Robert “Jay” Malone

September 8, 2021

As ACRL’s new executive director, Malone will lead the largest of ALA’s eight divisions, which includes more than 9,000 individual and institutional members. Prior to ALA, Malone worked at the History of Science Society, where he served for 23 years, helping the organization further its advocacy goals; promote equity, diversity, and inclusion; create a fundraising … Continue reading 11 Questions: Robert “Jay” Malone


LIS and the Next Crisis

September 1, 2021

God gave Noah the rainbow sign No more water, the fire next time! (“Mary Don’t You Weep,” Black American spiritual) I will never forget Friday, March 13, 2020, the last day we worked in our building. It was also our admitted-student day, and several attendees had already arrived. Our staff quickly arranged a socially distanced … Continue reading LIS and the Next Crisis