Agents of Influence: Academic Libraries

Human Libraries: Turning the Page on Discrimination

March 2, 2020

The “book” was available for one day only during a Human Library event at Torreyson Library on the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) campus in Conway. The forum offered “readers” the chance to check out more than two dozen flesh-and-blood human beings, who served as books, to tell their stories about living with the challenge … Continue reading Human Libraries: Turning the Page on Discrimination


A 23-foot statue stands at a central spot on the Oxford campus of the University of Mississippi. The state's Institutions of Higher Learning board will determine whether to relocate the monument to a Confederate cemetery, also on campus.

A Monumental Debate: Addressing Controversial Namesakes

February 4, 2020

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 sixth story in the series. It’s been more than two years since the university chose … Continue reading A Monumental Debate: Addressing Controversial Namesakes


Agents of Influence: Academic Librarians -- Fostering partnerships at the forefront of research

Pioneering Digital Humanities at Stanford

January 6, 2020

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 fifth story in the series. Quinn Dombrowski, academic technology specialist at Stanford’s Division of Literatures, … Continue reading Pioneering Digital Humanities at Stanford


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!

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!


Libraries Connecting You to Coverage

Reaching the Uninsured

October 29, 2019

Through PLA’s second annual Libraries Connecting You to Coverage initiative, libraries can start or increase efforts to educate and build year-round awareness of coverage options including enrollment in Medicaid or a Special Enrollment Period. These efforts will help reach the uninsured, many of whom are people of color. Health insurance is an important first step … Continue reading Reaching the Uninsured


Colleen Lyon, head of scholarly communications at University of Texas at Austin.

Wading the Muddy Waters: Educating on Copyright and Digital Archives

October 22, 2019

In this five-part series, American Libraries presents case studies and interviews with thought leaders looking at research trends in academic libraries. We’ll be covering trends on the topics of social justice, information literacy, digital archives, faculty outreach, and new technology. This is our third story in the series. Even with all that traffic, Lyon still gets … Continue reading Wading the Muddy Waters: Educating on Copyright and Digital Archives


Mind Your Business(es)

September 30, 2019

PLYMC Business and Investment Librarian Ed Koltonski offers these tips for supporting small business success: Work with local groups that also support business development. The BIC works closely with many other partners in the area, including the Youngstown chapter of the SCORE business mentoring network, the local business incubator, and other public libraries. “I’ve been … Continue reading Mind Your Business(es)


Librarians Bridge the Gap: Accessing Public Health Information

September 17, 2019

In this five-part series, American Libraries presents case studies and interviews with thought leaders looking at research trends in academic libraries. We’ll be covering trends on the topics of social justice, information literacy, digital archives, faculty outreach, and new technology. This is our second story in the series. “Whether it’s helping to work with a question, … Continue reading Librarians Bridge the Gap: Accessing Public Health Information


Digging through Boxes, Delving into Databases

August 6, 2019

In this five-part series, American Libraries presents case studies and interviews with thought leaders looking at research trends in academic libraries. We’ll be covering trends on the topics of social justice, information literacy, digital archives, faculty outreach, and new technology. We’ll also explore how librarians build and grow relationships within the academic community. Our first … Continue reading Digging through Boxes, Delving into Databases


Blockchain Technology

Sponsored: Librarians Harness the Potential of Blockchain Technology—Get Involved

February 6, 2018

With a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the San José State University (SJSU) School of Information is investigating ways that blockchain technology can be used by libraries as a community anchor to partner with other organizations and to support civic goals. Some suggestions for blockchain applications in libraries include building … Continue reading Sponsored: Librarians Harness the Potential of Blockchain Technology—Get Involved


Sponsored: Connecting the Library Community with Research on Learning

September 11, 2017

The Digital Promise Research Map meets this need by directly connecting you with key findings on education and learning. Through two interactive data visualizations, you can explore thousands of articles from more than 180 academic journals. The Research Map offers a simple way to view, search, and sort research articles, and helps you discover new … Continue reading Sponsored: Connecting the Library Community with Research on Learning


Primary Sources for Pride Month

June 13, 2017

Gale’s Archives of Sexuality & Gender, the largest collection of resources available to support the study of gender and sexuality, was introduced to address this dearth of information. LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940, Part II expands the breadth of unique, fully searchable primary sources on social, political, health, and legal issues—and provides extensive coverage of underrepresented LGBTQ … Continue reading Primary Sources for Pride Month