Search

Academic libraries have embraced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles as core tenets for serving their users. Many of these libraries have undertaken a diversity audit of their collections, evaluating content as well as authorship and amending acquisition processes to increase representation of historically marginalized groups. Techniques used in an audit can include comparison to bibliographies and peer institutions, but few libraries have used text mining of bibliographic metadata to uncover the inclusivity of their collections. This article describes one such study, performed at Raritan Valley Community College, to determine whether language displayed in the title, summary, and subject fields was inclusive and welcoming to library users. Prompted by a new functionality available for WorldCat Discovery that would allow for local updates to problematic subject headings, the process involved uploading MARC metadata to Voyant Tools to learn the most frequent terms in each bibliographic field. Results demonstrated that while the metadata includes welcoming language, improvements could be made by updating subject headings, deaccessioning outdated titles, and educating users in navigating the library catalog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive cataloging has gained more attention within the discipline of library and information science (LIS) within recent years. While the term coined for this concept is newer, the underlying ideas are not new and have been part of the professional and scholarly conversation within cataloging for decades. To trace these ideas, the authors conducted a literature review of scholarship on cataloging, diversity, and vocabulary written in the 1990s to discuss the evolution of inclusive cataloging. The review of the literature from this decade shows the intellectual progression of this topic and how it lays the groundwork for current scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While libraries have always had a mission of collecting materials to serve their users, in the last few decades this mission has been more explicitly focused on the diverse identities represented within the collection. As purchasing has shifted toward more automated models, such as e-book packages and demand-driven acquisitions, there is a need to supplement these strategies with deliberate selection of works that will bring the collection closer to being inclusive. This article describes a joint project of Temple University Libraries’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee and Metadata and Digitization Services (MADS) department. The intent of this project was to make both the OPAC and the collection more useful, welcoming, and inclusive. The project has two main components: purchasing winners and finalists of awards representing diverse populations and then enhancing records to ensure that these works are cataloged in a way that accurately highlights those identities. Winners of selected awards are labeled as a distinct collection in the catalog. In the first year of the project, the collection included 290 titles, of which 45 percent were already part of the main library’s circulating print collection. Temple University Libraries has marketed the collection using signage and social media posts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article interviews several college librarians in the U.S. including Robert L. Butterfield, Kendra Lake and Adriana Poo. Topics include the impact of textbook costs on student equity, the role of academic libraries in supporting Open Educational Resources (OER), and innovative library-led affordability initiatives.

Current literature outlines the importance of—and strategies for—collecting student life material in institutional archives but does not address the inclusion of this material within collecting statements. This study examines publicly available collecting statements from Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions’ university archives, seeking mentions of student life archival material, diversity, and proactive approaches for collecting said material. Findings suggest that while many ARL institutions mention student life in these policies, most do not make the connection to how this material relates to diversity within the university archives, nor do they provide a proactive approach for collecting this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many libraries and archives have recently released statements about harmful material in their collections and the descriptions of these collections. However, these types of statements are not required for any professional accreditation or membership, nor are there specific guidelines to follow. This study collected and analyzed statements from members of ARL (Association of Research Libraries) and CARL (Canadian Association of Research Libraries), measuring their prevalence and identifying common elements. The findings and discussion can be used as a resource by those hoping to create or amend a statement, and for the larger library community to take stock on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most academic libraries perform some level of collection assessment for e-resources. However, traditional e-resource assessment procedures pose multiple challenges related to their adaptability, transparency, and sustainability. At the Valley Library at Oregon State University, a multi-tiered assessment process is continually revised and refined to reflect the changing scholarly communication landscape and address the needs of both our library and our community. This paper discusses how this collection assessment system is currently set up, and outlines the challenges, benefits, and future considerations for other libraries interested in adapting their own e-resource assessment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview is presented with Cindy Hohl, American Library Association's (ALA) president, discussing the impact of book challenges on library collection development. Topics include the role of libraries in supporting First Amendment rights and providing diverse access to information, policies in place to protect inclusive practices despite rising book challenges, and the defense of librarians as trusted community professionals in the face of increased censorship and accusations.

Open records requests can be an important tool in obtaining valuable information to use in negotiations with content providers. This paper examines the opportunities libraries have in requesting public information through open records requests to better support their purchasing decisions. The case is made for investing time up front to better understand contract terms and pricing already secured by public entities, using that knowledge to improve their position in the negotiating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we developed a model and a spreadsheet tool for calculating, based on user input informed by available data, the probability of at least one usable copy of a monograph title surviving at various time horizons in shared print collections. The calculation incorporates four risk factors, which were assigned values based on research in the literature and our own studies. We applied the model to sample selected time horizons and risk tolerances, which suggests a minimum number of copies of a title needed for retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to understand the current state of the field of special collections library administration in the United States. Using a dataset gathered through publicly available information about special collections directors from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Independent Research Libraries Association (IRLA), and the Oberlin Group institutional members, the authors explore the educational backgrounds of directors, the types of positions they held prior to taking on their current roles, and the effect of gender on leadership advancement. This article also discusses the similarities and differences between institution types as well as promotions within institutions and across types of institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a two-year period, over 1,900 undergraduate students completed a version of an online asynchronous library module either with or without decorative images. Two instruction librarians compared quiz scores and affective feedback from both versions to determine the impact decorative images had on student performance and analyzed the results through the lenses of multimedia and user experience studies. The study finds that decorative images have little impact on student performance and expounds on how these findings impact design concerns of future online library modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (RDA Edition) (DCRMR) is a rare materials cataloging standard aligned with the official RDA Toolkit. DCRMR is informed by core principles of community and sustainability while employing open-source publication models and infrastructure. The RBMS RDA Editorial Group, composed of rare materials catalogers actively working in the field, is responsible for developing and maintaining DCRMR. This article discusses predecessor rare materials cataloging standards that led to the development of DCRMR, the principles and constraints that shaped DCRMR from its initial inception to eventual release, the method and technical tools used to achieve the RBMS RDA Editorial Group's outcomes, and future directions for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various articles on topics including open access to libraries, book reviews and library collections.

LibGuides is a popular web platform to thematically curate and promote information sources. While guides bridge curricular and research objectives to library collections, there is little discussion about Indigenizing content and design as a decolonization strategy. The study identified and evaluated 357 guides for Indigenous Studies (IS) created by members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Data compiled from Springshare’s LibGuides Community and ARL member webpages was analyzed for Indigenous representation, content, and user experience (UX) against a rubric of Indigenous critical pedagogical practices and protocols. The findings reveal variety in vocabulary terms to describe Indigenous peoples and subjects, organization, and topics and foci, as well as a lack of interdisciplinarity. The discussion highlights opportunities for libraries to reimagine guides as Indigenized and decolonized information sources that validate Indigenous ways of knowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about the one-shot model of library instructions in special collections and archives. Topics include how the students interact during the one-shot session in this area, their reliance on the librarian or archivist leading the session to preselect the materials that they will examine, and how to provide students with meaningful and unmediated access to the materials in the special collections and archives.

The author reflects on the lessons he learned from his failed effort to share an electronic copy of his own book to other people. Topics discussed include his assumption that retaining copyright in his work covers the right to share his book to those in need, implication of the impossibility of transmitting books between libraries, and the importance of the systems of inter-relationship to scholarship and libraries.

Contemporary political and social activism has drawn an increasing number of youth-serving librarians' and library workers' attention to the need to diversify library collections of material for young people. The purpose of this study is to offer a comparative historical measurement of the diversity of resources included in and recommended by the Senior High Core Collection (SHCC). Subject-heading analysis was used to identify records of titles included in the SHCC with publication years between and including 2008 and 2018 that were described by the resource as fiction, distinguished as either "Most Highly Recommended" or "Core Collection" titles, and classified using terminology that suggests their depiction or address of Black African Americans and Black African American experiences. The study found that the number of titles cataloged with descriptors that indicate these titles' centering of Black African American protagonists do not appear to have increased in response to contemporary social justice movements. However, the proportion of these titles assigned the highest recommendation level by the SHCC has both historically exceeded the proportion of the same titles not cataloged with Black African American--related descriptors and has seemed to increase over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study explores how one team tasked with the creation of digital collections at The University of Alabama Libraries succeeded at telework to carry on its essential functions despite not being able to digitize new content from March through July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers of similar units will gain strategies to create similar telework projects at their institution and lessons learned while working and supervising employees remotely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to report on a quantitative analysis of the LCGFT vocabulary within a large set of MARC bibliographic data retrieved from the OCLC WorldCat database. The study aimed to provide a detailed analysis of the outcomes of the LCGFT project, which was launched by the Library of Congress (LC) in 2007. Findings point to a moderate increase in LCGFT use over time; however, the vocabulary has not been applied to the fullest extent possible in WorldCat. Further, adoption has been inconsistent between the various LCGFT disciplines. These and other findings discussed here suggest that retrospective application of the vocabulary using automated means should be investigated by catalogers and other technical services librarians. Indeed, as the data used for the analysis show somewhat uneven application of LCGFT, and with nearly half a billion records in WorldCat, it remains a certainty that much of LCGFT's full potentials for genre/form access and retrieval will remain untapped until innovative solutions are introduced to further increase overall vocabulary usage in bibliographic databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians and administrators speculate that the digitization and access of items through the HathiTrust Digital Library may reduce or eliminate demand for the corresponding print content. This belief feeds into a perception that monographs housed in academic libraries and delivered via such services are ripe for deduplication or outright withdrawal, yet other institutions may remain dependent upon those holding titles to provide print-based access for their patrons. Embracing HathiTrust's emerging Shared Print Monograph Program, more than seventynine member institutions committed to retain print monographs that correspond to those digitized from their collections. Putting aside concerns expressed by some about the meaningfulness of those commitments, not all members made such commitments. Moreover, retention commitments are not always publicly displayed, leading to scenarios in which such commitments may be used by other institutions to withdraw from their collections, based on these holdings. This paper provides a data-driven examination of the use of one research library's print items that correspond to the digital materials deposited into the HathiTrust, detailing both the results and the process by which data was gathered, managed, and digested to yield the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Villanova University's Falvey Memorial Library developed a multiyear comprehensive and strategic collection review of print monographs. In this paper, the authors focus on the operational components of the project, such as generating potential deselection lists with GreenGlass, convening working groups to plan the project, developing strategies for faculty outreach and faculty collection review, and analyzing deselection and retention data. The authors share decision-making processes as well as lessons learned that were involved in the project design and implementation phases throughout the extensive collection review project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarly literature provides many examples of librarians who have assessed troubleshooting data in various capacities and demonstrated the benefits that can be gleaned from such an analysis. Though some studies have confirmed that troubleshooting data is often being tracked, the frequency with which that data is being assessed in libraries is not well established. For this study, the author surveyed academic librarians who are currently involved in e-collection management to determine to what extent and for what purposes troubleshooting assessments are being carried out. The results reveal that though many librarians can see the benefits of assessing troubleshooting data, the obstacles to gathering, analyzing, and acting on results are often too great to overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital environment has transformed how data on library material use is collected and reported, providing librarians with more information about usage but less clarity about how to interpret it. This article discusses current approaches to reporting and assessing library book use, addresses the question of what qualifies as a worthwhile use of library materials, and presents an analysis of four years of COUNTER 4 BR2 ebook reports at a single research institution to explore the reliability of page view-level usage data for collection assessment. It reveals ways assessment theory and practice fail to capture the value of library materials throughout the research lifecycle, and argues for an inclusive view of collections use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library collected college and university publications (the C-Collection) for several decades without allocating the resources to catalog them. A project to make these items discoverable by patrons was initiated, and tens of thousands of items were added to the online catalog. These items were physically stabilized and transferred to the library's high-density storage facility. A portion of the collection was also digitized, providing electronic access. Although circulation trended downward, there was no clear indication that materials were less accessible in high-density storage, and new items were discovered that had not previously circulated. Digital surrogates of library material clearly allowed the library to reach a much larger audience, and ideal storage conditions to preserve physical materials long-term combined with electronically available copies appear to be an ideal means for providing greater access while preserving content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the current state of metadata-creation practices across digital repositories and collections by using data collected from a nationwide survey of mostly cataloging and metadata professionals. Results show that MARC, AACR2, and LCSH are the most widely used metadata schema, content standard, and subject-controlled vocabulary, respectively. Dublin Core (DC) is the second most widely used metadata schema, followed by EAD, MODS, VRA, and TEI. Qualified DC's wider use vis-à-vis Unqualified DC (40.6 percent versus 25.4 percent) is noteworthy. The leading criteria in selecting metadata and controlled-vocabulary schemata are collection-specific considerations, such as the types of resources, nature of the collection, and needs of primary users and communities. Existing technological infrastructure and staff expertise also are significant factors contributing to the current use of metadata schemata and controlled vocabularies for subject access across distributed digital repositories and collections. Metadata interoperability remains a major challenge. There is a lack of exposure of locally created metadata and metadata guidelines beyond the local environments. Homegrown locally added metadata elements may also hinder metadata interoperability across digital repositories and collections when there is a lack of sharable mechanisms for locally defined extensions and variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries need to provide attractive and exciting discovery tools to draw patrons to the valuable resources in their catalogs. The authors conducted a pilot project to explore the free version of Google Earth as such a discover tool for Portland State Library's digital collection of urban planning documents. They created eye-catching placemarks with links to parts of this collection, as well as to other pertinent materials like books, images, and historical background information. The detailed how-to-do part of this article is preceded by a discussion about discovery of library materials and followed by possible applications of this Google Earth project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social engineering is the use of non-technical means to gain unauthorized access to information or computer systems. While this method is recognized as a major security threat in the computer industry, little has been done to address it in the library field. This is of particular concern because libraries increasingly have access to databases of both proprietary and personal information. This tutorial is designed to increase the awareness of library staff in regard to the issue of social engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion on document-management technology (DMT) and presents a case study of the implementation of DMT. Library acquisitions has moved from paper to online records for ordering and receiving, but the audit archive for invoices has remained largely paper based. DMT offers a solution to this condition. The article considers the rationale and policy decisions that underpin the elimination of paper in favor of image files as an audit archive in library materials invoicing. It also presents a case study of the implementation of DMT to support and enhance traditional invoice processing in the acquisitions department of a large research library.

In this article, problems users are having searching for known works in current online public access catalogs (OPACs) are summarized. A better understanding of AACR2R/MARC 21 authority, bibliographic, and holdings records would allow us to implement the approaches outlined in the IFLA Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records to enhance, or "FRBRize," our current OPACs using existing records. The presence of work and expression identifiers in bibliographic and authority records is analyzed. Recommendations are made concerning better indexing and display of works and expressions/manifestations. Questions are raised about the appropriateness for the creation of true catalogs of client-server technology that deliver records over the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The E-rate program has provided tremendous benefits to libraries, allowing many libraries and library systems to acquire technological equipment and services that would otherwise be too expensive, increasing the availability of public Internet access through libraries. This article analyzes the data related to the E-rate program and the discounts that it has provided to libraries and library systems between 2000 and 2004. By examining the E-rate data in a longitudinal manner, this article explores the trends in the application for and the provision of E-rate discounts to libraries and library consortia at national and state levels. The data suggest that, despite a number of controversies over the years, the program has provided a significant level of support for libraries and library consortia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews how usability has been defined in the context of the digital library, what methods have been applied and their applicability, and proposes an evaluation model and a suite of instruments for evaluating usability for academic digital libraries. The model examines effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, and learn-ability. It is found that there exists an interlocking relationship among effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. It also examines how learn-ability interacts with these three attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a personalized information environment for digital libraries. Significance of personalization for different library users; Discussion of material personalization and collection personalization; Provision of personalized view in the usage and organization of digital library materials.

The article presents information related to readers' advisory (RA) services, practice and practicing. It mentions that RA in the classroom can better equip librarians for the service desk; and mentions that conducting RA on the fly during class would have been a more spontaneous interaction according to Kim Tipton. It also mentions about starting with the reader and with what the reader says about the reading experience according to professor Catherine Sheldrick Ross.

In 2007, a web-based survey of book conservation practices was conducted to document standard-practice, moderate-use, and low-use book conservation treatments for general and special collections in research libraries in the United States. This paper reports on the findings of a ten-year follow-up survey conducted in 2017 to determine whether and how book conservation treatment practices have changed over the last ten years. Overall, the data indicate that while general collections treatment practices have remained consistent, special collections practices continue to evolve, with many treatments newly qualifying as standard practice in the special collections context since 2007. The data also suggest areas of further research, including how demographic factors may correlate with particular treatment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on making place for makerspace in the information literacy. It discusses how librarians can use makerspaces to create unique pedagogical opportunities to develop practical real-world skills and enhance knowledge transfer. It mentions as a part of its Libraries Transform campaign, the American Library Association (ALA) has added 3D printers, laser cutters to the list of library materials in order to promote information literacy.