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In the spring of 2017, digital librarians and digital collection managers at member institutions of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) were surveyed on practices and policies surrounding takedown requests in openly accessible digital collections. The survey collected basic demographic information surrounding the digital repositories (anonymized) and presented a series of hypothetical scenarios for respondents to consider and reflect upon. The survey received a 25.8 percent response rate, with many intriguing insights. Survey findings are presented, along with a discussion on future recommendations for work in this area.

Zines have begun to gain a place in higher education as pedagogical tools studied or made by students, and many academic libraries maintain zine collections. The library literature reveals little about how nonlibrarian faculty use zines in their classrooms. This paper describes the results of a survey of faculty from a range of academic disciplines and professions who teach with zines and other booklet forms. Survey results reveal the extent to which faculty zine pedagogies include collaboration with librarians and use of library collections. Faculty describe instructional activities and attitudes that many library professionals, including reference and instruction librarians, directors or deans, catalogers, acquisition and special collections librarians, and archivists, may find useful.

With the continued growth and evolution of distance education at many colleges and universities, academic librarians must be prepared to respond to the changing needs of distance users. This article discusses the results of a utilization assessment of distance instructors at five midsized American universities. The results inform libraries about distance educators' current utilization of library services, and the discussion suggests opportunities to improve library instruction, collections, and outreach for distance education programs.

Increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses within the general population is reflected in the growing number of college and university students with ASD. This exploratory study used an unobtrusive qualitative content analysis design to explore the experiences of students with ASD in academic libraries. It seeks to understand their questions and concerns, as well as their experiences in utilizing the library and library resources. Using the social model of disability studies, this study allows for voices of students with ASD to be presented in their own words, not through the perceptions of parents, caregivers, faculty, or staff.

The online catalog, commercial discovery layers, the open Web, and books available for browsing in libraries all aid in the process of discovery of resources. An absence of books means one fewer discovery method available. It is important, therefore, that libraries retain physical books in open stacks to offer communities a hands-on opportunity to discover and use resources. Applying the same expertise and human insight to decisions about the collections libraries make immediately available on site also affords an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of in-person discovery. This article makes a case for open stacks in the design of libraries.

Using citation analysis, this study identifies the most relevant journals in communication studies. The study analyzes citations from a representative list of 116 journals from subject areas within communication studies over a 30-year period and addresses research interests throughout the discipline. Results indicate that most journals cited in the literature were outside communication studies. This study provides an inclusive picture of where communication studies research is published by detailing the most-cited journals and provides evidence-based recommendations for collection management.

Libraries offer a mix of options to serve the film studies curriculum: streaming video, DVDs on Reserve, and streaming DVDs through online classrooms. Some professors screen films and lend DVDs to students. But how do students obtain the films required for their courses? How would they prefer to do so? These are among the questions explored using data obtained by surveying students at one Canadian university as well as faculty and librarians at ten Canadian universities that offer film studies programs. The study finds that more students are engaging in digital piracy than using the Library Reserve desk and that faculty and librarians must contend with formats, licenses, and copyright to provide effective, legal access. The paper recommends that libraries increase streaming options, collect DVDs for preservation, digitize DVDs when legally possible, screen films in class, investigate social screening spaces, and lobby industry and government for changes to law and practice.

Undergraduate research offers academic librarians and archivists an additional motivation to engage students with special collections. Curriculum design, course instruction, and mentoring by librarians and archivists can benefit not only students but also the institution as well. I explore an example of such engagement with a collection of New Jersey sheet music. The project gives students experience producing work with real-world implications. In addition, it increases digital holdings, reduces the backlog of under-cataloged materials, demonstrates the archive's unique value to the institution, and makes new information available to scholars nationally and internationally.

Many librarians evaluate local Interlibrary Loan (ILL) statistics as part of collection development decisions concerning new subscriptions. In this study, the authors examine whether the number of ILL article requests received in one academic year can predict the use of those same journal titles once they are added as library resources. There is little correlation between ILL requests for individual titles and their later use as subscribed titles. However, there is strong correlation between ILL requests within a subject category and later use of subscribed titles in that subject category. An additional study examining the sources from which patrons made ILL requests shows that database search results, not journal titles, dominate. These results call into question the need for libraries to subscribe to individual journal titles rather than providing access to a broad array of articles.

This article investigates citation and research collaboration habits of faculty in four engineering departments. The analysis focuses on similarities and differences among the engineering disciplines. Main differences exist in the use of conference papers and technical reports. The age of cited materials varies by discipline and by format. Regarding faculty connection with other subjects, the study finds that aerospace and mechanical engineering faculty collaborate more often with researchers outside their fields, while civil and environmental faculty, as well as electrical and computer engineering faculty, are more likely to cooperate with peers in their fields. Lists of highly cited journals are generated. The paper also provides suggestions for collection management, research assistance, and outreach efforts.

Budget allocation decisions have become far more complex and difficult. One obvious reason is the shift from print to electronic purchases. This along with the lack of increased funding to sustain these collections has created a scenario in which all purchasing decisions need to be made with precise planning. This article examines the fund structure review conducted at the Trinity University Coates Library, which sought to identify best practices and better capture how much is being spent on resources beyond print and electronic. More specifically, the review sought to include open access (OA) resources into the fund structure.

Most universities are enrolling large numbers of students amidst dwindling budgets. This leads to reduced book- to student ratios. Makerere University started a Book Bank system to ensure availability of basic text books to students. The aim of this paper was to assess whether the Book Bank system was a viable strategy for enhancing access to reading materials in academic libraries with low budgets. Findings revealed that the Book Bank system was appreciated and 92% of the students used Book Banks. Concludes that the Book Bank is a possible strategy for enhancing access to reading materials in academic libraries with low budgets.

There is a great deal of literature exploring the subscription and purchase models available for streaming video. However, explorations into the use of streaming video and how it compares to that of DVDs have not been done. The author identified a sample set of films at Penn State University Libraries owned in DVD format and available on the Kanopy platform and conducted a comparison between circulation data of DVDs and use data of titles on the Kanopy platform. The results contribute to a discussion about the role of streaming video and DVDs in the long-term access and preservation of films.

At the University of Maryland Libraries, Angie Ohler, Director of Collection Services, discusses the history of the management of electronic resources for the past ten years at the Maryland Libraries, including the challenges of in an ever-changing environment and solutions she developed over time. The history she describes are lessons learned over time, that provided her with a flexible approach to ERM collection development as a "just in time" means of keeping e-resources relevant at the University of Maryland.

The University of Baltimore's Langsdale Library underwent its five-year review in FY2016 (1 July 2015-30 June 2016). A basic, integral and necessary element of this process was the development of an assessment plan. Langsdale Library developed a five-year assessment plan based on the five-year review. The plan aligns the library's collections and services to the library's mission and strategic goals as well as linking to the University of Baltimore's strategic plan, which provides the foundation and direction for the University. At its core, the assessment plan helps to monitor strategic goals; in short, it answers the question, "Are we doing what we say we're doing?"

Children's literature plays an essential role in the literacy development of children. This department column focuses on the teaching and use of children's literature and provides educators with information about a wide range of books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world in which we live. A strong emphasis is placed on the importance of having diverse library collections that take into account numerous factors, such as race, class, disability, and religion. This column also offers innovative approaches for bringing children and books together, as well as content analyses and rich descriptions of titles that share common features (e.g., endpapers, the blending of poetry and nonfiction).

This paper asks if there is an optimal wait period for e-books that balances libraries' desire to acquire books soon after their publication with the frequent desire to purchase books electronically whenever feasible. Analyzing 13,043 titles that Temple University Libraries received on its e-preferred approval plan in 2014-15, the author looks at the delays from the publication of print books to publication of their electronic versions. The analysis finds that most books on the approval plan are published electronically within a week of the print. Recommended wait periods are provided for different subjects.

Association of College and Research Libraries' (ACRL's) "2016 Top Trends in Academic Libraries" noted a "shift to the incorporation and integration of more continuous, ongoing, flexible, and sustainable review of collections," and "an increasing need" to align collection development with "institutional research and curricular requirements." This article describes these trends playing out at a top-ranked research library. Given the library's long history of collecting print books, the article examines the monographic acquisitions program from multiple angles, including circulation, expenditures, approval plans, and e-book usage. There are also suggestions for additional metrics to evaluate collections as a service, as well as questions posed to frame an ongoing research and assessment agenda. The models described in this case study and the proposed research and assessment agenda can be adapted by other academic libraries, both to fit local institutional needs and as collection development and "collections as a service" are increasingly realized within interinstitutional collaborative networks.

Using the 2011 and 2015 survey by the Reference and User Services Association Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (RUSA STARS) of international interlibrary loans (ILL), the authors explore barriers to this method of meeting patrons' information needs. They evaluate international ILL in the context of developments in the information landscape, the United Nations Human Development Index, colonialism, and the current cultural, political, and economic climate. Strategies to improve future access to global information resources are also considered. Despite its challenges, this service meets a demonstrated information need, but further investigation is required to determine its exact value to researchers and where best to focus resources on improvement.

This content analysis research study investigated self-directed language learning of adult English as a second language (ESL) learners in libraries. ESL learners are a growing population in libraries, and understanding how they can use or are using libraries helps libraries better serve them. The purpose of this study was to determine if they can or are engaging in self-directed learning in libraries. The documents analyzed comprised library journal articles and library websites. The first finding suggests that self-directed second language learning is taking place in libraries but mainly through online instruction. The second finding is that many types of second language learning material are available for use in and through libraries. The third finding is that physical spaces dedicated to second language learning do exist in libraries. Together, these findings show that library services, resources, and spaces can support self-directed second language learners in their learning.

The Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center opened in December 2001 to accommodate both academic and public users (Nova Southeastern University, 2001). The facility, built as part of a 1999 agreement between Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, serves the public as well as students, staff, and faculty of Nova Southeastern University. Joint-use facilities such as the Sherman Library have existed since the 1970s (Matthews & Calvert, 2007). As of the end of 2017, the Library houses 1,176,148 volumes and has access to over 500 databases. Because the Sherman Library has such a robust print and online collection, it is a popular study, research, and cultural center for library users. This article describes the functions and attributes of the Sherman Library including but not limited to public access, resources for teachers, visual history archive, and outreach to Broward County teachers.

Based on an analysis on the features and problems in the libraries of some newly-upgraded local undergraduate institutions, this article finally comes to a series of management countermeasures.

Collecting and presenting children's literature takes on new meaning when the audience is comprised of students who are affluent and represent the dominant culture. As a school librarian, the author of this article believes that children's literature provides a means by which she can introduce the diversity of society into the classroom. Highlighting the accomplishments, contributions, and experiences of minorities within the context of the library curriculum is a continuous process. In addition to sharing books for the sake of enjoyment, the author works to create a reading program that promotes tolerance, social justice, equality, and inclusion.

With Internet usage in the United States at an all-time high, information technology use in education has continued to increase. Research has shown that many students are utilizing these materials to search out information and assist with completing class assignments. Many college students have described the Internet as a functional tool that helps them to communicate with professors, conduct research, and access library materials. As more and more students and educators use the Internet as a source for information in the classroom, it is important to monitor students' attitudes and usage to ensure students know how to use technology effectively by recognizing credible sources and utilizing the correct technology for each situation. This study utilizes a descriptive survey to explore the current usage and attitudes toward the Internet by students enrolled in college of agriculture courses at the University of Florida. Findings indicate that these students are substantial users of the Internet and programs like Facebook, MySpace, and search engines. Students indicate believing that the Internet is easy to understand, important, beneficial, believable, and accurate. Recommendations are offered as to what these findings mean for instructors in the classroom. (Contains 7 tables.)

A hallmark of school library media best practice is for the library media center to be open and accessible to patron use before, during, and after the school day and throughout the entire school year. Anecdotal evidence and informal discussion among school library media specialists indicate that library media facilities are sometimes used for activities unrelated to the mission of the school library media program in the school. These activities may close the library media center to regular patron use for all or part of the school day. This study surveyed school library media specialists in two states and examined the reasons that school library media centers are closed as well as the effect of the closure on circulation. Results indicate that the three most commonly reported reasons for closure of the school library media center were preparation for the end of the school year, book fairs, and standardized testing. The only predictor of school library media center closures was the poverty level of the school. No effect was found on the number of materials circulated. (Contains 9 tables.)

In 2005, the American Association of School Librarians' Independent Schools Section conducted a national survey of independent school libraries. This article analyzes the results of the survey, reporting specialized data and information regarding independent school library budgets, collections, services, facilities, and staffing. Additionally, the survey results highlight the current state of the independent school library environment and identify distinct differences between specific types of independent schools as well as differences with public school libraries. In this study, the authors show that the greater number of resources in these independent schools over public schools correlates with a higher success rate for students attending these independent schools. (Contains 9 figures.)

Materials challenges and censorship occur often in public and private educational settings. Private schools and their library media centers are not subject to the First Amendment but research reported in this article examines the state of challenges to materials held in private schools media centers in the southeast United States as a way to gauge the frequency and outcomes of materials challenges in these institutions. The study builds on previous research of challenges in public schools as a framework to examine the types of challenges to materials in private college preparatory school libraries in the southeast, the outcomes of the challenges, and the factors that influenced the outcome of the challenges. The author reports the results of a quantitative study wherein data were collected via a four part electronic survey with items that pertained to media center materials challenges that occurred during the 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05 school years. The article discusses the state of challenges to private college preparatory schools in light of previously identified challenge outcome factors and includes suggestions for future inquiry in the topic area. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 2 notes.)

Picture books for older readers present challenges for libraries in terms of how best to provide access to them. These books often have an "E" on the spine to indicate that they are "easy" or for "everybody," and share lower shelves with a far greater number of picture books geared for the preschool and primary grade audience. However, this classification by format might encourage older readers to pass over these materials. At the same time, questions remain about the effectiveness of housing these picture books with juvenile fiction, or of creating separate collections. This article looks at how the picture book as a format and picture book collections are defined, as well as the variety of ways in which a small sample of picture books for older readers are currently being managed in public libraries. (Contains 1 table.)

The appeal of children's literature is large, encompassing college students and adults in addition to children, young adults, and literary scholars. The genre's literary sophistication and cultural significance is becoming more apparent to a wide variety of readers. Children's literature, however, is still often overlooked and underappreciated in academic libraries. There may be a lack of awareness surrounding the collection's existence, as well as questions surrounding why and for whom it's being collected. This paper addresses how academic librarians can better promote children's literature collections to all library patrons.

English-language learners, according to research, learn best through instruction that draws upon their strength in their first language. It is unlikely that any teacher would have knowledge of even a fraction of the languages that are spoken by students in American classrooms, particularly since some large school districts report as many as a hundred different home languages. In this excerpt from their new book "English Language Learners: The Essential Guide" (Scholastic, 2007), the authors share 10 simple and effective ways that teachers can support ELL students by drawing on their first language--even if they do not speak those languages or teach in a school with a bilingual program.