Academic libraries are fundamental in promoting equitable access to education but are often overlooked and underfunded. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified these inequities. This study investigates how 39 library deans and directors perceived decision-making by university administration during COVID-19's onset. Open-ended survey questions were sent to…

Despite the popularity of mobile and digital technologies, physical collections still have high user demand in academic libraries and grow continuously. With renovation projects providing more studying and collaboration space, efforts to relocate materials to storage facilities are necessary for major libraries. With the change in student…

Library long-term and strategic plans tend to employ top down approaches that can leave departmental staff feeling disconnected an unrepresented in the plan. In 2019, the Access Services Department at the University of Denver engaged in a long-term planning process. This process puts Access Services staff members at the center of the process. This…

Over the past few decades, the demand for academic librarians who can teach information literacy skills to college students has steadily increased. This interview study explores how academic librarians in a mid-Atlantic metro area define the roles of librarians and teachers, value their teaching role as librarians, and view their teacher-librarian…

A survey concerning perceptions of academic librarians was conducted at a large, 4-year university with three populations: librarians, faculty, and undergraduate students. This paper presents results from the student population, with comparison to the librarian and faculty samples. The major research questions address perceptions about what…

Background: The recruitment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has been an ongoing effort for specialized libraries and library programs, especially as they try to fill technical roles while combatting internalized biases and candidates' potential self-deselection by not applying or otherwise removing themselves from the recruitment…

Digital badging has seen widespread adoption within the US higher education sector with continued growth predicted. Might digital badging present an underrealized opportunity for libraries seeking new vehicles through which to deliver information literacy instructional content? This paper offers an analysis of badging in higher education and…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine combating graphic, explicit content in school libraries to protect kids. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Aaron Bean, Chairman, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education; and (2) Honorable Suzanne Bonamici, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on…

Over the past several years, there has been an expansion in the use and awareness of open educational resources (OERs) in postsecondary institutions in the United States. Some states have invested funds to expand the use of OERs across their campuses as an alternative or supplement to traditional course materials that students typically pay for…

Teaching is a core role for librarians in academic contexts, although most librarians are not formally prepared to teach and encounter significant challenges in the role, including complex relationships with campus colleagues. The purpose of this research was to explore how community college librarians, an understudied population, understand their…

School librarians--also called school media specialists or teacher librarians--play a powerful and essential role: promoting school-wide cultures of literacy, partnering with teachers to enhance learning, propelling students toward lifelong reading habits, and establishing transformative learning spaces rich with print and digital resources.…

Much has been written on tenure status among librarians due to the unique work responsibilities they have in comparison to other faculty across campus. This study explores one facet of work often unique to tenure-track librarians--long-term or permanent management responsibilities. In addition to gathering descriptive data about what type of…

This article explores the application of journal quality and credibility evaluation tools to library science publications. The researchers investigate quality and credibility attributes of forty-eight peer-reviewed library science journals with open access components using two evaluative tools developed and published by librarians. The results…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to bring library practitioners and researchers together to develop two co-designed tools for helping library practitioners gain a more holistic understanding of families in underserved groups and identify their values with the goal of developing more relevant learning experiences for them. The co-designed…

Students enrolled in American Library Association (ALA)-accredited graduate programs typically are on a specific track to work toward their individual career goals. While most degree programs require of all students a shared core curriculum, students also typically must take elective credits, which help narrow their focus toward their individual…