The Ithaka S+R Library Survey 2016 examines strategy and leadership issues from the perspective of academic library deans and directors. This project aims to provide academic librarians and higher education leaders with information about chief librarians' visions and the opportunities and challenges they face in leading their organizations. In…

Given the increasing power and prominence of political figures in the United States who openly espouse xenophobic, misogynistic, white nationalist positions, it is only natural to anticipate encountering students who express these views in our libraries and classrooms. This essay uses a classroom encounter with a student expressing xenophobic…

Rural residents are at a disadvantage with regard to health status and access to health promotion activities. In many rural communities, public libraries offer support through health information provision; there are also opportunities for engagement in broader community health efforts. In a collaborative effort between an academic researcher and a…

This article builds on the 2007 College and Research Libraries article, "The Librarian, the Machine, or a Little of Both." Since that time, Oakland University Libraries implemented changes to its instruction program that reflect larger trends in teaching and assessment throughout the profession; following these revisions, librarians…

This paper examines the place of public libraries in supporting distance learners in Makerere University, exploring the factors which affect utilisation of their services. The study adopted a survey design with 300 B.Ed. students, collecting data through focus group discussions, structured questionnaires and individual interviews.

Studies about diversity initiatives in academic libraries have primarily focused on large research libraries. But what kinds of diversity work occur at smaller libraries? This study examines the status of diversity initiatives, especially those aimed at students, at national liberal arts college libraries. Results from a survey of library…

Public libraries have long been considered important spaces of adult education and learning. However, major social changes over the past few decades, and the impact these have had on libraries' work, have received little attention. Our three-year cross-national study of libraries in Canada and Britain explored how librarians navigate the discourse…

The traditional research assignment is a common approach for teachers unaware of an inquiry process. In the traditional assignment, on the very first day that the work is assigned, students are given a topic or asked to choose a topic from a prepared list. They are given the parameters of the assignment, the number of sources required, the number…

Introduction: The paper discusses the often-repeated assertion that digitization makes libraries and librarians redundant by giving everyone access to the information they need without having to rely upon librarians as information middlemen. Method: Relevant articles both from research literature and from discussions in the public sphere…

"Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs" (AASL, 2009) charges school librarians "to play a leading role in weaving such skills throughout the curriculum so that all members of the school community are effective users of ideas and information" (p. 46). Providing leadership in technology integration for…

Grounded in the Free Library's mission to "advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity" and commitment to being an open and accessible community resource, LEAP (Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program) offers afterschool drop-in academic support and enrichment at libraries throughout Philadelphia. These promising strategies…

The Community College Academic and Student Support Ecosystems (CCASSE) project examines how academic and student support services at not-for-profit associate-degree granting colleges are organized, funded, and staffed, and how these services can most effectively advance student success. In spring 2019, Ithaka S+R surveyed 249 chief academic and…

We conducted a survey of the winners of University of California (UC) Berkeley's Library Prize for Undergraduate Research (2003-2016) to learn about the long-term impact of undergraduate research projects on students, find out what winners gained from the experience, and compare their careers post-graduation with other students. Seventy-four…

This article details a collaboration between the fyw program and the library at the University of Nevada, Reno. The departments share a goal of helping students develop better research-writing skills; however, institutional and disciplinary boundaries presented well-known challenges. To surmount these challenges, the cross-disciplinary team…

This publication follows the tradition of publishing selected papers from the Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives and Museums (PIALA) annual conferences. This 27th annual conference was held in Kolonia, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia, November 13-17, 2017. This volume includes a listing PIALA Officers and Executive…