Journal of Academic Librarianship最新文献

Scientific data is an important strategic resource under the fourth research paradigm. With the increasing demand for scientific data, it has become a consensus in the academic community that scientific data reuse can bring value to scientific research. This paper elaborates the generation mechanism of scientific data reuse behavior, deeply analyzes the mechanism of scientific data reuse behavior on scientific research innovation performance, and the moderating effect of scientific data services on scientific data reuse behavior.

Noise and distractions are commonly associated with stress. Our objective was to identify the impact of noise and distracting environments on the stress levels of library patrons, as measured by wearable devices. In this study, we explored the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and skin temperature measures using consumer wearable devices. Additionally, we analyzed our data through the perspective of established personas for library patrons to determine if purpose in visiting the library had any effect on observed stress. For those who were expected to be more stressed, there was no significant difference between loud and quiet conditions. Our results showed that patrons in both quiet and loud conditions were significantly more stressed than their baseline measurements outside of the library, but equally so. This was consistent even accounting for differing purpose in library attendance. Our findings suggest that noisy environments in the library may not be as problematic for library patrons as is often perceived.

Abstract

Burnout is a pervasive problem in libraries; however, little empirical evidence exists to demonstrate burnout's extent and to assist in identifying evidence-based solutions. As far as quantitative analysis of burnout is concerned, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) has been a primary tool for measuring burnout among human services workers. However, the tool is proprietary and can be cost-prohibitive for large samples or small/non-existent budgets. As we consider the measurement of burnout as a field, open tools are better aligned with the values of librarianship, and free tools are better aligned with the resources available for conducting research or internal assessments. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) is a non-commercial, free, and easy-to-administer tool for measuring burnout across three dimensions: personal, work-related, and client-related. The CBI presents a cost-effective alternative to the MBI which may be particularly enticing for academic library leaders and researchers. This study assesses the psychometric properties, including factor structure and scale reliability, to contribute to demonstrating construct validity of the CBI among academic librarians in the United Studies using a probability sample stratified by institutional Carnegie classifications and geographic region.

Confirmatory Factory Analysis (CFA) is used the examine the factor structure and model fit of five models for the CBI: a correlated three factors model, a correlated two factors model (using work-related and client-related burnout), and three single factor models for each of the three independent subscales (personal, work-related, and client-related burnout). The factorial validity and model fit for the five models demonstrated in the study are reasonable, suggesting that the items in the three scales are successfully measuring the latent constructs (personal burnout, work-related burnout, and client-related burnout), which contributes to construct validity. The expected relationship between the observed variables (the items in the measurement model) and the latent constructs is supported by the CFA analyses. While other examinations of validity, including other aspects of construct validity, should also be examined, the findings support the use of the CBI for measurement of burnout among academic librarians.

This article approximates the concept of Critical Information Literacy based on the Educability project: Building the Capacity of Educators & Librarians in Information Literacy. Funded by the European Union and conducted between 2020 and 2023 by four European universities, this project aims to address contemporary socio-technological challenges through information literacy training. Methodology encompasses a literature review, analysis of target audience needs, and a Delphi study to assess the proposed curriculum design. This paper focuses on the current dimension of Critical Information Literacy, emphasizing its role in promoting equity, preventing misinformation, and fostering critical thinking in an evolving digital environment. Findings reveal a progression in defining Critical Information Literacy, emphasizing the promotion of critical thinking and engagement with information sources, urging individuals to question established practices. Through a Delphi study involving experts, key definitions were evaluated and categorized, informing the development of a training course. The study underscores the evolving role of academic librarians in facilitating critical engagement with information amidst societal changes. It also highlights the importance of addressing emerging digital challenges, such as misinformation and algorithmic bias, through innovative educational approaches. Overall, the research contributes to advancing Critical Information Literacy and digital skills training, fostering informed citizenship and social responsibility.

Predatory publishing poses significant challenges to academic integrity and progress. It requires the involvement of academic institutions, funding bodies, and policymakers to establish robust evaluation mechanisms and promote ethical publishing practices. This study examines the effectiveness of implementing promotion policies to discourage unethical academic publishing, focusing on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. This study analyses 273 promotion applications submitted from January 2022 to November 2023, regardless of approval. The results show that researchers at KNUST submit relatively more publications to recommended outlets after the implementation of the new promotion guidelines. Moreover, with nine out of ten non-verified publications found to be from predatory journals, the verification process effectively discourages publication such outlets. Our study therefore confirms that the verification process can identify predatory publication outlets. Consequently, it is recommended that research institutions eliminate incentives for publishing in questionable outlets through publication criteria as part of promotion standards.

In the past decade, academic libraries have adjusted their approaches to codify their digital collections metadata standards. At the core of these efforts were conscious editing and reparative metadata initiatives that embraced, at varying levels based on the institution, ethical standards that provided inclusive terminology, addressed historic racist and sexist terms by placing them in context with contemporary language, and improved accessibility by using subject-specific thesauri outside the Library of Congress' controlled vocabularies. Dozens of academic, special, and public libraries have published guides to focused on these issues over the past four years. The approach can be time consuming or feel overwhelming as institutions attempt to boil down what the process of conducting conscious editing or reparative metadata work entails, who is qualified to do the work, and how to evaluate the impacts of such work. At the University of South Florida Libraries, our efforts to improve our overall metadata standards incorporated conscious editing as a guiding framework that, over the course of four years, evolved into a multi-departmental effort aimed at the strategic goal of increasing the accessibility of our collections in the broadest definition of the term.

Since the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill was passed in 2008 and implemented in 2009, over 750,000 veterans have made use of the expanded benefits to earn a college degree. Many academic libraries have created programs and events to help these students along their journeys. Although several librarians have authored papers on these programs and their results, those have always focused on events at one institution. To better understand how libraries have supported student veterans and to learn what types of programs have had the most success, the author of this paper conducted a survey of every R1 and R2 institution in the United States. The survey encompasses outreach events, collections development and maintenance, collaborations with student groups and official campus veterans' centers, and specialized training for faculty and staff. The author hopes to use the results of this study in the creation of a comprehensive student veteran's outreach and engagement program at their institution, and to help other academic librarians who are interested in doing more targeted work to assist this underrepresented student group.

Academic libraries across North America purport to be prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), but investigations into how librarians learn about EDI are lacking. In this study, we interviewed 21 academic librarians in Canada about their EDI learning journeys using the strengths-based appreciative inquiry approach. This paper focuses on the question, “What shapes ideal learning experiences related to EDI for academic librarians?” In uncovering librarians' stories of learning transformations, we found that EDI learning often elicits discomfort; it involves recognizing one's biases, being vulnerable, and making mistakes. However, these learning stories can motivate and inspire others to learn and engage in critical self-reflection through questioning assumptions and underlying beliefs. EDI learning in professional contexts was inextricably linked to learning in informal and personal contexts, and positionality is essential to how learning is shaped. Learning was described to be ideal in low-pressure, authentic, brave environments that facilitated meaningful conversations, with institutional support. However, there seemed to be a disconnect between one's learning and one's ability to effect change.

Community college libraries and writing centers are natural partners due to their shared goals regarding academic support and student success, as well as their joint focus on the interrelated processes of writing and research. Research has shown that libraries at four-year institutions and writing centers collaborate in many ways, but little research has been conducted on collaborations at community colleges and whether these collaborations have moved to a virtual setting. Given the rise in online education at community colleges and students' need for developmental education in writing, this study used a qualitative survey approach to gain a better understanding of virtual and in-person collaborative efforts between writing centers and community college libraries. The survey was distributed via listservs and direct emails, with participation limited to those working at two-year institutions with writing centers. Survey findings demonstrated that library and writing center staff are implementing a variety of virtual and in-person collaborative efforts, such as student trainings, individual student appointments, the joint creation of online resources, and campus outreach. Practical implications for academic libraries and future directions for research are also discussed.

In 2022, the University of Saskatchewan's University Library in Saskatoon, Canada launched the Creative Write-Ins program, which invites creative writers from the university and the broader community to come to the university library to work on their projects. The two-hour, monthly program adopted an informal community of practice (CoP) model, since it allowed for multi-directional learning along the spectrum of participants, from experienced writers to hobbyists.

This paper will discuss the intrinsic case study of these hybrid creative write-ins through the lens of Wenger et al.'s (2002) CoP model. Reflections include the lessons learned, areas for improvement, perspectives on how academic libraries can collaborate with external partners, and reflections on how this program demonstrated the potential for multi-directional learning.