Journal of Academic Librarianship最新文献

Collaboration is a widely used term in academic libraries to describe different types of interaction with campus partners. The library literature presents an extensive history of publications that feature academic library collaboration with discipline faculty in the context of teaching. While the outcomes of teaching librarians' collaborative practices are well documented, the lack of clarity in distinguishing collaboration from other forms of workplace interaction has impeded a comprehensive understanding of teaching librarians' experiences. To improve the understanding of librarians' collaborative practices, and to build a foundation on which further research can be generated, a Pragmatic Utility concept analysis is conducted through an integrative study of peer-reviewed literature. The analysis presents an examination of collaboration between teaching librarians and discipline faculty through five dimensions including definitions, antecedents, attributes, boundaries, and outcomes. An additional dimension, social dynamics, was further identified and applied as a lens for analysis. The conclusion is that collaboration remains a partially immature concept in the library literature, and more studies are needed to establish a clear definition and a solid theoretical framework to guide professional research forward.

A review of the research literature on the assessment of information, media, and data literacy in academic libraries has been carried out with the intention of learning about the main approaches taken; the assessment tools, criteria, and indicators used; and the main challenges for the future. To this end, 60 relevant records were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus after being filtered according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) model. A content analysis of the articles was then carried out using a detailed form based on the objectives, methodology, results, conclusions, and recommendations model in relation to the current aims. Literacy assessment has been conducted primarily in information literacy. Research in anglophone countries and Spain stands out. Much of it relates to academic libraries as a whole, although there are also numerous studies focused on a field of use, primarily health, STEM, and social sciences. Among the most commonly used methods of analysis, case studies stand out, followed by descriptive, exploratory, experimental, and comparative studies; literature reviews; and content analysis. The results are positive, and assessment helps improve programs and demonstrate libraries' impact on student learning. Despite its importance, media literacy assessment is still an emerging field, and data literacy assessment is still largely a work in progress. Academic libraries need to integrate new types of literacy and emerging challenges such as open data, open science, and generative artificial intelligence into the comprehensive framework of information literacy and conduct a systematic assessment of their training programs and activities.

Academic libraries face a serious obstacle that will inhibit their ability to continue growing robust video game collections. The gaming industry is increasingly moving toward the digital distribution of games, making games available as digital downloads licensed to single end-user consumers from online storefronts rather than releasing games on physical media like discs or cartridges. Libraries have adapted to similar shifts in the distribution of books and audiovisual materials largely by licensing content from ebook and digital video vendors, but there are currently no such vendors or platforms set up to license digital games to libraries in ways comparable to these other kinds of electronic resources. This paper reports on findings from interviews with librarians at 13 academic libraries in the US who are beginning to explore digital game collecting efforts, presenting some of the key considerations for how libraries might approach digital game licenses as well as the major challenges, issues, and factors that will influence digital game collecting. While digital game collecting will require engagement with game publishers and other stakeholders, this research seeks to establish a shared understanding among academic librarians of their own needs and priorities for this emerging collecting area.

Despite the prevalence of project-based work in academic libraries, there is a notable variance among academic libraries in their application of formal project management methods. This scoping review examines peer-reviewed academic literature to uncover examples of formal project management methods, techniques, and tools being utilized in academic libraries in order to identify broader trends about the methodologies used, the settings in which they are applied, and the successes or challenges the libraries have experienced. The study concludes with recommendations for future research and a call for a more rigorous integration of project management training in library science education, to better prepare librarians for the increasingly project-oriented nature of library work.

This study uncovers how university libraries contribute to research processes conducted at universities. To do so, a bibliometric and systematic analysis of the literature is presented. The review shows that the line of research on university libraries and their contribution to research is a fragmented field in constant development, with a marked tendency toward the use of qualitative methods and case studies. The original value of this work lies in the creation of a thematic map and a thematic-temporal evolutionary scheme that allows us to understand the main perspectives from which the role of libraries in supporting research activities has been approached. Three time periods that reflect different terms in the conceptualisation of the library are characterised. The study concludes with recommendations, including indications for future research that should consider larger and more diverse samples, involve researchers as the object of study and consider applying quantitative or mixed methods.

A community of practice for instruction librarians is essential to ongoing development of pedagogical knowledge, fostering community, and cultivating meaningful teaching practices. This article describes the development of a community of practice for new and experienced instruction librarians to help them grow in their teaching practice. Elements explored throughout this article include collaborative peer mentorship, developing a reflective practice, and support for the coordinator of instruction leading these efforts. A replicable model for effective implementation at other institutions is detailed throughout the article.

This study investigates the adoption of data analytics in Australian university libraries from the UTAUT2 perspective, focusing on the factors that influence library professionals' acceptance of analytics. As technology advances, data has become a valuable resource, and the emergence of analytics is often considered a recent development driven by accessible computing power. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on adopting analytics in Australian university libraries, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that influence university library professionals’' perceptions of adopting analytics. This research addresses the main question: What factors drive the adoption of data analytics in Australian university libraries? This qualitative study employs a single case study approach with multiple sites involving 16 university libraries and 25 participants. Data collection methods included document analysis and semi-structured interviews with university librarians and analytics experts. The results show that all UTAUT2 constructs - performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and habit - influence librarians' attitudes and motivations towards adopting analytics applications. Additionally, this study reveals additional factors beyond the original UTAUT2 model, including the absence of data analytics in LIS education curriculums, algorithm training, and data privacy concerns. The study identifies various benefits of analytics adoption in university libraries, such as enhanced collection development planning, insights into user behaviour, improved financial management, and demonstrating library value. However, challenges like skill shortages, complex IT configurations, and privacy legislation must be addressed to effectively implement data analytics. The findings contribute to our understanding of user acceptance of analytics in university libraries, providing valuable insights for library administrators and analytics vendors. By applying the UTAUT2 model, this research enriches our knowledge of technology adoption in the context of university libraries' analytics.

In the ever-evolving social media landscape, Instagram has transcended from a mere image-sharing platform to a dynamic space for academic libraries to engage with their communities. Following the increased utilization of this platform, several studies have tried to unravel the interplay between nuanced content aspects and follower engagement, but the results are cursory and contradicting. Aiming to address these shortcomings, we conducted an in-depth analysis of 1681 posts from 120 academic libraries' Instagram profiles worldwide to explore the following: content volume and posting frequency; qualitative content aspects such as post categories, characters length, hashtags usage, emojis frequency, and post types; and possible correlations between these content aspects and follower post interaction rates. Our findings uncovered notable disparities in interaction rates among 14 distinct post categories, with content structure characteristics showing minimal influence on these rates. By shedding light on the association between aspects of content structure and follower interaction, the study contributes to the development and optimization of academic libraries' social media strategy, policy redefinition, staff knowledge and practical skills improvement to manage social media, while also opening new research avenues in Instagram utilization in the academic library context.

In our previous study on potentially predatory journal (PPJ) use by undergraduate students, we found that 0.34 % of their journal citations were from PPJ. We could not determine where students found them, or if they knew they used them, and no similar study has been published. In three focus groups we asked twelve students about their research habits, how they choose articles for their papers, and their knowledge about peer review, Open Access (OA), and PPJ. An analysis of their bibliographies showed that none of them used PPJ in their assignments. Using a mixed methods approach and classical content analysis, we found that they search library-linked databases and Google Scholar, use critical thinking skills to choose articles, place importance on peer review, know little about OA and less about PPJ, and expect quality control for information accessed through the library.

While humor's use in the higher education classroom has been widely studied, research on the use, implications, and impact of humor rarely include instruction librarians. In addition to the already subjective nature of humor, factors such as gender and library anxiety complicate the ways in which students might perceive a librarian's humor. Accordingly, opportunities for further research on librarians' use of humor are abundant. By synthesizing and contextualizing existing instructional humor research, this article seeks to highlight research opportunities on the use of humor among instruction librarians.