2019
6
Feb
/
4 Comments
Dismantling Deficit Thinking: A strengths-based inquiry into the experiences of transfer students in and out of academic libraries
In Brief Library research on transfer students tends to focus on the idea of the “struggling” transfer student and creating solutions to “fix” them. While we might assume transfer students will falter because they missed our institutions’ first-year offerings, this oversimplifies their vast and heterogeneous experiences. Our study complicates the narrative of the lagging transfer... Read More
2019
23
Jan
Transformative praxis – building spaces for Indigenous self-determination in libraries and archives
In Brief This article explores questions regarding the development and support of Indigenous priorities and self-determination in Australian libraries and archives. It calls for greater use of Indigenous research methodologies within library and archival science in order to seek ways to decolonize and simultaneously indiginze libraries and archives. As a written reflection, the article shares... Read More
2018
26
Dec
They CAN and they SHOULD and it’s BOTH AND: The role of undergraduate peer mentors in the reference conversation
In Brief: Academic libraries hire and train student employees to answer reference questions which can result in high-impact employment experiences for these students. By employing students in this role, opportunities are created for peer-to-peer learning and for a learning community to develop among the student employees. However, not everyone supports this practice. Some believe undergraduates... Read More
2018
12
Dec
Extending Our Reach: Using Day Camps at Academic Library Makerspaces to Include Homeschoolers
In Brief The makerspace at Abilene Christian University has been operational since 2015. It is unusual in that it is an academic space at a private university that offers equal service privileges to both the campus and the community. In an attempt to encourage a maker mindset within our broader region, we began offering... Read More
2018
14
Nov
“I Remember…”: A Written-Reflection Program for Student Library Workers
In Brief: Two librarians who run a library commons space implemented a written reflection program with their undergraduate student employees to improve team communication, create a qualitative record of the space, and generate case studies for discussion in group meetings. In this article, they present and analyze examples of their student workers’ reflective writing about... Read More
2018
31
Oct
Towards a Critical Assessment Practice
“We worry about disclosing data, but often do not consider the implications of creating data.” -Jeffrey Alan Johnson (2018, p. vi) “A critical assessment practice starts with mindfulness.” -Sonia DeLuca Fernández (2015, p. 5) In Brief This article explores how librarians might meaningfully engage critical perspectives to interrogate the structures of power and methodologies that... Read More
2018
3
Oct
Bridging the Relationship Gap: Using Social Network Theories to Inform Library Services for Graduate Students
In Brief Graduate school is a transformative time for many students. For some students, this is an exciting adventure that allows them to explore new ideas and more fully express themselves. However, many graduate students experience feelings of anxiety, frustration, and exclusion because they don’t feel like they belong to this academic community. Socially-based struggles... Read More
2018
19
Sep
Beyond saints, spies and salespeople: new analogies for library liaison programmes
In Brief Academic libraries in the UK are placing an increased emphasis on engagement and partnership building with academics. Attempts to articulate what is meant by this engagement rely on analogies from the commercial world, notably from sales- driven environments. This language can prove counteractive to true faculty engagement. It retains a focus on a... Read More
2018
22
Aug
Racing to the Crossroads of Scholarly Communication and Democracy: But Who Are We Leaving Behind?
In Brief Scholarly communication has tremendous potential to help build and sustain a democratic society. Nevertheless, in our race to the crossroads of scholarly communication and democracy, it is important to examine this work through the critical lens of broader librarian professional values—with particular attention to democracy itself, access, and diversity—to ensure that we are... Read More
2018
8
Aug
Editorial: Update to Lead Pipe submission guidelines
In Brief: Announcing an update to In the Library with the Lead Pipe’s submission guidelines. We have received feedback about our submission process and have reexamined our framework questions. As a result, the Lead Pipe Editorial Board has revised the set of framework questions to better assist author(s) in developing their proposals and provide the... Read More