Yearly Archives: 2020

Challenge, Fantasy, and Curiosity: Activating Students’ Intrinsic Motivation Within Information Literacy Sessions

August 31, 2020Peer-Reviewed ArticleChallenge, Curiosity, Fantasy, gamification, Information Literacy Instruction, Intrinsic Motivation, Problem-Based LearningEditor

By Brandon K. West, Head of Research Instruction Services
and Alan Witt, Research Instruction Librarian
Milne Library, State University of New York at Geneseo

Abstract

Student engagement is a consistent challenge for librarians in information literacy instruction, especially in the context of single session learning. Two librarians at a small, public liberal arts college took inspiration from Malone’s (1981) theory of intrinsically motivating instruction to create a lesson plan that caught the imagination of the students and produced enthusiastic participation. This paper explains the theoretical framework used, examines the reasons for its success in this iteration, and discusses potential applications to other information literacy lessons.

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Call for Papers on Creative Anti-racist Practices and Resources

July 6, 2020From the editorsblm, call for papersEditor

The editors of the Journal of Creative Library Practice have been heartbroken over the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and so many more Black people over the years. We stand in solidarity with all people who demand change to the systems that perpetuate injustice. As librarians, we want to see change in our own institutions and practices – changes that will promote justice as we help our communities acknowledge and reject white supremacy and the violence it continues to inflict on Black communities.

To that end, we are issuing a special call for papers. You, our authors and our readers, have been and are continuing to develop creative anti-racist practices and resources in your libraries. By sharing our experiences, we hope to inspire creative ways to go beyond merely providing resources to actively engaging in anti-racism in libraries. We want to help you share your established or emerging anti-racist library practices. We want to help you amplify the voices of those who have been historically marginalized. Are there things that your library has done to promote an anti-racist praxis? Whether it’s in cataloging, technical services, instruction, events, or programming, what things are taking place to ensure equity and justice? Let’s share our creative practices.

We welcome submissions of many kinds, from brief essays to peer reviewed articles. Please see our Instructions for Authors for more information about submitting your manuscripts.

The images are from:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cityofstpete/50062538931/ CC-BY-ND 2.0
https://www.flickr.com/photos/number7cloud/49972844848/ CC-BY-SA 2.0
https://www.flickr.com/photos/taedc/49978521831/ CC-BY-SA 2.0

The Library “Oscars”: Comparing an Employee Video-Training Initiative at Two Academic Libraries

June 26, 2020Peer-Reviewed Articlepeer teaching, student employees, training, video productionEditor

By Hunter Murphy
Engagement and Learning Librarian
duPont-Ball Library, Stetson University

Abstract

Employee competencies of all levels determine the overall functioning of an organization. In an academic library, student assistants at the front desk are responsible for understanding innumerable details regarding services, resources, and policies. The Library Oscars was created as a peer-to-peer video training initiative to engage library student employees, help them take ownership of their learning, and increase competencies. This article will examine the process at Lynn University and Stetson University libraries. Using the library assistant handbook as the basis for training in each instance, the students created videos based on specific procedures and policies. The process of creating a rubric used to grade the productions and incentives for quality productions are outlined. This paper examines the strategy to benefit the frontline student employees, librarians, and staff who participated in the process, as well as the outcomes of the initiative.

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Necessity as a Liberator: A Decade of Creating Low-Cost Exhibits for Outreach and Engagement in a Science & Engineering Library

June 2, 2020Essayart, Communication, community, exhibits, outreachEditor

By Paulina Borrego (pborrego@library.umass.edu)
Science & Engineering Librarian, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7624-6440

Editor’s note: This article presents ideas for library spaces that may be unworkable during pandemic-related closures, but may inspire creative outreach at a time of of budget and staff constraints.

It is said necessity is the mother of invention. It may also be true that the greatest gift of necessity may be the resulting liberation necessity allows. When things need to get done rapidly, there is little time to fret, over-think, or keep in line with previous conventions. Alternative avenues are explored without the luxury of dwelling on things. Solutions that might have been out of the realm of consideration are now possible.

Such was the case when the Science and Engineering Library became responsible for its exhibits. Prior to 2007, exhibits at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Science and Engineering Library were under the purview of the W.E.B Du Bois Library Exhibits Committee. The Exhibits Committee found, planned, and funded exhibits in the main library, as well as in the branch Science and Engineering Library. Due to a change in committee charge, the Science and Engineering Library found itself maintaining its own exhibits space on a modest budget with limited staff.

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