Category Archives: Peer-Reviewed Article

Maneuvering Roadblocks: A Framework for Navigating Access Barriers Across Varied User Bases

Peer-Reviewed Article, ,

Katherine Carlson
Duke University Medical Center Library
Katherine.a.carlson@duke.edu
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0735-6942

Abstract: Library users frequently encounter a variety of barriers when trying to access services and resources. It is critical that library staff thoughtfully engage and interact with these potential barriers with a goal of mitigating them and maximizing access for all potential users. The proposed framework provides staff with three key components of the process and guidance for navigating these potential access barriers. Zoomed-out and generalized for all types of libraries and staff, this framework can be applied to any context and provide guiding questions for beginning the process of intentionally navigating access barriers. Led by empathy for the user, library staff are encouraged to anticipate, react, and reflect on their experiences maneuvering roadblocks for users.

Keywords: access barriers, accessibility, user services
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The Library World, Mental Illness, and the Everyday

Peer-Reviewed Article, , , , ,

By Andrew Field
Royal Oak Public Library

1.

Yesterday I heard a noise I immediately identified as a library noise – the sound of a cart rolling. And though it sounds insignificant, the particular sound felt almost Proustian in its associational richness, in the fecundity of its everydayness. For carts, as we know, are what we use to transport books, to get them where they need to be; and they are used all the time in libraries, and located in various places in the library: in storage rooms, basements, second floors and hallways, stationary, alone, empty and filled with books, pushed by pages, clerks, librarians, and managers, and fated with different configurations of wheels that squeak in certain ways or roll steadily or crookedly on the particular floor or carpet. You would think, then, that carts are conspicuous aspects of libraries, and, in a sense, they are. But in another sense, they are so interwoven into the fabric of the everyday at the library, that we do not see them. Even when we use them, unless they are broken, they are transparent to us. And so this sound, when I heard it, meant something; it seemed to emerge out of a texture I couldn’t see, and illustrate something about that texture. In so doing, I felt I was intuiting something about the nature of libraries, about the feel of the world of libraries, and therefore in some sense the world itself. And it left me wondering, what did that experience mean?

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Building Sustainably: A Collaborative Partnership for New Student Orientation

Peer-Reviewed Article, , , , , ,

LaTiffany Davis
Student Success Librarian for First Year Engagement
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

and

Sarah McCarter
Student Success Librarian for Professional Literacies
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Introduction

To continue our support in the onboarding and transition of new students, this case study will demonstrate how the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries (UT Libraries) has consolidated efforts to maximize the impact we have on students and their transition to college. With the overall goal of creating a seamless onboarding experience  for first year students, the following pages will outline a campus-level redesigned new student orientation pathway, UT Libraries’ collaborative integration into the orientation program, and practical lessons learned that librarians could use in similar partnerships. Continue reading Building Sustainably: A Collaborative Partnership for New Student Orientation →

The Writing Blitz: Engaging Students Through a High-Impact Hybrid Event

Peer-Reviewed Article, , , , ,

Alexandra Boris
Social Sciences Librarian – University of Tennessee

Kat Brooks
Collections Strategist – University of Tennessee

Sarah McCarter
Student Success Librarian for Professional Literacies – University of Tennessee

Erin Elizabeth Whitaker
Student Success Librarian for Information Literacy – University of Tennessee

Abstract

The Writing Blitz is a long-standing high impact event held by The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries. The original event was in-person, however, due the COVID-19 pandemic we transitioned to hybrid format to continue to reach students in the most accessible way possible. We will discuss how we managed an event in a hybrid environment and maintained relationships with crucial campus partners. In Fall 2023, we surveyed students and assessed perceptions and preferences for hybrid events. This article will outline the planning stages, execution, assessment, and our challenges and successes for delivering a hybrid engagement event.

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Bitesize training integrated with staff interface: Training made easy to access and digest

Peer-Reviewed Article, , ,

Kee-Young Moon (she/her/hers)
Digital Services Librarian
University of Maryland Libraries

Abstract

In the education field, a strategy known as bitesize learning was introduced to deliver concise instruction on specific topics. By offering short and focused training, the time required to attend a full session is reduced, allowing trainees to build knowledge gradually over time rather than through a single training event. Online training sessions serve as a viable option when face-to-face sessions are not feasible and can be effective for staff training when combined with other factors. Furthermore, these training modules are integrated with the staff interface for easy access offering help when needed. This readily available training eliminates the need to schedule training sessions and ensures that staff can access and receive support as needed to help complete tasks.

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