In terms of exploring the status of Second Life (SL) usage in libraries, it would be useful to not only look at how and why the virtual world is being used but also how SL compares to successfully implemented innovations of the past. Comparing and contrasting the characteristics of previously accepted innovations with those of SL will help…

In Fall 2006, a faculty member in George Washington University's University Writing 20 (UW20) program began incorporating service learning into her theme-based first-year writing course. Along with her librarian partner, they linked two research assignments to the service work of the students. An end-of-semester survey was administrated over three…

This paper examines the Regent University Library's effort to reach online students by incorporating online library workshops using the Live Classroom software from Horizon Wimba. The paper explains the need for synchronous online library instruction which arose from the university's changing clientele and curriculum. It also analyzes participant…

The world civilizations course is an increasingly integral component of undergraduate curricula in the United States. History instruction literature reveals much discussion about desired learning objectives for students in the course. Given today's complex educational environment, meeting those objectives can be a challenge. Instructors'…

As libraries change to meet the evolving needs of our patrons, including the development of online services, many libraries are considering consolidating physical service points to maximize staff and better serve the in-house patron. This article describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation process involved in merging the circulation and…

The author's focus for this column within the large universe of the public services literature is on articles which stress what is best for the user. That may mean finding out why faculty use or do not use the physical library, considering the elimination of the reference desk, beginning or enhancing a library's virtual reference services, or…

This column presents an interview with Nick Baker, Reference and Web Services librarian at Williams College. Baker has produced several films for and about the library profession. In 2007, he won an InfoTubey Award for Outstanding Library YouTube Productions for his work. In this interview, Baker shares his ideas and experiences about this…

Currently, one of the hottest topics in library marketing is branding. Over the years, businesses have utilized this technique to achieve commercial success. Is it possible for libraries to utilize this same strategy to promote their resources and services? One of the key components of a good branding campaign is passion, dedication, and a quality…

Plagiarism in media and print continues to be a major issue for professors, librarians, and students. Through initiatives and outreach from the B. Davis Memorial Library at the C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University, plagiarism Web sites have been created and workshops and programs continually provided for faculty and students to detect,…

To raise the library's profile within the campus community, it is critical to create a strategic plan and align library goals with those of the university. At George Washington University's Gelman Library, the instruction librarians gained internal and external support to hire two new instruction librarians to better support collaboration with the…

With the vastness of the Internet ever increasing, it is likely that busy, time-deprived librarians may not stumble upon valuable sites that may actually facilitate their organizational efforts and eventually save them time and energy, especially energy exerted prioritizing tasks and working in groups or other collaborative projects. This column…

In this paper, the author discusses various articles that offer practical programs, as well as detailed analysis of data, highlighting the breadth and depth of librarians' literature. These are: (1) Albitz, R. S. (2007). "The what and who of information literacy and critical thinking in higher education." "Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 7(1),…

There is no doubt that today's student is much more savvy with using computers than the students of years gone by. This tech generation eagerly embraces the Internet, online searching, and the newer Web 2.0 technologies. This latter platform provides users with the ability to interact in a large virtual world, share/take (upload/download)…

Libraries transform communities by providing well-organized information resources and services. Conversely, communities can also transform libraries if librarians appreciate the rich diversity of the communities' information needs, acting as bridges between communities as well as enabling and facilitating community-building. The roles of…

The Thompson Library, the main library of The Ohio State University (OSU), began a major renovation in fall 2006 that required the library to close for three years. During this time, the bulk of the circulating collection and many of the personnel relocated to an interim facility. The distance imposed by the renovation created special challenges…