The rapid growth and change in scientific and other scholarly publications have made it more challenging to find appropriate resources for a research need. This difficulty is further complicated by research articles that target only a specific audience of experts. With a rise in digital technologies, research can be shared in new ways, allowing…

Activities using volunteered geographic information (VGI), geospatial data generated by nonprofessionals, provide an instructional approach that allows participants to work with big data--large, complex data sets--in a noncompetitive, cooperative environment. Research suggests that humanitarian mapping activities offer an effective means of…

This paper considers library programming as a means of extending and enhancing the academic library's pedagogical mission and role in student success. Scholarly programming in the form of faculty speakers, film screenings, or other kinds of research-based events creates opportunities for students to join an academic community and to practice…

Libraries remain one of the last places on campus where the purging of usage data is encouraged and "tracking" is a dirty word. While some libraries have demonstrated the usefulness of analytics, opponents bring up issues of privacy and debate the feasibility of student-generated library data for planning and assessment. Using a study…

Disability is a reality in the library instruction classroom, yet despite ratification of the American Library Association (ALA) policy on people with disabilities, librarians seldom take part in discourse about restructuring library instruction to ensure it is inclusive and accessible. This essay discusses the imperative to serve students with…

This article describes a discussion-based approach for teaching college students to identify the characteristics of ethical journalism and scholarly writing, by comparing fake news with credible information in a strategically planned slideshow. Much has been written on the need to instruct our students about disinformation. This librarian shares a…

Learning analytics involve the process of gathering data about students and using the information to intervene in their lives to improve learning and institutional outcomes. Many academic libraries now participate in learning analytics. However, such practices raise privacy and intellectual freedom issues due to sensitive data practices. But, few…

As academic libraries explore their connection to student success and how library staff spend their time, it is important to understand how research consultations influence academic achievement. Several studies have found correlations between various measures of library use and grade point averages (GPAs), but only limited research has…

The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education calls on librarians to teach complex concepts rather than discrete skills, but many librarians have struggled with implementing such teaching. This article reports on a revised lesson for information literacy instruction in First Year Writing classes, created using Grant Wiggins and Jay…

This paper reports the results of a survey study of foreign-born students' use of academic and public libraries. The researcher administered the survey at a public liberal arts college in the fall of 2014. The analysis shows that foreign-born students use both public and academic libraries with great frequency for academic tasks. Variables such as…

As libraries respond to new teaching and research practices in the twenty-first century, it is important to consider how to advertise library services. Users are often surprised to learn about the varied expertise of library staff and the many services the staff provides. To investigate this issue, the author designed a study to identify a more…

Many universities and colleges focus on student retention and completion as a measure of their success. Publications such as the "Chronicle of Higher Education" carry an increasing number of articles dealing with student retention, success, and completion. Academic libraries support this goal through a wide variety of services, teaching,…

Are today's academic libraries really designed for learning? Do library spaces impact student learning? Intending to spark broader and more informed dialogue about the relationship between the quality of learning and the quality of academic library spaces in higher education, the authors consider the concept of space as service; student learning…

This study explores the relationship between architecture and interior space on student engagement at a newly constructed academic library. Using an action, mixed-methods approach with a convenience sample, researchers evaluated 744 photographs, 125 behavioral observations, and six group interviews. Analysis revealed four key attributes of…

This article describes the results of a survey that gathered data on perceptions and use of e-books from undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff. The investigators analyzed the results based on user affiliate status and subject discipline and compared the results with the findings of a similar, smaller-scale study conducted…