School Library Research Articles

READCON: A Curriculum for Library Readiness, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment During Challenging Conditions

This panel introduces the READCON curriculum: Library Readiness, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment During Challenging Conditions The curriculum equips library workers with soft skills to develop relationships with their communities, partnering more effectively for advocacy. Building on the highly successful Get Ready Stay Ready Community Action Toolkit (GRSR), this curriculum builds foundational skills for library workers to engage in constructive dialogue on potentially divisive aspects of library programming, service, and material challenges. READCON takes Get Ready Stay Ready a step further by providing library workers with the soft skills needed to encourage community members to use the action steps included in the GRSR toolkit. Both resources are highly adaptable, multi-lingual, open-source learning tools developed by experts in academic, public, and school librarianship, education and family law, crisis communications, community advocacy and relations, and youth leadership.

For Every Book Their Reader: Book Challenges and Library Trauma

Since 2021, public and school libraries have become the frontlines of a cultural war. Regardless of the political tendency of the local area, material challenges have been submitted against libraries nationwide. When library workers handle material challenges, under the principle of intellectual freedom, they have often faced retaliatory actions from political groups, such as online attacks on them organized by political groups and budget cuts targeting the libraries. These challenges may create stress and trauma for library workers, both in the action of the banning, and the anticipation of it. For librarians experiencing trauma or at higher risk of exposure to traumatic events, this poster aims to illustrate a library trauma cycle within the context of material challenges. It highlights how library workers face an increased likelihood of trauma when material challenges are prevailing in the nation and how the internalization of trauma occurs within the context of the library and its community. The poster then suggests possible interventions to halt the library trauma cycle, calling for action from library administrators and board members.

The (mis)Information World of Moms for Liberty: A Digital Ethnographic Case Study

Moms for Liberty (M4L) is an American organization that has played an outsized role in the dramatic increase in book bans and challenges in school and public libraries. This group provides an opportunity to study the various ways that information and attention is driven bi-directionally between the public and private spheres. The aim of this digital ethnographic case study was to better understand how the norms and values that underlie the small world of M4L influence the larger lifeworld and social milieus of communities. If public policy is ideologically constructed, what does this mean for information practitioners whose institutions exist in small worlds? Jaeger and Burnett’s theory of information worlds and Engeström’s activity theory model were combined to form the lens of interpretation to analyze the normative behavior and information values of M4L and the impact of its object of motivation for creating information poverty in the lifeworld through censorship efforts via political activism and propaganda. Data sources included public messaging from M4L and affiliated social media pages, primary sources from M4L’s official website, official interview transcripts, news headline data, and relevant public policy data. This poster reports on the early findings and emerging implications of the study, as well as the potential value of the proposed theoretical-methodological framework for ethnographic and case study research within the information disciplines.

Artificial Intelligence: The Doers, the Don’t-ers, and the continuum between

ABSTRACT Session 1: Make My Syllabus Nicer: Exploring Generative AI for Inclusivity and Accessibility in LIS Instruction Rebecca J.Morris (University, of Pittsburgh, School of Computing and Information, US) Though certainly not a magic formula, LIS instructors’ use of generative AI tools can support accessibility and inclusivity in design and adaptation of course materials and communications. LIS faculty may likely know and implement accommodations such as Universal Design for Learning to some extent, but perhaps find it challenging to integrate methods more thoroughly for reasons such as time, number of courses or varied formats of courses, and number of disability accommodations. This session includes teaching tasks: making tone and content of syllabi and assignment instructions more transparent and student-friendly generating performance criteria, checklists, and rubrics for differentiated assignments integrating principles of Universal Design for Learning into course design elements, such as o creating text outlines of lectures to provide multiple means of representation o personalizing assessment options to offer multiple means of action and expression A Community Conversation: The Context, Complexities, Contradictions and Critical Concerns of Artificial Intelligence: Parts I & II This dual presentation offers perspectives on the complexities, contradictions, and critical issues concerning Artificial Intelligence (AI). The IP SIG combines presentations with interactive audience engagement, providing an opportunity for ALISE members and attendees to forge cross-disciplinary ties around the conference themes of “[t]he ways in which information is created, disseminated, and altered” in the current education landscape Session 2: Part 1- The Context, Considerations and Complexities Rhiannon Bettivia (Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, US) Co-Moderator Warren Crichlow (Emerita, York University, US) Anthony W. Dunbar, (Dominican University - School of Information Studies, US) Co-Moderator Theodora Kourkoulou (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US) Cameron McCarthy (Emerita, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US) The panel centers innovation as a necessity and change agent in the area of digital and technological literacy. Thus, offering a brief historical discussion of technological developments and their deployment in classrooms, grounding a discussion of AI. Then discusses the dichotomy that AI is either the ultimate positive technological contribution to society or it will move society from a state of techno determinism to techno fatalism. This discussion centers the nuances between the pollyannic and fatalist propositions. Consisting of submissions from LIS educators and practitioners eager to share their experiences using (or not) AI in the classroom, this conversation further shapes approaches to AI and contributes to developing policies and practices at institutional and disciplinary levels. Session 3: Panel 2 - The Contradictions and Critical Concerns Rhiannon Bettivia (Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, US) Moderator Warren Crichlow (Emerita, York University, US) Panelist Theodora Kourkoulou (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US) Panelist Cameron McCarthy (Emerita, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US) Panelist Part 2 dives deeper into the pedagogical Contradictions and related Critical Concerns that LIS scholars, instructors, and practitioners are grappling with as AI interrupts and, in many instances, disrupts LIS learning spaces. This session offers an interdisciplinary sensibility.

Collaborations to Support the SJ4A Curriculum in Archival Studies and Social Justice Intersections: Training of Community-Embedded Paraprofessional Archivists Who Are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

The Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program recently awarded a $463,238 grant titled “Training of Community-Embedded Social Justice Archivists” (SJ4A) to the School of Library and Information Studies atthe University of Alabama. The grant’s goal is to recruit/train 17 community-embedded paraprofessional archivists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color to complete their master’s degree part-time from January 2023 – December 2024 in the SLIS’ synchronous distance education program. SJ4A meets an urgent need to diversify the professions and for archivists to apply social justice competencies in work experience and community-embedded practice with graduate instruction and curriculum support. This paper identifies ongoing collaborations to support curriculum development in the SJ4A phases, including recruitment of students,needs assessment of archives-related professionals about social justice services, implementation of educational activities, mentoring, evaluation of program outcomes, dissemination of results, and post-graduation career tracking.

Playing the Publish or Perish Game: Guidance for Doctoral Students and Early Career Faculty

“Publish or perish,” or the idea that one must consistently publish to succeed in an academic career is a well-known adage within higher education (Schaberg, 2016). Specifically, Bond (2023) shares that publications are promoted as a path to career success. The scholarly output of professors simultaneously affects the reputations of the professors and their institutions. Similarly, doctoral programs often require students to publish before they graduate. When applying for academic positions, having publications beyond the dissertation is seen as a strength by prospective employers. Although publications are viewed as a strength, Huang (2021) discusses some challenges doctoral students have with publishing, including a lack of understanding of the publication process. Many students who are in master’s degree programs may complete a thesis. However, the thesis process diverges from journal articles because the publication procedures differ. Huang (2021) further notes that the pressure to publish in high-quality, well-known journals is another challenge. These journals are identified as the best because of the rigor involved in their peer review process, and they typically accept fewer papers per year. Finally, journal publications are a competitive process, and the inability to complete a publication on time can cause anxiety among students. Researchers have called for an evaluation of publishing practices in academia. For example, Saxena, Godfrey, and Yannessa (2023) explain that publishing expectations can lead to the production of low-quality publications and an increase in unethical behaviors such as plagiarism. Moreover, inexperienced writers may seek to validate their research by relying on the willing acceptance of predatory journals (Mertkan, Aliusta, & Bayrakli, 2022). These journals flood the internet with low-quality papers that do not adhere to rigorous peer-review standards. Consequently, inferior research that has not been vetted is often repetitively cited. Since navigating the publication process is a skill that must be gained, Dyke (2019) suggests that it is necessary to teach early-career academics how to manage the rigors of publication expectations. Dyke asserts that learning to manage stress and time is essential for successfully publishing. Also, new scholars must be taught how to explain their research’s benefits and potential impact. Dyke further argues that publishers can play a crucial role in teaching publication skills. Instead of relying solely on universities, publishers can develop courses to clarify the process of writing publications. These courses can include content about basic writing and editing skills and submitting revisions. The panel recognizes that publishing is indeed not a game. However, it is a necessary component of career progression at many universities. Therefore, in response to library and information science doctoral and early career professionals’ scholarly publishing professional development needs, this panel seeks to advise about strengthening writing skills and clarifying the peer review publishing process. This panel will include expert editors and editorial board members with over a century of combined scholarly publishing experience. Attendees will participate in a discussion of the peer review process and receive suggestions for efficiently writing and submitting journal articles. The panelists are Drs. John Budd and Denice Adkins (co-editors of JELIS), Yunfei Du (editorial board member of JELIS), Maria Cahill (co-editor of School Library Research), and Vanessa Reyes (co-editor of The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion). The moderator will be Dr. Daniella Smith (editorial board member of Public Library Quarterly). Program Format This interactive program will include polls to increase audience engagement and an online whiteboard to collect questions for the discussion after the presentation. The program format will be as follows: Session introduction: The moderator will introduce the session by sharing the presentation objectives and research about publishing in academia.. Panel introduction: Each panelist will introduce themselves and their experience with scholarly publications. Topic Discussion: The panelists will answer questions related to the following topics. Understanding the peer review process: The presenters will share the peer-reviewed process used by the journals and the pros and cons of the peer-review process. Implementing strategies for publishing quicker: Panelists will provide suggestions for streamlining the publication process. Submitting revisions and options for addressing comments: Our experts will discuss their expectations for article revisions and the do’s and don’ts of getting an article published after revisions have been requested. Preparing content for peer-reviewed journals: There is a difference between casual and scholarly writing. The panelists will discuss the differences and provide examples of their expectations regarding the content of peer-reviewed publications. Identifying appropriate journals: The panel will suggest how to determine the best journals for their research areas and how to avoid predatory journals. Identifying publication tools and resources: Authors curate tools and acquire skills that help them navigate the publication process. The presenters will share their favorite tools and resources. Making writing enjoyable: The panelists will discuss embracing writing and making publishing fun. Final words of advice and questions: The session will conclude with audience questions and final panelist thoughts.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Enhancing Literacy and Inclusivity through DELP

ABSTRACTNorth Carolina Central University (NCCU) is dedicated to addressing the pervasive issues of digital inequality prevalent in Durham's underserved anchor communities through the Digital Equity Leadership Program (DELP) and NCCU's School of Library and Information Sciences (SLIS). DELP offers a holistic approach as its activities and initiatives encompass workforce development, technological access, and digital literacy training, leveraging its partnerships with local organizations. DELP fortifies communities through its holistic initiatives and adopts an innovative approach to fostering long‐term community resilience and adaptability in an ever‐growing digitized economy. DELP amplifies capacity building through multifaceted employability and economic growth approaches, laying the groundwork for a more equitable and sustainable future. DELP's core activities expose our community members to skills that support their financial, economic, health, and digital equity. By bringing together program partners and our resources, capabilities, and expertise in digital literacy, innovative remedies were created to reach deeper into the surrounding communities.

Exploring Emerging Educational Technologies in School Libraries: A Research Review

Exploring Emerging Educational Technologies in School Libraries: A Research Review

Expanding LGBTQ+ Inclusivity: An Ecological Model of School Library Practice in Addition to Collection Development

This research explores the critical need for a holistic approach to LGBTQ+ inclusivity in school library services, moving beyond the traditional focus on collection development to address underexplored areas such as cataloguing practices, purchasing procedures, programming, policies, and community outreach. The school libraries often become a place of social stigma for LGBTQ+ students, and availability of fewer resources and institutional biases typically discourage them from accessing information and support from such libraries. For this purpose, this study will carry out research using a qualitative research design with the help of content analysis and case studies to identify the best practices and policies of selected school libraries in regard to addressing such matters. It sets much importance on cataloguing in such a way so that these LGBTQ+ resources, materials, etc. should be visible and accessible besides discussing budget limitations and community force behind acquiring the LGBTQ+ resources as a part of the library collection. This also emphasizes the requirement of an LGBTQ+ inclusive program with efficient community outreach that builds safe spaces for the student population LGBTQ+. The study further stresses the need for library policies and how librarians can become great advocates of LGBTQ+ rights and representation. A careful consideration of any aspect of library services described in this paper will help guide principles for making school libraries more inclusive and equitable. The implications are considered crucial for future research and practice, toward further development of library services to support the needs of LGBTQ+ students completely, which will enhance their well-being and academic success.

Graphic Novels in the School Library: Bridging the Gap Between Reluctant Readers and Literature

This article examines the role of graphic novels in school libraries as an effective tool to engage reluctant readers and foster a love for literature. Reluctant readers, who often struggle with or avoid traditional texts, are drawn to the combination of visual and textual elements that graphic novels offer. These accessible narratives appeal to their interests, making graphic novels a valuable resource in promoting literacy and developing reading habits, particularly in middle and high school students. The study underscores the significance of graphic novels in enhancing reading motivation, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. By bridging the gap between visual storytelling and traditional literature, graphic novels serve as a gateway to more complex works, encouraging readers to explore a wider range of texts. School librarians play a crucial role in curating and promoting these resources, ensuring that graphic novels are effectively integrated into reading programs. Recommendations include incorporating graphic novels into school library collections and reading curricula, addressing any biases against their use, and advocating for the inclusion of diverse titles to support a broad spectrum of reader interests. This approach can create a more dynamic and inclusive reading culture, empowering reluctant readers to engage more confidently with literature.

Stream Theory

Purpose: The main objective of this research was trying to solve the misunderstood nature of light by introducing and studying fluid optic and its influence on physical science. Methodology: The research adopted observation and a study of already published online and school library books on optics and physical science. Observation is always the best approach to quote a natural occurrence and behavior, the researcher observed the behaviour of thin light by isolating themself for a long time in a dark room having roof holes. Findings: The research findings revealed that; light is not basically a wave, a particle or a photon. Light is sensibly a fluid. Fluid optics has no assumptions and weaknesses as other earlier optical theories as fluid optics clearly brings the channels of light (The streams) and its close link, agreement and influence on physical science as physical nature is brought into focus. Unique contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Stream theory completely solves the mystery of light and brings proper understanding of optics now fluid optics. Adoption of the theory and its concepts completely exposes physical science into focus with ease in understanding the natural phenomenon related to optics as the theory avoids assumptions and connects geometrical optics and physical optics to one singular optical study (fluid optics) as a step to singularity achievement in physics. (It is that and it happened that way).

Rancang Bangun E-Library Berbasis Web pada SMP Negeri 2 Wewewa Tengah

At every educational institution there is a library for students to use at that institution. Likewise with SMP Negeri 2 Wewewa Tengah. At the school there is a library but it still uses a bookkeeping management system or is still written manually, while the number of active borrowers is almost all students carrying out the borrowing process at the school. The process of borrowing books in the library begins when students come to the library and tell the library staff that they want to borrow books. Then students select the books they want to borrow on the shelves provided. Next, the library staff records the borrower's data, such as full name, student identification number, and class, as well as data on books borrowed, such as book title, author, and inventory number in the ledger used as a borrowing register.). The school library has a strategic role and function in developing the potential of students from the entire academic community in the school environment. The library is part of the learning resources that every school has, a library that is still manual is something that needs to be created a system that can help with administrative activities. With the e-library, users can access it together with other users without having to wait in line. The search process is easier and faster because it is assisted by an information search engine that uses a database. This system presents a variant of the digital library, including a user page section that presents books available at the Central Wewewa State library

THE REALITY OF MAKING LIBRARY AS A LEARNING RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS IN READING ENGLISH AT SMA NEGERI 1 LAHEWA IN 2023/2024

This study aimed to find out the student's views on the school library as a learning resource for reading English, the involvement of English teachers in making the school library as a learning resource for students to read English and the availability of school library collections can be used as a learning resource for students to read English. This study used a descriptive qualitative method with the research subjects being students, an English teacher, and the head of the library at SMA Negeri 1 Lahewa. Data were collected through observation, interview, and documentation techniques. Data analysis was conducted through the stages of data reduction, data display, and verification or conclusion. The results showed that students of SMA Negeri 1 Lahewa have not fully utilized the school library as an English learning resource. From the available data, only 37.83% of students have used the library as a learning resource, while the others (62.16%) have not optimally utilized the facility. The main obstacles identified were the inadequate library opening schedule and the limited collection of English books. The involvement of the English teacher in making the school library a learning resource for students in reading English at SMA Negeri 1 Lahewa has played a quiet role, providing explanations about the library, inviting students to visit the library to learn together, sharing knowledge, look for book references for assignments and inviting students to make reading book reports containing summaries of books. Then, the availability of book collections at SMA Negeri 1 Lahewa library did not provide enough for the learning needs of students in reading English. It is supported by students' statements during interviews that most of them found the difficultness to get the appropriate English books.

Ethnographic Study Found School Library is a Safe Refuge of Solitude for French Urban Middle School Students

A Review of: Joing, I. (2023). The school library: An important place for adolescents’ well-being. An ethnographic experience in a French middle school. Journal of Library Administration, 63(6), 777-796. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2023.2240192 Objective – To understand the role of school libraries in middle school students’ well-being. Design – Ethnographic study consisting of overt participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and a written questionnaire. Setting – An urban middle school in northern France between November 2017 and April 2018. Subjects –Students from 10 to 15 years of age and selected school personnel. Methods – Students from three randomly selected classes were invited to complete the questionnaire, and quantifiable responses were summarized using descriptive statistics. Other materials collected during the five-month study period, including the researcher’s field journal, interview transcripts, and qualitative questionnaire responses, were analyzed using grounded theory-informed open, axial, and selective coding to discern students’ perception of the library. Main Results – The majority of the 95 students who completed the questionnaire viewed the library as a safe place associated with positive school experiences. However, these favorable impressions gradually decreased as students progressed in their studies, with senior (fourth-year) respondents reporting the lowest positive-to-negative experience ratio, at 1.1 to 1. Thematic clusters that emerged from coding of the rest of study materials further supported these findings, showing that students perceived the library to be both (a) a physical shelter from harsh winter elements during recess or lunch, and (b) a psychological refuge for solitude and peace from negative peer interactions. Nonetheless, (c) limited and unreliable library hours and (d) restrictive rules concerning noise and space access appeared to erode these positive associations over time. Senior students also expressed (e) the desire for more library or general school spaces dedicated to group work. Conclusion – Findings from this ethnographic study highlighted different ways library space contributed to students’ sense of well-being. The study also uncovered some shortcomings in space management that contributed to students’ declining library use and positive perception over the course of middle school. The researcher recommended extending library hours and expanding the diversity of library activities to ensure the space would serve as a welcoming environment not only for students seeking solitude, but also for those desiring more peer collaborations and social connections.

På vei mot et flerspråklig skolebibliotek

Towards a Multilingual School Library The new curriculum for primary schools in Norway underlines that knowledge of several languages is a resource both in school and society, and that the pupils should experience this through their education. In this article we investigate the school library as a multilingual arena, based on a study with a linguistically and culturally diverse pupil group. The material contains observation data from library activities, such as book talks and reading aloud, a semi-structured interview with the school librarian, and photo documentation of the school library room. We base the analysis on an overall perspective on the school library as a schoolscape (Brown). Hence we are interested in the linguistic-visual interior of the school library, as well as the literary and pedagogical activities that take place there. The article investigates how language diversity emerges both in the school library’s semiotic landscape and in various reading activities. Overall, the analysis shows that linguistic diversity appears to be valued on a general level, but that the specific languages of the pupil and teacher groups are represented to a lesser degree in the schoolscape. The analysis also identifies a number of framework factors, including at system levels, such as access to multilingual literature, which clearly hinder the school librarian’s work in developing the library’s multilingual collection.

Alternative Paths in the Field: School Library Students Reflect on an Academic Libraries Seminar

Students enrolled in American Library Association (ALA)–accredited graduate programs typically are on a specific track to work toward their individual career goals. While most degree programs require of all students a shared core curriculum, students also typically must take elective credits, which help narrow their focus toward their individual paths. Students interested in subfields within librarianship such as public, school, and academic librarianship will take courses that further specialize their knowledge in those areas. While a focused education in their chosen subfields is important, it also may be limiting in how students understand the profession more broadly. This study uses qualitative analysis to explore reflections from students on a school library track who completed an elective seminar about academic librarianship. Findings indicate that this coursework in a subfield outside of their own allowed them to reflect on their own roles and responsibilities as librarians, find common ground and collaboration possibilities, and envision expanded opportunities in their own career paths. Educators can take this information to support students’ exploration beyond prescribed career tracks, whether through offering and promoting electives across the curricula or through non-credit-bearing opportunities.

The Power of Storyliving: A Study of Adolescent Students’ Responses to Cinematic Virtual Reality in a School Library Setting

The Power of Storyliving: A Study of Adolescent Students’ Responses to Cinematic Virtual Reality in a School Library Setting

New technology in libraries work and the problems of education in the field of librarianship and bibliography

The article deals with the problem of the changing demands of education for librarianship and information work in developed capitalist countries as a result of the application of computers and changing technology of library work. There are indications that, under these conditions, education and training must be something rather different from traditional library education. The changing role of information, which becomes one of the natural resources of a country, and the rapid development of computer technology reveal new professional demands for librarians. They are becoming something like gatekeepers of information, mediators between information stored in databases and information users. As a result of this tendency, the teaching of online bibliographic searching is of great importance in the curricula of library schools all over the world. The main trends of alteration in the programs of library schools during the last 10 years are surveyed, and principal tendencies of future development in the education of librarians are revealed.

Socio-Economic Impediments in School Libraries

This study delves into the socio-economic challenges affecting Type 3 school libraries in the 'Thenmarachchi' education zone of Sri Lanka. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews with librarians from 27 schools, it identifies barriers such as financial constraints, resource limitations, and declining reader interest. Correlation analyses reveal intricate relationships between these barriers. Notably, collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) emerges as a significant strategy, showing potential to alleviate financial constraints and enhance resource availability. Qualitative insights highlight community involvement and reading initiatives as complementary to proposed strategies. This study advocates comprehensive approaches to address socio-economic obstacles in fostering school library development, emphasizing the need for further research to evaluate the long-term sustainability of interventions.

The motivation of reading of vocational-technical (VT) schoolchildren

The investigation of reading motivation is important in studying, regulating, and prognosing the development of personalities. The article deals with the investigation of one thousand vocational-technical schoolchildren and 300 teachers and tutors from seven schools. The data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and observation. The computer of Vilnius University was used to amend the collected material. The reading motivation of regular and irregular readers was different. Some differences in the motivation of girls and boys were found. The reading motivation of VT schoolchildren is complicated, unstable, and not a strong construct, reflecting the main socio-psychological features of VT schoolchildren's socialization period. One-third of the tested young people indicated that reading is a matter of great importance. Another part of the schoolchildren expressed their positive but passive standpoint. The main obstacles in reading activity are time deficit, difficulties in finding interesting literature to read, challenges in buying books, and problems related to weak eyesight, memory, and attention. It is important to investigate the situational motivation for reading among VT schoolchildren in their school library. The main tasks of educators and librarians are to evaluate schoolchildren's reading practices and to uphold the prestige of reading in VT schools.