It's Academic

Hi all, just an update from the Connect and Communicate Team!
We are working hard to coordinate our spring programming, but do have a session scheduled on Nov 16! More details about that will be coming soon.

In the meantime, our page contains some of the past sessions from this group, and since it’s the season, I’m just going to leave the link for Mark’s “Haunted Libraries” (2017) talk here:

Enjoy your Halloween candies and parties!
~Erin

Although most people have heard of Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia, Lewy Body Dementia is a type of dementia that few people have heard of, yet 1.4 million people have been diagnosed in the United States.   As academic librarians, we can help to make more people aware of this disorder, so that more people with LBD can be accurately diagnosed.   Even within the medical profession, many people have little knowledge of this disease so educating our students enrolled in the health sciences is  extremely important.

A correct diagnosis is required so that proper treatment can begin.   Many medications, which improve other forms of dementia, can make Lewy Body Dementia worse.  Sadly, many people can see multiple doctors over several years before they are correctly diagnosed with LBD.  In addition, there are physical symptoms not present in other types of dementia and so physical, occupational, and speech therapy may be necessary.  There is no cure, but proper treatment can significantly improve the quality of a patient’s life.

October is Lewy Body Dementia Awareness month.  For more information, contact the Lewy Body Dementia Association.

Earlier this year SPARC®, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, announced its theme for International Open Access Week: “designing equitable foundations for open knowledge.” The Advisory Committee also fixed the dates as October 22-28.

Image courtesy of SPARC® Website.

Falvey, the library for Villanova University, has for many years held events highlighting Open Access, but we’re frequently a bit freer about it. So, it’s more like Open Access month.

However during the official week this year Falvey will have an Open Access Week information table in a public space in the library for sharing information about getting full text fast via unpaywall.com and openaccessbutton.org. We will be screening “Paywall: The Business of Scholarship,” and co-sponsoring with Villanova University’s Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest a discussion of the documentary elsewhere on campus the next day.

Another event for Open Access Week this year is a Brown Bag for faculty led by librarians on Open Access scholarship and publishing where a major topic will be SOAR, Falvey’s Scholarship Open Access Reserve fund initiative.

Whether event’s are during the official week or not, it is helpful to remember SPARC’s “official hashtag of Open Access Week is #OAweek.” For more information go to: www.openaccessweek.org.

With only two days away from PaLA’s annual conference we will take one last look at sessions being sponsored by CRD this year.  These sessions revolve around the idea of the librarian as more than just a keeper of knowledge, and discuss how a librarian can be at the front of social activism, community service and campus inclusion.

Title: Unpeeling the Onion: Using Participatory Design Processes to Discover First Generation Students Experiences Using the Library

Presenters: Hailley Fargo, Student Engagement & Outreach Librarian, Penn State University, University Park
Steve Borrelli, Head of Library Assessment, Penn State University, University Park
Carmen Gass, User Services Training Coordinator, Penn State University, University Park
Elpidio De La Cruz, Student, Penn State University, University Park

Abstract: The University Library strives to make the library a place for everyone by keeping diversity and inclusion at the forefront of research and services. Intrigued by results of a 2016 Ithaka study of undergraduates which showed differences in use and perceptions of library services and resources of first generation students at Penn State University, researchers conducted a case study investigating the library experiences of first-generation students at the University Park campus. During the spring 2018 semester, researchers used a participatory design approach called “gamestorming” with a group of six first-generation students to discover their experiences in the library. Gamestorming is an approach where design activities are used to ideate through game play. The process allows for a group to get to know one another by first developing trust, then working together through the challenge space, discovering problems along the way. The process ends with evaluating ideas surfaced during the process. This presentation will describe the process of gamestorming, share results, insights, and lessons learned from this study, highlight the student experience from one of our first-generation student participant-researchers, and will give the audience a chance to try out a gamestorming activity that could be used with their library community.

Time: Tuesday, October 16th 2:15pm-3:30pm

 
Title: Bringing the Critical Librarianship Movement into the Classroom

Presenter: Samantha Bise-Schultz, Reference & Instruction Librarian, Central Penn College

Abstract: Have you heard of the Critical Librarianship movement and want to know what it’s all about? Are you part of the conversation already, but don’t know how to turn theory into practical instruction activities? Find out how librarians are linking their work as information literacy educators to social activism. Attend this session for a brief introduction to critical theory as it relates to librarianship and information literacy, suggested resources to get you involved in the Critical Librarianship conversation, and various critical instruction methods and activities. The presentation will be followed by a guided group discussion on ways librarians can turn critical librarianship theory into action to engage students as creators and users of information.

Time: Wednesday, October 17th 9:00am-10:00am

Title: What do Libraries Have To Do With the YMCA, Humane Society, Fair Trade, and Undergraduate Research?

Presenters: Jen Jones, Associate Professor and Department Coordinator, Communication, School of Business, Seton Hill University
Theresa R. McDevitt, Government Information/Outreach Librarian, Indiana University of PA Libraries
Amy Podoletz, Undergraduate Student, Communication, Seton Hill University

Abstract: New teaching practices, such as experiential learning and service-learning, are becoming more and more important on college campuses. This pedagogical approach leads to improved understanding and ability to apply theory, and also growth in areas like acceptance of diversity, increased compassion and caring for others, self-confidence, and growth in social responsibility and civic engagement. This session begins with win-win stories, written by librarians, university faculty and students who have successfully employed service based or experiential learning experiences for students in higher education. In each case, the course or educational event developers have intentionally included service to a partner, real work applications of theory, mutual benefit for all involved, and opportunities for thoughtful reflection. Presenters will describe activities, motivations, curriculum materials, and outcomes in enough detail to assist others in building upon their experience to bring this positive practice to their institutions. Participants in the session are then invited to share their own success stories in a welcoming and creative environment.

Time: Wednesday, October 17th 10:15am-11:30am

“Had we but world enough… and time” – the oft quoted line from Andrew Marvell’s “To His Coy Mistress” can often be followed with “and funding”. In an era where many academic libraries are faced with staffing and budget constraints, we’re faced with the challenge of doing more with less. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges we encounter is space. Library spaces get taken over by other departments; as student populations evolve, so do their needs for space. Renovating and creating spaces on a shoestring budget can be achieved!

I am the Director of Library Services and College Librarian (my two official titles among the many other hats I wear) at Valley Forge Military Academy & College’s May H. Baker Memorial Library. While we are frequently complimented on how beautiful our building is, we have also become acutely aware of the challenges of providing 21st century library services in a facility that was designed and constructed in the 1960s-1970s. Yes, major renovations, such as upgrading the IT infrastructure are also necessary, but there are also smaller ways to achieve tangible and visible results relatively quickly, and relatively cheaply.

Here are some tips that have worked for us:

TIP: Assess the current space usage and needs. Our library has historically been for group study, as individual work was encouraged in the barracks (dorms), so our seating is primarily for large study groups (6-8 person tables).

TIP: Use Participatory Design methods to get input from key stakeholders. We found the students wanted the ability to work individually.

TIP: Use resources already available –  in the library – on campus – or locally. Move furniture around – think of supervisory challenges, what students tend to do in different locations of the library. We found a bunch of old individual computer desks, and instead of having them occupy a classroom, we moved spread them out on the upper level of the library – strategically placing each desk (that has its own power supply) by one of our balcony pillars – in an IT upgrade, data drops were added as well – there are now desktop computers available spread throughout the library instead of just in a lab (that’s often booked for instruction).

TIP: Leverage Donations.

• Because our institution is non-profit with strong community partnerships, we keep in the loop about local businesses and schools upgrading or closing, and are able to procure donations of gently used furniture and equipment. Rather than spend money on a conference table for my office, I was able to find a kitchen table and chairs FOR FREE (Offer Up, Let Go, and Facebook Marketplace are great places to look) to serve the purpose, and provide the relaxed atmosphere I was aiming for to help make students comfortable.
• TIP: Have a wishlist for things you want for your library; you never know when you’ll be approached by a potential donor! When asked what the library needed, my reply was “space”. We had discovered an old periodicals room that had grown to also become a dumping ground across campus – an entire, existing room, with a lockable door that could easily be used for small group instruction, tutoring, club meetings, etc.! We set about clearing out the space, and our donor funded the purchase of new furniture (group study tables and chairs). Our donor also helped us to name the space, in memory of an old building no longer standing on campus, adding to our institutional history.

TIP: Make a plan for the library to use the space before weeding to create open space… if there is open space just sitting, it will most likely be occupied before a plan is created for it. We knew that we would be able to spend a portion of our budget on individual study carrels, so we planned out where we wanted them, weeded, and shifted books, allowing us to remove two large sections of shelving to make room for the study carrels.

While it may take a little bit of time, and some creativity, it’s completely possible to renovate and repurpose library spaces on a budget!

Image credits: Dana J Kerrigan, Director of Library Services and College Librarian, Valley Forge Military Academy & College