It's Academic

PA Forward Speak Up!

February 19, 2014

The Pennsylvania Library Association is proud to introduce the “PA Forward Speak Up! Authors & Illustrators Speak Up for PA Libraries” initiative for Thursday, November 6, 2014. This initiative places Pennsylvania authors and illustrators in the spotlight, increasing support for libraries everywhere.

PA Forward Speak Up will match participating PA authors and illustrators with libraries to do programs in which they speak about the importance and personal impact of libraries and present a program related to their work. The program could take a variety of forms, depending on the capabilities of the authors and illustrators and the program interests of the library: it could be a reading, a lecture about the topic of the book, a demonstration (examples: cooking demonstration by a cookbook author), a presentation of writing/illustrating tips, a talk about their career, etc.)

If you are interested in participating please link to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/speakuppart and complete all information. We will attempt to match as many authors/illustrators with libraries as possible.

As a partner, your involvement can help fuel the dialogue on Pennsylvania libraries and the key role these institutions play in the economic, social and educational fabric of our state.

By participating in Speak Up! Your library agrees to advertise and evaluate the program, provide a location, refreshments and any technology equipment for the author/illustrator. Program must be free and open to the public.

Book sales are authorized. Autographs will be up to the author/illustrator. Speak Up! will not be coordinating bulk purchases for titles.

Speak Up! will attempt to match your library with an author/illustrator and will provide marketing assistance with press releases and flyers.

If you have any questions, please contact Margie Stern at 610-891-8622 or mstern@delcolibraries.org.

The Standards, They Are A-Changin’

January 22, 2014

by serendipiTina

In the December 28 post, Reflecting on the Standards, we read about a special issue of Communications in Information Literacy that examines the proposed changes to the ACRL Information Literacy Standards. Taking place in parallel to the work ACRL is doing on the Information Literacy Standards, the Middle States Commission of Higher Education has also spent the past year reviewing their current accreditation standards and have developed proposed new standards.

One of their guiding principles during this revision process focuses on the ‘Student Learning Experience’. In particular, as quoted from their guiding principles document:

The standards should ensure that institutions of higher education succeed in educating students and providing them with the skills and competencies they need for personal success, including employment and lifelong learning.

As librarians, the work that we do, the services we provide, and the resources we purchase are all centered on enhancing the students’ learning experience. Just as it is important that we are knowledgeable of and support the Information Literacy Standards of ACRL, we should also be aware of other standards that reflect the work we do at our institutions.

Middle States is working to simplify the current standards, Characteristics of Excellence. They are reducing the number of standards from 14 to 7, stating their intent is to eliminate redundancies while maintaining the overall focus of the standards. Middle States is inviting review of the initial draft as well as comments on this draft. With ACRL currently drafting new Information Literacy Competencies, this comes at an ideal time.

Please review the Middle States press announcement, which includes links to the proposed standards as well as an area for comments:
https://www.msche.org/?Nav1=NEWS&Nav2=NEWSROOM&Nav3=STANDARDS&strPageName=

Should the above link not work, here is a direct link to the proposed revision: http://www.msche.org/documents/characteristicsdraft120913.pdf

Comments can be shared with Middle States by January 31: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CHXRevisions2013

Middle States will also be hosting various Town Halls later this year. Those dates and locations are also listed in the above press announcement link.

What Students Remember About Librarians.

January 21, 2014

by Rachel Gammons

Last month, the Huffington Post Canada featured a post by Teacher/Blogger Lori Gard, asking readers to reflect on what they “remember most” about their teachers. Although her discussion is directed at a more traditional teacher student relationship, the topic begs the question – when our students look back at their experiences in the library, what will they remember most about librarians? Will they remember Boolean operators and advanced search strategies? Interlibrary loan or express printing stations? Perhaps. Or, at least we hope! But they will certainly remember the person that took the time to help answer their questions and made them feel heard.

As we begin our spring semesters and commence the inevitable instruction sessions and references exchanges, perhaps it might do us well to take a moment to reflect on Lori’s advice. “Because we want our students to think we’re the very best at what we do and we believe that this status of excellence is achieved merely by doing. But we forget – and often. Excellence is more readily attained by being. Being available. Being kind. Being compassionate.Being transparent. Being real.Being thoughtful.Being ourselves.”

This spring, how will you be?

Image c/o Washing State Libraries and Aaron J. Louie

Reflecting on the Standards

December 28, 2013

by Linda Neyer

Communications in Information Literacy has just published “Reflecting on the Standards,” a special issue examining the proposed changes to the ACRL Information Literacy Standards. The scope and range of authors and topics selected by issue editor Robert Schroeder is amazing. As Schroeder notes in his editorial:

This special issue of CIL does not consist of a single comprehensive program or plan to revise the Standards; instead, it includes a wide range of worthy and provocative ideas from our colleagues in the information literacy community. Some contributors to this issue have written extensively about information literacy in the past, and some may be new to readers. Some of the contributed ideas dovetail nicely, while other suggestions are mutually exclusive.

In this issue, readers will be introduced to the ways in which the information search process and threshold concepts might inform new standards. Readers will see how metaliteracy, digital literacy, and e-science intersect with information literacy; they will learn what the British models of information literacy and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the 21st Century Learner might add to the conversation. Readers will also find articles that look at the Standards in the larger contexts of assessment, politics, values, or marketing. In addition, readers will encounter authors who advise caution with any revision of the Standards.

I was delighted to see the article by Ellysa Cahoy Stern, Craig Gibson, and Trudi Jacobson, titled “Moving Forward: A Discussion on the Revision of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education” — really a transcript of their discussion that took place at the first PA Forward Information Literacy Summit held at the Pennsylvania State University July 24, 2013 (and which I moderated). Cahoy, past chair of the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards Committee, and the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards Review Task Force, and Gibson and Jacobson, current co-chairs of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards Revision Task Force, discussed the process by which the Standards came to be under review, some of the issues involved in the review, and the time line for the review and librarian feedback and comment on the process. Their articles provides essential background and context for the impending changes.

I am planning on thoroughly reading (and reflecting on) the entire issue. Schroeder has selected a very balanced group of articles, presenting some legitimate concerns and critiques as well as positive aspects about the changes to the ACRL standards. The abstract for Heidi Jacobs’ article, “Minding the Gaps: Exploring the Space Between Vision and Assessment in Information Literacy Work” sums up the opportunity/threat we are facing:

Regardless of what the review yields, the [revision] process is an excellent opportunity for us to think broadly and creatively about the Standards and to remember that they are not a fixed set of rules but a malleable and evolving document. Asking questions about the practical, pedagogical, and theoretical implications of the Standards and considering alternative approaches will yield engaging, fruitful, and necessary conversations not only about the teaching of information literacy but about our role as librarians within the educational mandates of our institutions.

Call for submissions for March issue of PaLRaP

December 5, 2013

tags: journal, palrap, publishing

by Christina J. Steffy

Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice (PaLRaP) is now accepting submissions for research, practice, and commentary articles and for news items for the March 2014 issue. Manuscripts are welcomed at any time; however, for full consideration for the March 2014 issue, please submit your manuscripts by January 15, 2014. See palrap.org for submission guidelines.

PaLRaP is a peer reviewed, online, open access publication of the Pennsylvania Library Association’s College & Research Division. This journal will provide an opportunity for librarians in Pennsylvania to share their knowledge and experience with practicing librarians across the Commonwealth and beyond. It includes articles from all areas of librarianship, with a special focus on activities in Pennsylvania’s academic libraries.

When available, audio and video content will supplement text based documents.

Published biannually: March and October

Editors: Tom Reinsfelder, PennStateUniversity – Mont Alto; John Barnett, University of Pittsburgh

Peer reviewers: Members of the Pennsylvania library community.