It's Academic

Like many librarians, I’m still trying to come to grips with using AI.  While I have my concerns that AI will have a negative impact on learning (and perhaps humanity in general), its presence can’t be ignored, so I have been experimenting with it consistently.  To keep AI on my mind, I always have a tab for Co-Pilot open on my PC.  I regularly pepper it with questions ranging from the simple (What did Voltaire say about defining terms and debate?), to the more serious (What caused the Dancing Plague in the 16^th century?), to the professionally useful (create some CSS code that will make all links on my website underlined).  Each little query helps me understand AI a bit more and get a better idea of how to use it.  I can also see its limitations.  A question about citing a website led to an incorrect answer.  Requests to create an image of the United States Constitution led to some hilarious misspellings (AI struggles to create images with proper spelling).  I can also see its biases based on its responses.  For example, in one class, I asked AI to respond with the benefits and downsides of AI, only to be given a list of the benefits of AI with no downsides.  It was a great example of bias for the students to see.

Like anything else, practice does make perfect.  So, if you want to improve your use of AI, I highly suggest daily use, from the most mundane tasks all the way to more complex uses that may save you time on some project in your work.  Little by little, you’ll learn how to properly use AI.

A friendly reminder that the College and Research Division of the Pennsylvania Library Association is holding its Spring Workshop on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. This will be a hybrid event, giving you the choice between attending virtually via Zoom or in person at one of three locations across the state:

• Penn Highlands Community College in Johnstown
• Penn State University in University Park
• The University of Scranton in Scranton

We have an exciting lineup of speakers ready to talk about a variety of topics about “Transforming Perceptions: Campus Advocacy for Academic Librarians”. First, Christi Buker, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Library Association, will moderate a discussion between Amy Pajewski from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Jocelyn Codner from Chatham University about their collaborations with their institutions’ admissions and advising offices to help new students feel welcome and supported during the transition from high school to college (and beyond). Next, Rebecca Miller-Waltz from the Pennsylvania State University will talk about the various ways that Penn State campus libraries have worked with public libraries to provide resource-sharing and other programs to benefit both student and local communities. Finally, Melissa Powers from the organization Respect Together will talk about her organization and how academic libraries can use their resources to help create a safer place for students on their campuses.

Registration costs will be $30 for members and $45 for non-members. You can register at this link: https://www.palibraries.org/event/2025CRDSpringWS

We look forward to seeing you there.

Academic libraries are no strangers to organization.

Bridgit McCafferty (2021, p. 23) states in Library Management: A Practical Guide for Librarians, “If there is any field that understands the importance of organization, it is librarianship.” The idea that different frameworks can guide phases of project management is extremely relevant and a necessity when taking on a large-scale projects.

From administrative structure to the books on the shelves to the finite details of opening and closing procedures – there’s a way we library professionals do things and a reason why we do it that way.

So, it should come as no surprise that preparing for renovation within the walls of our beloved libraries requires the same attention to detail as we would give to any other project or initiative.

At my library, we’re a small staff of eight. At any given time, multiple projects can be happening at once. It’s likely that staff are involved in more than one at a time, handling the various tasks that go into completing them. Right now, our staff are in the process of two executing two major projects on different spectrums – one being a migration to a new Integrated library system, and the other a renovation to move critical student tutoring services from our third floor to the first floor.

The latter, which is in the final approval stage, is one that our staff are not necessarily in control of. We’ve been made aware of the plans and even have a draft of what those plans will look like, but the approval and beginning stages of the construction are out of our hands.

In order to ensure as smooth a transition as possible once construction starts, a small sub-committee – made up of myself and one other staff member – have been diligently taking notes and having discussions about items that need to be moved. These items, such as furniture and fixtures, will need rehomed in order to make room for the new space that will be enclosed within our current walls.

One thing our library has prided itself on in recent years is the “home away from home” feeling that certain areas provide on our first floor, such as the large space we refer to as The Den. It’s a large open area with a balcony overlooking it that holds a fireplace along with comfortable furniture and small round tables for group collaboration. The Den will change with the new addition, so we’ve been careful to consider how we can still keep that same appeal to our students but make the space functional and appealing.

This project is, quite literally, a lot of moving parts! Proper planning months in advance of the first hammer strike is integral to the overall success of the project as well as our staff members’ peace of mind.

Personally, this is the first major renovation I have been part of as an employee of this library. Working in the field of Access Services, I am deeply invested in understanding the phases of this project, not only for myself but for the students I supervise in circulation as well as our other patrons that frequent the library. The more I understand and know, the better I can serve our students, faculty and staff.

Has your library undergone any kind of phased renovation? Feel free to comment and share your story!

References

McCafferty, Bridgit. 2021. Library Management: A Practical Guide for Librarians. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.

The Delaware Valley Chapter of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL DVC) is excited to invite you to our in-person spring event, Open Connections: OER and Equity in Academic Libraries. Join us for an active discussion on the impact and implementation of open educational resources (OER) in academic libraries, including the relationships between OER and social justice for learners who have been minoritized in higher education.
Date: Monday, May 19, 2025
Time: 9 AM–12 PM
Location: Krauskopf Memorial Library at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA
This event will feature presenters who have been involved in successful OER initiatives at their institutions, as well as opportunities to dialogue and strategize with fellow librarians committed to inclusion, accessibility, and affordability.

Please register using our online form by May 12. Registration is $15 for existing ACRL DVC members or members of another regional ACRL chapter; the non-member registration cost of $30 includes a one-year chapter membership. Registration is free for current undergraduate or graduate students.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions you might have.