“Must be comfortable with ambiguity”: How Outreach Librarians are navigating their new roles to better engage with scholars in the 21st century

 

Session Description:
When applying for one of our Outreach Librarian positions, “must be comfortable with ambiguity” has become a standard requirement. New and existing librarians are discovering the importance of that mindset as we connect foundational skills and values of librarianship to emerging technologies, creative approaches to outreach, and the cultivation of a fearless mentality when taking on new roles. This presentation highlights five stories of Outreach Librarians – each with their own background and perspective on adopting this aspirational role – shares an organizational culture that encourages success, and guides participants in connecting their needs to organizational goals.

 

“I’d Say It’s Good Progress”: An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Student Research Habits

 

Session Description:
How can librarians recast the narrative we tell about the student research process? What evidence and assumptions inform that narrative? Attempting a more realistic assessment of student research habits, three librarians will share the results of a study that utilized a form of ecological momentary assessment to track student behavior in real time over the course of a research assignment. The knowledge gained from this study encourages librarians and teaching faculty to probe the assumptions made when communicating the research process to students and allows them to prioritize instruction around specific areas of research that best meet actual student needs.

 

‘Cannabis’ is a Blue State Word: Marijuana Decriminalization, Keyword Development, and Considering Political Contexts in Search Results

 

Session Description:
Medical researchers call it “cannabis.” Criminologists call it “marijuana.” Online discovery tools search both terms simultaneously. So how should librarians talk about this, or other politicized topics, when discussing keywords with students? What about when implementing discovery tools with proprietary search algorithms? This paper presents a systematic review of scholarly literature using the terms “cannabis” and “marijuana” to determine the context that has guided what words are used to describe this drug over time. This review’s implications go far beyond one example, however, and speak to the larger need for librarians to be critical of how we describe politically-charged topics.

 

(Re)Casting Call: Sculpting Services and Strategies for Cultivating Online Scholarly Identity

 

Session Description:
Scholars are increasingly required to manage their online scholarly identity (SI) using digital tools and social networking sites (e.g., ORCID) to promote professional reputation and research impact. Cultivating an online presence is particularly pressing for individuals seeking tenure-track positions and career advancement. This interactive panel covers: How should (or could) academic librarians assist users who wish to build their SI? What services are currently offered? What opportunities, as well as concerns, surround this work? Panelists also provide information for librarian-scholars who manage their own online SI. Audience engagement opportunities include a hands-on activity, interactive online exercises, and group discussion.

 

“I appreciate your no-nonsense takes”: Adjunct Instructors and the Future of the MLIS

 

Session Description:
An MLIS represents more than the credentials needed to become a librarian. It is also the point of entry into the profession, in which students learn the values, expectations, and culture of librarianship. This panel explores the current and future state of the MLIS from the perspective of four academic librarians who teach in MLIS programs. Topics include systems of power and the impact on adjuncts, intersections between adjunct teaching and librarianship, and the opportunities and challenges of the MLIS degree. Panelists will apply a critical lens to the discussion, with a focus on intersections with academic librarianship.

 

Remaking Our Roles Virtually: Current and Emerging Practices in Distance Librarianship

Session Description
Find out how librarians moved into distance librarianship, which current and emerging services are being offered and marketed to faculty and students, how librarians collaborate with faculty and other campus partners to offer services, how services are assessed, and which online platforms and tools are used.

Active and Engaged Learning for Science Information Literacy Sessions in Undergraduate Higher Education

Session Description
Connecting newly developed knowledge in the sciences to current events and societal issues helps students engage in the research process for deeper learning and critical thinking. Emerging teaching trends in undergraduate science education include moving away from the traditional lecture model, with effective pedagogical practices such as student-centered, cooperative learning, multidisciplinary approaches to problem-solving, metacognition techniques, and collaborative work. This session will use active teaching strategies to help librarians discover engaging, new techniques for facilitating a collaborative learning environment. Strategies for using peer-assessment, reflective self-evaluation and collaborative assessment tools will also be introduced within this session.

“Like a Robot”: Web design, usability, and instruction in Academic Libraries

Session Description
Re-designing the library web site can be disorienting for everyone involved, especially our users! Explore strategies on how to forge ahead with new web designs while also minimizing disruptive change for experienced users, and discover how libraries can design websites that are usable for both the newcomer and the battle-hardened fifth year.

Research is Not a Basic Skill: Using the Contextual Nature of Research to Change the Narrative of Information Literacy Instruction

Session Description
Students’ confidence in their research skills often does not match their proficiency with those skills. Often, what students fail to grasp is the importance of context to the research process. In this presentation, learn about a new model of information literacy instruction that teaches the contextual nature of research by treating research as a subject of study rather than a set of basic skills.

Preaching Digital Privacy at Academic Institutions: How to Raise Awareness and Take Action to Combat Surveillance at your School

Session Description
Three graduates of the inaugural cohort of the Library Freedom Institute will discuss the ways they have brought digital privacy and anti-surveillance education and advocacy to their campuses and communities. They will share tools, lesson plans, and techniques, all of which are grounded in a philosophy of harm reduction that recognizes that different people have different needs, abilities, and levels of risk tolerance.