Libraries have undergone an extraordinary transformation over the last twenty years--from glorified book warehouse to interactive learning environment. For an architect they are currently amongst the most exciting projects to be commissioned to design. Innovation and "Next Generation" are the buzz words. However instead of exploring a first…

In order to prepare for the 2013 SACS reaffirmation, the Joyner Library instruction librarians developed a systematic assessment program using Oakleaf's Information Literacy Instruction Assessment Cycle (ILIAC) to plan for instruction, assess student learning and improve future student learning by reviewing data and enacting changes. The paper…

In recent years, many technological interventions have surfaced, such as virtual worlds, games, and digital labs, that aspire to link young people's interest in media technology and social networks to learning about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas. Despite the tremendous interest surrounding young people and STEM education,…

In winter 2009, Barnard College began the process of adopting Drupal 7 as its content management system. The move included Barnard Library's Zine Collection website, an information resource dedicated to the library's special collection of do-it-yourself (DIY) publications by women. Recently, as a Barnard Zine intern, the author had the challenging…

The rise of technology gives individuals new options when it comes to viewing and managing their collection of reading materials. Where there used to be wooden bookshelves filled to the brim with bound volumes of paper, there now sits a small, handheld, battery-powered device that, when one thinks about it, does so much more than simply show one…

Taking an interdisciplinary approach that draws on narrative theory, composition scholarship, and investigations into the affective dimensions of the research process, this article discusses stories written by college students about their experiences locating, evaluating, and using information in the context of academic research. These narratives…

Multicultural and ethnic literature is essential to people of all backgrounds and ages. It enables individuals from minority cultures to "learn, know, celebrate, and promote their own cultures," and it enables people from mainstream cultures to better understand diverse people. Almost one-third of Americans (30.6 percent) were people of color in…

For more than a decade, librarians have struggled to balance making the convenience of the ebook formats available while alleviating users' frustrations with the disparities between the myriad formats. This article tells the story of another area of ebook concern: How can independently published ebooks make it into a library's collections? The…

Before 1994 education in South Africa was divided along racial lines. There were separate departments of education for whites, coloureds (people of mixed decent), Indians (people of East Indian decent), and blacks (black Africans). Education for white children was much better funded than any of the others. The quality of the education that white…

In the summer of 2004, Georgia Southern University began a library construction project that was to last 4 years. An important aspect was the installation of an Automated Retrieval System (ARC) to house a substantial portion of the library collections so that more space could be available for students, faculty, and the services to meet their…

A review of literature reveals the ongoing struggle by educators to understand the concept of professional dispositions. The inclusion of dispositions in action in the American Association of School Librarians' "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" (2007) motivates school library professionals to join their educational colleagues in…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the state of development of Polish digital libraries. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes the establishment of the first digital library in Poland, the creation of the Wielkopolska Digital Library and other regional digital libraries. The organisational and technological solutions used…

This report is a sequel to the 2005 "Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources." This new report provides updated information and new insights into information consumers and their online habits, preferences, and perceptions. Particular attention was paid to how the current economic downturn has affected the information-seeking behaviors…

Many scholarly studies investigating school library services provided to students with special needs primarily address aspects of collaboration with special education (SPED) teachers in an immersed school environment. Scarcely studied are ways that school library programs (SLPs) empower students in schools serving only students with a specific…

In their definitive new "Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook", editors Weible and Janke clearly explain the complexities of getting materials from outside the library for patrons. This collection presents a complete view of the interlibrary loan (ILL) process, with contributions from all areas of the technical services community, providing: (1)…