Data can be a powerful tool for self-evaluation, goal setting, and advocacy in the school library. Regardless of the grade level or the size of the student body, any school library has meaningful data to mine and learn from. Basic data such as circulation numbers can impact a myriad of areas relevant to student learning such as collection…

The environment in which higher education institutions are situated has been impacted by a number of disruptive forces since the early 1990s, including acceleration in the capability of information technology (Beagle, 2006; Bennett, 2003; Foster, 2014), changing attitudes about learning pedagogy (Barr & Tagg, 1995), and calls for…

"University Futures, Library Futures: Aligning library strategies with institutional directions" establishes a new framework for understanding the fit between emerging library service paradigms and university types. It examined the impact of increased institutional differentiation in universities on the organization of academic libraries…

Despite the prevalence of academic libraries adopting web-scale discovery tools, few studies have quantified their effect on the use of library collections. This study measures the impact that EBSCO Discovery Service has had on use of library resources through circulation statistics, use of electronic resources, and interlibrary loan requests.…

In January 2018, Nova Southeastern University opened the NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC), an innovative academic work environment that offers writing and communication assistance to all 20,000-plus NSU students. A key component of the WCC is its online writing and communication resources. These resources are made available to all NSU…

True leadership can come from anywhere within an organization. While supervisory roles can lead to an inherent leadership dynamic based on reporting lines, it is often difficult for individuals to develop as leaders when they feel caught between their staff and upper-level administrators within their organization. This article will look at current…

Makerspaces, collaborative workspaces stocked with materials and tools for creating, building, designing, and learning, are becoming more and more common in schools and, in particular, in school libraries. Makerspaces in the school library allow for connections between making and literacy. Indeed, such connections are authentic and natural as…

Library instruction videos can enhance student instruction. At a community college, librarian-created videos provided students with academic support. However, the videos were rarely used. In this article, students were sent online surveys to rate videos discussing the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Students were also asked why…

This Article discusses the features and the use of Metrics such as Bibliometrics, Scientometrics, Webometrics, Informetrics and Altmetrics in the field of Library and Information Science Research at present.

The authors generated data visualizations to compare sections of the library book collection, expenditures in those areas, student enrollment in majors and minors, and number of courses. The visualizations resulting from the entered data provide an excellent starting point for conversations about possible imbalances in the collection and point to…

This article discusses a public service review and redesign that resulted in a blended service desk combining reference and circulation functions, staffed by nonlibrarians. The redesign implements a number of organizational structures that encourage service excellence, as found in the business literature and in examples of nonlibrary organizations…

Because English language learners enter kindergarten at a distinct disadvantage, Celano and Neuman examine the role public libraries can play in rallying around these young children to better prepare them for school. The authors document a new program called Every Child Ready to Read, which recently launched in 4,000 public libraries across the…

Librarians in many types of libraries frequently find themselves positioned as instructors in formal and informal educational settings. Librarians can help ensure that learner needs are better defined and addressed by gaining basic competency in instructional design (ID), an intentional process used to create effective, efficient educational and…

High-quality customer service is an important aim of the library experience. Its importance is evidenced by attention given to the topic in scholarly literature and academic conference proceedings. This article describes the challenging process of creating and delivering a blended customer service training curriculum to all library staff working…

This Spotlight will help readers investigate one state's plan to improve literacy with daily summer reading instruction; review how teachers can better support struggling older readers; gain expert insights into strategies for boosting reading proficiency; evaluate the merits of audiobooks for improving reading engagement; explore how short bursts…