HSLI Newsletter

(via David Ward, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Come join the RUSA RSS Research and Statistics Committee for a lively presentation of exciting new research in the field of reference services.  Our presenters, selected using a blind review process, will discuss findings from their current original research projects. The Reference Research Forum continues to be one of the most popular and valuable programs during the ALA Annual Conference.

The event will take place on Sunday, June 25, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, in MCP W180. To register for the Forum, go here. More information about each session is below.

“‘Is it a journal title, or what?’ Mitigating Microaggressions in Virtual Reference”

Marie Radford, Ph.D. Professor and Director, Ph.D. Program, Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, speaker. Co-researchers: Vanessa Kitzie, Doctoral Candidate, Rutgers University; and Lynn Silipigni Connaway, OCLC, Diana Floegel, MI- LIS Student, Rutgers University

Microaggressions are intentional or non-intentional verbal, behavioral and environmental indignities towards marginalized individuals. Microaggressions are subtle, nuanced, and difficult to detect and address, especially in virtual environments. This presentation reports results from qualitative content analysis of a large, longitudinal, random sample of QuestionPoint virtual reference service (VRS) sessions (drawn from 2006, 2010, and 2016). In this time of heightened online conflict, attendees will be provided with research-based examples and guidelines to help them to both recognize microaggressions and to minimize them to enhance service excellence.

“Research Consultations and Student Success”

Ann Roselle, Faculty Librarian, Phoenix College, speaker.

Based on original research applying the Framework for Information Literacy, this presentation explores the question:  What common themes occur in research consultations?  Patterns emerged from analysis of 522 field notes recorded by a team of librarians after consultations, along with in-depth telephone interviews with librarians at other institutions. Within and beyond information literacy concepts, librarians establish connections with students that range from explaining research as inquiry to preventing course withdrawals.  This presentation proposes that academic librarians can positively affect student retention by intentionally leveraging relationship- building opportunities in the research consultation context.

“Analyzing Data Consultations: What Liaisons can Learn about Users’ Data Needs and Use of Tools”

Wenli Gao, Communication, Sociology, and Anthropology Librarian, University of Houston, speaker. Co-researchers: Lisa Martin, Coordinator of Business Research and Outreach, and Irene Ke, Psychology & Social Work Librarian (University of Houston).

As more academic libraries start to offer data services, liaison librarians find themselves needing to improve their data consultation skills. This study analyzed email and in-person data consultation transactions for the academic year 2014-2015 and conducted content analysis to dig deeper into the questions and answers. The results of this study would provide librarians with insights of users’ data service needs and help librarians focus professional development on tools and resources that are most relevant for users.

(via Krista Higham, Millersville University)

For those attending ALA Annual in Chicago, please join us for the ILL Discussion Group. It will take place on Saturday, June 24, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, at McCormick Place, Room W187a. The agenda is below.

• presentation of the 2017 Rethinking Resource Sharing Innovation Award
• short elevator pitches (covering their chapters) from several authors of the Library Information and Resource Sharing: Transforming Services and Collections book, edited by Beth Posner
• discussion moderated by the STARS Vendor Relations Committee

We are also looking for an incoming Vice-Chairperson for 2017-2018. The responsibilities are below.

• Year One–assist with planning the discussion group meeting at Midwinter and Annual (attendance preferred but not required)
• Year Two–assume the Chairperson role
• primary planning of the Discussion Group meetings, required attendance at Midwinter and Annual (or designate a proxy)
• participate on the STARS Board

Please contact Krista Higham, at Krista.higham@millersville.edu, if you have questions or are interested in the position.

(via David Oberhelman, Oklahoma State University)

Please join us at ALA Annual in Chicago on Saturday, June 24, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM, in MCP W179a, for the ACRL Instruction Section/Distance Learning Section/Community and Jr. College Library Section panel discussion program. The session, “To Teach or Not To Teach Discovery Tools: Balancing Practical Instruction with the ACRL Information Literacy Framework”, will cover using discovery tools (Summon, Primo, EDS, etc.) in instruction utilizing the ACRL Information Literacy Framework. A more-detailed description is below.

As academic libraries began using discovery tools, a debate arose regarding when, where, and how to teach students to use discovery tools and incorporate the ACRL Information Literacy Framework. Depending on the type of institution (2-year vs. 4-year+), mode of instruction (online vs. in-person), and learning outcomes (practical skills vs. theoretical modeling), librarians face challenges when teaching a discovery tool. This panel discussion will explore these challenges and discuss potential best practices. The speakers are Joe Brewer (Pima County Community College), Elyssa Stern Cahoy (Pennsylvania State University), Sarah Clark (Rogers State University), and Nancy Fawley (University of Vermont).

To put the session on your ALA Conference schedule, click here. For information, contact the Instruction Section Program Committee Chair David Oberhelman, at d.oberhelman@okstate.edu.

(via Jodie Borgerding, Amigos Library Services)

We anticipate over 250 ACRL members will be attending their first ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. We’d like to help our first-time attendees make the most of their conference experience. As of today, we have 18 first-time conference attendees without a mentor.

Experienced Conference-goers attending ALA Annual 2017 are invited to be a buddy for a first-time ACRL attendee by providing advice and guidance before or during the conference. It’s easy — you don’t have to have all the answers, just be willing to help a newbie out. If you’ve ever been to an ALA Annual conference before and are willing to commit some time to helping a new person navigate the conference and learn more about ACRL, that’s all it takes. You may want to meet up at the ACRL 101 on Saturday, June 24, at the Hilton Chicago, Continental C, from 8:30 to 10:00 AM (a great start for newbies, and refresher for veterans) or at the Exhibit Opening Reception on Friday, June 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.

It’s easy to sign up! Just go here. Read new attendee profiles, and click “sign up” to be a buddy to that person. The deadline to sign up is Monday June 19.

(via Sara Miller, Michigan State University)

For those of you headed to the ALA Annual conference, please consider attending the session “Update on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education“. It will take place on Sunday, June 25, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM at the Hilton Chicago, International South

Hear the latest news about the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, find out more about the future of the Framework Advisory Board (FAB), and learn about ACRL’s professional-development resources, designed to assist librarians in using the Framework and contributing to its growth. New resources include the Framework Sandbox for examples and experimentation by the community, the Framework Toolkit for freely available professional development, and the newly-developed ACRL Licensed Workshop and curriculum “Engaging with the ACRL Framework: A Catalyst for Exploring and Expanding Our Teaching Practices”.

To add the session to your conference scheduler, please go here.