(via Rebecca Starkey, University of Chicago)
The ACRL ULS (University Libraries Section) Current Topics Discussion Group is inviting you to a free Lightning Round Discussion Program on Thursday, June 3, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM CDT. The program will feature two 15-minute talks with discussion. (Please see below for descriptions.) Register here.
“Bridging the Gap: Ensuring Digital Equity through WiFi Hotspot Lending”
Since colleges and universities across the country moved to emergency remote learning for the spring 2020 semester, it has become abundantly clear there is a very real digital divide among students (and families) who have access to a home computer and/or reliable, high-speed Internet and those that do not. With many classes again being offered through online modalities for the Academic Year 2020-2021, and social distancing guidelines limiting computer lab space, this divide will continue to inhibit students’ abilities to easily complete their course work.
To ease the digital divide and improve students’ academic success, Montana State University (MSU) Library acquired funding for 17 Wi-Fi hotspots and data plans to increase access to the Internet for those students most in need. The Wi-Fi hotspots are loaned to students on medium- to long-term check-outs to enable them access their course content either as on-campus or online students. The hotspots are offered through an application process to identify students with high-need and marketed to programs on campus that already work closely with underrepresented students.
Mary Anne Hansen
Research Services Librarian
Montana State University
Meghan Salsbury
Instructional Technology Librarian
Montana State University
“Creating a Staff Development Committee to Share Educational Opportunities & Improve Morale”
In early 2020, the Staff Development Committee at the Pace University Library was charged with creating initiatives to promote and facilitate access to educational and developmental opportunities for all library staff. The committee started by surveying the staff to determine what opportunities would be most valuable. Using that information, the team created a monthly resources e-mail, a journal club and scheduled training sessions on topics of interest.
In the current climate of limited budgets and low morale, finding opportunities to bring staff together and provide educational opportunities at low/no cost is vital, and we’ve become increasingly flexible with how we deliver this content such as shifting our journal clubs online. The initiatives have been received positively by staff and we’ve seen increased participation across events which create valuable discussions that keep everyone connected to their colleagues. The team is currently working on a partnership with our new EDI Committee and a few new initiatives to bring library content and improved morale to all library staff members.
Jessica Kiebler
Instructional Services Librarian
Pace University
Gina Levitan
First Year Outreach Services Librarian
Pace University
Brendan Plann-Curley
Reference Librarian
Pace University