Communities of Practice at an Academic Library: A New Approach to Mentoring at the University of Idaho

2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin J. Henrich ◽  
Ramirose Attebury
Author(s):  
Jeremy Kenyon ◽  
Ramirose Attebury ◽  
Jylisa Doney ◽  
Marco Seiferle-Valencia ◽  
Jessica Martinez ◽  
...  

Investigations on the help-seeking behavior of academic library patrons have to date primarily focused on the undergraduate experience, most often in the context of reference interactions. This study seeks to explore the help-seeking behaviors of a different audience - faculty in the natural and physical sciences at an R2 land-grant university. Eighteen faculty in the natural and physical sciences at the University of Idaho were individually interviewed using an in-depth qualitative interview format and all transcripts were coded and analyzed using an open transcript data visualization tool created at the University of Idaho Library. Responses revealed that faculty are seeking help from colleagues; peers outside the university, via connections formed in graduate school or professional circles; and through DIY solutions like "just googling it," but less often through university resources and programs. Using the results of this project as a starting point, we will explore how libraries might better understand the help-seeking behavior of research faculty, with an eye towards developing services and sources that better meet faculty research needs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somaly Kim Wu ◽  
Heather McCullough

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to presents the very recent development of e-journal publishing services at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte. In 2011, the J. Murrey Atkins Library at UNC Charlotte created a new unit in the library, the Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL), which partners with faculty and graduate students in the use of digital and networked research tools to create, disseminate and store new knowledge. E-journal publishing and hosting are among the suite of services offered by the DSL, and we currently publish three journals (https://journals.uncc.edu/). Design/methodology/approach – This report provides an overview of the context of our library’s decision to begin publishing journals, including a discussion of our university’s becoming more research-intensive, our university system mandating increased efficiencies and sharing research with the state citizens, and the library’s own goals of raising awareness of and supporting open access. Also outlined are the technical and procedural choices made, important activities undertaken to develop, define and publicize the new services, campus response to the service and next steps. Findings – This report provides detailed accounting of how a large academic library implemented an electronic publishing service to support open access scholarship. Important activities such as marketing communication, policies development and technical/procedural activities are defined and results described. The report provides observation and lessons learned for academic libraries in development and support of electronic journals. Originality/value – Library as the publisher is a new concept. This report will be of interest to many libraries who are considering offering publishing services and to libraries that currently offer publishing services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 154-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Walter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which “library value” may be communicated in a university setting through more effective engagement with strategic planning and a broader array of campus partners. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study of an academic library in which alignment with the university mission and strategic plan and alignment of library assessment efforts with the broader culture of assessment at the university have resulted in positive gains for the library in terms of campus engagement and recognition of library value. Findings This paper provides insights into successful strategies for improved communication of library value to senior leadership, new investment in library facilities, and enhanced opportunities for collaboration across the university on strategic initiatives including student success, innovation in teaching and scholarship, and community engagement. Originality/value This paper provides library leaders with new approaches to engagement with campus partners and senior academic leadership in promoting the library as a strategic resource worthy of investment in the twenty-first century.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Mierzecka ◽  
Andrius Suminas

The digital revolution has had a particular impact on the functioning of libraries: it has changed both the means of communicating with the users, and the nature of the service itself. In the case of academic libraries, an online presence is crucial due to the increased rate of Internet usage among their stakeholders, academics and students alike. From their perspective, library websites serve as digital gates to library services and resources. However, an academic library website may fulfil a wide array of functions and their importance can be variously prioritized. The purpose of our research was to find out which functions of academic library websites are viewed as the most important by a selected group of users: the students. To answer this question, we identified the main functions of academic library websites on the basis of desk research and designed a survey conducted among students of the University of Warsaw (Poland) and Vilnius University (Lithuania) ( n=680). The picture of users’ information needs with regard to content of the academic library website revealed by our research allows us to draw conclusions about the functions of the academic library website distinctive from those already mentioned in the subject literature. From the perspective of a user-centric approach we distinguished five functions of the academic library website: (1) supporting the usage of the collection (online and traditional); (2) promotion of culture; (3) gateway for locating information on the Web; (4) education; (5) creation of library’s online image.


Author(s):  
Olga Borisova ◽  
Natalya Styopina

The service-oriented approach of the university academic library is highlighted: The social institution of services is to increase quality of living, to be a tool of socializing and adaptation. The authors conclude that in the context of the education new paradigm the services make the focus of Prioksky State University Library to foster efficient library operation and coordination within the university divisions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Allen ◽  
Mike Klein ◽  
Matthew Cunnington ◽  
Levi Westra ◽  
Ronald Smelser ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D'Amicantonio ◽  
Jordan M. Scepanski

The following paper, which was originally presented at the annual conference of the International Council on Education for Teaching in July 1994, focuses on the importance of the academic library in preparing future teachers. As noted in this article, librarians and libraries, although omitted from the original discussion in Nation at a Risk, received full attention in the publications that responded to this seminal work. Drawing on the many documents that followed publication of Nation at a Risk the authors highlight the value of strong library programs, specifically those that support Teacher Education Departments. In particular, the experience of future teachers attending California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and the University Library at CSULB are presented here. 


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 131-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slobodan Sokolovic ◽  
Zoltan Zavargo ◽  
Dunja Sokolovic

Clean technology or clean production is the most important factor for the economic growth of a society and it will play the main role not only in the area of cleaner production, but also in sustainable development. The development of clean technology will be the main factor of the company?s strategy in the future. Each company, which wants to reach the competitive position at the market and wants to be environmentally friendly, has to accept the new approach in corporate management and the strategy of new clean technology. The main principles of clean technology are based on the concept of maximum resource and energy productivity and virtually no waste. This approach may be limited by human resources and the level of their environmental knowledge. Companies are committed to the development of the workers? skills, and thus to the improvement of the company for the full implementation of the environmental legislation and clean production concept. Based on this commitment, one of Tempus projects is designed to improve the university-enterprise cooperation in the process of creating sustainable industry in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. To achieve this goal, partner universities will create special courses on sustainable industry and thus enhance the lifelong learning process and cooperation between industry and universities in the Western Balkan countries.


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