Recruitment of Subject Specialists to Academic Librarianship

Author(s):  
Charlene Kellsey ◽  
Stephanie Alexander ◽  
James P. Ascher ◽  
Matthew Brower

Library faculty at the University of Colorado at boulder developed a fellowship program for current graduate students to provide them with a work experience in an academic library. Under the mentorship of a library faculty member, they completed meaningful projects, often using their language or subject expertise, while exploring career possibilities in librarianship. The goal was to introduce academic subject specialists to a career in academic librarianship as a viable career option. Based on the results of a follow-up survey the program was quite successful. The survey indicates that over half of the respondents are considering working in an academic library, and over half are attending or have graduated from a library science graduate program.

2006 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 561-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Patrick Knowlton ◽  
Becky Imamoto

In response to declining numbers of qualified applicants nationwide for librarian positions in academic libraries, the University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries, in collaboration with the University’s Graduate Teacher Program, has developed a fellowship program that encourages graduate students with advanced subject or language expertise to consider careers in academic librarianship. In spring 2005, the libraries paired the first Provost’s Fellows with library faculty mentors. This article details the program and collaboration between the libraries and the Graduate Teacher Program and issues a call for similar programs to be established at other academic libraries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
Karla D. Araujo Soares ◽  
Adriana Jeckel ◽  
Gabriel Silva ◽  
Victor Giovannetti ◽  
Kleber Mathubara

Teacher training in higher education has been relatively neglected in Brazilian universities because postgraduate programs are mainly focused on the research that students produce. However, these postgraduate students are expected to become the next university and college professors. Herein, we present the experience of the Zoology Summer Course, a university extension course organized by graduate students from the Zoology Graduate Program at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. This course was created aimed to provide graduate students with an opportunity to develop and practice their teaching skills. To understand the influences, motives, and legacy of the CVZOO on its organizers, we developed a questionnaire and evaluated the responses by focusing on elements of academic formation and prospects for a teaching career, using systematic content analysis procedures as parameters. Our results demonstrate the importance of CVZOO as a space of dialogue and interaction for professional teacher training, as well as an opportunity to exchange experiences and build professional identity. The course has also influenced other academic activities such as the organization of scientific events, mentoring experience, and publications. Lastly, we discuss the importance of teacher training in Brazilian graduate programs and propose initiatives to improve the training of future university teachers. Keywords: Graduation; Extension Course; Students; Biodiversity   Extensão universitária e formação docente no Brasil: o Curso de Verão em Zoologia   Resumo: A formação docente universitária tem sido bastante negligenciada em universidade brasileiras, uma vez que programas de pós-graduação focam majoritariamente na produção acadêmico-científica de seus alunos. No entanto, espera-se que os pós-graduandos sejam a próxima geração de professores universitários. Neste estudo, nós apresentamos a experiência do Curso de Verão em Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. Este curso foi criado com o objetivo de proporcionar aos estudantes de pós-graduação a oportunidade de desenvolver e praticar suas habilidades para docência. No intuito de entender as influências, motivações e legado do CVZOO em seus organizadores, nós desenvolvemos um questionário e avaliamos as respostas buscando elementos da formação acadêmica e prospecção para a carreira docente, usando procedimentos de análise de conteúdo como parâmetros Os resultados demonstram a importância do CVZOO como um espaço de diálogo e interação com a prática docente bem como uma oportunidade para trocar experiências e construir uma identidade profissional. O curso tem influenciado em outras atividades acadêmicas, tais como organização de eventos científicos, orientação de alunos e publicações. Por fim, este artigo discute a importância da formação docente em programas de pós-graduação no Brasil e propõe algumas iniciativas para melhorar a formação dos futuros professores universitários. Palavras-chave: Pós-Graduação; Curso de Extensão; Estudantes; Biodiversidade


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Z. Emde ◽  
Sara E. Morris ◽  
Monica Claassen-Wilson

Objectives - This usability study was developed to observe faculty and graduate students’ reactions to a recent redesign of the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries’ website. The redesign included new navigational features, introduction of a federated search tool, a quick search box on the front page, and research subject pages. The study also provided the opportunity to observe the practices of faculty and graduate students in locating and retrieving information on the Libraries’ website. Methods - Ten participants (five faculty and five graduate students) representing diverse disciplines were solicited for the study. Participants were required to access the Libraries’ website to answer a series of questions regarding new and updated features of the website. Observational analysis using Morae™ software was conducted and interviews with each participant provided details of their opinions on how these new features would influence their research and teaching activities. Results - Most of the participants either did not notice or ignored the major website changes. Links to and locations of commonly used resources (e.g. catalogue; databases; e-journals) had been changed minimally, and the faculty and graduate student participants gravitated to those familiar features to complete tasks. Prior to the study, participants had not accessed the new discovery tools; however, once previewed, responses to the tools’ utility were generally favourable. After using the federated search tool on a familiar topic, several participants noted that, when directed to databases they had not previously considered, they were able to locate citations they had missed in the past. Observers noted pitfalls in navigating the site such as inconsistent underscoring of links, ambiguous terminology, and unclear icons meant to expand subject heading lists. Unexpected searching behaviours were observed, including inconsistent and lack of conceptual understanding in searching for e-journal content. Conclusions - This study provides evidence regarding the usability of a library website with a population already familiar with library resources. It demonstrated that faculty and graduate students are not interested in experimenting with new discovery tools but are amenable to their potential value to undergraduate students. The recent trend toward minimizing content and links on websites satisfies this population, one which is already comfortable with the basic attributes of a library’s website.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
Kathia Ibacache

Language-learning apps are becoming prominent tools for self-learners. This article investigates whether librarians and employees of academic libraries have used them and whether the content of these language-learning apps supports foreign language knowledge needed to fulfill library-related tasks. The research is based on a survey sent to librarians and employees of the University Libraries of the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB), two professional library organizations, and randomly selected employees of 74 university libraries around the United States. The results reveal that librarians and employees of academic libraries have used language-learning apps. However, there is an unmet need for language-learning apps that cover broader content including reading comprehension and other foreign language skills suitable for academic library work.


2003 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 390-400
Author(s):  
Scott Seaman ◽  
Carol Krismann ◽  
Nancy Carter

During the 1995–1996 academic year, the University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries received market equity funds to increase librarian salaries to the median Association of American University librarian salary. One stipulation of the university administration required that the market equity funds be distributed over four years rather than in a single year. In an earlier article, the authors predicted that, as result of spreading the increase over four years, salaries of libraries faculty would only reach the 1996–1997 mean in 2000–2001. This follow-up study analyzes the results of distributing the equity funds over the four years between 1995–1996 and 2000–2001. It finds that during that time, the University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries rose from the bottom quartile of its comparison group to the top quartile when ranked by median salary, suggesting that spreading the equity over four years did not significantly impact the final salaries. Detailed analysis, however, reveals that although the overall salary pool rose in its comparison group, many individual librarians’ salaries did not reach market. This study concludes that the increase in overall ranking was due to a fundamental change in the profile of the faculty rather than to the application of market equity funds. The failure of some salaries to increase to market can likely be attributed to changes in the market rate of each position classification. Further, although the application of market equity might have been improved had the distances between the market and the librarians’ salaries been recalculated each of the four years, internal and external factors may have made that impractical.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-31
Author(s):  
Laura Macía

This paper examines the decisions and motivations of graduate students in cultural anthropology when defining the field sites and topics of their final projects. The decisions among students at the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia are contrasted with those at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. A review of recent final projects in both universities was conducted, along with a survey and some follow-up questions with students in both institutions. A main difference found is that students at los Andes are more willing to do applied fieldwork at 'home', while students at Pittsburgh are far more reluctant to do so and prefer to go to distant fields. This distinction is partly explained by the histories of the anthropologies practised in each locale, and of what have been considered 'proper' field sites in cultural anthropology. In particular, a vision of anthropology as an applied enterprise emerged at different historical moments in these two geo-political locations, and those visions are associated with quite different, opposed values today.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly J Wallace ◽  
Julia M York

AbstractWhile academia is moving forward in terms of diversifying recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students, diverse representation is still not found across the academic hierarchy. At the graduate level, new discussions are emerging around efforts to improve the experiences of women and underrepresented minorities through inclusive graduate programming. Inclusive graduate programs are that which actively center and prioritize support for diverse experiences, identities, career goals, and perspectives, from recruitment through graduation. Establishing regular and rigorous evaluation of equity and inclusion efforts and needs is a critical component of this work. This is recognized by funding agencies that increasingly require reporting on inclusion efforts; here we suggest use of a systems change framework for these evaluations.A systems change approach emphasizes three levels: explicit change (e.g. policies), semi-explicit change (e.g. power dynamics), and implicit change (e.g. biases). We use the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) PhD Program at the University of Texas at Austin in an exercise to (1) identify areas of concern regarding inclusive programming voiced by graduate students, (2) categorize efforts to address these concerns, and (3) integrating and evaluating which areas of the systems change framework show the greatest progress or potential for progress. We argue this framework is particularly useful for academic systems as they are complex, composed of variable individuals, and must address diverse stakeholder needs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi226-vi227
Author(s):  
Katherine Kunigelis ◽  
Bette Kleinschmidt-DeMasters ◽  
D Ryan Ormond

Abstract Pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID) are rare. Even in the most recent WHO 2016, definitive histological criteria to distinguish grade II from III lesions remain to be defined. While no single institution has large numbers of cases, our experience has been that the clinical course is more varied and complicated than reported. The University of Colorado Health pathology database was queried for cases diagnosed as PPTID, 2006 – 2019, inclusive. Twelve adult patients were identified. Mean age at diagnosis was 40 years (range 26–78). There were 9 female and 3 male patients. Seven patients had well-documented clinical courses at our primary institution. At initial diagnosis, all were treated with surgery and 3/6 documented a gross total resection (GTR). Adjuvant radiation therapy to the resection bed in was administered in 5 of 7 (71%) of patients (4 IMRT, 1 SRS). Mean follow-up time was 71 months (range 13–195); 5/7 (71%) of patients developed a recurrence. Median progression free survival was 37 months (range 13- 73 months), with tendency to be longer for male gender (57.5 versus 17 months in females, p=0.17), and GTR (40 months versus 16 months in subtotal resection, p=0.49). Eighty percent of first recurrent disease had leptomeningeal dissemination. First recurrences were treated with radiation alone in 3 (60%) patients (1 SRS, 1 IMRT), craniospinal radiation with multi-agent chemotherapy in 1 (20%) patient, and surgery with radiation therapy in 1 (20%). At last follow-up, 2 patients (28.5%) had died, with median OS of 168.5 months. Although PPTIDs have a known potential for local recurrence and craniospinal dissemination (quoted as 22% and 10%, respectively in WHO 2016), our data show a more dismal experience with 71% recurrence and 80% dissemination at first recurrence. Lack of standardized therapies results in challenges in individual patient management.


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