CITATION DATABASES: THE ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC LIBRARIAN

Objective. Indicators of citation databases are widely used as a tool for evaluating academic productivity and decision-making in science and technology. Academic libraries organize services to work with such resources. Methods. Based on the analysis and description of the work of the Information Monitoring Service, the role and type of support that academic libraries can provide in the process of their use are considered. Results. The portfolio of services for the use of citation databases provided by the employees of the Service consists of administration and organization of access, consulting, and information work, monitoring and analysis of publishing activity, organizing information, information support of journal’s editorial boards. Conclusions. Such services of academic libraries are diverse and require the development of theoretical and methodological basis for their quality implementation, continuous training of staff, their more active involvement in research processes.

Faculty and Librarian Perceptions of Librarians as Researchers: Results from Semi-Structured Interviews

Following on the results of an earlier survey, this study explores the perceptions of librarians as researchers according to academic librarians and faculty using semi-structured interviews. Conducting research is a regular part of the academic librarian role, but one that often faces challenges to its undertaking, and one that is not always recognized. Exploring perceptions of librarian research helps to understand the current state of librarian research, the barriers faced by librarian researchers, and the value of librarian research. Fifteen librarians and seven faculty members were interviewed from eight Canadian universities. The interviews were coded and analysed to identify major themes. Librarian research was found to be sometimes unsupported and therefore difficult to conduct, but valuable to librarians and the discipline of librarianship. Additionally, librarian research was found to improve relations between librarians and faculty, and more broadly, was found to create a more collegial academic climate.

Autopercepción como docentes de los bibliotecarios del grado universitario en enfermería en España

Las funciones de los bibliotecarios en la universidad incluyen cada vez más responsabilidades relacionadas con la docencia. Se ilustra la relevancia del acceso y uso competente de la información en el Grado en enfermería. El bibliotecario docente universitario emerge como la figura que debe asumir responsabilidad en la formación de los estudiantes en materia de información. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar las percepciones que estos tienen con respecto a su desarrollo profesional y sus funciones como docentes. Se optó por un estudio descriptivo e interpretativo con un abordaje cualitativo. Se realizaron 21 entrevistas semiestructuradas a bibliotecarios de 18 universidades españolas que imparten docencia en el Grado en Enfermería. Los hallazgos sugieren que los bibliotecarios demandan más formación pedagógica antes de comenzar su carrera bibliotecaria, colaboración de los docentes y reconocimiento por parte de la universidad para una perfecta comprensión de su concepto como nueva figura en la docencia. The functions of librarians in the university increasingly include responsibilities related to teaching. The relevance of the competent access and use of information in the Nursing Degree is shown. Academic librarian in University emerges as the accurate figure to assume responsibility in the "information management skills" student´s training. The objective of this study was to analyze the librarians perceptions regarding professional development and their functions as teachers. Through qualitative approach, a descriptive and interpretive study was performed. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with librarians from 18 Spanish universities teaching in the Nursing Degree. The findings suggest that librarians demand more pedagogical training before starting their library career, mayor collaboration with teachers and institutional recognition as necessary for a perfect conceptual understanding of their new teaching figure.

An Exploratory Study of Diversity Statements in Canadian Academic Librarian Job Advertisements

Diversity statements signal an organization’s culture, values, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Yet, diversity statements are often perceived as somewhat superficial “boilerplate” or basic statements created to comply with employment equity requirements, especially in job advertisements. With the objectives of understanding the presence of diversity statements in job advertisements, differences between types of libraries, and the types of diversity statements and messages contained in these statements, this study analyzed the diversity statements of 50 online job advertisements for Canadian academic librarian and archivist positions. Four types of diversity statements were identified from this study: Type 1) boilerplate; Type 2) employment equity; Type 3) diversity; and Type 4) expanded diversity management. Findings suggest most Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions in Canada have expanded diversity management statements. Other findings around land acknowledgements, gender identity, and sexual orientation and others are discussed. Recommendations for further studies are included.

‘It’s Too Easy to Say that Institutions are Decolonizing’: An Interview with Senate House Library’s Richard Espley and Leila Kassir

In 2020, as public protest against anti-Black police brutality surged globally, institutional public statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement proliferated. Universities, libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions rushed to deplore racist violence and express their commitment to anti-racist and decolonial practice. Rather than release a statement of their own, staff at Senate House Library – the central library for the University of London and the School of Advanced Study – chose instead to pursue and embed a fledgling piece of reparative archival work, the Collections Inclusion Review, alongside their continuing efforts to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of their collections, particularly of literatures in English. This interview is a transcribed and edited version of a conversation with the two Senate House Library staff members leading this work: Richard Espley, now Head of Collections (and formerly Head of Modern Collections), and Leila Kassir, Academic Librarian for British, Irish, USA, Latin American, Caribbean, and Commonwealth Literature. The discussion ranged across issues of provenance, archive description, library layout, and the future of English as a discipline, urging attention to and amelioration of the exclusionary aspects of library practice. While critiquing institutional approaches to the legacies of colonialism, past and present, both interviewees expressed reservations about widespread claims to have ‘achieved’ decolonization, stressing that such calls are contingent on surrounding structures and processes, and suggesting that such radical dismantling remains a long-term aspiration, rather than a quick-fix solution.

Surging virtual reference services: COVID-19 a game changer

In March 2020, academic libraries across the United States closed and sent everyone home, some destined to not reopen for months. University offices closed. Classes were moved online. Suddenly, librarians and staff pivoted to working from home and to all remote services, without time for planning logistics or training. To study the impact of this extraordinary and sweeping transition on virtual reference services (VRS), we conducted a major study of academic library responses to the pandemic that focused on librarian perceptions of how services and relationships with users morphed during this COVID-19 year.Academic librarians rallied to our call, and we collected a total of 300 responses to two longitudinal surveys launched at key points during the pandemic. Data collection focused on two phases in 2020: 1) shutdown and immediate aftermath (mid-March to July), and 2) fall ramp up and into the semester (August to December). Via Zoom, we also interviewed 28 academic librarian leaders (e.g., heads of reference and/or VRS, associate directors for User Services) from September to November. Surveys and interviews centered on adaptations and innovations to reference services, especially VRS and perceptions of changes in user interactions.

Virtually hired: Why I can’t wait to meet my colleagues after working with them for six months

I interviewed for my dream academic librarian position in July 2020. I was thrilled beyond words to be hired as the nursing librarian for the University of San Diego in August 2020. Yes, August 2020. Yes, during the COVID-19 pandemic. I interviewed, was hired, and began working entirely on Zoom. It has been, and continues to be, a unique and strange experience.I have joined my new colleagues for committee meetings and faculty meetings. I have collaborated with them on our library’s newsletter and on our annual report. I have consulted with some of them on my LibGuides, my instructional videos, and my faculty’s database usage and interlibrary loan statistics. I have done all this sitting at my kitchen table, which, like many of our kitchen tables, has quickly morphed into my work area. I have yet to be in the physical presence of my new co-workers. I engage exclusively with their heads and torsos on my laptop screen. I do not know what kind of shoes any of them wear.