2022 Program

Presentations

Out of our Past: Fostering Inclusion and Diversity with Primary Source Materials

Sara McCaslin; Western Kentucky University

Learn how Western Kentucky University’s Library Special Collections information literacy initiatives showcase diversity and inclusion using primary source materials for a multitude of classes and disciplines offered at WKU. Experience diverse stories of significant Kentuckians who pioneered amid their time in history to create a foundation of culture and traditions. See how these primary sources can connect the present with the past while engaging students to bolster their research, writing, and cultural experiences. Information literacy instructors harness the power of engaged storytelling to inspire students to elevate their understanding of photographs, broadsides, postcards, letters, and diaries to explore their research value. This presentation strives to interpret historical and primary sources to show their worth to diversity, equity, and inclusion while fostering critical thinking skills and engagement.

Technology Assistance and Privacy Practices in Public Libraries

Jessica Buckey; University of Kentucky

Over 95% of public library workers receive requests for assistance with personal devices and technology (Cushing, 2016), but many libraries do not have official policies governing technology assistance. Free technology and internet assistance can be a vital service, providing access to resources -- such as email, job searches, and government applications -- which might otherwise be inaccessible for some patrons. Yet technology assistance also frequently involves handling patrons’ private information, and library workers may not have adequate training in how to safely handle this information. What are the ethical implications of offering guidance - especially if something goes wrong? This presentation will cover ethical and practical issues arising from technology assistance in public libraries, as well as case studies and a review of existing technology assistance policies. Reference: Cushing, A. L. (2016). “If it computes, patrons have brought it in”: Personal information management and personal technology assistance in public libraries. Library & Information Science Research, 38(1), 81-88

Practicing with Taylor: Using Popular Music to Mitigate Plagiarism

Helen Bischoff & Jason Cooper; Transylvania University

The Transylvania University Library and Educational Technology Instruction Program emphasizes hands-on learning to teach information literacy concepts. While some may view a lesson on plagiarism as teaching a rather punitive topic with little opportunity for hands-on and student-directed learning, the Transylvania Library and First-Year Research Seminar program, took a different approach. We developed a library session that involved some flipped content, popular culture, discussion, group work, and the chance to practice skills that help mitigate plagiarism for first-year college students embarking on a 15-20 page argumentative research paper. By using examples from recent popular culture, particularly music, Transy librarians have been able to take a tedious topic and mold it into an active lesson that focuses less on the negative consequences of plagiarism. This presentation will demonstrate how librarians explored song lyrics as well as recent copyright lawsuits to develop a session that is engaging, relevant, and timely for students.

Incorporating Formative Assessment in Instruction

Beth Groves & Amy Bessin; Asbury University

As instruction librarians we know assessment is an important part of the learning process. However, it is often time-consuming to give assessments, especially in a one-shot class, so we often skip assessment altogether. This academic year, our instruction librarians decided to focus on incorporating more formative assessments into our information literacy instruction. While we believe summative assessment is also an important piece of an education plan, we chose to focus on bolstering our formative assessments first as they can more easily be folded into the instruction time. This session will highlight examples of these assessments, our post-assessment reflections, and our larger assessment plan for moving forward. We look forward to hearing how others have incorporated assessment in their instruction during our Q&A time!

Aha! Comparing student and librarian IL insights

Meredith Riney & Andrea Brooks; Northern Kentucky University

As librarians, we always hope that students come away from library instruction sessions with new, relevant knowledge. But how do we assess what students are actually taking away from these sessions? By looking at students’ “a-ha” moments, or moments of insight, we can get a glimpse into student learning and better understand what new knowledge students are gaining. We mapped student aha moments to the ACRL framework as well as NKU IL outcomes to compare student learning across academic levels and disciplines. In addition, we also asked teaching librarians which frames they hoped students connected with during their session and compared that to actual student learning. By investigating the similarities and differences between the two, we hope to give librarians some insight into how their teaching aligns with student take-aways and ensure students are leaving our instruction sessions with the knowledge they need to be information literate. Presenters will share their findings and process to collect and code aha moments.

Zines as tools for experiential learning in library instruction

Amanda Peach; Berea College

In this workshop, we’ll examine the ways in which zines and zine-making can serve as a tool for open pedagogy in library instruction. Zines are uniquely situated to facilitate conversations around the Framework for Information Literacy, as they engage students as creators of information and position them as experts of their own lived experience. Their low-tech construction makes them an affordable and accessible tool for experiential learning. After browsing several real-life examples of student zines, we will crowd-source a rubric for evaluating zines and then collaborate to create a zine of our own as a group.

Making the Invisible Visible: How to Incorporate Archives Collections into General Studies Courses

Katrina Salley & Elizabeth Parker

According to Billandeaux and Scott (2019), “Primary source research continues to gain recognition for fostering deep learning and student engagement” (p. 246). For these reasons, an English professor, Instructional Services Librarian, and Archivist at a small liberal arts university created an archival assignment to help students better understand the religious and cultural context of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This project required students to create library exhibitions on specific collections with a focus on John and Charles Wesley and the beginnings of Methodism in England. This session will describe the student learning outcomes of this project, including the handling of archival materials, analysis and selection of primary source documents, articulation of selection rationale, and communication of documents’ significance to a broad audience. The presenters will discuss the lessons learned and possible next steps as well. Lastly, this session will be interactive in that participants will share their own collaborative experiences with faculty and brainstorm on how to connect their archival collections to specific courses from a variety of university contexts.

Get to know Research Rabbit!

Julie Howe; Somerset Community College

Research Rabbit bills itself as "Spotify for papers" and is a discovery app for research. It can help you search for papers, stay on top of current literature on a topic, and help you visualize how research is interconnected. You can even use Research Rabbit to organize research and collaborate with others, as well as assist researchers who are doing long-term research projects or dissertations. This presentation will demo Research Rabbit, explore, and brainstorm other ways to use this powerful tool with your patrons.