Research and Publications - University Libraries
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Item Archival Discovery Through Network Graph Morphisms(Society for Imaging Science and Technology, 2026-07-20) Colonna-Romano, JeremiahDigitized special collections archives are discoverable largely through full-text search via indexing and categorical methods of librarianship expressed in finding aid arrangement, which privileges established terms and inherited description. By contrast, this work is a computational arrangement method that compares clustered sentence embedding structures to promote discovery when lexicon and semantic terms differ. We explore modeling texts as a graph of directed semantic displacements in a vector embedding space and conceptualize sections of these graphs as an extrinsically comparable morphism. We evaluate these graph structures as a semiotic medium by comparing alignments across graphs from various types of OCR texts, and language-like noise datasets. Findings suggest potential interoperative value in morphism aligned text. Work sees potential applications for interdisciplinary discovery and unsupervised archival arrangement.Item Evaluating Faculty Streaming Video Requests: An Eight-Year Analysis of Swank Data at an R1 Institution(2026) Koontz, Nelia; Lowry, LindseyThis study examines eight years of title-request data from the Swank streaming video platform at The University of Alabama. Using descriptive statistics and natural language processing, the authors identify patterns in how videos are requested and used across campus. Findings highlight gaps in faculty understanding of Swank renewal procedures and point to the importance of clearer communication and stronger collaboration with departments that make frequent requests. The results of the study also provide insights concerning the value of on-demand streaming access compared to perpetual access to streaming films.Item A Little Free Library for Graduate and Family Housing(Kentucky Library Association, 2023) Jessup, CarlyThe article focuses on the installation of a Little Free Library in a public university's Graduate and Family Housing as a means of building community and promoting book sharing. The history and concept of Little Free Libraries are discussed, along with the challenges faced in creating a sense of community in a graduate and family housing environment. It discusses how Little Free Libraries could potentially address these needs by connecting neighbors and fostering interaction.Item Item Updating for sustainability and value: rebuilding asynchronous information literacy learning modules for STEM undergraduates in an MBA program(Informa UK Limited, 2025-08-19) Lance Michael Simpson; Gabriel L. Mansfield; Margaret BatesThis case study explores an update to library learning modules that had become outdated. The modules served master’s program for STEM students. The study addresses two primary research questions: RQ1 – How do libraries update learning modules for engagement, and establish and demonstrate library value to our students and faculty? RQ2 – How do libraries create a replicable workflow for managing similar projects across their curriculum? The study explores aligning content and assessments, considering tutorial design, and using signature pedagogies to contextualize the modules for a unique student population. The project resulted in a sustainable workflow with new, engaging content.Item Addressing the Importance of STEM to Public Science Communication in Engineering Formation: An Intervention Analysis for an Upper-level Chemical Engineering Health and Safety Course(American Society for Engineering Education, 2025-02-12) Lance M. Simpson; Matthew S. VanDyke; Amanda S. KohSTEM-to-public science communication is recognized as an important skill, but a pedagogical framework for teaching these skills is lacking. Collaborating with safety and science communication experts, an educational innovation was developed in a health and safety course for chemical engineering students. Students attended three science communication workshops and conducted a mock town hall based on briefs from historical chemical incidents. Initial and follow-up surveys show that students’ self-efficacy around these skills improved following participation in the educational innovation.Item Fiscal 2017 CEO Pay Ratios(2018) Siciliano, MarkItem Fiscal 2018 CEO Pay Ratios(2019) Siciliano, MarkItem Strengthening Your Proposal: A Strategic Approach to Library One-Time Purchases(2026-03-03) Daugherty, Alice L.; Wilburn, Emily J.One-time purchases represent significant investment decisions for libraries. This presentation examines strategic approaches to evaluating these acquisitions, considering factors such as total implementation costs, alignment with institutional mission and curricular needs, vendor stability, and long-term value. Attendees will learn methods for prioritizing library needs and building proposals that clearly demonstrate the purpose behind purchase recommendations to stakeholders and administration.Item Comparing Impact of Green Open Access and Toll-Access Publication in the Chemical Sciences(Elsevier, 2025) Walker, Kevin W.; Gilstrap, Donald L.; Scalfani, Vincent F.; Walker, ElaineThis study investigates the comparative research impact and dissemination of green open access (GOA) and traditional toll-access (TA) publications within the chemical sciences. Employing programmatic data harvesting via ChemRxiv and Scopus APIs and integrating both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, this research presents a replicable framework for bibliometric assessment. The findings indicate that GOA publications achieve higher levels of social media engagement and exhibit citation rates comparable to those of TA publications, even when featured in journals with lower h-index scores, suggesting enhanced visibility and sustained readership. Notably, the study underscores the critical importance of controlling for article age, as demonstrated by the significant correlational interactions between age and key bibliometric and altmetric measures. This insight not only fills a gap in existing literature but also informs effective methodological approaches for future analyses. The confirmation of non-normal distribution behaviors in these metrics reinforces the need for non-parametric analytical methods, highlighting the limitations of traditional parametric comparisons. Collectively, these findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how access models shape scholarly impact and underscore the necessity of employing robust, tailored statistical methods. The study advocates for continued longitudinal research to further elucidate the complex dynamics of research dissemination and engagement.Item The Power Law and Emerging and Senior Scholar Publication Patterns(Springer, 2022) Bray, Nathaniel J.; Gilstrap, Donald, L.; Scalfani, Vincent F.Research has shown that linear relationships do not adequately represent publication and citation measurement behavior. They are much more curvilinear than that. However, we tend to try to look to citation counts linearly to draw outcomes about productivity. This study examines bibliometric and altmetric measures for emerging and senior scholars to see if power law behavior helps explain patterns for both of these groups. Findings indicating the presence of the power law for both groups suggests the majority of work receives few references while a select few works receive the majority of references. Alternative best fit transformations of the data are also detailed.Item Citation Metrics and Boyer’s Model of Scholarship: How Do Bibliometrics and Altmetrics Respond to Research Impact?(Springer, 2023-03-21) Gilstrap, Donald L.; Whitver, Sara Maurice; Scalfani, Vincent F.; Bray, Nathaniel J.This article explores how well bibliometrics and altmetrics reflect research impact in relation to Boyer’s Model of the Scholarship. Indices used for both types of metrics are explored and discussed while including an analysis on primary methodological works performed on each in the literature to date. As confirmatory in nature, we chose as our focus of analysis the most highly cited, solo-authored, peer-reviewed article from each of two scholars at an R1 institution in the field of higher education: a rising junior scholar and a well-established senior scholar. In addition to analysis of bibliometric and altmetrics, extensive textual analysis was conducted on the works (n=165) of both scholars to determine how substantitive in-text citations were from authors citing these scholars’ research. Different authors coded each of the citing works, and both inter-rater reliability (k<.001, 𝜎𝜎𝜒𝜒=.055)) and intraclass correlation tests (r=.000) were conducted at the nominal and interval levels to provide strong reliability measures of the rubric with each showing a confidence interval of 95% for coding results. In-text citations for dissertations were actually found to be more substantive than articles at a level of significance (p<.05). The vast majority of references were found to have a score of 3 or below, implying impact of the original research was not strong. In relation to Boyer’s domains, inference can be made that the majority of research literature associated with citation metrics, either bibliometrics or altmetrics, do not move beyond the Scholarship of Discovery into the Scholarship of Integration.Item Redesigning Technical Services for the 21st Century University Libraries: A Case Study From the University of Alabama(American Library Association, 2020) Arthur, Michael A.; Jackson, Millie L.The University of Alabama Libraries began a workflow analysis over a decade ago. Primarily focused on traditional technical services areas, this process has been iterative and evolved from the need to seek efficiencies to a broader change in the culture and an acceptance of an ongoing process of improvement. This paper discusses lessons learned from workflow analysis regarding acquisitions, electronic resources, and cataloging/metadata, and examines how these changes impacted the broader library and philosophies of collection development and management.Item Strengthening Research Support: Scholarly Communication Training for Liaison Librarians(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Walker, Elaine; Riesen, KarleighThe development of open access reports (OARs) was initiated to equip liaison librarians at an R1 research library with the knowledge needed to assist faculty with scholarly publishing. This initiative responded to an increasing number of scholarly communication-related inquiries from faculty and students, highlighting the need for more training in this area. The literature indicates a growing recognition of scholarly communication as a core competency for liaison librarians. While librarians have been integrating these competencies into their practices, there remains an ongoing need for training and development. The study involved creating 16 OARs tailored to specific academic disciplines, utilizing a combination of free and subscription resources to compile data on publishing practices and citation insights. Surveys conducted before and after the dissemination of the reports evaluated the impact on librarians' knowledge and confidence levels. The findings suggest that developing scholarly communication literacy among liaison librarians can improve their confidence and effectiveness in supporting faculty publishing practices. The collaboration between liaison librarians and the Scholarly Communications Librarian is essential for fostering partnerships with faculty and enhancing the library's role in research support.Item Bringing Preservation to the Forefront: Preservation Initiatives at the University of Central Florida Libraries(Florida Library Association, 2009) Arthur, Michael A.; Dotson, LeeItem Open Access Report: Chemistry(2024) Walker, ElaineItem Flexible by Design: A Framework-Based Approach to Redesigning Library Tutorials for Equity and Engagement(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Herzberg, MelissaThis article presents a case study on the redesign of an academic library’s tutorial suite using an integrated framework grounded in the ADDIE model, Universal Design for Learning, and Universal Design for Instruction. The project resulted in a series of accessible, multimodal tutorials that support both stand-alone and supplemental instruction. Emphasizing learner choice, engagement, and accessibility, the tutorials were developed through collaborative workflows and iterative assessment. Early data show increased faculty adoption and student engagement. This replicable framework offers academic librarians a practical model for designing inclusive, sustainable digital learning materials aligned with evidence-based instructional design and student-centered pedagogy.Item Electronic Book Acquisition Strategies in Academic Libraries: A Review of the Literature(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026-04) Scott, Rachel E.; Arthur, Michael A.Electronic book (e-book) acquisition models have evolved over the decades they have been available to library customers. This review leverages findings from scholarly literature to document the proliferation and evolution of e-book acquisitions models, their strengths and weaknesses in various contexts, and their role in the collection development strategies of academic libraries. From firm orders and subscription packages to demand-driven and evidence-based acquisitions, engagement with e-book acquisitions models varies considerably based on factors such as library budget and staffing, institutional curriculum and programs, consortial affiliations, support for textbook affordability initiatives, and COVID-19 responses. The findings from this literature review suggest multiple acquisition models are frequently used in combination; librarians closely monitor e-book expenditures and use, regularly modifying acquisitions parameters; and e-book strategy is dependent on institutional goals, library budgets, consortial participation, and marketplace realities. Additionally, the increased availability of e-books and their acquisitions models have created opportunities for research that compares the efficiency and effectiveness of e-book purchasing models and draws on existing and evolving evaluative models to establish benchmarks for measuring success.Item Programmatic Instruction for Systematic Reviews: Developing an Interdisciplinary Framework for Instruction and Assessment(Elsevier, 2024) Riesen, Karleigh; Simpson, Lance Michael; Boucher, AlexSystematic reviews are a growing area of faculty and graduate student research. Academic libraries can anticipate more questions from their research communities regarding this advanced research methodology. This article details a framework for developing interdisciplinary programmatic instruction for systematic reviews. Scaffolded workshop series are identified as an effective method for providing this type of research assistance. The use of bibliometric data is identified as an assessment practice librarians can implement to inform programmatic direction and growth. Included within this framework are discussions on building a community of practice to ensure program development is both comprehensive and sustainable. The proposed framework will guide librarians as they develop an instruction program to assist researchers with systematic reviews across disciplines.