Research and Publications - University Libraries

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    The Bottom Line: DDA, E-Textbooks, and Student Savings at LSU Libraries
    (American Library Association, 2017) Daugherty, Alice L.; Frank, Emily
    Collection development has passed through various trend cycles in academic libraries with the demand driven acquisition (DDA) model being one currently experiencing widespread acceptance and adoption. Also known as patron driven acquisition, this acquisition strategy moves the purchasing impetus from being "just-in-case”—a model attempting to anticipate user needs, to a "just-in-time”—a point-of-need model. Librarians face the challenge of developing a collection that supports learning, teaching, and research needs, now and in the future, all with limited funds. DDA plans are intended to help address this challenge by being more responsive to immediate needs than traditional acquisition models. Yet, librarians at Louisiana State University (LSU) Libraries recently ended all DDA plans in an attempt to more adequately meet user needs and support learning, teaching, and research. The focus of collection development shifted to large e-book collections. These met user preferences for titles without restrictions on printing and saving and provided simultaneous access for an unlimited number of users. Given these features, their potential for course use was examined. Through the subsequent process, course adopted titles were identified and promoted as a library-funded alternative to the traditional student-purchased textbooks. This chapter details how the decision to terminate DDA plans and invest in e-book packages resulted in large upfront costs but enabled advantages in key areas of usability and curricular integration. Collecting and promoting high quality course titles has allowed the Libraries to drive e-book usage and engage in impactful collection development.
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    Technically Prepared: Librarians’ Perceptions on LIS Curricula and Technical Services Workforce Preparedness
    (Elsevier, Inc., 2024) Smith, Catherine; Daugherty, Alice L.; Lowry, Lindsey
    Academic libraries frequently require that professional librarians obtain a master's degree from a Library and Information Science (LIS) program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) as a condition of employment. Within these programs, “academic libraries” are a common area of concentrated study available to LIS students interested in targeting a particular path for their future careers. As ALA identifies the master's degree as the terminal degree for all types of librarians, this coursework represents the majority of education and training librarians receive prior to entering the workforce. Though duties and responsibilities vary widely between individual institutions, librarians working in technical services roles are generally responsible for a broad range of activities related to the acquisition, discovery, and preservation of library materials. This study examines the results of a survey measuring the perceptions of current technical services librarians working in academic libraries on their LIS curricula in order to identify the coursework and skills most valuable to them in their work. The survey also identifies areas in which technical services librarians report having greater reliance on continuing education and professional development opportunities to supplement their knowledge in order to remain current in their areas of expertise.
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    Reinforcing Critical Thinking and Information Literacy Skills through Assignment Design
    (Louisiana Libraries, 2010) Daugherty, Alice L.; Russo, Michael F.
    Being information literate hinges on, among other skills, the ability to locate, access, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically.1 As the backbone of the research process, it improves the quality and efficacy of students’ research. To achieve information literacy, librarians and educators must develop lesson plans and assignments that develop the critical thinking skills necessary to guide learners through tortuous and daunting information seeking processes. According to Whitmire, “The combination of a new generation of computer–literate undergraduates and the vast amount of information available by way of computers and electronic resources has increased the necessity for the development of critical thinking skills.”2 Pascarella and Terenzini note the interrelatedness of the two, writing that such “cognitive competencies” as information literacy and critical thinking together permit individuals to, among many other things, “process and utilize new information” and “evaluate arguments and claims critically.”3 Generally, students often overestimate their own research abilities because they equate their knowledge of computers and technology with information literacy and critical thinking. In order to address this problem, the design of any assignment used as a teaching strategy and assessment tool must reinforce information literacy skills. And since students often perceive themselves as information literate and not merely technologically savvy (based on the simplest notions of access), this assignment also needs to challenge their critical thinking abilities, so that they themselves come to understand the vast difference between the two competencies. This article explains efforts to embed such critical thinking and information literacy skills into the design of a course assignment for college students. Critical thinking is defined as “the intellectual and mental process by which an individual successfully conceptualizes, analyzes, synthesizes, evaluates, and/or applies information in order to formulate judgments, 2 conclusions, or answers.”4 While information literacy focuses more on navigating oceans of information, critical thinking concentrates on developing independent reasoning about that information. But just as information literacy must be accompanied by critical thinking in order to be meaningful, critical thinking abilities are dependent on information literacy skills. Alluding to the 1945 Harvard report “General Education in a Free Society,” Albitz argues those authors may have been shortsighted, believing that “effective [critical] thinkers could do the following three activities: communicate, make relevant judgments, and discriminate among values.”5 Ward addresses this shortsightedness, observing that “critical thinking is not always sufficient in itself as a strategy for navigating through the information universe.”6 What the two argue is that only by meshing, in one operation, the gears of critical thinking with those of information literacy, can a modern researcher produce a satisfactory result. We therefore designed an assignment to measure and encourage both information literacy and critical thinking in our students.
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    Access and Importance of Pell Awards at Public Regional Historically Black Colleges and Universities: What Do the Data Say?
    (University of Illinois Press, 2022) Daugherty, Alice L.; Katsinas, Stephen G.; Keeney, Noel
    The Pell Grant is the foundational need-based student aid program in the United States, providing students of lower socio-economic status a pathway to afford college costs and educational expenses. Currently, over one-third of all U.S. undergraduate students receive Pell. This paper examines federal Pell assistance and institutional costs for students at the 38 publicly controlled regional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which serve high average percentages of low-income students and students of color. By deploying the University of Alabama Education Policy Center's new Mission-Driven Classification System to enrollment, tuition and fees, and other costs metrics along with federal Pell and student loan data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), a more direct apples-to-apples comparison of the 38 public regional HBCUs to the 182 public regional non-HBCU universities in the same 19 southern states, is revealed, as are comparisons to the universe of 461 public regional universities nationally. This paper finds that America's most financially disadvantaged students rely on Pell Grants to alleviate financial constraints at public regional HBCUs, where 55 percent of students are Pell recipients, a rate 24 percent higher than their non-HBCU counterparts. Moreover, the data underscore an opportunity for Congress to construct a meaningful federal role in higher education by providing stable and sustainable funding for the Pell Grant program.
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    Migrating to Full Text Finder: A Case Study
    (Taylor & Francis Group, 2019-12-24) Daugherty, Alice L.
    University Libraries at The University of Alabama implemented EBSCO’s Discovery Service (EDS) in 2011. This integration added to the use of EBSCO as our serials vendor and provider for usage data. In August 2017, University Libraries migrated to EBSCO’s Full Text Finder from a competing system. Consolidation of these tools under one vendor improved integration and functionality for all of the electronic resources holdings and access management. Following the successful migration to Full Text Finder, the oversight of EBSCO’s Discovery System management was assigned to staff responsible for electronic resources allowing for the benefits of having administrative control of both Full Text Finder and EBSCO’s Discovery System under one manager. The following presents the experience of moving to Full Text Finder.
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    Mapping Library Lending: Using GIS Technology to Explore ILL Lending Data
    (Elsevier, 2024) Decker, Emy Nelson; Waltemate, Brittany
    Geographic Information System (GIS) technology can be employed by academic librarians to study interlibrary loan (ILL) lending patterns of circulating materials. The data collected and analyzed using GIS can apprise librarians about the efficacy of existing networks, assist them in making sound cost-saving choices, and inform collection development activities. In this article, the physical lending outputs at The University of Alabama are studied across five years to understand better and explore factors that impact lending activities within Alabama. The data retrieved elucidate stable patterns and highlight identifiable changes in usage that can inform subsequent lending network practices within the state. The totality of this data can aid toward the desired outcomes of enhanced resource sharing as it relates to ILL practices.
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    Being Earnest With Collections-Known Unknown: A Humanities Collection Gap-Analysis Project
    (Charleston Hub, 2017) Arthur, Michael A.; Daugherty, Alice L.
    University of Alabama faculty member, Alice Daugherty, provides insight into a project she participated in while working at Louisiana State University.
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    Finding Historical Information to Prepare a Speech
    (Association of College and Research Libraries, 2006) Daugherty, Alice L.
    This instructional session was requested by Danielle Vignes, a professor in the Communication Studies Department at Louisiana State University. The e-mailed request came early in the semester to reserve the physical classroom. The professor sent an attached copy of the assignment with the e-mail. There was little discussion thereafter as to what or how I would instruct the students. The class, CMST 2060 Public Speaking, is one of the core classes in the Communication Studies program. Many students in the Communication Studies program are exposed to library instruction through one-shots in core English classes and through the required one-credit information literacy class, LIS 1001, Library Research Methods and Materials. However, there isn’t a way to determine which students have had prior library instruction. Therefore, the focus of this session was designed around the parameters of a specific required assignment for which the students needed to find information about a period in United States history. Introductory library skills such as catalog searching were not included in the lesson plans. Library instruction was given three consecutive times in one day. Each CMST 2060 class consisted of an average of twenty-two students and one faculty member. Each session was almost ninety minutes. Instruction took place in an electronic classroom in the library. The electronic classroom has twenty independent work stations plus a teacher’s workstation connected to a ceiling-mounted projector.
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    Proficiencies for Assessment Librarians and Coordinators: Defining a Profession
    (Association of Research Libraries, 2016) Daugherty, Alice L.; Emmons, Mark; Horowitz, Lisa R.; Mollman, Carol; Oakleaf, Megan; Szentkirályi, Zoltán; Taylor, Terry
    The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries have begun to digitize and make open access our entire collection of 24,000 print theses and dissertations. Two years into the 10-year project, we can assess a variety of factors. There is a large body of data available for analysis of author responses, download counts, circulation counts, and donations. Low author opt-out rates demonstrate author support for the project, and high download counts demonstrate the immediate impact of an open access format for theses and dissertations. A successful development strategy is clearly identified. All of these data legitimate this massive digitization project.
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    Analysis of Job Responsibilities of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Human Resource Professionals
    (IGI Global, 2010) Costello, Gina R.; Daugherty, Alice L.
    The purpose of this paper was to convey the results of an exploratory survey given to human resource professionals working within the 123 institutional members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The objective was to further define the role of human resource professionals in ARL libraries and reveal the nature and extent of human resource support for faculty and staff at ARL libraries. Respondents were recruited through email and asked to characterize their human resource functions by answering 35 open-ended and closed survey questions via an online proprietary survey tool. The response rate was 30% and provided data for the researchers to examine the experience level and education of human resource professionals, the role these individuals play in the day-to-day library operations, and the extent of interaction with the university human resource department.
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    Improving the Licensing Workflow at a Major Research University Library
    (Taylor & Francis Group, 2020-07-08) Daugherty, Alice L.
    A license agreement is negotiated when libraries enter into business relationships with content providers for access to electronic resources. The following discusses the changes implemented at The University of Alabama Libraries to improve workflow procedures and communication regarding the licensing process. Addressed within are aspects of license negotiations as well as suggestions to maximize the efficiency of tracking and managing licensing and the other business documents that reside as part of the process.
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    Collection Development for the College of Engineering at Louisiana State University Libraries: Liaison Responsibilities and Duties
    (IGI Global, 2013) Daugherty, Alice L.; Hires, Will E.; Braunstein, Stephanie G.
    Louisiana State University (LSU) is a research-intensive co-educational institution and the largest public university in the state of Louisiana. In partnership with federal agencies and private businesses, it operates some of the most important research projects in the nation. LSU Libraries supports this research as well as the instructional mission of the university by means of a subject liaison system that incorporates collection development duties. Under the authority of the Collection Development Coordinator, collection development for all schools and departments is assigned to individual librarians. In this chapter, collection development is described generally, with emphasis on monograph selection, and as it pertains to the LSU College of Engineering (COE).
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    A Dicey Situation: A Study of How Controlled Vocabularies Describe Tabletop Roleplaying Games
    (Taylor & Francis Group, 2024-02-09) Smith, Taylor S.
    As popular culture has become an accepted aspect of study, academic interest has increased for tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs). However, existing controlled vocabularies cannot accurately describe them, and this will decrease their discoverability in collections. This article surveys several controlled vocabularies that feature headings for TTRPGs and argues that their definitions, structures, and disambiguation between subject and genre/form fail to distinguish TTRPGs from other forms of roleplay or from works about TTRPGs. The author also offers possible short and long-term solutions for better implementing existing vocabularies in TTRPG records.
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    An Assessment of the Stand-Alone Information Literacy Course at Louisiana State University: the Students’ Perspective
    (Elsevier, Inc., 2011-02-09) Daugherty, Alice L.; Russo, Michael F.
    The purpose of this paper is to convey the results of a web-based survey given to 2147 Louisiana State University students who are currently matriculating and who have completed the one-credit information literacy course, LIS 1001 (Research Methods and Materials). The survey respondents reported their use of information literacy skills and resources both within university courses they were taking as well as outside of university life. A further objective of the survey was to define the academic rank at which these skills were being used most and in which disciplines.
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    Three Product Implementations for Improving “Just-In-Time” Delivery of Library Resources
    (Taylor & Francis Group, 2022-10-14) Daugherty, Alice L.; Lowry, Lindsey
    The academic library plays a pivotal role within the organizational framework of higher education, supporting teaching, learning, and research with robust collections of materials in an array of formats. The value and ease of access to academic library collections within the higher education organizational framework cannot be understated. Accordingly, neither can the importance of interlibrary loan services from which users may gain access to materials beyond the local collection. In an effort to enhance access and discovery of materials, promote interlibrary loan services, and meet the goals and objectives of a new strategic plan, The University of Alabama Libraries implemented three new tools over the course of a few short months: Lean Library, Article Galaxy Scholar, and EBSCO custom linking. This article presents a case study detailing the implementation of these tools at a major research library.
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    Embedded Librarianship: What’s it Worth?
    (Libraries Unlimited, 2013-09-23) Russo, Michael F.; Daugherty, Alice L.
    In the ongoing evolution of the academic library, embedded librarianship has become an important topic of debate across levels and departments. This book delves into the concept, examining everything from theory to best practices. Is the embedded librarian an equal partner in the course, or is the librarian perceived as a "value-added" extra? What is the place of technology in this effort? Is there a line librarians should not cross? Taking into account both theory and practice to discuss multiple facets of the subject, Embedded Librarianship: What Every Academic Librarian Should Know thoroughly examines these questions and more from the perspectives of experienced embedded librarian contributors who have worked in higher education settings. The chapters illuminate the benefits and challenges of embedding, explain the planning required to set up an embedded course, identify the different forms of embedding, and consider information literacy instruction in various contexts. Readers who will benefit from this work include not only academic librarians but any professor who wants their students to be able to do better research in their fields.
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    Motivating Online Information Literacy Students
    (Rapid Intellect Group, INC, 2005-12-22) Daugherty, Alice L.
    The design of online information literacy courses should include various motivational strategies and techniques. Librarians should consider what motivates students in the online environment. This article presents a brief overview of Moore’s theory of transactional distance and Keller’s ARCS model of motivational design. Also included are factors in course design that affect student motivation, such as: visual design, content, and communication.
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    Exploring the LSU Libraries’ Virtual Reference Transcripts: An Analysis
    (EJASL-Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship, 2006) Ryan, Jenna; Daugherty, Alice L.; Mauldin, Emily C.
    Virtual reference is an important service provided by the Louisiana State University Libraries. A subcommittee within the Reference Department of Middleton Library decided to quantitatively and qualitatively review virtual reference transcripts for the 2005-2006 school year in order to assess and evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the services provided. The transcript analysis provides information reflecting how our patrons are using virtual reference and how our librarians are performing in the virtual environment.
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    Formation of an Academic Writing Group at Louisiana State University Libraries: Background, Guidelines and Lessons Learned
    (Codex, 2010) Blessinger, Kelly; Braunstein, Stephanie; Daugherty, Alice L.; Hrycaj, Paul
    Producing high quality scholarly publications is a daunting task for many college and university librarians. In 2007, the LSU Libraries established a writing group to assist in this process. This four-member group makes itself available to review and critique manuscripts submitted by LSU librarians, most of whom are tenure-track. This paper examines the background, formation, and experiences-to-date of this group. Emphasis is placed on the particular characteristics of the LSU group, which make this group different from similar groups at other institutions. Thus, this paper includes, in its Appendices, practical materials such as forms for writers to use when submitting their works for review. It also includes the results of a small survey given to participants in order to gauge their satisfaction with the entire review process. The purpose for sharing this information is two-fold: first, to provide for the group itself a record of the group’s rationale and activities; and, second, to provide other college and university libraries with some useful tools if they are considering creating a similar program.
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    Exploring the Evidence-Base for Electronic Access Troubleshooting: Where Research Meets Practice
    (Taylor & Francis, 2021) Lowry, Lindsey
    The evidence-base of scholarly literature dedicated to e-resource access management and problem resolution maintains an important place in the discipline wherein librarians can share their knowledge, experience, and research dedicated to supporting users and minimizing interruptions. To date, no study has gathered and examined the literature surrounding e-access troubleshooting that exists in journals dedicated in scope to library technical services. Using a qualitative content analysis methodology, the author examines thirty-five articles pertaining to e-access troubleshooting in order to identify trends and illuminate gaps in the evidence base whereupon future studies may build.