2018-2019 Archives

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Dr. Deborah Hicks Awarded SJSU RSCA Grant 

5/28/2019

Dr. Hicks received the San Jose State University RSCA Grant in spring 2019 to study how librarians negotiate the collective meaning of their core values through debates on Twitter. Read more about her grant on CIRI’s Faculty Grant Projects.

Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran Receives Grant for Research on Cultural Intelligence

5/16/2019

Dr. Villagran received the AALL Academic Law Libraries SIS Research & Scholarship Grant to conduct a mixed-methods research study that analyzes the cultural intelligence of academic law librarians. Read more about her grant on CIRI’s Faculty Grant Projects.

Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran’s Book Wins Award

4/25/2019

Dr. Villagran’s co-authored book, titled “Celebrating diversity: A legacy of minority leadership in the American Association of Law Libraries [2nd edition]” recently received the Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award. This award recognizes a significant textual contribution to legal literature. 

Dr. Lili Luo Presents Research on Public Library’s Role in Mitigating Summer Learning Loss

04/10/2019

Dr. Luo attended the 2019 Asian Conference on Education and International Development, and delivered a presentation on how public libraries provide programs to help mitigate summer learning loss among k-12 students. She conducted content analysis of a large urban library’s program announcements to examine the types of programs provided during the summer that aim to engage children and teens. 

Dr. Sandy Hirsh Interviewed By Swedish Library Association

Recently Dr. Hirsh was interviewed by the Swedish Library Association to discuss competencies for librarians in a technologically driven global climate. In this interview, Dr. Hirsh shared her observations of the changes in the information, and identified the fundamental professional competencies for now and in the future. 

iSchool Faculty’s Recent Publications on Youth Services 

Two iSchool Faculty members, Dr. Anthony Bernier and Lecturer Jennifer Velasquez have recently published articles on youth services respectively.

Dr. Bernier’s new article, “Isn’t It Time for Youth Services Instruction to Grow Up? From Superstition to Scholarship“, published in the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science (Volume 60 Issue 2, April 2019, pp. 118-138), discusses important issues facing youth services instruction in today’s LIS education. 

Lecturer Velaquez’s new publication appeared on the Journal of Library Administration (Volume 59 Issue 2, March 2019, pp. 202-213). Titled “Young Adult Outreach: An Examination of Outreach Attempts at Branch Libraries in a Large Urban Public Library System“, this article examines library outreach to organizations serving young adults. 

Dr. Lili Luo Publishes Research on Consumer Health Information Services

Dr. Luo’s recent research focuses on how libraries can provide consumer health information to meet the public’s needs and enhance their health literacy. She has recently published two articles on this topic:

Dr. Sandy Hirsh Publishes Opinion Piece on LIS Education

Dr. Hirsh’s article in the March/April 2019 issue of Online Searcher magazine, titled “From Perceptions to Facts: How Well Is LIS Education Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders?” discusses common misconception of LIS education and provides a well-rounded view of LIS education’s value. 

Dr. Joni Bodart Appointed to the YALSA Research Journal Advisory Board

Dr. Bodart has been appointed by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) to the YALSA Research Journal Advisory Board for the 2019-2020 term.  As a member of the Advisory Board, Dr. Bodart will provide input on the division’s research agenda and activity.

Dr. Sandy Hirsh and Dr. Sue Alman Publish New Book on Blockchain

A new book on blockchain, “Blockchain (Library Futures Series, Book 3)” co-authored by Drs. Hirsh and Alman, is part of the the ALA Library Futures Series. It examines blockchain technology, a concept with far-reaching implications for the future of recordkeeping, and discusses its possible consequences for academic, public, school, and special libraries, as well as the information professionals who sustain those institutions. 

Drs. Hirsh and Alman were also co-authors of the following conference paper that focuses on blockchain and its implications in library and information sciences:

Furthermore, Drs. Hirsh and Alman’s work on blockchain gained recognition from American Libraries, and was discussed in a recent feature article Blockchain Reaction – How library professionals are approaching blockchain technology and its potential impact

Dr. Sandy Hirsh’s Recent Research on Education for Information Professionals

Dr. Hirsh is the editor of the 2nd edition of “Information Services Today: An Introduction” (published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers). The book demonstrates the ever-changing landscape of information services today and the need to re-evaluate curriculum, competency training, and one’s personal learning network in order to stay abreast of current trends and issues, and more significantly, remain competent to address the changing user needs of the information community. 

Dr. Hirsh’s article in the Student Research Journal (SRJ), titled ” Reaching new scholarly heights: School of Information Student Research Journal hits milestone with 100,000 full text downloads“, documents and celebrates the success of iSchool’s SRJ. 

Dr. Hirsh collaborates with researchers in Japan on a a comparative study of education for culture and information professionals in other countries and Japan (2017-2020), and the study is funded by Rikkyo University Special Fund for Research (Rikkyo SFR): For Research Collaborative Projects. 

Dr. Joni Bodart Writes Forward for Popular Text

Dr. Bodart was invited to write a forward to a new edition of a popular book on Teen Advisory Groups in public libraries, and received cover credit for her contribution. The book is titled “Library Teen Advisory Groups, 2nd edition“. Author Diane Tuccillo is one of the top authorities on teen advisory groups, and has led many workshops that help librarians set up services for teens who want to have input in how services and collections are designed, and the ability to evaluate their collections and services.

Dr. Mary Ann Harlan Publishes Book on Girl-Positive Library

Dr. Harlan’s recent research focuses on representations of girlhood in young adult literature. Her new book “The girl-positive library: Inspiring confidence, creativity and curiosity in young women“, published by ABC-CLIO, encourages the inclusion of young adult titles advancing a positive representation of girls in programming and instruction. 

She also delivered presentation titled ”Girls in Text: Information of Girlhood in Young Adult Literature” at the 2018 International Association of School Librarianship. 

Dr. Sandy Hirsh and Dr. Sue Alman’s Work on Blockchain Leads to Free MOOC

Sponsored by the SJSU iSchool with support from IMLS, Dr. Hirsh and Dr. Alman have been investigating uses for blockchain in libraries, developed many projects during the last 18 months (learn more about them here). Next month They are offering a free 6-week non-credit online course “Blockchain and Decentralization in the Information Industry” that will provide explanations of how blockchain works and how librarians can use it.  

More about the course

DESCRIPTION

Blockchain technology is a trend on the brink of revolutionizing the public and private sectors, and it is on the radar of many who are curious about its global disruptive potential for accessing and sharing information among individuals, organizations, and governments.

This MOOC will provide a background for individuals involved with libraries, urban planning, government agencies, publishing & other organizations to understand the issues and applications of distributed ledger technology. The topics will include: overview of blockchain technology; implementation issues, considerations, and challenges; related decentralized systems; potential applications; and, future directions.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Describe and explain the early uses of distributed ledger technology and the design of current blockchain systems.
  • Recognize the differences and similarities among various decentralized systems, and determine the most appropriate blockchain applications.
  • Compare and evaluate the advantages/disadvantages of using blockchain or other types of technologies for different applications.
  • Identify the ways blockchain can be applied in the information industries.

The target groups include a global audience of individuals and organizations who have interests or financial stakes in the information services industries. These include information professionals and partner institutions: library organizations, consortia, and associations; publishers; urban planners; government agencies.

Dr. Michael Stephens Delivers Impactful ALA Webinar

Invited by ALA President Join Garcia-Febo, Dr. Michael Stephens recently delivered an ALA Webinar titled ”The Heart of Librarianship“ to explore the importance of accessible, welcoming and responsive library environments that invite open and equitable participation, as well as an examination of which factors are preventing many libraries from ramping up community engagement and user-focused services. 

2018-2019 Archives

Dr. Stephens believes that the heart of librarianship is learning. It is a cyclical process of support, engagement and discovery with deep roots in the concepts of service, access and freedom to pursue interests of all kinds. No matter what type of institution, someone is gaining knowledge, finding information, or creating something new based on our facilitation. For librarians, taking the role of facilitator and guide is best delivered with humanity and heart. The library should encourage the heart!

More information about this Webinar can be found on Dr. Stephen’s blog Tame the Web.

Faculty and Student Co-publish Article

Dr. Virginia Tucker and Gateway PhD student Lettie Conrad have co-authored an article on the use of hybrid card sorting in qualitative interviews. 

Dr. Pat Franks Publishes Two Books after Sabbatical

As a result of a head start  provided by her Fall 2017 sabbatical, Dr. Pat Franks is credited with two major publications released in August 2018:

  • International Directory of National Archives co-edited with Dr. Anthony Bernier, published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Read more about it on this site https://idnaproject.org/
  • Records and Information Management, 2nd edition, published by the American Library Association. More information about the book can be found here.

Dr. Cheryl Stenstrom Participates in CA State Library’s “Value of Libraries” Project

The California Library Services Board is funding and supporting a project called the Value of Libraries. Work on this project is being carried out by the California State Library under the direction of state library consultant, Dr. Natalie Cole, with assistance from iSchool faculty member, Dr. Cheryl Stenstrom, and iSchool alumna, Rachel Hanson.

This goal of the project is to create and compile data and usable tools on the value of public libraries through a review of the academic and professional literature and an original impact study. Over the past several months, data of various kinds has been collected, including a literature review, a public opinion survey, and a list of existing resources of outcomes data from California’s public libraries. Cheryl and Rachel have been responsible for searching for, annotating, tagging, and organizing the literature in the areas of financial return on investment as well as social outcomes. The results can be searched here.

Gateway PhD Student Katia Karadjova Presents about Mindfulness and Gamification in Higher Ed

Katia Karadjova, a student in the SJSU Gateway PhD program and librarian at Humboldt State University, has presented at several conferences about her research on mindfulness and gamification in higher education. 

  • Karadjova, K.G. (2018). Mindfulness and Gamification in the Higher Education Classroom: Friends or Foes? Presented at The International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18), June 20-22, 2018, Valencia, Spain.
  • Karadjova, K. G. & Nitecki, D. (2018). Assessing Library Spaces as Learning Environments Goes Beyond Measuring Occupancy. Presented at The Society for College and University Planning SCUP 2018 Annual Conference, July 14-17, 2018, Nashville, TN.
  • Karadjova, K.G. (2018). The Brain Booth Initiative: Mindfulness and Contemplative Pedagogy in the Classroom. Presented at The 20th Annual CSU Symposium on University Teaching, April 13-14, 2018, Pomona, CA.

Katia has received the following grants to support her research:

  • Travel Grant to present at The Society for College and University Planning SCUP 2018 Annual Conference, July 14-17, 2018, Nashville, TN – Sponsored Programs Foundation (SPF), Humboldt State University (HSU) – $ 1000
  • Travel Grant to present at The International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18), June 20-22, 2018, Valencia, Spain – Sponsored Programs Foundation (SPF), Humboldt State University (HSU) – $ 1000
  • Scholarship awarded by The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), May 2018 – $1210
  • Project grant: The Brain Booth Initiative – Sponsored Programs Foundation (SPF), Humboldt State University (HSU), January 2018 – $ 3000

Dr. Michael Stephens Concludes a Productive Sabbatical

Dr. Michael Stephens spent his sabbatical in spring 2018 conducting research related to professional development for librarians. His sabbatical resesearch has resulted in a number of high profile presentations, including two talks of the Eminent Visiting Scholar Scheme at University of Southern Queensland:

  • Stephens, M.. Partridge, H., & Davis, K. (2018). On the Ground, Online & Operative: Perceptions & Effectiveness of Public Library Staff Professional Development. Presented at the American Library Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 25, 2018.
  • Stephens, M. (2018). Libraries in Balance: Trends, Technology & Learning. Presented at the National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia. July 18, 2018.
  • Stephens, M. (2018). Libraries in Balance: Trends, Technology & Learning. Presented at CityLibraries Townsville, Townsville, Australia. July 20, 2018.
  • Partridge, H., Davis, K. & Stephens, M. (2018). Professional Learning Experiences of Australian Public Library Staff. Asia Pacific Library and Information Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. August 2, 2018.
  • Stephens, M. (2018). Keynote: The Heart of Librarianship. Asia Pacific Library and Information Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. August 2, 2018.
  • Stephens, M. (2018). Telling Your Research Story: Reflective, Connected, Open. Presented for faculty and staff at University of Southern Queensland, July 25, 2018.
  • Stephens, M. (2018). The Hyperlinked Campus: Connected Learning & Collaborative Reflection. Presented for faculty and staff at University of Southern Queensland, August 7, 2018.

Dr. Anthony Bernier Receives ALA Diversity Research Grant

Dr. Anthony Bernier is a receipient of the 2018 ALA Diversity Research Grant. His project “Searching for First Generation LIS Student Success” will analyze the experience of First Generation masters students enrolled at San Jose State University’s School of Information. This research will then address the gap in various literatures that have omitted the First-Generation graduate student experience, both on-campus and virtually. 

Read here for more information about the grant.

iSchool Faculty Publishes Research in Diverse Areas

Dr. Deborah Hicks is the co-author of the upcoming article titled “Discourses of expertise in professional competency documents: Reference expertise as performance”, which is to be published in The Library Quarterly in January 2019. This study examines how reference and information service expertise is framed by professional associations in their professional competency documents.

Dr. Michele Villagran is the co-author of the article titled “Minimizing and addressing implicit bias in the workplace: Be proactive, part one“, recently published in College & Research Libraries News. 

Dr. Johanna Tunon gave a keynote speech titled “Distance Library Services for Graduate Students” at  ACRL DLS Discussion Group Spring Forum on March 30, 2018.

Dr. Anthony Bernier’s recent publications and presentations include:

Dr. Bernier also has a book coming out soon – the book title is “Transforming Young Adult Services, Second Edition” and more information about the book can be found here.

Dr. Michelle Chen’s article (co-authoered with Ducheneaux, T.), “How are we doing in tribal libraries?—A case study of Oglala Lakota College Library using information visualization,” won the 2018 Emerald Literati Award from Library Management for being one of the most exceptional pieces of work in 2017.

Dr. Kristen Rebmann Receives Federal Grant 

Dr. Kristen Rebmann recently received a federal grant ($249,882) funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant project is titled “Native American Community Anchors: TV Whitespaces for Tribal Connectivity, Equity, and Inclusion”. This project, involving Dr. Kristen Rebmann of San Jose State University’s School of Information (SJSU-iSchool), Alana McGrattan of the Tribal Libraries Program of the New Mexico State Library (TLP-NMSL), Gar Clarke (Tribal Liaison) of the New Mexico State Department of Information Technology Office of Broadband & Geospatial Initiatives (DoIT/OBGI), Donald Means of Gigabit Libraries Network (GLN), and Dr. Elizabeth Belding of University of California, Santa Barbara’s Department of Computer Science (UCSB-CS) will collaborate with Tribal Libraries across New Mexico to explore dramatically improving Tribal internet connectivity, equity, and inclusion through the design and implementation of several TV Whitespace (TVWS) networks statewide. The project seeks to address challenges associated with Native American digital access and inclusion through a two-year, four-part work plan involving professional development, technology implementation via a subaward program, evaluation research, and model development/dissemination. The grant period runs from 10/01/2018 through 09/30/2020. 

Read here for more information about the grant. 

Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran Co-authors Book on Minority Leadership

Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran is a co-author of the recently published “Celebrating diversity: A legacy of minority leadership” in the American Association of Law Libraries 2nd edition. The second edition comes a decade after the first edition was published. The new edition provides insights into diversity in law librarianship, contributes to the history of diversity within the profession, and advances AALL’s purpose and values. Dr. Villagran is highlighted within the text as a Leaders of Today (pgs. 94-98). She was included in the first edition as a New and Emerging Leader. 

Read here for more information about Dr. Villagran’s book.