Librarians' experiences of the teaching role: Grounded in campus relationships

Analyses of information literacy instruction practices have neglected, until now, in-depth exploration of librarians' experiences in their teaching roles. That gap was addressed by this study, which explored Canadian academic librarians' self-perceptions as teachers. Semistructured interviews with 48 participants revealed that they experience complex relationships with teaching faculty. Data are analyzed using symbolic interactionism, Erving Goffman's concepts of deference and ceremonial rules, and work on gifting and reciprocity. The relationships are discussed as unequal in terms of power, where power is ceded to the teaching faculty. Study participants discuss this unequal balance of power by referring to their own self-positioning and the institutional culture of their workplaces. These results suggest areas of challenge to full realization of instructional goals, which merit attention by managers and by those charged with preparing librarians for instructional work.     

Expediting learning through peer teaching: experiences with the Jigsaw technique

When designing a teaching session, lack of time and the weight of custom and practice can lead to methods being repeated routinely (Woods, 2013a). The institutional context and student demographic are also fundamental in determining teaching design (Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall, 2015). In this feature, a versatile teaching method (Jigsaw) is described with reference to theories of learning. Examples of its application in professional learning contexts are presented and discussed. D.I.     

Learning and change through diversity,equity, and inclusion professional development: Academic librarians' perspectives

Building on the results of a qualitative survey of academic librarians in Canada and the U.S., this study focuses on the learning and subsequent change following professional development events (PDE) dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Carried out collaboratively by a group of American and Canadian researchers, the study is guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and the concept of retrospective reflection and builds on the critical incident approach supporting the survey design. Reporting on two large clusters of findings – those related to personal learning and change and those related to organizational change – the study highlights five types of learning and subsequent change that result from DEI PDEs: cognitive learning and change (awareness); behavioral learning and change (action); personal learning and change (self-awareness and self-improvement); social learning and change (interaction); and affective/emotional learning and change. The findings are mapped to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change, which creates a foundation for making recommendations for future mixed methods research and impactful PDE design. The study records both achievements and regrettable omissions in the current PDE offerings, in the hopes that noticed gaps and existing shortcomings will be remedied moving forward.     

Interpersonal problem solving: Problem conceptualization and communication use

To date, researchers have not studied the relationship between the mental representation of interpersonal problem situations and interpersonal communication used to manage problem situations. This report examined the relationship between four types of communication (i.e., integrative, distributive, indirect, and avoidance) and fourteen perceptions of problem situations (i.e., problem uniqueness and frequency; goal importance, complexity, and mutuality; uncertainty about the other, relationship, and goal‐path; causal attribution to the self, other, intent of the other, relationship, and environment; and feelings for the other). Two studies tested hypotheses. The first study used self‐reports based on personally experienced problem situations to examine the relationship between the perceptions and perceived use of the types of communication. The second study explored the relationship between communication stimuli likely to be used in problem situations and the likelihood of the conceptualization perceptions. Results generally confirmed the hypotheses in both studies and indicated that a relatively specific relationship exists between each type of communication and the set of perceptions for both personally experienced and undefined problem situations. Implications of these results for problem‐related knowledge structures, problem solving, conflict, relationship intervention, and interpersonal influence were discussed along with directions for future research.     

Making a difference: A community-based campaign that promotes diversity and inclusion

Courses: This semester-long project is suited for courses on persuasion, diversity, social media, communication and technology, social advocacy, service-learning, or social justice.

Objective: This assignment challenges students to research, design, launch, maintain, and assess an anti-hate social media campaign.     

Social inclusion of newcomers to Canada: An information problem?

This article examines how information service providers, particularly libraries, may assist effectively in meeting the information needs of immigrants. In order to understand information practices of immigrants and cater to their needs, a holistic approach is advocated that encompasses a closer examination of theories and principles of social inclusion and social capital in addition to information seeking behavior. Only through this holistic overview can one apprehend the role that information plays in the world of immigrants at various stages of their integration into their adopted society. The issues raised have implications for frontline information providers as well as for policy makers interested in programs, policies, and funding priorities concerning information provision and access strategies that enable social inclusion of newcomers and longer established immigrants into the social fabric of Canada.     

Exploring diversity through dialogue: avowed and ascribed identities

Courses: Intercultural Communication, Conflict and Communication, Interpersonal Communication

Objectives: After completing this single-class activity, students should be able to (1) differentiate between the avowed versus ascribed dimensions of cultural identity construction; (2) articulate the contested nature of cultural identity, including how cultural stereotypes guide perceptions of the Other; and (3) demonstrate tolerance through active and supportive listening to facilitate a nuanced appreciation of cultural diversity.     

Librarians' experiences of the teaching role: A national survey of librarians

A Canadian national survey of 788 library staff doing instructional work revealed that most participants expected to be doing some teaching in their workplaces, and the largest proportion of participants have been teaching for more than 10 years. Most instruction continues to take the form of short presentations to groups of learners. On the whole, preparatory experiences are informal—on-the-job experience, reading professional literature, and attending workshops. The majority of respondents identify instructional work as integral to their professional identity, but nearly one-third see this work as a duty or expectation, and a small proportion view it as an imposition. The study results have implications for design of programs that prepare library staff for the workplace, and for library managers who need to support effective instructional practice.     

Patterns and trends of equity,diversity and inclusion programs in academic libraries

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) have been core values and top priorities for academic institutions in recent decades. This paper presents a review on EDI and their manifestations in strategic planning of academic libraries. Advocating and advancing EDI have been broadly recognized as initiatives that create partnership opportunities and have been supported by various library associations, such as the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the American Library Association (ALA), and the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) and Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The first section of this paper presents the initiatives and resources created by these library associations that provide example frameworks, roadmap, and planning for individual libraries to customize. The second section presents cases of EDI programs in the institutions that the author visited or studied for a professional development program in 2021–2022. The conclusion discusses recurring themes and initiatives. The findings outlined in this paper provide references, resources, and contexts for library leaders and the EDI team leaders to embark and sustain the critical journey of incorporating EDI values in their work and culture.     

Plain language summaries: Enabling increased diversity,equity, inclusion and accessibility in scholarly publishing

• Plain language summaries (PLS) are accessible, short, peer-reviewed summaries of scholarly journal articles written in non-technical language.
• The aim of PLS is to enable a broader audience of experts and non-experts to understand the original article.
• Here, we outline the evidence base for the value and impact of PLS and how they can enable diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in scholarly publishing.
• PLS can diversify readership and authorship, address information inequity, include typically under-represented stakeholders and provide an accessible route into scholarly literature.

     

Medical knowledge for clinical problem solving: a structural analysis of clinical questions.

Despite technological advances that support wide-ranging access to and transfer of knowledge, practicing physicians continue to underutilize current biomedical literature. This paper explores the nature of clinically applicable medical knowledge through a structural analysis of clinical questions. The author analyzed a set of sixty questions, based on actual online search requests of practicing physicians, for stated and unstated needs, certainty levels, implicit and explicit assumptions, decision-making processes, and type of answer required. As a result, four states of information valuable in patient care were identified: prediagnostic assessment, diagnosis, treatment choice, and learning. These states are presented in frame-like structures that integrate declarative and procedural components of medical decision making. It is concluded that clinical problem solving requires a blend of declarative and procedural knowledge. The ratio depends, in part, upon the reasoning process underway at the time of the request. Procedural knowledge required for clinical problem solving may be absent from current biomedical journal literature or difficult to identify.     

Global citizenship in intercultural communication: Spatial awareness of globalization through map your consumption*

Courses: This teaching unit is for intercultural communication but could be used for any course related to globalization, including public speaking, popular culture and communication, or environmental communication. Additionally, the teaching unit is well-suited for other disciplines, including geography, environmental studies, and global studies.

Objectives: Students trace the manufacturing origins of their belongings in order to analyze their connections with other countries through plotting them on a world map. Students research economic, cultural, and/or political globalization of one or two countries plotted on their map in order to consider how to practice ethical consumption.     

Burnout and the academic teaching librarian: an examination of the problem and suggested solutions

Research indicates significant levels of burnout in academic teaching librarians. This article describes parallels with other “helping professions” and examines characteristics, causes, and solutions of burnout, inside and outside the classroom. Solutions should be sought in research on similar professions and their effectiveness should be measured.     

Exploring the workforce experiences of autistic librarians through accessible and participatory approaches

Understanding job seeking and workforce experiences of autistic adults in librarianship may help to create more inclusive practices in the field. However, the topic largely remains unexplored. This may be in part due to traditional research practices that do little to encourage meaningful participation from autistic adults. Ten interviews were conducted with autistic librarians in professional and paraprofessional roles about their workforce experiences, using inclusive, accessible measures and providing options for communication and participation. Findings reveal common themes for autistic librarians in the workforce, and also lead to implications for research involving members of the population. Based on findings, guidelines for future research are presented. By moving toward a more accessible, participatory research approach, qualitative studies can gain a better understanding of participants' lived experiences while producing work with practical implications for members of the population itself.     

Digitalization as a policy response to social acceleration: Comparing democratic problem solving in Denmark and the Netherlands

Social acceleration – the progressively faster rate of technological, social and life-pace change – poses a dilemma for democratic problem solving: It increases the amount of new social problems emerging on the political agenda and hence amplifies the demand for rapid and effective policy solutions. Democratic politics is, however, slow. So either the political system speeds up decision making at the cost of democracy, or it holds on to democracy at the cost of problem solving. Obviously, neither option is desirable. How do governments try to solve this dilemma and provide positive-sum solutions that are both effective and democratic? We present two so-called paradigm cases of governments, in Denmark and the Netherlands, that have developed a remarkably quick and effective digitalization response to social acceleration. By focusing on four markers – (1) awareness and timing; (2) motivation; (3) new strategic goals; and (4) goal-directed strategic policy action – we theorize how governments aim to solve the dilemma for democratic problem solving under conditions of social acceleration.     

Integrating diversity,equity, and inclusion principles into instruction: Case studies from the University of Florida's Health Science Center Libraries

Librarians at the University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries have begun to intentionally incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into teaching during design, implementation, and evaluation. This article uses four case studies to provide an overview of the librarians' approaches to inclusive teaching (1) an annual workshop for Physical Therapy students on the intersection between DEI, health literacy, and patient education; (2) a librarian-taught one-credit course for public health students, which was revised to create a more inviting syllabus and integrate elements of universal design; (3) an annual project for first year medical students highlighting health disparities and community resources; and (4) piloting the application of critical librarianship principles in library standalone sessions on database searching and reference management. Suggestions are provided for other librarians who are interested in developing a culture of inclusive teaching in their own libraries.     

Blue-collar work,career, and success: occupational narratives of Sisu

This study examined underground iron ore miners' occupational narratives to uncover how their stories socialize miners into blue-collar careers and reinforce their work identities. Through the root theme of sisu (Finnish for inner determination), underground miners create a status hierarchy that is used to construct a sense of pride around their work and to establish milestones of success for themselves and others in their workgroup. Furthermore, they communicatively construct exemplars that guide their performance and decisions during the unfolding of their work experiences. Their discourses provide alternatives to white-collar conceptualizations and practices of careers and success.     

Blue-collar work, career, and success: occupational narratives of Sisu

This study examined underground iron ore miners' occupational narratives to uncover how their stories socialize miners into blue-collar careers and reinforce their work identities. Through the root theme of sisu (Finnish for inner determination), underground miners create a status hierarchy that is used to construct a sense of pride around their work and to establish milestones of success for themselves and others in their workgroup. Furthermore, they communicatively construct exemplars that guide their performance and decisions during the unfolding of their work experiences. Their discourses provide alternatives to white-collar conceptualizations and practices of careers and success.     

The effects of substantive and affective verbal conflict on the quality of decisions of small problem solving groups

Most group discussion textbooks emphasize that good solution, emerge from a variety of positions proposed through systematic, rational discourse, which allows for flexibility during problem‐solving which culminates in a high quality solution. This study attempts to test that assumption empirically; that is, quality decisions are produced through rational discourse. The study consists of simulated discussion of the horse‐trading problem, controlling for levels of substantive conflict, affective conflict, and sex. The results indicate (1) no differences in overall quality; (2) significant difference on flexibility between highly substantive and nonsubstantive discussions; (3) the significant difference on flexibility in substantive conditions is accounted for by male participants, not women; and (4) no difference on flexibility between affective conditions.