Visiting Libraries in Central Asia: An Academic Librarian’s Research Experience

ABSTRACT

In May 2017, I had the opportunity to spend three weeks visiting several libraries in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan as part of my research project on international student services and information literacy. I visited these countries to conduct fieldwork research on American University of Central Asia’s information literacy program, library services for international and first year students, and more broadly to build exchanges and partnerships with Fresno State and these universities. In this travel report, I briefly cover my experiences conducting research and training at the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan and my shorter trips to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.     

A Library’s Partnership Experience with University Extension to Provide Program Content

Many public libraries reply on forming partnerships with other institutions in their communities to expand and strengthen their educational public programing. The Land-Grant University Extension Service can be a natural partner for public libraries, as both organizations share the common goal of providing lifelong learning opportunities to the public. A year-long study based at the St. Martin Public Library in Jackson County, Mississippi shows the impact of programs led by Mississippi State University Extension faculty and staff on library activity at that branch, including new library card sign-ups, use of materials, and future program attendance and growth. From the results of surveys distributed, Extension-led educational programs appeared to have an overall positive impact on library activity at the St. Martin branch.     

The Librarian’s Contribution to Continuing Medical Education

At many hospitals, including Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) University Hospital Rahway, librarians facilitate continuing medical education (CME) programs, sometimes working in that capacity as much as in their traditional librarian functions such as reference, research, cataloging, and bibliographic instruction. This column traces the relationship between the two aspects of the RWJ Rahway’s CME coordinator and health sciences librarian’s job to demonstrate that, because of their duties and skills, medical librarians can meaningfully contribute to hospitals’ CME programs. The worlds of librarianship and CME are further connected by the same goal: the dissemination of information.     

You’re hired! A library’s collaboration with the career services department

The library collaborating with nonacademic departments to further strategic goals is beneficial for both parties. In the summer of 2016, the Hubert Library at Florida International University began working with the Career Services Department to provide career research assistance to students, alumni, and employees. This paper highlights the elements of this collaboration, discusses the obstacles encountered and how they were dealt with, and provides practical tips for creating better partnerships.     

Comment on the Shaping of Librarian＇s Professional Image

信息化时代图书馆馆员职业形象塑造,是图书馆组织形象建设的核心内容。它包含内在素质、外在形象两个内涵;服务理念、服务行为、服务环境、服务效率四个要素;主体、客体、主客体关系三个维度。图书馆员要用自身的魅力与智慧,感染启迪读者,塑造出符合时代要求的职业形象,以提高图书馆社会地位和发展竞争能力。     

An Optometry Librarian’s Vision: Improved Student Scholarly Communication

Health profession students benefit academically, clinically, and professionally when they acquire the writing skills necessary for scholarly communication. The purpose of this article is to discuss how a solo, embedded health science librarian spearheaded collaborative efforts and contributed to the creation of a scaffolded writing program within the existing optometry curriculum. The article includes a discussion of the opportunities, challenges, and outcomes of this writing endeavor.     

Mapping the Final Frontier: A Publisher’s Experience Launching an Open Access Journal in the Burgeoning Mixed Access Economy

This article describes a program session that focused on publishers’ experiences launching Open Access (OA) journals and lessons learned. The speakers discussed the current journal marketplace, current journal business models, and the possible shape of the OA landscape and marketplace in the future.     

There’s Going to Be an Evolution: The Subject Librarian Initiative in Review

The authors examine the effect the renovation and rebranding of a traditional reference department into a more modern Knowledge Commons has had on public services at a university. The authors also discuss how this physical transformation led to a philosophical shift in the service model and how that model continues to evolve. This article discusses the adoption of the Subject Librarian Initiative as a means toward creating a more proactive form of outreach that is more conducive to the environment of the Knowledge Commons. This case study examines the first year of a 5-year implementation plan and discusses how the remaining years of the plan will be implemented.     

Let’s Clear the Air: a campaign that effectively increased compliance with a university’s tobacco-free policy

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the Let’s Clear the Air campaign, a print-based campaign guided by the theory of planned behavior, designed to increase compliance with a University’s tobacco-free policy among undergraduate student smokers. We hypothesized that individual-level compliance behaviors would increase with greater campaign exposure and that population-level compliance would improve post-intervention from baseline. To assess individual-level compliance, we collected survey data from 284 randomly selected undergraduate student smokers. To assess population-level compliance, we collected observational data by counting smokers in 10 violation locations for 10 weeks (three 30-minute periods per week). Data supported the hypotheses: Campaign exposure was related to an increase in individual-level compliance behaviors, and results from a negative binomial regression supported that population-level compliance improved from baseline to post-intervention. Implications regarding support for the campaign as an effective strategy for increasing tobacco-free policy compliance behaviors are discussed.     

Beyond Branding: Van Riel and Fombrun’s Corporate Communication Theory in the Human Services Sector

Amidst funding cuts, increasing competition, and growing demands for service, nonprofit human services organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of marketing communication, especially branding. However, Van Riel and Fombrun’s (2007) corporate communication theory suggests that focusing too intently on branding may actually weaken these organizations over the long term. Drawing on a series of focus groups with a cohort of human services nonprofits, this study extends Van Riel and Fombrun’s theory into the nonprofit context and reveals the importance of a balanced approach to nonprofit corporate communication.