Using Social Justice to Explore the Unreal: Cartographic Literacy in Library Instruction

At the most basic level, a map is a representation of space. When teaching with maps it is essential to have a holistic understanding that maps are created by people as tools, they represent the ideas and views of their makers, are used to exert control and power, and act as snapshots of the period in which they were produced. This paper provides an overview of interdisciplinary instruction using a library’s map collection focused on imaginary and unreal locations. We address three points through a social justice lens: (1) maps as constructs and reinforcers of colonialism, (2) the importance of identifying who, why, and when a map was created, and (3) the subversive power of intellectual and allegorical mapping. Our work expands on previous efforts to teach cartographic literacy and social justice by introducing imaginary cartographies to a conversation focused on our tangible world. Embedding social justice theories into cartographic instruction embodies radical librarianship by empowering patrons to think critically about the space and place they occupy

An Evaluation of the Causes, Consequences, and Potential Solutions to Increased Red River Flooding in the Caddo Parish Regions of Northwest Louisiana

Urban flooding is a challenge for many parts of the world, and Caddo Parish, Louisiana, is no exception. Caddo Parish, located in Northwestern Louisiana on the banks of the Red River, has been the subject of intense flooding for decades, issuing widespread devastation to many areas of the parish. As waters from rain events and upstream reservoirs deluged the Red River, countless individuals and communities were affected. In addition to damage and destruction of homes and personal belongings, sectors of the economy were also impacted, notably agriculture and industry. Rising waters jeopardized public infrastructure, affecting commerce throughout the parish, particularly waterway systems. This report, prepared by graduate students of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, per request of the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, outlines policy solutions to protect the individuals and communities of Caddo Parish from future flooding

Exploring the Unreal: Cartographic Literacy and Social Justice

This presentation was given at the 2021 annual meeting of the Western Association of Map Libraries, held virtually on October 26 - October 29.At the most basic level, a map is a representation of space. When teaching with maps it is essential to have a holistic understanding that maps are created by people as tools, they represent the ideas and views of their makers, are used to exert control and power, and act as snapshots of the period in which they were produced. This presentation will discuss how we use a library’s map collection focused on imaginary and unreal locations in cartographic literacy instruction. We will address three points through a social justice lens: (1) maps as constructs and reinforcers of colonialism, (2) the importance of identifying who, why, and when a map was created, and (3) the subversive power of intellectual and allegorical mapping

Mapping/Countermapping the Narrative: How Maps and Stories Preserve the Future

A presentation given at the Science Fiction Review Association Annual Conference, held in Oslo, Norway, June 27-July 1, 2022.In the face of ongoing climate change, space is a pivotal factor in who survives and thrives and who is abandoned. Critical cartographies and historical mapping offer opportunities for conversations centering marginalized voices. Historical cartographies act as witness to injustice through omission. By asking who is not represented in a map, we may examine dominant power structures. Modern critical cartographies approach social justice by creating space for voices previously silenced, and many unreal cartographies share this approach. By applying cartographic literacy skills with an emphasis on climate justice to maps associated with climate fiction media, we create the opportunity for a more equitable approach to climate change. Through the examination of three climate fiction cartographies, we can examine critiques of capitalism, a tale of history repeating itself, and climate change analyzed through the lens of race. By expanding collecting areas to include maps concerned with climate fiction, libraries and archives are better able to document environmental justice efforts and provide access to information about those efforts to the public

Day 1, Session 1 Presentations

Bringing Their Whole Selves to Work: Capitalizing on Student Employee Strengths to Improve Their Employment Experience and the Library Kate Wenger, Chatham University Student employees bring unique perspectives, skills, and interests to their work in academic libraries. They are also a wealth of knowledge and ideas about what students actually want from the library. Libraries can and should capitalize on this to both enhance the student employment experience as well as to benefit the library. This presentation will discuss efforts at a small university library to connect student employee coursework to library work, assign special projects based on personal interests, and solicit and act on student employee ideas for improvements to library services and the library experience. Navigating Fulfilling Student Employment: Mutually Beneficial Work Cultures Shelby Hebert and Sierra Laddusaw, Texas Tech University The Maps & GIS Department at Texas A&M University utilized a symbiotic approach to hiring and work assignments for student employees. Through incorporating students’ career and educational goals into our hiring and work assignment processes, we could work toward organizational goals while also creating a positive work culture where student employees were able to learn skills and gain experience they found meaningful and would prepare them for their future careers. In this presentation, we will discuss examples of how we developed thoughtful hiring practices, utilized strategic task assignments, created networking opportunities for student employees, and overall cultivated a supportive work environment that benefited student employees and achieved organizational goals

Examining the architecture of leadership coaching

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the coaching structures that aspiring principals associate with developmentally consequential coaching interactions; identify structural features/functions/attributes that shape a structure’s developmental utility and use; and consider how a multifarious coaching structure might advantage the learning experiences of aspiring principals.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study included multiple interviews with two cohorts of aspiring principals (n=20) from one preparation program and with their leadership coaches (n=5) and was framed using the theories of social capital and networks, situated learning, and distributed cognition.FindingsThe authors identified eight coaching structures that aspirants identified as consequential to their learning and development. The authors identified four structural features/functions/attributes that shape a structure’s developmental utility. The authors identified three factors that contribute to the developmental utility of this multifarious coaching model.Research limitations/implicationsThis study includes a relatively small participant sample –70 percent of the aspiring principals from two cohorts within one preparation program. Data do not include direct observations of coaching interactions within the context of individual coaching structures.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that the structuring of leadership coaching is a critical consideration for those designing leadership coaching programs. This multifarious structuring of leadership coaching created three developmental affordances.Originality/valueThis paper generates new knowledge for the field of principal preparation related to the structuring of leadership coaching and ways in which structuring can shape aspirant learning experiences. These findings are likely to also be instructive to those interested in coaching more generally.</jats:sec

> turing

> turing is a text adventure-style game created in RenPy using a custom-built text adventure engine. In this game, you play as a new employee of the mysterious Electric Sheep Inc. screening “candidates” through a chat interface to determine whether they are human or AI. Your interface to this world is a computer, where you type in commands and interact with bots, candidates, emails, and some mysterious agents of a pro-AI resistance movement

Space and place: a study of a specialized service desk

PurposeThis study examines the activities of a specialized service desk and provides guidance on conducting an analysis of the activities. The authors wanted to know what is essential in terms of expertise, staffing, technology, collections and space at a Maps and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Service desk. The purpose of the study was to explore whether the provision of these services require a staffed service desk.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data using mixed methods, including observing space use, administering a survey and analyzing desk interactions.FindingsFindings suggest that while this service desk may have relatively little traffic, the interactions are time consuming and require a high degree of subject expertise. The data indicated that this service does not need to be delivered in this specific location; however, retaining the expertise and access to collections is vital. The authors recommend that formal assessment of services and space should be conducted prior to making significant changes in a service model.Originality/valueThis study investigates a specialized service desk which are not well-represented in the literature. Additionally, the variety of approaches used in this study could serve as a model for others for service desk assessment in general.</jats:sec

Interactive Tools for Principles of Microeconomics

These are new assessment tools where students can work to demonstrate their mastery of the concepts and component skills in the course. The practice versions help them develop mastery, in preparation for the quiz versions which serve as summative assessments.The tools are highly randomized so that each student gets a different (but comparable) experience on each iteration. It discourages cheating because each student gets a different variation on each attempt - it\u27s not possible to simply take a screenshot and share the answers with classmates.These interactive tools are developed under a Round 19 Transformation Grant

Space and place: a study of a specialized service desk

Click on the DOI link to access this article at the publisher's website (may not be free)Purpose: This study examines the activities of a specialized service desk and provides guidance on conducting an analysis of the activities. The authors wanted to know what is essential in terms of expertise, staffing, technology, collections and space at a Maps and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Service desk. The purpose of the study was to explore whether the provision of these services require a staffed service desk. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected data using mixed methods, including observing space use, administering a survey and analyzing desk interactions. Findings: Findings suggest that while this service desk may have relatively little traffic, the interactions are time consuming and require a high degree of subject expertise. The data indicated that this service does not need to be delivered in this specific location; however, retaining the expertise and access to collections is vital. The authors recommend that formal assessment of services and space should be conducted prior to making significant changes in a service model. Originality/value: This study investigates a specialized service desk which are not well-represented in the literature. Additionally, the variety of approaches used in this study could serve as a model for others for service desk assessment in general