The rEvolution: The added stress of STEM

At the end of the semester, we all face added amounts of stress. Come learn some tips and tricks to building resiliency and confidence, no matter what your leadership role is, based on Jenny Evan\u27s ‘It’s Time for a REvolution: Bringing out the Resilient, Authentic Leader.’ We will talk about how to play it out, plate it out, or play IT out to deal with the added stress of being a woman in STEM fields, no matter what we may be facing

Dissertation Proposal in Progress: A Study of the Impact of Technology on Millennial Males Choosing the Library Profession

This poster highlights the Purpose, Select Literature Review, Theoretical Lens, and Pilot Study on research studying the Impact of Technology on Millennial Males Choosing the Library Profession

Go the extra mile — it’s never crowded

My daytime alias is Reference and Instruction Librarian, but my real title is Master of Library Science. I am a newly minted MLS graduate (May 2008) and have worked full-time at Kansas State University at Salina for almost a year. As a type A personality, I had my midlife crisis early: the summer before I was to graduate with a BA in business administration. After I’d stubbornly pursued the business world since high school, I decided that corporate America held no interest for me. My family asked what I planned to do after graduation and I announced I would attend library school. I’d worked in Pickler Memorial Library at Truman State University for 3 years, and decided I never wanted to leave the library. A prescient supervisor encouraged me to pursue my passion with a professional degree

Gender Stereotypes Male Librarians Face Today

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) (2012), the library profession has seen a 48% (19,458) increase in males working in libraries since 1980 and the male influx is expected to increase (Minnesota, 2011) despite lingering professional stereotypes. Movies, books, and other popular media focus on the overall image of the librarian, as if only one type exists for both sexes (Duke, 1999; Garcia, 2011). These stereotypes may be misinterpreted on the faulty premise that men confront the same stereotypes in the library workplace as women. Social roles and norms are different for men and women and men joining a traditionally feminine profession face different levels of prejudice than do women (Williams, 1991). Society sees librarianship as “women’s work,” and anyone associated with it must be female or feminine. Men in nontraditional professions such as nursing and librarianship have become easy targets for stereotyping, creating a vicious cycle. Men assume the stereotypes are valid, they avoid taking the jobs, and the profession continues to see fewer males entering the workforce, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of low employment rates

South-of-the-Border Boolean: Teaching Search Strategies with the Value Menu

As databases and Internet search engines continue to become increasingly user-friendly, the need for Boolean operator skills seems to have waned but in reality, the amount of online information is skyrocketing as thousands of articles are uploaded each day. Bridging familiar activities with new Boolean operator skills sets the stage for a smooth introduction for students and creates a strong foundation for the retention of those skills. Using the simple task of ordering from a restaurant menu to demonstrate to students they already have the skills to do successful online searching, the South-of-the-Border Boolean lesson plan connects everyday tasks and scholarly application, while boosting confidence in students. This article will begin with a brief literature review, followed by an introduction of the lesson plan, including student learning outcomes, assessment, and unexpected results

Millennials and the Adoption of New Technologies in Libraries through the Diffusion of Innovations Process

Purpose – Literature on the features of new technology in libraries of every type and size is readily available, but looking at the factors playing a part in the process (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability) will bring an understanding of how Millennials integrate technology into libraries. This paper seeks to discuss some of the issues involved. Design/methodology/approach – This research focuses on Millennials and their adoption of new technologies in libraries through the process of diffusion and the stages of adoption as outlined by Everett Rogers: communication through certain channels; over time; and among members of a social system. Among these sections, Millennials as innovators and early adopters are explored, as well as the five stages of the innovation decision process. Findings – Libraries have increasingly seen technology become a quick candidate as a solution to nearly every problem existing in the field. Though rapidly suggested as an alternative, the new technology is not adopted as quickly as in other sectors. However, Millennials act as change agents and bring technology-driven attitudes to work, using specific communication channels to change employee attitudes towards adoption of the new tools. Originality/value – Although applied to different fields, few studies have been conducted using the theory of diffusion in library science with a focus on innovation; rather the focus has been on technology adoption. The paper highlights how looking at the overarching trend, instead of focusing on the specifics of one single technology tool, will help researchers, administrators and practitioners understand the paradigm shift in the rapid adoption of such tools overall. Keywords – Technology, Attitudes, Communication, Technological change, Organizational change, Libraries, Change management Paper type – General revie

South-of-the-Border Boolean: Teaching Search Strategies with the Value Menu

As databases and Internet search engines continue to become increasingly user-friendly, the need for Boolean operator skills seems to have waned but in reality, the amount of online information is skyrocketing as thousands of articles are uploaded each day. Bridging familiar activities with new Boolean operator skills sets the stage for a smooth introduction for students and creates a strong foundation for the retention of those skills. Using the simple task of ordering from a restaurant menu to demonstrate to students they already have the skills to do successful online searching, the South-of-the-Border Boolean lesson plan connects everyday tasks and scholarly application, while boosting confidence in students. This article will begin with a brief literature review, followed by an introduction of the lesson plan, including student learning outcomes, assessment, and unexpected results

Library Resources and Understanding the Focus on STEM

This presentation discusses: What the heck is STEM?; Why is it always in the news?; Why should I care about it?; and Where do I find reliable information from the government

Using an ALA Carnegie Whitney Grant to Support Women in STEM: A Bibliography Project

Use Google to search “Women in STEM in higher education” and see what comes up. Researching women in STEM is extremely difficult because of the onslaught of public interest pieces, news sources, scholarly articles, blog commentaries, and dissertations written on the subject. Additionally, the word “stem” has several meanings in the scientific community from “plant stem” to “stem cell.” What if you were helping a teacher trying to write a grant to expose female students to careers in IT? Or helping a parent trying to advise a student club for women interesting in coding? In recent years, the spotlight on STEM education has given rise to hundreds of studies ranging from the recruitment and retention of women students to the workplace climate of women faculty and staff. This information was not easily available in one location for use in reports, press releases, curriculum, or grants. In 2018, I was awarded an ALA Carnegie Whitney grant for the creation of an online bibliography that provides easy access for librarians and researchers. With the help of a student research assistant, we created an online Women in STEM Research Guide of over 1,100 articles, books, and theses. Bibliographic themes cover recruitment, retention, barriers, stereotypes, inclusion and biases, campus culture, classroom experiences, and faculty workplace issues. Audience members will be encouraged to link to or refer patrons to this source in their own libraries. This bibliography will be easily discoverable by search engines so it would appeal to librarians from many different institutions where they could share this information.I will engage conference participants by having them briefly conduct their own research on this topic, explore the Research Guide, and then consider what contacts and groups they might share the information within their own libraries. I will highlight the national grant application process, share the setbacks and lessons learned, the student worker hiring process, work flow procedures, and the future of the project. I will encourage participants to consider applying for an ALA Carnegie Whitney grant for their own projects and will readily answer questions about our experience

Prepped for Departure: Sources of Information for Aviators

While some may joke the only information a pilot needs to know is which way is up and which way is down, the information needs of the aviator are easily equal to the most advanced scholar, doctor, or lawyer. Much has been written about communication between pilots, crew, and air traffic control but little has been written about information needs once the pilot is on the ground. Professional organizations, government entities, and corporate vendors have a wealth of information to share with aviators, just as in any other professional field and keeping up with a highly evolving industry is important through product reviews, news briefs, and government regulation updates. Pilots may obtain information from six general categories; (a) publishers; (b) textbooks, handbooks and manuals; (c) scholarly journals; (d) databases and indexes; (e) websites and listservs; and (c) air shows and conferences. With a variety of information sources to choose from, making it simple for aviation instructors and students to find the resources they need to produce scholarship is important, especially since most of the information they are familiar with come from online sources. Subject guides offering links to government and professional websites, as well as professional journals, bridge the information gap from trade magazines to scholarly sources for aviation professors and students. Academic librarians often create such subject guides as quick starting points as a way to align the pilot with the research runway before he takes off, so to speak. Heidi Blackburn, undergraduate services librarian, prepared the following aviation resources guide with the consultation services of Capt. Mitchell Edwards, Civil Air Patrol, Air Force Auxiliary and Thomas Karcz, Assistant Professor, Department of Aviation, Kansas State University. While some may joke the only information a pilot needs to know is which way is up and which way is down, the information needs of the aviator are easily equal to the most advanced scholar, doctor, or lawyer. Much has been written about communication between pilots, crew, and air traffic control but little has been written about information needs once the pilot is on the ground. Professional organizations, government entities, and corporate vendors have a wealth of information to share with aviators, just as in any other professional field and keeping up with a highly evolving industry is important through product reviews, news briefs, and government regulation updates. Pilots may obtain information from six general categories; (a) publishers; (b) textbooks, handbooks and manuals; (c) scholarly journals; (d) databases and indexes; (e) websites and listservs; and (c) air shows and conferences. With a variety of information sources to choose from, making it simple for aviation instructors and students to find the resources they need to produce scholarship is important, especially since most of the information they are familiar with come from online sources. Subject guides offering links to government and professional websites, as well as professional journals, bridge the information gap from trade magazines to scholarly sources for aviation professors and students. Academic librarians often create such subject guides as quick starting points as a way to align the pilot with the research runway before he takes off, so to speak. Heidi Blackburn, undergraduate services librarian, prepared the following aviation resources guide with the consultation services of Capt. Mitchell Edwards, Civil Air Patrol, Air Force Auxiliary and Thomas Karcz, Assistant Professor, Department of Aviation, Kansas State University