Use of Library Services Can Be Associated with a Positive Effect on First-Year Students’ GPA and Retention

A Review of: Soria, K. M., Fransen, J., & Nackerud, S. (2014). Stacks, serials, search engines, and students’ success: First-year undergraduate students’ library use, academic achievement, and retention. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(1), 84-91.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.12.00

Toward the Resistant Reading of Information: Google, Resistant Spectatorship, and Critical Information Literacy

The theory of resistant spectatorship posits that individuals interacting with media and information may have the agency or power to oppose, reject, or reassemble the message they encounter instead of passively accepting it. This study puts resistant spectatorship in conversation with information literacy and critiques one example of a dominant information discovery system, Google Search, from a “resistant” position. Additionally, this study argues that, within academic libraries, the practice of critical information literacy, a pedagogical approach aligned with the concept of resistant spectatorship, is an ideal mode for encouraging students to become resistant readers of information in its increasingly corporate-mediated forms

Full-Time Faculty View Information Literacy as Important but Are Unlikely to Incorporate it Into Their Teaching

A Review of: Bury, S. (2011). Faculty attitudes, perceptions and experiences of information literacy: A study across multiple disciplines at York University, Canada. Journal of Information Literacy, 5(1). Retrieved from http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL/article/view/PRA-V5-I1-2011-

What Stand-Up Comedians Teach Us About Library Instruction

In the article, the author discusses the various lessons that could be learned from a performance of a stand-up comedian which can be used for library instruction. The four lessons include knowing how to read an audience, diversifying one\u27s teaching methods, and relating on a personal level. It features the works of comedian and entertainer Joan Rivers as example

Accurate Answers to Reference Queries May Be Provided Less Frequently Than Expected

A review of: Hernon, P., & McClure, C. (1986). Unobtrusive reference testing: The 55 percent rule. Library Journal, 111(7), 37-41

Art Librarians’ Professional Paths: A Careers Survey with Implications for Prospective Librarians

Is there such thing as a ‘typical’ career path for art librarians? This article presents the results of a survey of art librarians’ motivations for selecting the profession, and also their educational backgrounds, current employment and professional experiences, and presents advice for graduate students and prospective librarians. A questionnaire was sent to six email discussion groups related to art librarianship, from which 280 responses were received from across the world. The results indicate that art librarians typically work in academic settings, chose the field of art librarianship while already employed in libraries, have an educational background in the arts at the undergraduate and/or graduate level, and selected librarianship primarily because they were attracted to the duties and work settings of the job. This study includes advice from current librarians for graduate students seeking employment as art librarians in today’s challenging job market

Resources for Selecting Popular Music Recordings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assist music selectors at academic and public libraries by providing resources useful for selecting popular sound recordings, while emphasizing the ongoing need for monitoring trends and new releases in popular music. Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies key resources to aid the selection of popular music recordings, beginning with the challenges unique to popular music. The resources are divided into four major sections: online tools, print tools, periodical tools, and staying current. Findings – Popular music is widely collected by libraries, yet selection and acquisition is made difficult by the numerous genres and constant rotation of popular artists and albums. The utilization of a variety of online and print resources is ideal in order to build or maintain a well-stocked popular music collection. Originality/value – This paper offers guidance to librarians responsible for sound recordings. No previous discussions of music selection have considered popular music as a whole, while popular music recordings are widely collected by libraries and require a great deal of currency

Increased Size of E-Book Collection Positively Impacts Usage but May Reach Critical Mass

A Review of: Lamothe, A. R. (2013). Factors influencing the usage of an electronic book collection: Size of the e-book collection, the student population, and the faculty population. College & Research Libraries, 74(1), 39-59. Retrieved 12 July 2013 from http://crl.acrl.org/content/74/1/39.full.pd

Administrator Interest is Perceived to Encourage Faculty and Librarian Involvement in Open Access Activities

A Review of: Reinsfelder, T.L., & Anderson, J.A. (2013). Observations and perceptions of academic administrator influence on open access initiatives. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(6): 481-487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.08.01

Critical Information Literacy

This encyclopedia entry presents a brief introduction to critical information literacy, an approach to teaching people how information is produced, organized, circulated, and preserved