Queerly categorized: LGBTQ+ subjects and language in the catalog

Libraries are meant to be places where one can find materials to fill all number of information needs, but information on privileged groups has long been overrepresented. Queer materials are infamously difficult to find, especially for inexperienced searchers. The causes of this difficulty are complex, and a concrete solution to this problem does not yet exist. However, one truth is supremely clear: the patchwork solutions of the past are not serving our users well, and recent suggestions to draw on the queer community for answers would be a good way to include our users in the cataloging process, but it is not a replacement for a well-organized, professional method of categorization. We as information professionals have a responsibility to solve this open problem – users deserve a system that allows them to easily access the materials that they need for research, personal growth, and self-exploration. The information community must continue to seek a comprehensive, concrete answer to the question of how queer materials should be cataloged.Ope

Seeking Symbiosis: Designing LibGuides that Bring User-Centered Design and Learner-Centered Practice into Harmony

Libraries around the world use LibGuides to create research guides for students. But is the user-centered approach often employed by libraries when creating these guides enough to meet the needs of today’s learners? A small task force of librarians at Oxford College of Emory University set out to answer this question. After studying the literature, it was found that very few studies focus on instructional design principles in the creation of LibGuides. Furthermore, an examination of their own library’s LibGuides revealed that while the guides addressed many issues of usability, learner-centered design was often absent. (25 minutes) The first portion of the workshop will outline the efforts of the task force to create a LibGuide template for Oxford College’s new first-year seminar courses. The iterative design of the course guide template seeks to bring into symbiosis user-centered design and learner-centered practice. The goal of the template is to point students toward recommended resources and teach them valuable information literacy skills along the way. Results from the initial rollout and subsequent evaluation of the template will be presented. (40 minutes) Attendees will then be divided into groups led by each of the presenters to share their libraries’ experiences in creating course guides. The groups will brainstorm ideas for how these teaching tools can better meet the learning needs of students. A laptop will be provided for each group so that attendees can evaluate their institution’s LibGuides. At the end of the workshop, each group will designate a speaker to present some of their group’s ideas (10 minutes)