Ask the Comics Librarians: Small Spaces

Mayer, Shu

Shannan, Meredith. (2022, February 6). Ask the comics librarians: Small spaces. No Flying No Tights. https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/2022/02/06/ask-the-comics-librarians-small-spaces/ 

Summary:

In this article, two librarians discuss how important space is in libraries and how to most effectively display, collect for, weed, and curate small comic/graphic novel collections. They recommend shelving by book title and curating for the community rather than what is deemed 'popular' by recommended book lists. They also recommend being aggressive in weeding smaller collections since space is premium and promoting them more aggressively since less people may know it is present.

Evaluation:

Overall this is a good article for someone who is unsure where to start when setting up a new collection in a limited space. Or potentially, someone moving an existing small collection from being spread out across the library into one consolidated space. It is an article geared towards comic/graphic novel collections-- as the entire noflyingnotights website is specifically for librarians who need help with comic/graphic collections-- but the advice for smaller collections can be easily generalized. 

 Collection Development: The Basics and Beyond

 Clara Shuler

 Vnuk, R. (2015, July 22) Collection development; The basics and beyond. [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IEVL8WV73o
 

This video is a recording of a lecture by Rebecca Vnuk on the subject of the basics of Collection development, offered to MLIS graduate students and professionals as a proffessional development opportunity to fill in the gaps for those whos academic program did not give them a strong basis. It is somewhat dated in its references, but provides an excellent, broad overview of the practicalities of collection development, delivered in an an extremely personable and engaging format. It provides some sorely needed practical context for some of the more theoretical research being done on collection development practices. 

A Review of Citation Analysis Methodologies for Collection Management.

Busath, Kellie

Hoffmann, K., & Doucette, L. (2012). A review of citation analysis methodologies for collection management. College & research libraries, 73(4), 321-335.

This article reviewed how multiple institutions went about doing a citation analysis for collection development purposes. Citation analysis is reviewing the citations used by faculty at the institution to see what areas of expertise needed to be accommodated by the library. It included collecting materials that were listed in citations if they were not already acquired by the library and also collecting materials linked to the citations used. This would be done by reviewing citations and then researching what other articles or resources had used that same citation. The citations were also reviewed to spot trends in research for the institution, collecting materials that would aid in future research endeavors. The article itself was a review of the different methodologies that each institution would use for their citation analysis. It was found that many institutions did not have a set methodology, but instead, everyone at the institution would go about it a little differently. Some common things that librarians would look at when doing a citation analysis was:

1. Type of resource

2. Age of resource

3. Frequency of citation

4. Presence of resource in the library

I found this article very interesting. I had heard about doing a citation analysis, but I wasn’t quite clear on the purpose or method behind it. I learned a lot about both! Doing a citation analysis could be helpful for research institutions, depending on the goals of your library. I belong to a research institution, but our collections policy is to only collect for undergraduate curriculum so faculty research interests may or may not align with that curriculum. In addition, I am currently trying to collect for our Communications College and the faculty there do not have the same publishing requirements as the rest of the University, so it is harder to tell what their interests are. Still the methodologies in this article give good insight into doing this type of analysis for collection development.

Digitizing and 3D Printing the Collection at the Smithsonian Museum

 Escobedo, Xavier

Adam Savage’s Tested. (2019, September 2). Digitizing Objects from Smithsonian’s Enormous Collection! YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgqv-MKbogQ

https://3d.si.edu/explore

Summary

The Smithsonian has 155 million artifacts in its collection and less than 1% is ever on display. The Smithsonian is now scanning many items from their collection that would never be seen by the public, and uploading a digitized copy on their website. The public can interact with these artifacts on the Smithsonian 3D digitization page, as well as download 3D printing information so they may print the artifact with their own machine. Artifacts are digitized are by photogrammetry, structure light scanning, and with the FARO Design Scanarm, which shoots lasers to capture the geometry of an object. Educators are able to print their own replica of historical objects and use the 3D printed model for instructional purposes. Inquisitive individuals can comb through the collection and have a fun time learning about various historical artifacts. It is a great way to showcase the Smithsonian’s extensive collection that would otherwise go unseen by the public. 

Evaluation

Digitizing the historical artifacts in the Smithsonian collection further preserves the materials by making them available to the public through the internet. While some historical artifacts may eventually disintegrate, they will now be forever preserved in their digital form and may even have their replicas 3D printed for future generations. Digitizing and 3D printing are great ways for the public to interact with objects that would normally be behind a glass or stored in a warehouse. The bulk of the collection that is stored and never made available to the public now has a new breath of life and helps the museum stay relevant through online visitors.

The tools used for digitizing materials are expensive, but it would be interesting to see if other museums begin digitizing their collection for the public. 

Maybe... just maybe... those European museums could digitize and 3D print their entire collection and eventually give back all the original artifacts that were stolen. 

Pretty cool technology though, jokes aside. 

Sustainability in Library Collection Development: Introducing a Green Audit Template

Jessie Major 

Citation: 

McCord, D., Cassady, S., Roman, P., Cato, J., & Mantz, E. (2025). Sustainability in Library Collection Development: Introducing a Green Audit Template. Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship / Revue Canadienne De Bibliothéconomie Universitaire, 11, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.33137/cjal-rcbu.v11.43852   

Summary:

This project presents an original 'Green Audit' template to determine how environmentally sustainable an academic publisher is. Publishers are judged based on environmental practices, current impact, and future commitments. A case study of 16 international publishers examines the availability of information, geographic differences, commitments and compliance, materials, transportation, and infrastructure. The results of such a Green Audit can help LIS professionals develop collections which meet sustainability goals and lower their institution's carbon footprint. 

Evaluation:

I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a 'Green Audit' for evaluating a publisher or collection's overall sustainability. I think libraries are often thought of as inherently 'green' or ecologically sustainable because providing access to resources like books cuts down on the overall material over-consumption of goods. While this may be true to some level, just being a 'more sustainable' option than individuals all buying their books does not guarantee that our overall collection is truly sustainable. I also have not come across many discussions of sustainability as it pertains to library collection development, even though environmental practices are becoming more important in other fields. I think the article overall provides an insightful, customizable evaluation technique to consider when planning collection development.

Library as an antidote to despair

Shannon Trawick

Discussion

When creating Partners in Health, an NGO dedicated to providing a medical ‘preferential option for the poor’ across the world, Dr. Paul Farmer put a little nugget of delight into his mission statement: “...serve as an antidote to despair.” When I read this, it struck me as applicable not only to needed medical treatment for the world’s impoverished, but to the impoverished level of hope, confidence, and imagination people the world over have in our current systems - political, economic, legal, environmental, etc. 

I suggest that the library, in its many forms, is an antidote to that despair.

We library workers are on the front lines of this despair in many forms, we see and interact with the full spectrum of the human condition on a daily basis and I posit that shifting our perspective on what we do as workers may help with burn out and open our minds to the help that a lot of our patrons really need. It’s not easy. I go into my two jobs everyday with the mindset that every person I encounter is at their worst - I’d rather be pleasantly surprised than disappointed. If I can, at best, give them some grace and help them solve a problem or direct them to a small antidote to their despair or, at worst, not engage with their behavior, address their issue and end the interaction, I’ve done my part and it doesn’t need to be any more than that.

I also know that it can be hard to remember how we alleviate despair since we’re in the thick of it all the time, so I’ve included some ways below that libraries do this for us and for our communities and I would encourage you to share these with anyone and everyone at any opportunity (I know I do).

In the library, there are so many antidotes to despair - and they’re all free!

• Lonely? Attend a program or three. Maybe you don’t know anything about the topic, but you’ll learn something and meet people at the same time. In many programs, you aren’t even required to interact with other people if you don’t want to.

• Un- or Underemployed? Use the free public computers connected to the internet to job search, apply for jobs, increase job skills through educational sites like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning, and search for other resources to help in your search like resume workshops (even if your library doesn’t have these, they’ll know who does).

• Are your eyes, your heart, your soul asking you to stop the endless scrolling? 

• May I introduce you to BOOKS? If we don’t have them all, we can likely get them for you at the library through Interlibrary Loans.
  If you can’t get to the library building, you can access digital books or sign up for a homebound patrons program which will deliver your desired books to you on a monthly basis. Some places will also offer Library by Mail where books are mailed to you with a return envelope.

• Why not actually touch grass? Or make it? Because the library has seeds and gardening books that will let you experience the magic of putting your hands in the dirt. I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s there.

• Has the economy hit (or never stopped hitting) your wallet?

• Can’t afford streaming services? The library has DVDs and BluRays to borrow - welcome to the 21st century Blockbuster.

• How about a place to hang out where you don’t have to buy anything to stay?

• Want to visit parks and museums in your local area? I bet the library has some kind of pass program that gets you free entrance into some of these attractions that you can ask about.

• Looking for crafts or something to keep your hands busy? Many libraries offer craft kits across all ages on a periodic basis. Also, many now have makerspaces with a variety of technology - engravers, 3D printers, sewing machines, glow forges, etc. - to up your making game.

• Need a piece of equipment for ONE thing and don’t want to buy it? Been thinking about buying something but want to make sure you’ll actually use it more than once? Check to see if your library has a Library of Things where you can check out equipment and stuff - pressure washers, sewing machines, air fryers, instant pots, canning equipment, Cricuts, games, puzzles, tools - you name it, there is probably a library that can check it out to you. We also have books to explain how to best use a lot of the stuff in the Library of Things, just ask!

There’s more, there’s always more and I hope there always will be.

To end my saccharine screed, I’m going to leave you with this quote from organizer Miriam Kaba as it encompasses the praxis of being an antidote to despair, at least in my reading of it:

“Hope is a discipline. It’s less about 'how you feel,’ and more about the practice of making a decision every day, that you’re still gonna put one foot in front of the other, that you’re still going to get up in the morning… It’s work to be hopeful. It’s not like a fuzzy feeling… you have to actually put in energy, time, and you have to be clear-eyed, and you have to hold fast to having a vision. It’s a hard thing to maintain. But it matters to have it, to believe that it’s possible, to change the world…” (Kaba, 26-27)

In what ways are your libraries an antidote to despair?

_____________

Works Cited: 

Kaba, Mariame. We Do This 'Til We Free Us : Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice. Chicago, Il, Haymarket Books, 23 Feb. 2021.

Selecting and Evaluating Reference Materials

 Dennis McCormack

Hiremath, U., & Cassell, K. A. (2023). Chapter 19: Selecting and evaluating reference materials. In Reference and information services. (pp. 3-16) American Library Association.

Summary: This textbook covers the history and standards of reference work in libraries. Chapter 19 is specifically about how to draft and follow a collection development policy. The authors argue that the collection development process begins with knowing the user base. A public library must know the demographics they will be serving, while school libraries must know the curriculum that will be covered. After librarians have an idea of who might come through their doors they must then review peer reviewed sources for the best and newest materials. Materials must be judged based on traits like currency, authority, format, & cost. Some materials work better as online resources, such as databases or catalogs. Think anything that would be unrealistic to print or would be unruly to navigate on paper. Weeding the collection is also an important part of collection development, otherwise the shelves would be filled with damaged or out-of-date books. 

Evaluation: The textbook was well written and each of the ideas flowed well into the next. I ended up citing this book in most of the classes I took this semester. I have some of the more helpful chapters downloaded and may come back to it as a resource for further courses. The authors covered a lot of ground without being bogged down by jargon or going too far into the weeds. I recommend this reading as a good jumping off point to further research in building a state of the art collection.