Crisis Librarianship: An Examination of Online Librarianship Roles in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

 Reed, K. N., Kester, B., Kaufmann, K. F., Homol, L., & Crampsie, C. (2022). Crisis Librarianship: An Examination of Online Librarianship Roles in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 48(4), 102530–102530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102530

Submitted by William Suarez

Summary:

    A study that surveyed the members of a library organization for their perceptions of their online roles as librarians. This study placed a focus on any change to online librarianship roles after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns beginning in March 2020. Participates were given a survey that exercises both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The results show that overall, the roles largely remained the same as before the lockdowns. The survey also showed that there were reports of increase in demands due to workplace issues like a lack in resources.

Review:

    This was a very valuable research study as libraries had to undergo a lot of change due to the pandemic lockdowns. I believe this was a much needed study to do as after the lockdown, these changes also provide a change for libraries to reevaluate themselves and adjust themselves according to what their respective communities need. The results prove that this survey was needed after the lockdowns as even though the professional role itself remained unchanged, this change allowed the workers to realize where they were lacking in their ability to do their job, i.e. realizing that they were lacking in resources. 

The Necessity of Embracing Collection Gaps: Moving Towards Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Collecting

Kramer, R. (2024). The Necessity of Embracing Collection Gaps: Moving Towards Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Collecting. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, & Cultural Heritage, 25(1), 93–97. https://doi.org/10.5860/rbm.25.1.93

Submitted by Jocelyn A. Guevara

Summary: 

This article addresses issues with ongoing attempts to close collection gaps in libraries. They define collection gaps as a, “lack of materials in relation to a specific theme, event, or historical idea” (Kramer, 2024). Many institutions have created policies to address these collection gaps and diversify the items offered to patrons. However, the author points out that diversity is often misunderstood by librarians and the resulting attempts to diversify a collection can actually be misrepresentative of a group if done incorrectly. Specifically, libraries often address diversity by including items that highlight or focus on the lived trauma, and consequences of that trauma, of a group. Instead, librarians should seek to build collections that close the collection gap by including the various experiences and viewpoints of a group- not just their trauma. In instances where those items cannot be located, the author proposes that institutions should acknowledge the collection gap, and why it exists, instead of spending funding on acquisitions that only focus only on trauma. The article also goes over the value of welcoming underrepresented individuals into the library profession to help develop these multifaceted collections. 

Reflection:

During this course, we focused on community connection and collection development as a direct response to community needs. However, libraries are also a repository for the histories of so many people. As our communities become more diverse, and as our world shrinks, it’s important to make sure those experiences are not erased from the record. While this is generally agreed upon by librarians, it is a much more delicate task to actually create a collection that is considered reflective of a group. Like the article points out, many people tend to focus on large traumatic events, for example slavery in the U.S., but true diversity will also include the art, joy, achievements, and various voices of a group, moment, or concept. To exclude those in favor of trauma is another form of erasure, even if it is unintentionally done. While it is important to survey and connect with the community to provide relevant services, it is also important to create well-rounded collections that reflect the diversity of different groups as well. While I do not work in a library yet, this is a great lesson to carry with me for the future.  

“Who Are We Missing?” Conducting a Diversity Audit in a Liberal Arts College Library

Doyle, Brenna

Emerson, M. E., & Lehman, L. G. (2022). Who are we missing? Conducting a diversity audit in a liberal arts college library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 48(3), 102517-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102517

Summary: Emerson and Lehman’s 2022 article takes a look at the amount of diversity within the collections at Augustana College in order to determine what gaps may currently exist. This article also specifies that when conducting a diversity audit, one must be sure to settle on a focus for their audit and determine an audit methodology. For this particular study, Emerson and Lehman focused their audit on three different aspects of identity: gender, sexuality, and race. Further, they defined criteria to be audited as physical books that were part of the library’s permanent collection, written by a single author, and published between 2000 and 2022. In order to assess gender, the researchers started their auditing process by creating a list of pronouns that may be in the collection, while allowing for additional pronouns that did not fit into the initial categories. When assessing sexuality, they took a look at whether the authors identified themselves as being in an opposite sex relationship, a same sex relationship, or if they specified themselves as being part of the LGBTQ+ community. When assessing race and ethnicity, the researchers looked to see how the authors self-identified and categorized race and ethnicity into: white, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Black, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Biracial/Multiracial, and unknown. The results of the audit showed that a majority of the books in the library’s general academic collection were written by authors with the pronouns he/him, while authors with the pronouns they/them made up only around 0.16% of the general collection. The sexuality audit had more inconclusive results, as around 61% of the authors were unable to be determined, though of the ones determined, the majority were in opposite sex relationships, with only 1% of the authors self-identifying at being part of the LGBTQ+ community. Finally, the race and ethnicity audit revealed that the authors in the library collection were 71.38% white, while BIPOC authors made up only 13.38% of the collection. When comparing the results of the diversity audit with 2019 Census data, it became clear that the library was overrepresenting White authors and that the race and ethnicity category was the only category higher than the national average. The article concludes with notions of building connections within the community to better build a more diverse and inclusive collection. 

Opinion: The results of the diversity audit at Augustana College were, for me, unfortunately unsurprising. The audit revealed that, within Tredway Library, the general collection was predominantly authored by white, straight men, while female, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC authors typically were in the minority. There are many reasons why this could be, starting with the fact that straight, white men have historically had greater privilege than those in the minority, and their works may be more prevalent or featured more heavily, leading to their greater presence within the library. In 2022, and even now in 2025, I believe society is still making strides for more inclusivity and diversity in our daily lives, let alone within library collections. I wholeheartedly agree with Emerson and Lehman, however, that students being unable to find their own representation within the library sends the message that their voices cannot be authoritative, that their perspectives do not matter. Connecting with the communities is an excellent idea and could definitely aid in the library’s crusade to further their collection diversity, and though this article focuses on leaning on social media to connect with diverse authors and diverse-owned bookstores, I think there should be a significant emphasis on academic libraries partnering with university clubs and programs, such as the LGBTQ+ center, Black Student Union, the Cross-Cultural Center, or any university programs that celebrate diversity. Community connections are just as essential a resource as any book collection in the library, and it’s an excellent way for libraries to foster a diverse environment. 

Pulse of the Library: Clarivate Report

Beit-Arie, O., (2024). Pulse of the Library 2024. Clarivate. DOI: 10.14322/pulse.of.the.library.2024.   https://clarivate.com/pulse-of-the-library/

Submitted by Lisa Danes

Summary:

The Pulse of the Library 2024 report conducted by Clarivate[i] last April 2024 reveals that while more than 60% of all types of libraries (out of 1,500 surveyed) are currently evaluating or planning for some kind of AI implementation in the next twelve months, 58% of respondents from public libraries indicated their institution has no plans or is not actively pursuing AI technology. Only 31% of academic institutions reported being in the same predicament. This situation typically results from limited budget resources. The numbers in support of AI are still much higher with intended large implementation efforts, though, as only 27% of respondents intend to enhance or adopt a library management system, and only 22% plan to expand solutions for collection development.

Many librarians are enthusiastic about the possibilities that AI tools continue to offer, specifically reducing routine tasks to permit more time for strategic and creative planning. However, the Clarivate report suggests that many more librarians (52%) are concerned about an AI skills gap and how the training needed would have the biggest near-term impact on employment. Some librarians plan to offer workshops, seminars, and online opportunities. However, 32% of global respondents indicated that no training will be available, while the number rose to 43% by U.S. respondents. Regardless of the kind of AI improvement, budget scarcity was often cited (47%) as being responsible for the lack of training opportunities.

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[i] Clarivate is the parent company of ProQuest, Ex Libris, Web Science, and additional database resources.

  

Reflection: 

The possibilities are nearly endless for libraries to provide the most up-to-date information to patrons via advanced, convenient tools. I’ve been rather fascinated by the current literature around AI tools and libraries, so I have read several articles for our Assigned Reading assignment. Many themes are consistent throughout and are also reflected in the Clarivate survey: strained budgets typically prevent major AI advancements; librarians, especially those in the public sector, fear that machine assisted technology may ultimately eliminate their jobs; and a significant skills-gap exists that may not be adequately bridged.

The possibilities of AI in libraries are indeed endless. Enduring, ever-present issues such as funding must be tackled with the advancement of AI technology in mind to keep libraries at the forefront of always providing valuable, current information.

  

Add Value or Shift the Focus?: A Summary of Quantitative Analysis Meets Art History by Minseo Kim

Anguiano, Jennifer

Kim, M. (2022). New Method for Museum Archiving: “Quantitative Analysis Meets Art History.” Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 15(4), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1145/3531018

Summary:

Kim's New Method for Museum Archiving: “Quantitative Analysis Meets Art History” explores the intersection of data-driven methodologies and traditional art historical approaches in museum archiving. The study introduces quantitative analysis as a tool to enhance the classification, preservation, and accessibility of museum collections. By integrating computational techniques, such as image processing and visualization, the research aims to improve the efficiency of archival systems while maintaining the integrity of historical narratives.

The article highlights the challenges of conventional museum archiving, emphasizing the need for structured data frameworks to support curatorial decisions. Kim argues that quantitative analysis can complement art history, offering new perspectives on collection management and historical interpretation. This approach promotes a more innovative and adaptable archival system, ensuring that museums can effectively document and analyze their collections in the digital age.

Evaluation/Opinion:

As a scholar who has only received traditional art history teachings, the idea of mixing it with data-driven methods feels exciting yet nerve-wrecking. Usually, studying art is all about interpretation, symbolism, and cultural context, as opposed to crunching numbers and running algorithms. It almost feels like the number aspect of data, would take away the human, emotional response to understanding artworks. However, if there is a new way to increase the organization and accessibility of a collection, it might be in the best interest of art historians to adapt. If museum administrators can use data tools to track artworks, spot trends or preserve items better, that could help their staff do their jobs more efficiently. The question is will it add value to traditional art history or end up shifting the focus too much towards numbers.

A Case Study of Career-Related Connection Development

 

“Career research is often helpful when you can creatively connect students to existing resources“ (Pun, R., & Kubo, H., 2017).

Posted by: Ivan Adame

Pun, R., & Kubo, H. (2017). Beyond Career Collection Development: Academic Libraries Collaborating with Career Center for Student Success. Public Services Quarterly, 13(2), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228959.2017.1300558

This is a qualitative case study of an academic library in Fresno State that decided to collaborate with their local Career Development Center. It details exactly how the library sought out connecting, collaborating, and bringing cohesion to their very own collection and resources by linking them under the banner of Career Development. The program was a success and lead to the development of a drop-in career consultation center from within the library. There is a afterword with advice on how to best engage library patrons with career development services and programming.

For the purposes of INFO 266, here is a great real-life example of the concept of connection development and the immediate benefits of its practice. It details exactly how one library decided to move beyond its collection and take advice from outside parties to breathe new life into their existing resources (whether it be their librarians, book collection, subscribed databases, access to LinkedIn Learning or Mango, etc), things that would have otherwise been limited to strictly academic use. Having identified Career Development as a fertile asset in my library branch of study, the examples here were immediately applicable with equivalent connections I was able to discover locally.

Future students seeking to discover ideas for potential connections for their libraries of study can find plenty of real-life examples and new angles to consider in this case study.

 

Community-Curated Collection through Student Empowerment

Smit, Elizabeth

Heisserer-Miller, R. & McAlister, L.R. (2023). New horizons for academic library collection 
development: Creating a community curated collection through student empowerment. Journal of Library Outreach & Engagement, 3(2023), 119-135.

Summary:

Librarians at Southeast Missouri State University started two programs to get more patron input into collection development. The first let students nominate and then vote on which section of the library should get a special $3,000 budget. The second created a grant program for student groups to suggest materials needed by the library. Items purchased through the first program saw a jump in usage while items purchased through the second program saw lower than average usage. In both cases, the researchers were pleased with the student engagement with the programs and the relationships built between the library and the affinity groups on campus. One grant turned into an on-going project and a new special collection in the library.

Opinion:

While I don't think the results of this study are particularly exciting, encouraging patrons to take ownership over portions of the collection sounds like a great way to improve circulation and engagement. The programs here might not translate directly to your library or budget but they're a good jumping off point. And, the researchers' enthusiasm for the programs is catching! I know my students would love to pick books, but I often worry that they'll choose books that are trendy now & then they'll will be forgotten before they even arrive. Sometimes we take book suggestions but I would love to have students vote for which section of the library needs a tune-up next year. Our library doesn't receive enough money to give grants to student groups but it would be nice to include other areas than English, Science & Social Studies in our purchasing decisions.