Guest Editorial • September 2023
Is Cultural Humility Too Easy?
Sarah R. Kostelecky, Lori Townsend, David A. Hurley
According to Google Scholar, there have been about 100 publications in the past 12 months about cultural humility and librarianship. Clearly, it is resonating with our profession as a way to make positive change towards equity, inclusion and justice in libraries and librarianship. We ourselves are firm believers that cultural humility can help those who practice it to decenter themselves and their own perspectives in order to better see, and redress, structural inequities and other forms of discrimination both within our libraries and through our services. ...
Article • September 2023
Hidden Barriers: The Experience of Academic Librarians and Archivists with Invisible Illnesses and/or Disabilities
This study documents the experience of, and identifies professional barriers for, academic librarians and archivists with invisible illnesses and/or disabilities. Results from a survey of MLIS-holding individuals in academic positions indicate that invisible illness or disability often impacts the ability to succeed at work, but many are reluctant to disclose or request accommodations to alleviate those disparities. Respondents reported barriers including professional repercussions for disclosure, difficulty during the hiring process, stigma from supervisors and colleagues after requesting accommodations, and an overall lack of understanding about invisible illness and disability in the profession. ...
Article • September 2023
The Effects of Research Data Management Services: Associating the Data Curation Lifecycle with Open Research Output
Nicolas Pares, Peter Organisciak
This study seeks to understand the relationship between research data management (RDM) services framed in the data curation life cycle and the production of open data. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to US researchers and RDM specialists, and the results were analyzed using Chi-Square tests for association. The data curation life cycle does associate with the production of open data and shareable research, but tasks like data management plans have stronger associations with the production of open data. The findings analyze the intersection of these concepts and provide insight into RDM services that facilitate the production of open data and shareable research. ...
Article • September 2023
A Model to Determine Optimal Numbers of Monograph Copies for Preservation in Shared Print Collections
Ian Bogus, Candace Arai Yano, Shannon Zachary, Jacob Nadal, Mary Miller, Helen N. Levenson, Fern Brody, Sara Amato
In this study we developed a model and a spreadsheet tool for calculating, based on user input informed by available data, the probability of at least one usable copy of a monograph title surviving at various time horizons in shared print collections. The calculation incorporates four risk factors, which were assigned values based on research in the literature and our own studies. We applied the model to sample selected time horizons and risk tolerances, which suggests a minimum number of copies of a title needed for retention. ...
Article • September 2023
Training Information Professionals in the Digital Humanities: An Analysis of DH Courses in LIS Education
Chris Alen Sula, Claudia Berger
The digital humanities (DH) remain a growing area of interest among researchers and a locus of new positions within libraries, especially academic libraries, as well as archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations. In response to this demand, many programs that train information professionals have developed specific curricula around DH. This paper analyzes courses offered within two overlapping contexts: American Library Association (ALA) accredited programs and iSchools. In addition to documenting the scope and extent of DH courses in these settings, we also analyze their contents, relating our findings to previous research, including analysis of job ads and interviews with professionals. ...
Book Review • September 2023
Libraries as Dysfunctional Organizations and Workplaces
Reviewed by Kaia MacLeod
Libraries as Dysfunctional Organizations and Workplaces documents the widespread evidence that library workers in North America are unhappy with the libraries where they work. Although the term dysfunction can make the book appear to be geared toward managers with an interest in alleviating those elements of the workplace, the book will appeal to anyone working in or adjacent to the LIS field. ...