Topic: Libraries
Blog Post
July 17, 2019
Gearing Up for the Ithaka S+R National Library Director Survey
This fall, we will field the triennial Ithaka S+R Library Survey for the fourth time. The survey examines strategy and leadership issues from the perspective of academic library deans and directors, and through this project, we aim to understand the opportunities and challenges they face in leading their organizations. This project serves as a strong complement to our work with a variety of other communities of academic librarians and is intended to ensure…
Blog Post
July 9, 2019
To Seek Knowledge Together
How Libraries in Hawaiʻi Can Better Support Indigenous Studies Scholars
In 2017, the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) was invited to participate in an international qualitative study organized by Ithaka S+R that sought to examine the research needs of Indigenous scholars. Our research team—Kawena Komeiji, Keahiahi Long, Shavonn Matsuda, Annemarie Paikai, and Kapena Shim—focused on how libraries can better support the research and teaching activities of Hawaiian Studies scholars whose scholarship contributes to the advancement and well-being of the Indigneous people of Hawaiʻi. There were several reasons…
Blog Post
June 27, 2019
Measures that Matter: Review of State Public Libraries Survey Now Available
Last Tuesday, the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) released Measures that Matter Action Plan Step 2.1: A Review of State Public Library Survey Data Elements. We were excited to conduct this phase of work on COSLA’s behalf and believe the findings from this important systematic review of current state public library surveys, as well as states’ data collection and reporting practices, will be helpful for a wide range of libraries.
Blog Post
June 12, 2019
(PR)EBLIP
Gearing up for EBLIP10
I’m looking forward to learning and sharing research next week at the Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) Conference being held in Glasgow, Scotland. This is an international, biennial conference that aims to promote the use of best available evidence to improve library and information practices within all types of libraries, and this year’s theme is “using evidence in times of uncertainty.” The conference is held over two and a half days with…
Blog Post
June 6, 2019
Legacy Missions in Times of Change
New Issue Brief on Library Collections
Regardless of the rapidly changing information and technology landscape, collections continue to be at the heart of academic libraries, signifying their role in providing access to our cultural heritage. But in an increasingly networked, distributed, licensed environment, how do we define the library collection? What do collections imply? What is involved in building a collection? The purpose of the brief…
Issue Brief
June 6, 2019
What’s a Collection Anyway?
In 1953, Kenneth J. Braugh stated that the mission of Harvard’s library was to collect and preserve everything. Those days are long gone. For the last couple of decades, given the rapid expansion of scholarly content sources and types, even the best-funded research libraries have become cognizant that a comprehensive collection is an unattainable vision. Nevertheless, many research library mission statements continue to give prominence to their role in making the world’s knowledge accessible to a wide range of user…
Blog Post
June 4, 2019
Reflections on the Society for Scholarly Publishing 2019 Conference
I had the opportunity last week to attend the Society for Scholarly Publishing 2019 conference, which seeks to not only bring together academic publishers, but also others in higher education, such as scholars and librarians, to discuss the latest developments and trends in the scholarly communication landscape. This goal is reflective of SSP’s ongoing mission to bring together diverse voices, as reflected in the code of conduct, invited keynotes…
Blog Post
June 3, 2019
Three questions for Carrie Corneilus, Sara Morris, Rebecca Orozco, and Michael Peper
Participants Reflect on the Indigenous Studies Research Support Services Project
For our quarterly newsletter, we interviewed Carrie Corneilus, a librarian at Haskell Indian Nations University, and Sara Morris, Rebecca Orozco, and Michael Peper, librarians at the University of Kansas (KU), about their participation in the Research Support Services project on Indigenous Studies. The two universities collaborated in a unique partnership to interview Indigenous Studies scholars. 1. Why did you want to participate in this study? Carrie Corneilus: I am a tribal librarian of students and faculty…
Research Report
May 30, 2019
Unbarring Access
A Landscape Review of Postsecondary Education in Prison and Its Pedagogical Supports
Postsecondary education in US prisons is a growing topic in both academic and political circles. While much of the discourse surrounding higher education more broadly focuses on students’ educational and employment outcomes, the conversation around postsecondary education in prisons often centers on the societal benefits of this programming, with a strong focus on reduced recidivism rates – the rates with which formerly incarcerated individuals engage in criminal acts that result in their re-arrest, re-conviction, or re-incarceration. With 1.5 million people…
Blog Post
May 22, 2019
It was just an experiment—we didn’t mean to change the way we do our work
In Fall 2017, Georgetown University fielded the Ithaka S+R local undergraduate student, graduate student, and faculty surveys. Emily Guhde, Director of Library Assessment, describes in today’s blog post how the library has analyzed – and continues to return to – the data from these surveys. – Christine Wolff-Eisenberg Using Google Data Studio to analyze our Ithaka S+R Survey results was a risk that paid off. Now we’re using it for project…
Blog Post
May 21, 2019
Who is Supporting Student Success? A Faculty Perspective
In the course of their higher education career, students come into contact with faculty members, librarians, advisors, other students, and many others at their college or university who aim to help them achieve their academic and personal goals. Definitions of “student success” can vary widely and be attributed to a variety of institutional and non-institutional contributors and factors. Who most significantly contributes to this success from a faculty perspective? Where does the library…
Blog Post
May 13, 2019
Looking at Data Communities
New Issue Brief on STEM Research Data Sharing
There is a growing perception that science can progress more quickly, more innovatively, and more rigorously when researchers share data with one another. Amid a growing array of organizations, initiatives, and policies working toward this vision, there is a pressing need to decide strategically on the best ways to move forward. Central to this decision is the issue of scale. Is data sharing best assessed and supported on an international or national scale? By discipline? On a university-by-university basis? Or…
Issue Brief
May 13, 2019
Data Communities
A New Model for Supporting STEM Data Sharing
As organizations and initiatives designed to promote STEM data sharing multiply – within, across, and outside academic institutions – there is a pressing need to decide strategically on the best ways to move forward. Central to this decision is the issue of scale. Is data sharing best assessed and supported on an international or national scale? By broad academic sector (engineering, biomedical)? By discipline? On a university-by-university basis? Or using another unit of analysis altogether? To the extent that there…
Blog Post
May 8, 2019
The Usability of Research Data: If We Curate, Will They Reuse It?
During the last seven years, Ithaka S+R has conducted in-depth qualitative analyses of the research practices of academics in several fields. While the studies have highlighted disciplinary differences in research data sharing and reuse decisions in various academic communities, it is striking to observe that most of the scholars described similar requirements and roadblocks when it comes to reusing data. For instance, in their recent report on the changing research…
Past Event
May 23, 2019
What Key Faculty Findings Reveal for Libraries
Melissa Blankstein and Christine Wolff-Eisenberg Present at Library Connect Webinar
On Thursday, May 23, from 11:00 am – noon (EST), Melissa Blankstein and Christine Wolff-Eisenberg are presenting on the findings from the US Faculty Survey for Elsevier’s Library Connect. To register, please see the Library Connect website. About the webinar Would you like to explore opportunities to evolve or shape new library services based on quantitative data? Join us for a presentation of the Ithaka S+R Faculty Survey. The presenters will share insights into faculty research, teaching and publishing…
Past Event
June 11, 2019
Christine Wolff-Eisenberg to Deliver Keynote Address at WALDO Conference
On Tuesday, June 11, Christine Wolff-Eisemberg is delivering the keynote address at the Westchester Academic Library Directors Organization (WALDO) Conference, “What Do They Want From Us? Surveying Patrons Across the Library Landscape.” The conference is taking place at Fordham University’s Walsh Library.
Past Event
June 14, 2019
Roger Schonfeld to Deliver Keynote Address at METRO Library Council Symposium
On Friday, June 14, Roger Schonfeld is delivering the morning keynote address at the METRO Library Council’s Symposium, “If We Build It…: Sustainable Funding in Libraries and Archives.” Roger’s talk, “Sustaining and Sunsetting Innovation and Collaboration,” begins at 10:00 am, and the symposium is being held at the METRO Library Council offices in New York City. For more information and to register, please see the symposium’s event page. …
Past Event
May 21, 2019
Rebecca Springer at FAIRification of External Data Workshop
On Tuesday, May 21, Rebecca Springer is presenting a poster on “Data Communities: Understanding How and Why Scholars Share Data.” Her poster is part of the 2019 P-D-R Workshop, “FAIRification of External Data: Breaking down the Data Silos,” taking place at the Heathrow Marriott Hotel in the United Kingdom. For more information about the program, please see the event press release. …
Blog Post
May 7, 2019
CNI Spring Meeting Presentation on Scholars as Collectors
Video Recording Now Available
At CNI’s Spring Meeting in April, we had the pleasure of presenting some of the highlights from the recent Ithaka S+R brief on scholars as collectors and discuss the implications, benefits, trade-offs, and other key questions that must be taken into account when considering different models for supporting scholarly collecting. It was one of the talks selected for recording and is now available on CNI’s…
Past Event
May 20, 2019
National Survey: Local Findings
Join Us for a Webinar on May 20
Last month, we published the US Faculty Survey 2018, a national survey that tracks the research, teaching, and publishing practices of higher education faculty members at four-year colleges and universities. Thirteen libraries fielded a local version of the Ithaka S+R faculty survey concurrently with the national survey, and we are pleased to be hosting a webinar featuring librarians from two of these institutions. National Survey, Local Findings: Two Librarians Share the Impact of the Ithaka S+R…