Interaction and knowledge exchange among academic business librarians in Ontario

A research project submitted to the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Communications and Technology in 2005.

International Activities of Canadian Librarians

Guest editorial for themed issue on international activities of Canadian librarians.

Multiple Roles of Librarians

a survey of academic librarians investigating other roles on campus they may work in besides that of librarian (ex. ESL teacher, aerobics instructor)

Collegial Self-Governance for Professional Librarians: A Look at the Advantages of the Establishment of a Library Council and its Role in the Lives of the Librarians in the Brock University Faculty Association

The ability to perform collegial governance is a cornerstone of modern universities in the United States and Canada. This idea of governance is well practiced among faculty members but is not often practiced to the same extent with librarians in those same institutions. In this chapter, I will look at a popular form of collegial governance called the Library Council. Further, I will examine how the Library Council at Brock University has enabled librarians there to perform meaningful collegial self-governance.

Remembering Lessons Learned: knowledge management techniques for building generational memory

A presentation made at the CAUT Librarians Conference in Ottawa, Ontario in October 2005.

The perfect space: classroom environments and learning outcomes

Presentation at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference, January 28-21, 2015, Toronto, ON.

Scholarship as a Conversation: A Metaphor for Librarian-ESL Instructor Collaboration

Invoking the metaphor of scholarship as a conversation offers academic librarians an excellent way to connect information literacy to university ESL (English as a second language) classes. This article describes how this particular metaphor has appeared in the literature of librarianship, and it suggests that this metaphor offers a deeper way to understand and promote information literacy to ESL students. It connects this deeper understanding of information literacy to ESL writing and speaking instructional approaches. These approaches include understanding scholarship as both a formal written end product and as a writing process in the creation, production and dissemination of knowledge. In addition, understanding scholarship as a conversation is described as including recognition of both formal and informal means of communication. Practical examples of classroom activities are also offered that librarians can use to support these different ways of illustrating scholarship as a conversation. Collaboration between librarians and instructors is advocated in order to fully invoke this metaphor as a way to connect information literacy to ESL classrooms.

Stories of Informal Mentorship: Recognizing the Voices of Mentees in Academic Libraries

Based on the 2014 OLA Super Conference session “Mentorship in Academic Libraries: A Universe of Possibilities,” this article explores the benefits of informal mentorship in its various forms and how librarians are embracing a new way of thinking about mentorship both individually and organizationally. The lived experiences of two professional academic librarians are shared as they argue that informal mentorship offers the opportunity to co-create a meaningful mentorship experience by recognizing the importance of the mentee’s voice. This paper will discuss the value of informal mentorship and how, when certain elements are present within it, this model can allow us to reimagine mentorship in academic libraries. Concepts such as “accidental” mentorship, “purposeful” mentorship, mentorship “network,” and “peer” mentorship are discussed.

Working Together: Librarian and Student Collaboration Through Active Learning in a Library Eclassroom

Active learning strategies based on several learning theories were incorporated during instruction sessions for second year Biological Sciences students. The instructional strategies described in this paper are based primarily on sociocultural and collaborative learning theory, with the goal being to expand the relatively small body of literature currently available that discusses the application of these learning theories to library instruction. The learning strategies employed successfully involved students in the learning process ensuring that the experiences were appropriate and effective. The researchers found that, as a result of these strategies (e.g. teaching moments based on the emerging needs of students) students’ interest in learning information literacy was increased and students interacted with information given to them as well as with their peers. Collaboration between the Librarians, Co-op Student and Senior Lab Instructor helped to enhance the learning experience for students and also revealed new aspects of the active learning experiences. The primary learning objective, which was to increase the students’ information skills in the Biological Sciences, was realized. The advantages of active learning were realized by both instructors and students. Advantages for students attained during these sessions include having their diverse learning styles addressed; increased interaction with and retention of information; increased responsibility for their own learning; the opportunity to value not only the instructors, but also themselves and their peers as sources of authority and knowledge; improved problem solving abilities; increased interest and opportunities for critical thinking, as a result of the actively exchanging information in a group. The primary advantage enjoyed by the instructors was the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to reduce the preparation required to create effective library instruction sessions. Opportunities for further research were also discovered, including the degree to which “social loafing” plays a role in collaborative, active learning.