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For the first time, data are used to explore the current degree of management feminization in Spain's leading archives and libraries. By examining male directors' perception of the possible implications of the profession's feminization on their work, this study contributes to research into the feminization of the archival profession and librarianship. The various results were cross-checked, revealing that both current data and 40-year-old data show a prevalence of female leadership and therefore feminized management in Spain's main archives and libraries. Pertinent contributions on the historical process of these professions' feminization in Spain are offered, together with surprising data on the low number of female directors in international professional organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much has been written about the demographic make-up of librarianship, which remains overwhelmingly white and female, but little has been discussed about the socioeconomic background of folks entering the field. In this column, I explore some of the ways that coming from a financially disadvantaged background can impact both entering the profession and the experience of working within it. A mix of practical and aspirational action items are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a survey of library and information professionals in positions of leadership regarding the skills and knowledge expected of MLS program graduates seeking employment in their organizations. The survey demonstrates that, as libraries and other information agencies continue to expand their role as a vital resource within a community, academic institution, or business, it is critical for prospective library employees to develop a balanced array of competencies that combines soft skills, such as adaptability, leadership potential and team orientation, as well as hard technical skills that have traditionally been important for daily library operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigated job demands and requirements in the American Library Association (ALA) job website. The states with the highest number of library and information science (LIS) job openings were California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Washington. Academic libraries had the highest number of job openings, followed by Public libraries and Government libraries, respectively. The most sought-after LIS job categories were Administration/Management, Special Collections/Archives, Subject Specialist/Liaison, Information Literacy and Instruction, and Collection Development/Acquisitions. A significant majority of libraryrelated jobs required a Master's degree. These findings benefit LIS researchers, educators, professionals, and job seekers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The academic library is an institution in continual flux, with ever-growing demands and challenges for its leadership. Many leadership development texts focus on implementing selected styles or techniques in order to deal with these challenges. However, this article explores how developing reflexivity is an essential component of leadership development for academic library leaders. In order to develop this reflexivity, leaders must become disembedded via relational practices such as engaging within interstitial spaces. Discussion of the topic yields three suggested relational practices for leaders to become disembedded in their quest for reflexivity: (1) participating in regular strategic assessment; (2) cultivating faculty relationships; and (3) engaging in student outreach and embedded librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research impact librarianship is an area within the profession that continues to grow out of need for dedicated expertise of bibliometrics and other various assessment measures. There are numerous methods of creating or re-imagining research impact services. As is common practice within librarianship, sharing experiences and best practices for service provision, especially burgeoning services, is invaluable and informs other professionals about successes they can potentially adapt into their plans for doing similar work. The Libraries at the University of Houston is in the midst of creating a research visibility and impact program born out of an initiative to elevate the university's level of prestige and impact by developing personnel, programs, and practices to support research visibility and impact across the institution. This article discusses the University of Houston Libraries' process and progress toward formalizing research impact services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many considerations to take before embarking on a new project or creating a new community partnership. Many such considerations are undocumented and not widely taught in Master of Library and Information Science programs. This article fills in the gap with suggested steps to take before implementing a new service or partnership. Recommendations stem from the author's own experiences and aim to help public library workers—from staff to administration—avoid possible pitfalls and become effective advocates for focus and intentionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial literacy (FL) is an important ability needed by any individual to understand, evaluate, and communicate business and financial information. Having accurate financial information increases one's competency to be financial literate. It is regarded as a common and basic life skill that libraries can develop for their users. Using purposive sampling, this study ponders into the status and challenges of eight public city libraries in the Philippines in terms of providing FL education and how they can potentially share a role in developing the economy of a country. Public libraries' readiness to serve their users can be observed in terms of their collection, web presence, services, and programs. The level of financial knowledge and competencies of city librarians were also assessed. A look into the available professional development programs for public librarians in business and finance librarianship was reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the potential benefits of eliminating the requirement of a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) for branch library management positions. Waiving the requirement attracts a wider range of candidates, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) applicants. Many of the skills necessary for library jobs—such as building community relationships and overseeing budgets—do not necessarily come from acquiring an MLIS and, in fact, are more likely to come from other experiences. At the same time, the MLIS does offer foundational knowledge about library values and professional ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This opinion paper discusses the impact of the Library and Information Science (LIS) course/program accreditation, and implications for graduating students when it excludes an international element. The case study describes the accreditation status of Zimbabwe's LIS training and qualifications, while also gathering insight from international practices. Results reveal the need for a solid support system to the LIS profession from various constituents including LIS curriculum developers, library associations, and an environment that encourages library and information professionals to possess qualifications relevant to their respective markets and innovation. The paper concludes with a recommendation for international accreditation practices, principles and standards that produce well-equipped, versatile LIS professionals. In exploring the process and implications of international accreditation and recognition of library science qualifications in Zimbabwe, the paper holds promise for informing other situations beyond Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides initial insight into the infrastructure surrounding outdoor public librarianship, a term introduced in this article. Data from a Fall 2021 survey revealed many libraries moved programs and services outside during Summer 2021. Library workers predominantly used local infrastructure, supplemented by some extralocal infrastructure (primarily their peers within the profession), to develop and implement these programs and services. Data reveal these services are expected to continue, and possibly expand. Given this potential growth, future research to uncover effective practices is needed so that libraries can effectively help their communities benefit from being outside in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to evaluate the research trends in the discipline of library and information science (LIS) originating from the group of nations known as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The Web of Science core collection database (WoSCC) has been used to extract the published data during the period 1989–2020. Furthermore, VoSviewer and Bibliometrix R package software have been employed for bibliometric analysis of data and data visualization. Results from data analysis indicate that China has the highest number of publications. There is a positive upward trend in scientific publications and citation patterns. Scientometrics is the most influential journal with the highest number of publications. Wuhan University is the most productive institution. Fourie I (n = 233) attains the first rank as the most prolific author based on the highest number of research publications. The overall collaboration rate of LIS publications among BRICS countries is moderate. Deep learning, machine learning, sentiment analysis, altmetrics, and artificial intelligence are the leading topics in LIS research among BRICS nations. The study will be of interest or helpful for researchers and professionals in the LIS research field who are interested in learning more about research trends in LIS in the BRICS nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although emotional labor—defined as the process(es) by which a worker manages their feelings in order to produce the desired emotional response in a customer—has been studied in various fields and specific domains of librarianship, this topic has yet to be examined in school librarianship. In this exploratory article, I perform a close reading of school librarian job postings to surface expectations of emotional labor and explicate connections to the feminized history of librarianship. The article closes with a call to action, outlining steps for administrators and researchers to prevent the potential harms of emotional labor in school librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library and Information Science (LIS) literature on employee engagement is scarce, with most publications focusing on a related concept of job satisfaction. This article, however, contributes to an understanding of engagement experiences as manifested by public librarians in the context of working with immigrant communities. The study, guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and conducted through qualitative interviews, relies on William Kahn's classical theory of employee engagement and investigates the expression of three components—meaningfulness, safety, and availability—in the work of these individuals. The sample is recruited from library staff serving immigrant populations in large metropolitan libraries in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and New York City, USA. The study concludes that the most important component of engagement in this research population is the meaningfulness of one's work which, in itself, is a composite and complex concept, elucidated in great detail in the study. Meaningfulness is followed by the availability of energies invested in librarians' workplace roles, with safety as the least significant factor. The study observes that librarians' approach to working with immigrants is akin to following a calling, not simply performing work-related duties. It also notes that the phenomenon of vocational awe influences and accounts for librarians' dedicated and committed service to immigrant communities even when the workplace safety net is tentative and uncertain. These findings provide food for thought to public library managers who wish to support and retain their talented, dedicated, and culturally competent staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column highlights the work of Georgia school librarian Cicely Lewis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant research has been done on morale within libraries focusing on librarians as teachers, administrators, staff, and faculty members. This review is the second in a series of two with the purpose of providing suggestions on ways to improve morale in librarians and library staff. The first part of this review discusses contributors to low morale in these populations. Searches were conducted between Spring 2020 and 2021 across six databases and by hand (Medline via PubMed, Library and Information Science Collection via ProQuest, Sociological Abstracts via ProQuest, PsycInfo via EBSCO, Library Literature and Information Science Full Text via EBSCO, and ERIC via EBSCO). Broad and narrow searches were performed utilizing keywords and controlled vocabulary terms related to morale and librarians or library staff. Results were reviewed by authors in three stages according to inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in the article. The initial search resulted in 735 articles for review. After completion of a three-stage review process and hand search, 52 articles remained. The search and hand search update resulted in 13 additional articles for a total of 65 articles for inclusion in the initial review. These articles were then split into two main groups: articles that address contributors to low morale and those that provide suggestions for improving morale. This article will address 28/65 articles retrieved that provided suggestions for improving morale within libraries. There is currently a large body of research on morale related to librarians and library staff; however, it is worth reexamining morale as librarianship and the world around it continues to change. Researchers confirmed that libraries have unique cultures based upon their region, overarching institution, type of library, customer or patron base, and other factors. As such, supervisors must be creative in terms of encouraging their staff and must adapt morale improvement efforts to their individual institution as material resources are not always available as rewards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the general consensus that field experience during library school is important for applying theory to practical situations, there is a lack of understanding about what students want from, and the barriers they face to acquire, graduate employment. A survey was sent to ALA accredited Master of Library Science programs in the United States, asking students about their library employment status and to rank factors that influenced their decision to accept their positions. Patterns emerged when results were grouped by various life factors. The results of this study show what students are looking for from employment, which could help employers recruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As society emerges from an unprecedented pandemic that saw the closure of libraries, schools, and universities worldwide, the potential lasting impacts on institutions, professions, and communities can begin to be assessed. Through a bibliometric study of COVID-19-related library publishing, combined with thematic coding of article abstracts, this paper provides an initial glimpse into the impacts of the pandemic on library operations, services, collections, and the workforce. Two hundred thirty-seven journal articles published in 2020 about libraries and the pandemic were identified and analyzed. These articles indicate broad cross-sectoral, global impacts on libraries and librarianship. This analysis provides a baseline for future research on the lasting effects of the pandemic on the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant research has been done on morale within libraries, focusing on librarians as teachers, administrators, staff, and faculty members. This review is the first in a series of two with the intention to provide perspective on contributors to low morale in librarians and library staff. The second part of this review will be forthcoming and will discuss ways to improve morale in these populations. Searches were conducted between Spring 2020 and 2021 across six databases (Medline via PubMed, Library and Information Science Collection via ProQuest, Sociological Abstracts via ProQuest, PsycInfo via EBSCO, Library Literature and Information Science Full Text via EBSCO, and ERIC via EBSCO). A hand search was added in Spring 2021 in the interest of completeness. Broad and narrow searches were performed utilizing keywords and controlled vocabulary terms related to morale and librarians or library staff. Results were reviewed by authors in three stages according to inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in the article. The initial search resulted in 735 articles for review. After completion of a three-stage review process and initial hand search, 52 articles remained. The search update and hand search update resulted in 13 additional articles for a total of 65 articles for inclusion in the initial review. These articles were then split into two main groups: articles that address contributors to low morale and those that provide suggestions for improving morale. This article will address 40/65 articles retrieved that discuss contributors to low moral within libraries. Remaining articles and articles that discuss both contributors to low morale and ways in which to improve morale will be discussed in the second half of this review series. There is currently a large body of research on morale related to librarians and library staff; however, it is worth reexamining morale as this profession and the world around it continues to change. Researchers confirmed that libraries have unique cultures based upon their region, overarching institution, type of library, customer or patron base, and other factors. As such, supervisors and managerial staff indicate the importance of examining the culture of one's own library including the motivations of staff/faculty and barriers that they encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This unique study of subject specialists in the academic libraries of the Pac-12 conference universities may be long overdue. The strength of the investigation is a focused sample size and unique inferential statistical analysis of a survey of subject specialists. Pac-12 libraries vary widely with respect to the system's combination of public and private universities, and those who hire candidates with only the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) and an additional advanced subject degree. This investigation has the possibility of promoting greater awareness for future roles in which subject specialists may participate and create innovative solutions within academic libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column examines the trends and changes that have been noted by this school librarian in the past 15 years of service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project management as a discipline has been around for decades within such fields as business and manufacturing, however, the library profession has seen slower adoption, along with apparent gaps in training support. In 2018, an American Library Association project team surveyed library professionals regarding their experiences with project management in their organizations and LIS programs. The results highlighted a number of gaps in project management practices in libraries and preparation among library professionals for managing projects. Recommendations are given for ALA Core and for library administrators to address gaps in training and support of project management in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-perception of early career Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates' Information and Communications Technology (ICT) competencies with the expectations of senior Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals' in Pakistan. A quantitative research approach based on a survey was used in the study. Purposive sampling technique was employed to collect data from 100 early career LIS graduates and 100 LIS professionals having more than five years' experience through a questionnaire. The researcher received 89 questionnaires from senior LIS professionals and 91 from early-career Department of Information Management (DoIM) graduates resulting in a 89% and 91% response rate respectively. The results of the study indicate that there is a gap between the expectations of senior LIS professionals' and the perceptions of early career LIS graduates' regarding their ICT competencies. Senior LIS professionals expected that early-career LIS graduates would have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office, computer operating systems, computer hardware and functions, social networking sites, electronic database searching, and institutional repository software. Senior LIS professionals also expected that early career LIS graduates should be familiar with research management tools such as Endnote, Mendeley and Zotero, integrated library systems and plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin and SafeAssign. The early career LIS graduates reported that they were expected to have knowledge of above-said expertise and that iy was considered essential for their future jobs. The findings of the study would be beneficial for the faculty of library schools and policymakers to make changes in the curriculum so as to minimize the gap between academia and the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "meeting science" first appears in the 2015 publication The Cambridge Handbook of Meeting Science, edited by Allen, Lehamann–Willenbrock, and Rogelberg. The field looks at actual meetings and their components, usually through observations and surveys. As meetings occur in virtually every library environment, it behooves an investigation. There is a lack of empirical studies for meeting science in libraries. This article adds to the growing body of research in the area, explored from a library perspective. The authors investigate the predictors of success for productive meetings, librarian perceptions of effective meeting leadership, and best practices for meeting leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the academic librarianship literature, a significant amount of research on burnout, and excessive workload has been conducted. However, researchers frame the issue differently: some view this conflict as a work–life boundary issue, others view it simply as in-role related responsibility conflicts. This study focuses on the in-role related responsibility conflicts of Special Collections librarians in public services. Survey findings revealed that some current responsibilities exceeded the official position description of Special Collections librarians, and professionals were at times ambivalent about those additional responsibilities. Areas for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management Basics for Information Professionals, 4th edition, by G. Edwards Evans and Stacy Greenwell is intended as a textbook for the introductory library management course with the secondary objective of helping librarians hone their management skills. The authors aim to cover management issues in all types and sizes of libraries but focus more on academic and public libraries. The 22 chapters adequately cover the broad scope of management topics including self-management and career development. Positives include stressing that management is an art rather than a science, that no one strategy will succeed in all situations, and that managers must be aware of the internal and external environment. Additional examples of turning abstract principles into practice, more humor, and increased contributions from the behavioral sciences would have strengthened the text. A supplementary 150 page document that provides challenging case studies for classroom use is available upon request. Overall, I highly recommend this textbook and would use it if I were to teach the basic management course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting global health priorities through the development of robust health science librarianship partnerships is of significant importance. Increased demand for synthesizing evidence-based information, collating quality resources, and increasing research productivity to improve human health requires integration of library and information science skills and expertise. The Health Sciences Library (HSL) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), exists to be an indispensable partner in health information and knowledge, teaching and learning, and research. As global efforts at UNC expanded, the HSL sought to ensure that our global engagement strategy and integration were aligned with campus priorities and partner needs. The HSL created a global research partnership plan: identify resources that improve efficiency, increase access to information, build in-country capacity and expertise—all while strengthening collaborations across multiple countries. Creating a meaningful and sustainable engagement strategy was central to envisioning our path forward and can be used as a framework for consideration by librarians in similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference, liaison, subject librarianship: all of these terms traditionally describe a combination of research assistance, instruction, and collection management. This study used structured interviews with 15 librarians at 14 geographically dispersed, medium to large academic institutions to investigate the current state of reference and liaison librarianship. Library administrators' views are important to understanding the future of this work since they advocate for resources if they see the necessity. Findings included agreement on the goals of the work and the urgent need to communicate its value in the current higher education landscape; however, the specific means of communication and the types of work that being a partner could include varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library science programs must be responsive to the wide variety of workplace needs to ensure that graduating students are prepared with appropriate knowledge and skills regardless of where their career path brings them, and to do so they must understand the various needs and expectations of the field. Through a nationwide study of over 2,000 current professionals and LIS faculty, this study examines the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified as core for special and corporate librarians. The results help establish a baseline of skills for corporate and special librarians, which will be of interest to current and emerging professionals interested in a career in these settings and could have implications for LIS education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a plethora of job advertisement analyses in librarianship, few studies examine advertisements for skilled special collections professionals in public services. This study analyzed job advertisements for special collections professionals in public services in 2017–2019 to understand the extent to which duties go beyond reference, instruction, and outreach. In many cases, academic librarianship requires one to manage librarianship responsibilities alongside scholarship demands, and this article reveals how expanding responsibilities may generate work–work conflict leading to burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians experience a significant amount of job-related stress, which can lead to the psychological condition of burnout. This article explores existing literature on the subject and also details a new study undertaken by the authors. The study explored stressors, coping mechanisms, and the relationship between burnout predictors and reported stressors. Subjects of the study indicated that patron issues were the most prevalent stressor, while exercising, meditation, and breathing were the most common coping mechanisms. Workload was the most reported predictor of burnout. One of the other major findings was that stress on the job had no relationship to the demographic variables of age, years of librarianship experience, or gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries must continually adapt to meet the ever-changing needs of users. Doing so requires the ability to be flexible and respond quickly. This is a case study of how The George Washington University Libraries rethought its approach to collection development using a cross-functional, team-based strategy that leveraged the benefits of Agile project management. Adopting an Agile approach to collection development maximized the impact of the library's financial resources and enabled staff to develop new skills. This project underscores the value of collaboration, agility, and experimentation in libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the reduced number of free-standing library schools, one common model places IT students and LIS students within the same unit. Doing so raises questions about how to teach management. IT students will most likely work in revenue generating organizations while most libraries have assured continuing funding. IT organizations normally provide less job security but also offer greater economic opportunities. Librarians have less risk of being fired, but salary gains are more limited. IT students seeking a master's degree usually need technical competencies for admission while LIS students get admitted from all disciplines without any prior courses in library science. LIS students with a liberal arts degree are better prepared for the complexities of management. Most MLIS librarians will have management responsibilities. IT students may not. Finally, IT is disproportionately male while LIS is a female profession. The column concludes with some ways to provide adequate management education to both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singapore teenagers are digitally-wired and mobile device-driven. Growing up digital, the question is how are their reading habits like? To better understand the state of reading for leisure in a highly digitally-wired country, the Singapore's National Library Board (NLB) conducted the inaugural population-wide National Reading Habits Study in 2016 among Singaporeans aged 13 years and above. A mixed-method research design in the form of a quantitative survey and focus group discussions was employed for the study. This paper focuses on the reading habits of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19. The study ascertained that 71% of Singapore teenagers read any material for leisure frequently, i.e. at least a few times a week. Half of them (51%) indicated reading online articles on social media or websites, with the proportion for social media higher compared to websites. However, few of them had read news (35%) or books (32%) frequently. The study also found that the internet and digital devices are a double-edged sword, as they help them to read more, but at the same time distract them from reading due to their active connection to friends on social media. Strategies to better engage Singapore teenagers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will introduce and illustrate process mapping as a valuable tool in the academic library setting. Commonly used in the business world, process mapping is the practice of gathering information regarding a specific workflow and diagraming it visually, usually in the form of a flowchart. This representation can then be analyzed for process improvement. In addition to helping assess current workflow efficiency, process mapping is a valuable way for employees throughout the library to see how they are contributing to essential processes. Process mapping can also help to identify areas where departments can work to further collaborate and can contribute to knowledge management and continuity. This article will highlight the valuable benefits of process mapping and document the authors' experience focusing this activity on the operations at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's J. Murrey Atkins Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has offered a multi-layered approach to serving our schools with the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. The AASL Standards provide a valuable resource for professional development and a touchstone to inspire us to consider anew the basic elements of our profession. In this first column, one of the six Shared Foundations, "Include", provides a way to consider several issues important to school libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the field of crisis management has grown considerably, academic curricula do not seem to have kept pace. This study investigates how library and information science (LIS) programs are addressing the need to provide adequate and relevant crisis management course content, so as to better empower librarians and other information professionals during community-based disasters and unpredictable circumstances. Twenty-eight ALA-accredited MLIS programs were evaluated. A four-phase model for evaluating crisis management content in LIS education (CM-LIS) has been developed. Crisis management topics were identified and categorized under the four phases: landscape survey, strategic planning, crisis management, and organizational learning. Six broad LIS subject modules were also identified to analyze the percentage of coverage of these topics. In the 264 course syllabi evaluated, curricula indirectly prepare librarians on how to meet and respond to crises and disasters within their communities; however, in many cases, this is given low priority. There is not a strong consideration for natural disasters and the societal calamities and unrest that dominate the media and occupy the minds of individual communities. This study gives insight into crisis-management education within LIS graduate degrees and should stimulate additional research to further investigate the preparedness of librarians and other information professionals to interact with communities in need in times of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As data services gain momentum in academic libraries, liaison librarians are expected to be part of the education force for data literacy. Nonetheless, due to the broad scope of data literacy, training librarians to improve data-related skills can be challenging. This article used consultation statistics to identify tools and resources employed to solve users’ data questions. The results offered insights into users’ data needs and provided librarians with a clear direction to further develop data skills in their assigned disciplines. The methodology used in this study can be replicated at other institutions to identify needs and to direct professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT. Global outlook on library visitorship and loans point to a downward trend in physical visits and loans, whilst digital visits and loans are trending up. Singapore’s network of public libraries has not been spared and has been experiencing the same phenomenon of either declining or slow growth in visitorship and loans in the recent years. An inaugural nation-wide population study was launched in 2016 to comprehensively understand the state of reading in Singapore, reading motivation, and barriers to reading, lifestyle mapping, media technology habits, and Information- and knowledge-seeking habits. This article focuses on Singaporeans’ reading habits in physical and digital format. The findings shed light on ways Singapore libraries can attract the general public to make use of library content and services and can regain market share and remain relevant in the longer run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In advance of loss of archival space, a health sciences library developed a plan to weed and organize its archives. Working with the health sciences center foundation and campus academic affairs officials, the library hired a local archivist on a contract basis, for the last quarter of 2017, to execute this plan. This case study describes the organizational context, details and administrative implications of the project. This description is a unique contribution to the literature about the use of contract labor in health sciences library collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, ProQuest started advertising their new Access to Own (ATO) model for ebooks as an alternative to their other Demand Driven Acquisition (DDA) models. The ATO model was touted as applying the cost of loans toward title ownership to balance costs of purchasing and loans. This article shares the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries' history of ebook DDA and the process of transition to a DDA ATO model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important component of librarianship is the connection between a library and its community. Advisory committees or boards are a valuable tools for a leader to manage this connection and provides a leader with external expertise that can make a significant impact on a library community. However, advisory bodies need to be established for specific purposes and require a significant time commitment to ensure that members are contributing in a meaningful way. There are cautions in working with advisory bodies but the benefits of tapping into the potential benefits are worth the time and effort in working with community volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In library and information science (LIS), mentoring is often viewed as a significant influence on student choices and professional career directions. Most mentoring programs are built around the idea of a ‘seasoned’ or experienced professional working with an individual who is new to the profession. There is a common assumption of the mentoring process being a primarily one-way relationship – with the mentor sharing knowledge with a mentee. However, in our recent research, it is clear that mentoring is often seen as a much more reciprocal relationship. What does this mean for how we, as a profession, should try to create mentoring opportunities? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This issue ofJournal of Library Administrationmarks a transition of editorship for “Global Perspectives.” This column will provide a retrospective of past contributions under the founding Editor, Jim Agee. It will look briefly at the landscape of libraries and library organizations worldwide from a variety of sources, and conclude with a call for future submissions, with updated and expanded parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Library consortia are typically nonprofit entities that exist to promote the interests and concerns of their member libraries. Activities may include licensing e-resources such as databases, ejournals, ebooks, and other library tools; operating shared library platforms; providing union catalogs and regional delivery and a host of other services. Most library consortia are governed by a board of directors and have active involvement with librarians in their member institutions. Conflict of interest policies have been instituted in many library consortia to provide good governance and to make sure that the needs of the organization are the primary purpose of participants and not the personal interests of stakeholders. An examination of some of the key elements of conflict of interest policies in nonprofit organizations are examined with specific application to library consortia. The key elements in all of the policies that were examined are transparency and disclosure. Organizations vary on the level of proactive disclosure that is required with some requiring extensive disclosure statements and others providing a simple acknowledgement of a conflict of interest policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article gives the author's evaluation of the relative structural advantages and disadvantages of classroom and online education. He believes that online education is more effective in teaching concepts and individual skills because it offers the possibility of requiring all students to interact more frequently with course content and allows them to work at their own pace and to review course materials. He was not, however, willing to teach management online because the classroom experience is better at teaching, through interactive exercises, a focus on student interactions, and the use of guest lecturers, the soft skills needed for successful management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty status and tenure are goals for many academic librarians in the Southeast. However, the adoption of tenure differs between institutions. In an effort to discover how much adherence there is to the ACRL Standards for Faculty Status for Academic Librarians, librarians at the University of South Alabama sent a survey to 148 public universities in this region. The results illustrated the significant areas of consensus and where consensus was lacking. The outcome suggested the standards were not fully applied, showed the need for further study, and suggested a reassessment of the ACRL Standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Just as there are many types of library environments, the librarians working within those spaces represent a variety of experiences, job skills, and perspectives. Librarians develop these qualities through library curricula and on-the-job experience. While some librarians spend their careers in one type of library, others may travel between library environments and gain a wider range of experiences and skills. Decisions to transition between library types may be triggered by personal and professional motivators. Results of this survey confirm some librarians are actively and successfully transitioning between library environments as an alternative career path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When exploring the overall impact of the academic library on the undergraduate experience library student workers are a unique group to consider. As both direct users and providers of library services to their peers, student workers enable libraries to gain an understanding of the general undergraduate population. The objective of this article is to present the findings of a study of undergraduate students employed at a university research library. A questionnaire distributed to 350 student workers gathered information about who they are and how they engage with their communities. This article will look at the value working in an academic library brings to undergraduates' lives. It will consider whether working in the library promotes student success, builds community, and provides them with valuable opportunities to engage in peer networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent trends in librarianship point to themes of crafters, artisans, and makers in library spaces. The American Library Association's Center for the Future of Libraries includes the Maker Movement as one of its trends. Librarians can support these makers and entrepreneurs by thinking of libraries as a place to create through community building and engagement, and considering job skills needed for success and confidence to staff such spaces, but this transformation requires administrative support. This article summarizes this movement for libraries and suggests a route to success through a case study of a year-long grant on Making Maker librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]