2024 New Jersey Academic Libraries Conference
Getting There: Driving Directions & Parking Information | PDF Full Program Schedule | One Page Abridged Program | Venue Floor Plan
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Thank you to all who contributed planning, participation, and presentations for the 2024 New Jersey Academic Libraries Conference!
Photos from the conference can be viewed here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB9Z6V
Breakout slides & Posters are linked below.
Sponsors
Schedule
- 8:30 am – 9:45 am: Registration, Breakfast, & Poster Sessions
- 8:30 am – 9:45 am: Exhibitor Networking
- LibraryLinkNJ, EBSCO, Gale, HeinOnline, LexisNexis, Clarivate, Sage, Adam Matthew, Statista, OverDrive, The New York Times, NJLA Store, NJASL
- 10 am – 11 am: Welcome & Keynote
- Welcome remarks by Dr. Linda Shcherr, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dr. Mark McCormick, President, Middlesex College
- Keynote Address, “Libraries for the Win!”, by Emily Drabinski, American Library Association President
- 11:10 am – 12 pm: Breakout Session I
- 12 pm – 1 pm: Lunch & Organizational Updates
- Lunch Sponsored by Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Lunch Updates:
- NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ – Gary Marks, President
- State Library – Michael Maziekien, Shared Services Specialist
- LibraryLinkNJ – Ralph Bingham, Executive Director
- New Jersey Library Association – Carina Gonzalez, President
- VALE – Taras Pavlovsky, Treasurer, VALE Executive Committee
- 1 pm – 1:30 pm: 25 Years of VALE Celebration
- 1:45 pm – 2:35 pm: Breakout Session II
- 2:45 pm – 3:35 pm: Breakout Session III
- 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm: Post Conference Networking/Coffee & Tea Social
Details
Your registration includes:
- Keynote & Breakout Sessions
- Breakfast & Lunch
- Post Conference Coffee & Tea Social
Keynote: Emily Drabinksi
Emily Drabinski is Associate Professor in the Queens (N.Y.) College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She edits Gender and Sexuality in Information Studies, a book series from Library Juice Press/Litwin Books. Drabinski currently serves as President of the American Library Association.
Libraries for the Win!
Librarians are experts at the pivot. We move between print indexes, CD-ROMS, and relational databases with ease, leaping big technology shifts in a single bound. We offer readers advisory while explaining how to find the bathroom and advocate for increased library funding in the moments in between. But we can’t do it alone! Join ALA President Emily Drabinski for a discussion of the good work libraries do, the support we need to keep it going, and strategies for staying nimble as we fight for the world we want.
Poster Sessions (8:30 am – 9:45 am)
P01. What Was Old is New Again
Isabel Gray, Camden County College; Lorraine Smith, Camden County College
In 2016, our Learning Resource Center (LRC) which included the academic support services of the library, tutoring, eLearning and the computer lab were relocated from the LRC to different buildings throughout campus and non-college entities moved into the LRC with the library, not ideal for community or student success. In 2023, in an effort to promote community, the academic support services moved under one division and were relocated back to the new Learning Commons. This poster session will include our before and after, showing how the 2016 split hurt student success while the new Learning Commons approach helps student success.
P02. NJLA-CUS/ACRL-NJ Get to Know Us!
Gary Marks, William Paterson University
This poster outlines the NJ Library Association College & University Section & Association of College & Research Libraries NJ Chapter. Learn about the organization and all of the committees available to you.
P03. Enhancing Electronic Resource Management using Power BI in Walsh Library, Seton Hall University: A Dashboard Creation
Renu Sharma, Seton Hall University; Lisa Thornton, Seton Hall University
Electronic Resource Management (ERM) is a critical aspect of modern libraries involving the acquisition, licensing, usage tracking, and cost management of electronic resources. Effective ERM requires robust tools for data analysis and visualization. The goal of this project is to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of managing electronic resources through visualization. A dashboard was created by collecting data from usage reports, integrating collected data and incorporating various visual elements using Power BI to understand various aspects of ERM. This aids in making informed decisions and taking appropriate actions based on the insights provided by the dashboard.
P04. “They’re Just Pictures!”: The Value of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels in an Academic Library
Caitlin Connelly, Georgian Court University; Adele Conway, Georgian Court University
While comics, manga, and graphic novels have found a home in many public and school libraries, academic libraries have largely been slow to embrace them. This poster will offer an overview of the Georgian Court University Library’s new collection of these mediums, and present ideas on their value for supporting the “whole student.” The idea of the “whole student” acknowledges that students have needs beyond just academics. By offering popular, recreational reading and considering other needs like visual literacy, our library hopes to foster community growth, new interests, and the development of lifelong skills for the modern era.
P05. Moderating the LibraryLinkNJ LearningSpace: Powered by Niche Academy
Jon Braun, LibraryLinkNJ
The LibraryLinkNJ LearningSpace is a robust educational tool, filled with opportunities for self-led learning. Meet Jon Braun, Online Learning & Digital Content Specialist for LibraryLinkNJ, and learn how LLNJ utilizes the Niche Academy platform to feature professional development opportunities for all library types. Explore how modules are built, organized, and maintained all while experiencing interactive learning tools first-hand.
P06. ORCID Integration at Rowan University
Benjamin Saracco, Denise Brush, & Jonathan Jiras, Rowan University
Rowan University Libraries, Information Resources and Technology, and the Division of Research designed a custom web-based application (ORCID @ Rowan) that writes ORCID ID to campus directories and publishes authoritative employment information from the university to ORCID profiles. The Library supports the application and ORCID in general through workshops, tutorials, and a library guide (https://libguides.rowan.edu/orcid). This poster will give details on the collaboration, explain why and how it was accomplished, and encourage others to pursue something similar. It touches upon research support, scholar profiles, collaboration, and innovation to address institutional needs.
P07. Call For Nominations: 2024 NJLA College & University Section Technology Innovation Award
Janelle Bitter, Raritan Valley Community College
The NJLA-CUS Technology Innovation Award honors a librarian or group of librarians for innovative use and application of technology in a New Jersey academic library, including creative use of existing technologies. The award may be given either in recognition of a specific project, or for ongoing delivery of innovative technology applications. Particular consideration will be given to those that have had a transformative impact on their institution and can be used by other academic institutions. The poster will include question prompts to help viewers generate ideas, along with descriptions of past award winners’ projects.
P08. Building Community through Professional Development
Nicole Potdevin, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Theresa Agostinelli, Brookdale Community College
NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ’s Membership Assessment Task Force circulated a survey in fall 2023 to learn more about how the organization can best serve our NJ community of academic librarians. This poster will present our initial findings from the survey as well as solicit volunteers for focus groups in the spring.
P09. Weeding with Baker and Taylor’s Sustainable Shelves Program
Nicole Barnabei, Stockton University
Academic libraries have a responsibility to provide current research materials to their students. Keeping a collection current requires weeding. How do we preserve the integrity of the collection but stay environmentally friendly? Sustainability is a large part of the future of libraries. Weeding a collection is a daunting task. It requires planning, a large amount of labor, resources, and good old ingenuity. Stockton University’s Bjork Library utilized Baker and Taylor’s Sustainable Shelves program to responsibly dispose of outdated and damaged library materials. This poster session will provide the workflow the Bjork Library used during this process.
P10. Building the Future of Libraries with BCMC
Yuji Tosaka, The College of New Jersey; Lisa Thornton, Seton Hall University
The environment for cataloging and metadata services is ever-changing, with rapid evolutions in information standards and technology, growing calls for inclusive and reparative description practice, and a proliferation of electronic resources and platforms requiring bibliographic management while technical services are often increasingly challenged with shrinking staff. This poster will provide information about the NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ Bibliographic Control and Metadata Committee (BCMC), its purpose and goals, and how BCMC can help build a supportive professional community that provides a forum for the exchange and sharing of ideas and experiences and encourages innovation in cataloging and metadata across New Jersey academic libraries.
Dylan Vetter, Middlesex College; Sara Imranyi, Middlesex College
New librarians at Middlesex College who come from non-academic backgrounds adapt previous community initiatives, instructional practices, and technology applications to an academic library framework. Outreach and assessment strategies are presented to demonstrate how specific practices were or will be modified to foster community and encourage student success in higher education.
P12. Research, Reflect, Revise: A Survey of Best Practices in Metadata Remediation
Maryalice Rocks, Seton Hall University
During a summer field experience at Seton Hall University, the presenter (a Rutgers MI student) performed a literature review on improving inclusivity in library metadata. This research led to several recommendations to inform future steps at Walsh library, steps that will leverage technical services to support the library community and foster student success as discoverability is enhanced.
P13. Developing Library Tutorials for Research and Critical Reading Skills
Bret McCandless, Rutgers, The State University of NJ
This poster will describe the process for creating tutorials in LibWizard, allowing students to interact with the library’s website, databases, and published scholarship. The tutorials develop students’ information literacy skills, especially around authorship, information creation, the scholarly conversation, and strategic searching. Tutorials have been especially helpful for asynchronous courses and for flipped classroom sessions. While the context for the tutorials was the performing arts and humanities, they can be utilized in a variety of disciplines.
P14. Digital Equity in the 21st Century Library: Implications for Academic Libraries
Neil Grimes, William Paterson University
All libraries must continue to play a leading role in closing the digital divide. This poster will present highlights from the research literature incorporating important statistics, a brief history of libraries and the digital divide, the importance of addressing the digital divide, how libraries address the digital divide through digital equity and digital inclusion, recent ways the U.S. government has addressed the digital divide, strategies that libraries can implement to bring about digital inclusion, and the importance of public-private partnerships to support libraries that address digital equity gaps. Libraries that focus on digital equity will contribute to the growth of their students’ technology skills that contribute to their overall student success and empower students to become 21st century digital citizens.
Rui (Jeff) Ge, Stockton University; Joyce DeStasio, Stockton University; Eric Jeitner, Stockton University
In today’s rapidly evolving educational environment, university libraries continuously seek innovative ways to support student learning. The integration of library resources and services with the institution’s learning management system (LMS) is a crucial component in achieving this goal. This poster explores Bjork Library’s pilot project to integrate Springshare LibGuides into the Blackboard LMS with Springshare’s Learning Tool Interoperability (LTI) tool to enhance technology, foster community engagement, and ultimately contribute to student success. This poster will cover the project as seen through the lenses of technology & UX, public service (outreach and teaching), and faculty/student use.
P16. Promoting Student Success Through Digital Equity & Inclusion Strategies
Satasha Williams, William Paterson University
Libraries can help close the digital divide for students by implementing digital equity and inclusion strategies for library resources. Closing the digital divide can help with student success. This poster will explore perspectives and strategies from librarians based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to help with student success.
Breakout Sessions
AI Track 1 = AI Research; AI Track 2 = AI Instruction; AI General Track
Breakout Session I – 11:10 am – 12:00 pm
B01. Using Machine Learning Technology to Analyze the Library Chat Reference Transcripts
Yongming Wang, The College of New Jersey
AI Track 1
Chat reference, or virtual reference, has become a ubiquitous service at academic libraries. As a result, a tremendous amount of transcript text data has been accumulated over the years. This research utilizes Topic Modeling, an AI and machine learning technology, to extract the major topics of chat reference Q & A. It may help the library in the areas of library resource allocation, information literacy instruction, and staff training, etc.
B02. GenAI and Source Shaming
AI Track 2
Jill Lagerstrom, NJIT; Quinn Morris-Pearson,
In a September 2021 ALA article, librarians confessed to “source shaming” Wikipedia. How can we avoid source shaming generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Bard, etc. How can we help our students take a critical approach to using this type of tool, just like we do with Wikipedia, Google, and emerging technologies? How can we help our students to be A. I. literate? We will share iterations of developing lesson plans about GenAI at NJIT and will generate discussion on the brave new world of GenAI. Bring a phone or laptop — this presentation will be interactive.
Justin Savage, Montclair State University; Siobhan McCarthy, Montclair State University; Perri Moreno, Montclair State University
Students and faculty in the natural sciences are a unique portion of any campus community. For the academic library, these scholars present a specific set of interests with regards to materials, services, technology, and instruction. How can the library best support the current and future research and learning needs of students and faculty in these areas? This presentation will outline strategies for engaging with the scientific disciplines to build connections with these academic communities on campus and promote student and faculty success. Specifically, presenters will highlight discipline-specific library instruction, targeted library spaces and programming, and support for Open Science as some of the ways libraries can best accomplish this goal.
B04. Innovative Marketing and Outreach Strategies that Foster Community and Student Success
Joan Dalrymple, Bergen Community College; Theresa Agostinelli, Brookdale Community College; Susan Cavanaugh, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University; Joyce DeStasio, Stockton University; Nicole Potdevin, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Susan Van Alstyne, Centenary University
As we shape the future of academic libraries as dynamic hubs for learning, innovation, and student success, effective marketing and outreach initiatives are essential. Panelists from five different libraries will share innovative approaches to marketing and outreach that build community and support student success. Panelists will discuss their experiences planning exhibits that build community and encourage interactivity as well as programming that supports inclusivity and diversity. Panelists will encourage discussion among attendees about their marketing and outreach strategies.
B05. Empowering Education: Open Educational Practices “Indigenous North America” Course
Janelle Bitter, Raritan Valley Community College
This presentation will describe the initial offering of an Open Educational Practices (OEP) course at RVCC, Indigenous North America, co-taught by a librarian and an anthropology faculty member. The course empowered students to investigate and educate their peers about various Indigenous tribes and nations, culminating in a class bibliography and pop-up presentation on campus. It fostered student-driven learning and inclusive practices, not only through the inclusion of student voices, but also through the elevation of Indigenous authors and creators. Four library sessions throughout the semester were grounded in the ACRL Framework and emphasized strategic searching and the value of diverse voices.
B06. Q&A with Keynote Speaker Emily Drabinski
Emily Drabinski, ALA President Elect
LT01. Lightning Talks
Stickering Special Collections to Create Community
Emma Sarconi, Princeton University; Adrienne Rusinko, Princeton University
In an effort to foster community by modeling creative use of Special Collections texts, members of the Princeton University Firestone Library Public Services team Emma Sarconi and Adrienne Rusinko collaborated with Makerspace Specialist Ariel Ackerly to choose and print stickers of images from Special Collections items. Available for free outside of the department doors, this projects draws on initiatives launched by library makerspaces to push against preconceived notions of Special Collections as exclusive, intimidating and solely serious spaces. This session will detail the inspiration for, implementation of and reaction to this project to demonstrate passive methods of projecting library values in on campus environments.
[CANCELLED] Innovate to Educate: An Annual Banned Books Interactive Exhibit
Christine Stevenson, Georgian Court University; Kaitlyn Inderwies, Georgian Court University
Perhaps we once thought that the banning and challenging of books would be a topic we would reflect on occasionally, but the threat to our intellectual freedom is present now more than ever. The SMJC Library’s Banned Books Interactive Exhibit was developed to educate and inspire our campus community annually. Originally planned as a short exhibit to align with Banned Books Week, the Interactive Exhibit became a monthlong experience due to high participation. By combining physical, digital, and gamification elements, the goal is to leave a lasting impression on our campus community that will result in the protection of our freedom to read.
Increasing Student Engagement in Archives & Special Collections
Quinn Christie, Seton Hall University; Sarah Ponichtera, Seton Hall University
At the Seton Hall University Archives and Special Collections Center, we believe in the value of teaching and learning with our primary resources. To this end, we have implemented two new strategies to increase student engagement with our collections, both of which incorporate technology and community collaboration to enhance student success. This talk will highlight how faculty networking helped us to develop our Time Machines student research project and expand our instruction program.
LT02. Lightning Talks
Managing Your Research Identity and the Role of the Librarian
Gerard Shea, Seton Hall University
This presentation will discuss the collaborative nature of library work and how academic librarians can contribute to scholarly productivity at their universities. We will look at how new technologies and new metrics for measuring scholarly impact are changing academic librarianship. We will also consider the academic librarians’ role in teaching these tools. This presentation will look at strategies librarians can use to adapt to the new conditions and growing expectations that are emerging from authors, students, and researchers.
Promoting Neurodivergent Student Success and Belonging in the Academic Library: A Brief Survey
Drew Wallace, Montclair State University; Alena Gabbe, Montclair State University
Neurodivergent students often view academic libraries as not just spaces for learning and peer engagement, but also as refuges from the bustle and sensory stressors that tend to characterize the broader campus environment. Given this overrepresentation of neurodivergent students within libraries, administrators and librarians should consider the specific needs of these students and update their services and spaces accordingly. The goal of this project is to document the experiences of neurodivergent students at a New Jersey academic library in order to help promote inclusion and student success for this vital yet largely invisible population within the campus community.
Evaluation of an Engineering Library Tutorial Created in LibWizard
Denise Brush, Rowan University
With enrollments in our engineering program now numbering thousands of students, I can no longer visit each section of First-Year Engineering Clinic to provide library instruction as I did in the past. I created a tutorial for first-year engineering students at Rowan University using LibWizard, a technology which offers self-paced learning with quiz questions. In fall 2023 over 50 students took my tutorial. This lightning talk will offer an evaluation of this tutorial as an alternative to live library instruction and consider how this form of library instruction contributes to student success.
Breakout Session II – 1:45 pm – 2:35 pm
B07. AI vs. Human Expertise: Exploring the Performance of Selected AI Tools in Library Services
Jia Mi, The College of New Jersey; Yingting Zhang, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
AI Track 1
AI’s recent developments have a profound transformation across various aspects of our lives, reshaping our interactions with information, our approaches to problem-solving, and our information seeking behavior. In this presentation, we delve into the capabilities and limitations of AI tools, with a focus on ChatGPT, Bard, and The Literature. We conducted a series of experiments with these tools in the domains of general reference and health sciences to examine how well they perform information services to support users. The primary objective is to provide insights into our testing methodologies and to share what we’ve discovered through our research.
B08. Utilizing the Power of AI Technologies to Support Student Success
Muhammad Hassan, Kean University; Craig Anderson, Kean University; Linda Cifelli, Kean University
AI Track 2
The Presentation will focus on the transformative impact of AI on teaching and learning. Attendees will explore the evolving landscape of AI-powered education, discover how AI is revolutionizing teaching and learning methodologies, and consider what role libraries can play in supporting the use of AI. The session will focus on the importance of AI literacy in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Attendees will engage in discussion of generative AI and other AI models to facilitate personalized learning experiences, enhance accessibility, and promote inclusivity. Through practical examples, participants will be inspired to create innovative AI literacy programs that empower individuals, explore ethical considerations, and support student success.
B09. The Perils and Promise of Artificial Intelligence: Using AI in Research, Teaching, and Learning
Joseph Deodato, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey;
AI General Track
This session offers an introduction to artificial intelligence, its use in academia, and its impact and limitations. In particular, we’ll look at different types of generative AI, explore potential use cases and effective prompt-writing techniques, and discuss the importance of critical AI literacy in higher education. During discussion, attendees are encouraged to share their own experiences using AI tools and integrating them into research, teaching, and learning.
B10. Humanizing Online Learning and the First Year Seminar
Jill Lagerstrom, NJIT; Quinn Morris-Pearson, NJIT; Jennifer King, NJIT; Luci Parrish, NJIT
For Fall of 2023, NJIT Librarians were asked to create online instructional materials in Canvas for an introduction to NJIT Libraries for First Year Seminar (FYS). Previously, we held face-to-face instruction sessions for FYS. We applied principles of Humanizing Online Learning, inspired by the work of Michelle Pacansky-Brock, a leader in this area. Anchored in culturally responsive teaching, we focus on maintaining a human connection in an online setting. We will share best practices and generate discussion about strategies for humanizing online library instruction for student success.
B11. A Comparison of Systematic Review Services in NJ Academic Libraries and Beyond
Bonnie Fong, Montclair State University; Alyssa Borozan, Montclair State University; Siobhan McCarthy, Montclair State University
In recent years, there has been increased interest from faculty and graduate students at many colleges and universities in performing systematic reviews (SR) and evidence synthesis. How are libraries supporting these efforts? The presenters researched and compared the types of SR support services provided by its peers, aspirant peers, and notable R1 and R2 institutions with established SR services. This information is expected to help determine and shape the types of SR support services to provide at Montclair State University, and would likely be helpful for others interested in supporting these types of reviews on their respective campuses.
B12. Time to Let Go of Some CRAAP: Critical Reading and More in the Time of Algorithms and AI
Brooke Duffy, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Ashley Tschakert-Foertmeyer, Fairleigh Dickinson University
AI General Track
It has become increasingly apparent that checklist-oriented methods of evaluation like the CRAAP test are insufficient to teach students necessary skills for web-based research. Online information is not passively waiting for students to stumble upon it – rather it is tracking and targeting them and suggesting content based on each individual user’s specific data. In this presentation I will share some practical techniques I have brought into both one-shot instruction and a semester-long 3 credit information literacy course around source evaluation. These include critical reading, fact checking, and assisting students in developing a proactive awareness of trends in the information landscape.
RT01. Community Engagement and Technology for Today’s Reference and Instruction Librarians
Moderator: AR Renales, Raritan Valley Community College
Some students are more likely than others to engage with us at the Reference Desk or contribute to instruction session discussions. It can be easy to assume as librarians that the reason for this comes from a student’s desire (or lack thereof) to engage with us as solely need-based or interest-based. In reality, a lack of engagement can stem from experienced or anticipated factors unrelated to the information exchange. This can be based in past bad experiences, fear of identity disclosure upon engagement, or other factors of concern to the patron that are intrinsic to the interaction, but not necessarily obvious to someone outside of the patron’s community or with different lived experiences. This session will outline some of these concerns to contextualize some of these issues with the objective to foster a discussion as to how we, as librarians, can utilize community outreach and DEIA principles in addition to leveraging technology to increase engagement with our Reference and Instruction services.
- How do you conduct outreach for your Reference Services? Where have you found success?
- How does the level of student preparedness impact your interaction with students?
- Should identity (yours and/or the student’s) play a role in a Reference Interview?
RT02. Academic Libraries Collaborating Beyond the Campus Community
Moderator: Perri Moreno, Montclair State University
Academic libraries tend to focus their outreach efforts on their built in audience, the students, faculty, and staff of their campus. We tend to think of our on-campus and off-campus audiences as distinct and separate, when in fact they are connected. Local communities and support structures influence the success of the members of our institutions through the resources and assistance that they provide to our communities when they are off-campus. Join this round table discussion to talk about how we can support our campus communities, and future members of our campus communities, through collaborations and partnerships with off-campus groups.
- How can libraries enhance the virtual learning experience with technology?
- What strategies foster inclusivity in virtual campus libraries?
- What are the key challenges and opportunities for libraries in virtual education?
RT03. Navigating the AI Future: An Academic Librarian Roundtable
Moderator: Janelle Bitter, Raritan Valley Community College
This roundtable discussion will allow librarians to share strategies and concerns regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence in academic libraries and higher education more broadly. With free AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard infiltrating many areas of professional life and higher learning, librarians need an opportunity to learn from each other. Participants will be guided by moderators and will be prompted to discuss concerns such as lack of accuracy and currency of generative AI chatbots, and issues around students’ academic integrity, as well as benefits such as using AI for class planning and support for research.
- How are you using AI to benefit your librarianship?
- What concerns do you have about using AI, such as lack of accuracy or your privacy?
- How do you or your institution approach or respond to student use of AI?
RT04. Librarians as Researchers: Current Practices and Thinking Towards the Future
Moderators: Justin Savage, Montclair State University; Catherine Baird, Montclair State University; Drew Wallace, Montclair State University
Librarians occupy a unique position in relation to research. Librarians teach research, disseminate research, incorporate research into their practice, and conduct original research. As librarians look towards the future, considerations of emerging technologies, community-oriented research methodologies, and the expansion of Open research practices will undoubtedly shape the development of library research. For the New Jersey library research community, how do these developments influence current research practice and our preparations for the future? Three research librarians from Montclair State University will lead this discussion, which hopes to highlight ways librarians from across the state can exchange knowledge, share best practices, and collectively look towards the future.
- What are the immediate and long-term impacts of emergent technologies (such as AI) on library and information science research practice?
- What are some ways academic librarians in New Jersey can foster a community of research practice across the state?
- What are the biggest challenges when it comes to conducting research as an academic librarian?
Breakout Session III – 2:45 pm – 3:35 pm
B13. Beyond the Algorithm: Understanding How ChatGPT Handles Complex Library Queries
Sarah Mason, Rider University; Sharon Yang, Rider University
AI Track 1
Beyond the Algorithm: Understanding How ChatGPT Handles Complex Library Queries” introduces a research study conducted at Rider University to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT 3.5 in aiding library users in comparison to human reference librarians. The study involved comparing the accuracy, relevance, and friendliness of responses provided by ChatGPT with those delivered by reference librarians. The study emphasizes the significance of the research in the context of evolving AI technologies in academic libraries and highlights the importance of considering the limitations of AI when implementing such technologies.
Jonathan Torres, Rutgers, The State University of NJ
AI Track 2
The impact of generative models powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) on college students’ learning and research methods is undeniable. This technological advancement has transformed pedagogical practices in higher education, creating a new challenge for educators – how to differentiate between AI assistance and students’ course assignments. Therefore, educators and librarians must ask themselves: How can higher education stay ahead of these recent changes in students’ information-seeking behavior?
In this presentation, we will focus on the importance of accountability in information curation when using AI platforms. We will explore practical teaching strategies that highlight the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and other AI platforms. Additionally, I will share my experience of using AI platforms to teach business data and information literacy through real-life case studies that differentiate between credible and non-credible sources of information. This presentation emphasizes the need for academic librarians and the entire library and information science field to keep up-to-date with the latest AI technology in higher education.
Christine Jansen, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Jordan Boyajian-Torres, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Ashley Tschakert Foertmeyer, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Brooke Duffy, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Nicole Dante, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Join us for a discussion about crafting a transformative 3-credit information and digital literacy course at Fairleigh Dickinson University. We’ll share strategies for course development, including effective technology integration and alignment with evolving student needs. Our panel of course creators and instructors will share best practices, fostering collaborative dialogue. Expect to leave with actionable ideas to empower students for success in the digital age.
B16. Open Textbook Publishing from Conception through Completion: A Proof-of Concept
John Kromer, NJIT; Ann Hoang, NJIT; Matthew Brown; Jill Lagerstrom, NJIT; Lisa Weissbard, NJIT
Open Textbooks contribute to student success by reducing costs. What does it take to publish an Open Textbook with animations? During the summer of 2023, librarians at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) completed a multi-year project to publish their first open textbook, An Animated Introduction to Digital Logic Design, by NJIT professor John Carpinelli. Members of the project team will share this journey: securing and apportioning funding, collaborating with a faculty author, compiling and editing the book, determining requisite technology, publishing in an open repository, tracking usage, and future plans.
B17. Building a Library Culture of Belonging for the Future
Romel Espinel, Stevens Institute of Technology; Audrey Welber, Princeton University
The future depends on all of our students feeling welcomed in our academic libraries. What this has meant is extending our outreach to groups and organizations that do not traditionally fall under the activities of traditional library instruction and information literacy. At our campuses, we developed programs and events that welcomed first-generation students, people of color, and athletes, as well as developing a personal librarian program to meet the needs of undergraduate students at one university. These activities and services promoted libraries as a place of belonging and inclusion as opposed to a space that can be intimidating or alienating.
RT05. Leveraging Virtual Campuses: Libraries as Catalysts for Academic Transformation
Moderator: Jane Jiang, Union College
This presentation will explore the unignoring role of libraries in shaping the future of education with virtual campuses. It will discuss how libraries, through cutting-edge technologies and collaboration with the community, drive and foster inclusive learning communities to enhance student success through personalized support. This session will also try to explain the library’s power within virtual academic environments. Real-world case studies and best practices illustrate successful implementations. Attendees will leave with insights into how libraries can lead the charge in reshaping academia, making virtual campuses more engaging, inclusive, and effective for learners in the digital age.
- How can libraries enhance the virtual learning experience with technology?
- What strategies foster inclusivity in virtual campus libraries?
- What are the key challenges and opportunities for libraries in virtual education?
RT06. Building the library instruction network
Moderator: Cheyenne Riehl, Stockton University
Upper-level research consultations and library instruction can be challenging. Often, subject liaisons inherit subject areas that they have little to no familiarity with, in order to serve their academic community. In this roundtable, we will discuss strategies for familiarizing ourselves with unfamiliar topics, and best practices for live demonstrations and conducting research consultations as a novice in different academic fields. Come and share your experiences, tips, tricks, and words of encouragement!
- How have you familiarized yourself with an unknown subject/field in order to conduct library instruction sessions?
- How do you prepare for upper level research consultations in X subject?
- What are your best tips, tricks, or words of advice for a new liaison in your fields of expertise?
- How do you prepare for an information literacy session or research consultation in a field you’re not familiar with?
- What are some resources, tips, or advice that you think others should know about when teaching information literacy in your subject specialties?
- What are some resources, tips, or advice you would recommend for upper-level research consultations in your subject specialties?
RT07. Building the future of NJLACUS/ACRL-NJ
Moderators: Nicole Potdevin, Fairleigh Dickinson University; Theresa Agostinelli, Brookdale Community College; Ruth Ware, Essex County College
NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ has created a Membership Assessment Task Force to learn more about how the organization can best serve our NJ community of academic librarians. Help us to create a bright future for our organization by sharing your vision, priorities, and experiences.
- What is your impression of NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ? Do you have a positive/neutral/negative view of the organization? Why?
- What benefits do you look for when deciding whether to belong to a professional library organization?
- How do you think professional library organizations need to change to become and remain important and relevant into the future?
RT08. Collecting for Community Success
Moderator: Heather Perez, Stockton University
Collection development is an under-examined area of librarianship these days. Often, it’s an “”other duty as assigned,”” and librarians are assigned subject areas in which they have little formal education. But the collection is the basis for student success and community use in the academic library. In this roundtable, we will discuss and collaborate on resources to use for collection development in specific subject areas. Come with some ideas and leave with more.
- How do you develop your collections in X subject area?
- What are the resources/guides/lists you use regularly?
- How often do you audit your subject area and what tools do you use?
LT03. Lightning Talks
Please Direct Your Questions to the Cow: Using a Chatbot For a Virtual Library Chat;
Quinn Morris-Pearson, NJIT
This poster will feature NJIT’s unofficial library mascot, Mookie the Highlander Coo. Mookie is the library’s chatbot, and is ready to assist with patrons’ common questions, as well as more in-depth research questions as needed. Mookie will also direct patrons to a librarian if requested. This poster will showcase the chatbot’s statistics and possibly transcripts for one semester. It will also brief explanations about how Mookie was made for the pursuit of helping patrons.
ChatGPT, My Brother, & Me: A Faculty & Librarian Story
Andy Woodworth, Camden County College
Learn how a family dinner sparked one librarian’s journey to help his English professor brother contend with the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. What began as helping a family member has evolved into presenting to college administration on the future implications of AI and educating the faculty and staff community about emerging AI policies and practices. Andy will show how his work can be a model for other librarians as they seek to support their administration and faculty navigating what student success looks like in the age of generative AI.
Elevating Student Success: Harnessing Free Technology for Library Information Literacy Programs
Lori Lenox, Camden County College; Isabel Gray, Camden County College
The Camden County College Library information literacy program has been continually changing due to technology and the changing classroom while not sacrificing student success. With no budget to work with, we are using free resources to enhance our online program. With PowerPoint, we have created videos with live demonstrations. We are using free tools such as EdPuzzle and YouTube to incorporate closed-captions, foreign language translations and assessments into the videos to reach more students. These videos can easily be downloaded to SpringShare and our LMS, creating an all-inclusive information literacy program.
Transforming Library Liaison Services through Technology
Maya Gervits, NJIT; Kennedy Jones, NJIT
Our presentation explores the evolving role of liaison librarians in the digital age, as highlighted by K. Whatley’s quote: “Building relationships is becoming the essence of what it is to be a liaison librarian—one that connects users with their information needs, whatever the format and whatever the technology.” We’ll discuss how technology facilitates collaboration on complex projects, achieving otherwise unattainable goals. Case studies include a mobile app for the Digital Archive of Newark Architecture, virtual exhibitions, and online publications, all enhancing library visibility and community engagement.