Browsing by Author "Weeks, Joan"

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    Bridging the Staff Digital Divide in the Library Workplace with EDIA
    (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 2022-09-07) Weeks, Joan
    As libraries are emerging from the closures and hybrid work environments, many managers are finding the digital divide has widened among library workers at all levels. Systemic lack of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility that already existed in the workplace prior to COVID, now is receiving heightened awareness, but needs to be addressed with concrete solutions. Organizational manifestations of the digital divide are explored, such as other library staff can do this work but your office isn’t equipped to do it either onsite or remotely, or lack of IT support and instruction that meets the needs of the staff. Additionally, individual manifestations of the digital gap are examined such as stereotypes “they are: _______” (fill in the blank) or mind-sets about IT failures, avoidance and hiding challenges. With an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility (EDIA) lens, this paper looks at how equity can be achieved though opportunities for cross-organizational mentoring and resource sharing. Methods of building in diversity, not only in the instruction but also with the instructors, will be examined. Ways of breaking down barriers to inclusion of staff with weak IT skills on technology teams and committees in the library will be discussed. A particular focus will be on methods to promote a safe inclusive learning space that includes behind the scenes remedial help and confidence building. Multiple approaches to break down the accessibility barriers and challenges the staff have had not only with the technology, but with learning in the new hybrid environment will go beyond those with hearing or sight challenges and include those with linguistic and community issues. Individual development plans, diagnostic tests, and “just in time” instruction will be explored These strategies will also readily adapt to faculty students, and researchers as libraries open up and librarians need to develop new methods of library instruction grounded in EDIA.
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    Free or not free? That is the Question: Discovery and access is the answer!
    (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), 2023-10-01) Weeks, Joan
    The gateways to discovery of the Open Electronic Resources at the Library of Congress are through the Online Public Assess Catalog (OPAC) https://catalog.loc.gov for the Library’s digital collections that are not rights restricted and the Electronic Resource Online Catalog (EROC) https://eresources.loc.gov for electronic resources from external digitized collections. Recommending librarians select the Library’s collections for digitization and e-databases, e-books, and e-journals from external sources using criteria such as research value, ease of searching and “free access” to the resources, but other electronic resources are selected that must be used onsite only. Navigating the Library’s digital collections is explored with tips on using the metadata in the online display for retrieval and downloading freely accessible resources. Also, the subject as well as area studies categorization schemes are highlighted for best practices to deliver the maximum access to digital content on specific topics. Thousands of electronic books, periodicals and newspapers that are rights restricted have been ingested into a platform called Stacks that is accessible only in certain research centers. Ways of discovering the holdings of the journals and newspaper content in Stacks is explored using the OPAC holdings records. The new Emerging Nations Article Exchange Program is highlighted with access to free scanned articles from the Library’s books and periodicals for qualifying countries. Keywords: e-resources. online, freely accessible. electronic databases, online retrieval