Keren Dali

From Book Appeal to Reading Appeal: Redefining the Concept of Appeal in Readers’ Advisory

Revising the concept of appeal currently accepted in the field of readers’ advisory, this article redefines appeal as the power to invoke interest in reading and to set off an action of reading, as opposed to the established definition of appeal as the elements and characteristics of books to which a reader can relate. This article suggests that reading appeal is a more appropriate term than book appeal or genre appeal. A critical analysis of the results of an original empirical study of avid immigrant readers allows for the conceptualization of reading appeal as a function of both book-related appeal, that is, appeal rooted in the features of books, and reader-driven appeal, that is, appeal associated with readers and their social milieus. Furthermore, the article interrogates the notion of the role of reading and links it to the appeal and process of reading through the Temporal-Dynamic Model of Reading.

A two-way street: building the recruitment narrative in LIS programs

Purpose This paper aims to explore the attractiveness of Library and Information Science (LIS) careers to students and alumni and examine their decision-making process and perceptions of the field with an eye on discerning the best ways to build and develop the recruitment narrative. Design/methodology/approach The authors reached out to 57 LIS graduate programs in Canada and the USA accredited by the American Library Association through a Web-based survey; the questions presented a combination of multiple-choice, short-answer and open-ended questions and generated a wealth of quantitative and qualitative data. Findings The online survey has disclosed that students may not have an in-depth understanding of current trends, the diversity of LIS professions and the wider applications of their education. A significant disconnect exists in how the goals of LIS education are seen by certain groups of practitioners, students and faculty members. Originality/value Creating a program narrative for the purposes of recruitment and retention, departments should not only capitalize on the reach of the internet and the experiences of successful practitioners. They should also ensure that faculty know their students’ personal backgrounds, that students empathize with demands of contemporary academia and that a promotional message connects pragmatic educational goals to broader social applications. By exposing and embracing the complexity of LIS education and practice, the paper chooses a discursive path to start a conversation among major stakeholders.

Can we talk

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the attractiveness of Library and Information Science (LIS) professions and programs to culturally and linguistically diverse individuals. Design/methodology/approach – Between September and December 2014, current students and alumni from 57 North American LIS programs were surveyed regarding their learning experiences and perceptions of the state of diversity in LIS. Findings – The findings point to deep, emotive reflections on diversity in LIS. Noting the general societal turn toward values-based, integral diversity, this paper proposes looking beyond the quantitative measures and paying attention to the volume of negative emotion surrounding the diversity debate in our field. Making both philosophical and practical arguments, a three-tiered approach is advocated, which can contribute to nurturing the climate of diversity: outreach and promotion; recruitment and retention; and interpersonal and intercultural dialog that will not only sustain diversity but also transf...

How we missed the boat: reading scholarship and the field of LIS

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the reasons for the gradual extinction of reading scholarship in Library and Information Science (LIS) departments and to identify three problematic areas accounting for its dropping prestige: paradigmatic conflicts, the influence of the corporate university and low awareness of the potential of reading research. It also proposes possible solutions to each problem. Design/methodology/approach – Close reading and analysis of an extensive selection of sources with novel conceptualization and critical perspectives. Findings – The information science paradigm, which has dominated LIS, is not sufficient to accommodate reading research. The information science model has a detrimentally restrictive effect on reading scholarship. Library science, which should be considered an autonomous discipline rather than an appendix of information science, is more conducive to the study of reading. Non-specialization-based academic hiring to increase values-based diversity in...

Access to translated fiction in Canadian public libraries

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the quality of access to translated fiction published between 2007 and 2011 in six large Canadian public libraries, answering the question about what public libraries can do to help acquaint their readers with international translated fiction. Design/methodology/approach – The article uses the method of bibliographic data analysis based on 2,100 catalog records. Findings – As the results demonstrate, enhanced bibliographic catalog records deliver a wealth of information about translated fiction titles and facilitate meaningful subject access to their contents. At the same time, promotional activities related to translated fiction have room for improvement. Practical implications – Despite the fact that the study focuses on public libraries, its findings will be of interest not only to public but also academic librarians, any librarian tasked with the selection and acquisition of translated fiction, reference and readers’ advisory librarians in any type of library, ...

Diversity by Design

In this article, we introduce the concept of diversity by design. This concept is relevant to library and information science (LIS) education, professional environments, and partnership-based community engagements. Building on our experience as educators and researchers, we illustrate this concept in the context of LIS graduate education and invite readers to contemplate whether this concept makes sense to them and, if yes, how it works in their respective workplaces and communities. We interrogate the term “diversity,” bringing to light the multiplicity of contexts that give diversity meaning and life in our complex field. By so doing, we demonstrate that diversity, broadly conceived, is foundational to LIS and that discounting or underappreciating its pivotal function may have a disintegrating effect on our practice, scholarship, and education.

From information professionals to information creatives: on educating future generations in iSchools

The leadership mindset and associated skills have become a mainstay in the education and practice of information professionals. Our own policies, pedagogies, and attitudes become part and parcel of the educational environment we foster and serve as role models for students. Guided by the discussion of selected human resources practices at Google, among others, this session will provide us with an interactive venue for examining the values we hold and for reflecting on how this relates to student learning outcomes and demands of the marketplace. Collectively, we will explore the extent to which future information professionals and scholars value diversity (broadly construed), demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking, and are capable of unorthodox solutions. This task is crucial at the time when iSchools join efforts in rethinking their curricula, with an eye on educating not just information professionals but information leaders and information creatives.

Readers’ advisory: can we take it to the next level?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze a number of issues related to both education for and the practice of reading and readers’ advisory in library and information science (LIS). Written from the standpoint of an LIS educator, the paper is addressed to LIS professors, future and current LIS students, and public services librarians working in all types of libraries, including academic and special, because the practice of reading is no longer limited to school and public libraries. Librarians’ expertise can also benefit a larger community outside of the library walls, which would take outreach and embeddedness to an entirely new level. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyzes the situation in LIS education and reading practices based on a vast array of published sources and the author’s personal experience as an LIS educator. Findings – The following problematic points are raised: modeling reading work and education for reading after information services and information science education...

Beyond Scholarly Publishing: The Human Dimension of Peer Review in LIS

Focusing on the human dimension, we look at scholarly peer review as a space for relationship building and analyze how negligent reviewing can detrimentally affect a sense of community. We introduce an analytical framework that is based on the humanistic pedagogical approach developed by Carl Rogers and Natalie Rogers and that operates with Rogerian concepts of empathy, unconditional positive regard, realness of reviewers, psychological safety, psychological freedom, and opportunity for challenging intellectual experiences. We briefly address the role of peer review in the changed scholarly landscape; posit it as a privilege and an unmatched opportunity; examine in detail the elements of helpful and unhelpful reviews; and give advice to authors on how to respond to reviews, especially the unhelpful ones. It is our hope that the article will be of interest to faculty, PhD students, practitioners who aspire to publish, and anyone involved in scholarly communication and grant reviewing.

On Responsibility in the Classroom and the Ubiquity of Politics: Postelection Reflections from the United States and Canada, by Way of the World

The outcome of the recent US election has stirred emotions and become a turning point in history. It has invoked deep reflections on our responsibility as teachers educating future generations of information professionals and affected the North American library and information science (LIS) space. In this space, the United States and Canada share the same foundational values but find themselves in different geopolitical situations implementing these values in practice. In the context of postelection reality, through personal flashbacks and critical scholarly reflections, this article brings together the views of two educators from opposite sides of the border: views on the ubiquity of politics in the classroom, on information as a human right, and on the North American LIS landscape, now divided by more than geographic borders.