American Library Association Journals
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Known Item Search: Theoretical and Practical Considerations
No full textThis article looks at the concept “known item search” (KIS) and considers it in relation to librarypractices. The author critically examines previous research on KIS and argues that the concept isimportant because it is categorically different from “subject search” and because it is assumed inprocesses such as bibliographic verification and descriptive cataloging. The article further discusseswhich kinds of metadata best serve KIS and argues that the traditional distinction between descriptivecataloging and subject cataloging is a fruitful point of departure for describing the metadata neededfor respectively KIS and subject searches
On the Same (Web)Page: Using LibGuides to Connect Researchers to Government Information and Data Rescue Projects
No full textLike many library workers, American University (AU) librarianshave been concerned about the data loss, website removal,and untracked edits to government information taking place inthe current Trump administration. Our researchers use governmentdata, our students prioritize internships with the federalgovernment, and our work as educators of future civil servantsrelies on access to federal data. Shortl
Editor’s Corner: Politics in Medicine Hurts Everyone
No full textAs I write this editorial, it is almost June. Pride Month hasnever felt more important to me as now, when transphobiaand transmisia plague the federal government and its publications.Sadly, these attacks on trans, non-binary, intersex, andothers with gender-diverse or gender-expansive identities (hereaftershortened to trans) are not new. However, since PresidentTrump issued the Executive Order (EO) Protecting Childrenfrom Chemical and Surgical Mutilation
NASA’s First Woman comic book series
No full textIn March of 2025, and in the onslaughtof institutions wrestling with their previouslylauded DEI initiatives now underfire from the administration, NASAremoved two comic books from its websitein a series: First Woman. The first volume,First Woman, NASA’s Promise to Humanity,Issue No. 1 Dream to Reality, was publishedonline in a free-to-print and digitalformat in 2021
Subscribe to Open (S2O) Journals: Their Articles’ OA Discoverability
No full textBased on the 197 S2O journals listed at “Subscribe to Open (S2O) journals” by Simmons University (https://oad.simmons.edu/oadwiki/Subscribe_to_Open_(S2O)_journals) in November 2024, this study aims to find out if the S2O journals are included inDOAJ, and if their articles in the current issue are indicated as OA by Google Scholar, Scopus, and Unpaywall. As of December2024, DOAJ listed 33% of the S2O journals. The OA indication by Google Scholar, Scopus, and Unpaywall was 91%, 32%, and25%, respectively, with Google Scholar being the best service to let users know that the S2O journals’ articles are freely available
A Discussion with the Authors of Streaming Video Collection Development and Management
No full textStreaming video has emerged in the last decade-plus as a crucial format for library collections. Withthe ascendency of this format, attendant challenges have arisen for library workers within technicalservices and collection development units. It was in this spirit that LRTS assistant editor MichaelFernandez and Amauri Serrano authored the recently published monograph, Streaming VideoCollection Development and Management (Bloomsbury, 2025; ISBN: 9781440880858). In lieu of aformal book review, Fernandez conducted an interview with Serrano to discuss the motivating factors for writing the monograph, the process for organizing the structure of the text, and the prospective audience who may benefit from it
Every Great Adventure Begins with the Turn of the Page: Engaging with Literacy, Diversity, and Digital Learning in Graphic Novels
No full textThe power of graphic novels can ignite young readers’ imaginations, deepen their love of storytelling, and support their educational journeys. Sequential storytelling has been an essential part of human communication for millennia, from cave paintings to hieroglyphics, passing down knowledge across generations
A Master Class in Pedagogy: The Words & Pictures Library
No full textThe following article is based on an interview with Gail Ellis and Tatia Gruenbaum, co-founders of the Words Pictures Library. Ellis is a TESOL teacher educator, adviser, and author, and Gruenbaum is a teacher educator who holds a PhDin Applied Linguistics and focuses her research on picture book-based ELT
The Magic Box
No full textLooking for a way to get the “littles” off their devices? I’ve discovered the answer parents have been clamoring for—here’s my hard-fought secret.Hint: It’s smaller than a bread box (and much more fun!). It’s interactive, inexpensive, portable, yet potent. It’s the humble jack-in-the-box—or, as Miss Sharon calls it, my “magic box.
What Is Wonderfuzz?: Poetry Inspires Thimblethoughts, Research, and More
No full textMore than ever, we need to teach students to be curious about the world. We want to develop habits of active inquiry, critical thinking, and research. It may seem surprising to suggest that poetry can be helpful here, but it’s the perfect form since it’s short, focused, and topical