LibParlor Online Learning:

Diversifying & Improving LIS Literature Through An Open-Source Professional Development Program

Nimisha Bhat (she/her), Subject Librarian, University of Cincinnati

Charissa Powell (she/her) Head, Student Success and Curriculum Partnerships Department, University of Delaware

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March 9, 2023

Empirical Librarians Conference

bit.ly/3ZStwKn

Today we will…

• Learn about LibParlor Online Learning (LPOL)
• Reflect on research & professional development needs for LIS researchers
• Discuss how the LPOL curriculum could best support LIS researchers

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we have one activity where you’ll reflect, share, and engage in Padlet

LibParlor Online Learning (LPOL) Will…

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• be an open-source curriculum that will teach the foundational knowledge and specialized skills necessary for LIS professionals to conduct and publish original and rigorous research within the field

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LibParlor Online Learning (LPOL) Will…

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• provide LIS professionals with the foundational knowledge and specialized skills necessary to conduct and publish rigorous original research

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LibParlor Online Learning (LPOL) Will…

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• freely share the often privileged information around research and publishing in an effort toward diversifying and improving LIS literature

The Team

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Chelsea Heinbach, PI (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

Nimisha Bhat, Project Team Member (University of Cincinnati)

Hailley Fargo, Project Team Member (Northern Kentucky University)

Charissa Powell, Project Team Member (University of Delaware)

Barriers to research in the field

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• Lack of affordable, accessible, and effective training opportunities
• Many librarians do not have the resources, time, or support to learn how to do research
• Challenges can be exacerbated for BIPOC librarians and uneven support leads to unequal representation in the literature (Crampsie, Neville, Henry, 2020) (Walker, 2015)

Barriers to research in the field

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• Can lead to unpursued research questions, poorly designed research projects, or unpublished results (Kennedy, Brancolini, 2012)

Grant Goals

• Complete a needs assessment of academic librarians to identify their key areas of difficulty in conducting research
• Collaborate with LIS researcher-practitioners & MLIS instructors to build a curriculum of open resources
• Create courses that include readings, reflective activities, and planning exercises that build to a fully developed research project proposal

Grant Goals

• Seek feedback on curriculum from stakeholders while intentionally soliciting perspectives from underrepresented communities
• Educate and empower interested LIS workers by democratizing privileged knowledge about LIS research in order to improve and diversify LIS literature

The curriculum

bit.ly/lpoloutline

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• The full curriculum should take approximately 20-30 hours to complete; individual courses will take approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete each
• There are 6 courses which each include 3-5 lessons
• A learner may complete the curriculum as a whole or choose individual courses or lessons

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The curriculum

bit.ly/lpoloutline

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By completing the entire LPOL curriculum, the learner can expect the following deliverable(s):

• A researcher identity statement that demonstrates your interests, values, and positionality as a researcher
• A research agenda that articulates short and long-term research goals
• A support ecosystem which demonstrates the various places in your personal and professional life to seek support during the research process
• A research proposal that includes:
• Research Topic
• Literature Review
• Proposed Methods
• Data Management and Ethics Plan
• Project Schedule

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Our hopes & dreams

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• To avoid duplicating the work of MLIS instructors, we hope that this curriculum will serve as supplementary to training programs as well as aid in individual professional development
• We are currently seeking paid curriculum creators to build out our courses
• Course creation will happen this summer, with assessment and feedback provided before seeking paid pilot participants
• After soliciting feedback from pilot participants and the LIS community in the next and final phase of our grant, we will launch next summer!

How can this help you?

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• Discuss with fellow attendees or reflect on your own how the curriculum might best serve you, your students, and your professional community
• Share with us using our Padlet link: https://bit.ly/LPOLemplib

Advisory Board

• Erin Ackerman, The College of New Jersey
• Zara T. Wilkinson, Rutgers University
• Jason Clark, Montana State University
• Dr. Rachel Fleming May, University of Tennessee Knoxville

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This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services RE-250054-OLS-21

A special thank you to…

How to be involved:

LPOL Interest Form

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LPOL page for updates

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At ACRL? come see our panel!

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Help us create LPOL’s curriculum!

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• We anticipate the creation of each individual lesson in the curriculum will take creators about 15-20 hours to complete
• We anticipate your active involvement from March through August 2023
• For your time creating each individual lesson, you will be paid $2,000

Reference List

Crampsie, C., Neville, T., & Henry, D. (2020). Academic librarian publishing productivity: an analysis of skills and behaviors leading to success. College & Research Libraries, 81(2), 248–271.

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Kennedy, M. R., & Brancolini, K. R. (2012). Academic librarian research: a survey of attitudes, involvement, and perceived capabilities. College & Research Libraries, 73(5), 431–448.

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Walker, S. (2015). Critical race theory and the recruitment, retention and promotion of a librarian of color: A counterstory. Library Faculty Scholarship.1.

Thanks!

Questions? Feedback?

Drop us a line at:

libparlor@gmail.com

nimisha.bhat@uc.edu

charissa@udel.edu

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik