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March 28th, 2023
The Libraries Research Council has voted to support three research seed grant proposals that will advance the Research Excellence Areas in Libraries (REALs). The selected seed grant projects will occur between now and the end of August.
Gang Shao: Exploring Data Management Courses in U.S. Higher Education Institutions
This project will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of data management education in higher education data science programs in the U.S. The findings will contribute to a better understanding of the extent to which data management skills are being taught in these programs and identify any gaps in the curriculum.
Heather Howard: International Business Information
In this project, Professor Howard will start a book project for International Business Information. The short-term goal is to complete a proposal to publish a new book on international business information that can be used by practicing librarians, library school students, and business researchers worldwide.
Chao Cai: Automated Citation Deduplication Tool for Systematic Reviews
Removing duplicated citations from multiple database searches is an essential step in evidence synthesis projects. Existing tools are not robust enough for comprehensive removal of duplicated citations. The outcome of this project will provide a user-friendly tool for fast and more reliable results when removing duplicated records, for researchers who conduct evidence synthesis research, such as systematic reviews.
Congratulations to our faculty members who were awarded!
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, News and Announcements, Research HighlightMarch 21st, 2023
Parrish Library’s Featured Database will give you a very brief introduction to the basic features of one of our specialized subscription databases. This time we’re featuring Mergent Online brought to you by Mergent.
Mergent Online includes financial statements, company news, industry analysis, historical information on M&A activity, country information, product and brand names, historical ratings, U.S. executive biographies and compensation details, and historical daily stock pricing back to 1925.
The List of Business Databases is the alphabetical list of the databases specially selected for those in a business program of study. Access the databases off-campus with your Purdue Career Account.
Click Getting Started with Mergent Online to see the basics of using this database.
Some other resources you might want to explore are:
Featured Database comes to you from the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management & Economics. If you would like more information about this database, or if you would like a demonstration of it for a class, contact parrlib@purdue.edu. Also let us know if you know of a colleague who would benefit from this, or future Featured Databases.
Since usage statistics are an important barometer when databases are up for renewal, tell us your favorite database, and we will gladly promote it. Send an email to parrlib@purdue.edu.
Filed under: database, general, MGMTMarch 14th, 2023
By: Ayn Reineke, in conversation with Neal Harmeyer, clinical associate professor, assistant head of Archives and Special Collections, and archivist for Digital Collections and Initiatives
There are certain stereotypes and assumptions that exist about “library people”—that we’re all introverts, that we’re all hyper-organized and obsessed with data, order, and peace and quiet. And most pertinent to today’s topic, that all library people would rather read a good book or enjoy their own tranquil, scholarly pursuits over participating in outdoor activities, crowded gatherings, and all things sports.
While that may be true for some of us, even many of us, Purdue Libraries employs a diverse faculty and staff with interests and personalities as eclectic, varied, and interesting as the resources on our shelves and online. Today, I, resident extroverted library person, am excited to shine the spotlight on Neal Harmeyer, who joins me from Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, to discuss his love of college basketball as we enter tournament season.
AR: Hi, Neal. So tell me, how did your love of college basketball start?
NH: I am a native Hoosier and grew up playing basketball with my parents and siblings on our farm. From that, I grew interested in all levels of basketball, and I have continued to follow college basketball—men’s and women’s—for my entire life.
AR: That’s a long time! I imagine you must have picked up some favorite rituals and traditions for tournament season over the years, right?
NH: Yes. Each year after the teams for the Men’s and Women’s tournaments are announced, I participate in a bracket competition with my family; nothing is on the line but bragging rights. At the onset of the first weekend of the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments, I always cook a large pot of chili, create a set-up to watch all of the concurrent games at once, and settle down for several weeks of great games.
AR: You’re an archivist. Do you think your profession has had any impact on how you enjoy and participate in college basketball?
NH: I have a love of knowledge and history, and the history of basketball is full of amazing accomplishments, events, and stories that connect people. Sports are often a reflection of the world in which we all live. As an archivist, I also have a love of knowledge and history and the connections that bring the past into the present and connect people, places, and events. I often think about past eras of basketball, and I always enjoy learning more about the history of the sport.
AR: So, with your knowledge of recent seasons and the rich history of college tournaments past, what are your predictions for how far Purdue will go this year, and which teams besides Purdue will you be rooting for most?
NH: The amazing thing about the NCAA Tournament is its unpredictability, and so any outcome is possible, like seeing UMBC defeat Virginia in 2018. This year, I expect both the Purdue men’s and women’s teams to do well in their postseasons. Each year, I root for all the Big Ten teams, and with strong teams at the top, I expect the conference to do well.
AR: Thanks, Neal. We’re all hoping you’re right!
Boiler Up! This story is the first in a new series showcasing the diverse talents and interests of Purdue Libraries employees.
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, News and AnnouncementsMarch 3rd, 2023
In partnership with the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), Purdue University has entered into new read and publish agreements with several publishers. What this means for Purdue University authors is simple: corresponding authors affiliated with participating BTAA member universities like Purdue may publish their research open access in a large number of journals without having to pay article processing charges (APCs).
The largest and most notable of these new agreements is with global publishing leader Wiley. “In Wiley publications, there will be no fees, no caps, no limits, no hassle,” the BTAA announced in an official statement. “Authors keep rights in their own work under a Creative Commons license; and it is immediately open and available to anyone.” The estimated cost avoidance during this contract term will ultimately save BTAA member universities between $10.4 and $21.1 million dollars in fees associated with open access publishing. The Wiley agreement also applies to authors from Purdue University’s Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses.
“We hope that these new publishing opportunities will encourage more Purdue authors to publish their work Open Access,” said Libraries’ Associate Dean for Collections and Access, Rebecca Richardson. “By removing cost barriers and simplifying the process for our authors, we hope to support our land grant mission by making high quality, groundbreaking Purdue research more accessible to educators, students, and researchers around the world.”
New Open Access publishing opportunities effective January 1, 2023:
Wiley:
Purdue University authors may publish open access in any of Wiley’s hybrid journals (subscription-based journals that offer an open access option), or Wiley or Hindawi fully open access journals, without having to pay Article Processing Charges (APCs). Corresponding authors at Purdue University–West Lafayette, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Purdue Northwest are eligible to participate. This agreement begins on January 1, 2023 and runs through December 31, 2025.
Microbiology Society:
Corresponding authors from Purdue University–West Lafayette campus can publish open access in any of Microbiology Society’s journals without the need to pay article processing charges. Journals covered under this agreement include Microbiology, Journal of General Virology, Journal of Medical Microbiology, Microbial Genomics, International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Access Microbiology, and JMM Case Reports. This agreement begins on January 1, 2023, and runs through December 31, 2025.
Institute of Physics (IOP):
Purdue University–West Lafayette has unlimited read access to all content in IOPscience Extra. This agreement supports unlimited Open Access publishing in eligible IOP journals, including 58 hybrid journals representing almost all of IOP and society partners’ hybrid titles and 18 fully open access journals. Corresponding authors from Purdue University–West Lafayette may publish open access in these journals at no cost to themselves. This agreement begins on January 1, 2023, and runs through December 31, 2025.
More details about these and other existing open access publishing agreements can be found at https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/oapublishing.
Questions can be directed to Nina Collins, Scholarly Publishing Specialist: nkcollin@purdue.edu.
Filed under: general, News and Announcements, Open_Access, press_release, scholcommFebruary 28th, 2023
In honor of Black History Month, and in recognition that Black history, culture, and inclusion matter all year long, Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies is highlighting its collection of resources that focus on the Black Experience in America.
These resources are part of several dozen databases that support the learning, research, and teaching of equity, inclusion, and belonging on campus. They cover a range of topics including slavery in the United States, literature, the civil rights movement, Black studies, women’s studies, sexuality and gender, the disabled, and indigenous peoples.
The complete collection of diversity, equity, and inclusion resources can be found via a filtered list on the Libraries’ A to Z database list, or through the Library Search service on the Libraries’ home page.
Libraries Resources on the Black Experience in America
February 23rd, 2023
Humanities, Social Science and Education Library’s Featured Database will give you a very brief introduction to the basic features of one of our specialized subscription databases. This time we’re featuring African American Poetry database, brought to you by ProQuest.
Link: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/db/db302
Access the databases off-campus with your Purdue login and password.
Focus: This database contains nearly 3,000 poems by African American poets of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This includes the major poets of the nineteenth century, like Paul Laurence Dunbar and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.
Tutorial: Click here see the basics of using the African American Poetry database.
Quick tip: If you look to the right side of the screen, you will notice a list of article titles. These are suggested sources that are compiled from various ProQuest databases that might help with your research. If you scroll down and click on the view all link, you will see their list of suggestions, which may assist in finding additional resources.
Related Resources:
Other databases you might want to explore are:
Black Thought and Culture: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/db/bltc
JSTOR: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/db/db347
February 21st, 2023
This article first appeared in the February 2023 edition of Libraries’ Research Highlight newsletter.
With project funding from the Purdue Innovation Hub, Libraries faculty Heather Howard, Margaret Phillips (project-PI), and Dave Zwicky, with Professor Fred Berry (PPI, School of Engineering Technology), have spent several months hard at work creating a series of information modules, packaged into a new Brightspace course titled “University to Workplace Information Strategies.” The best part about the team’s innovative approach is that these new modules are designed to be foundational, not discipline specific, and can be used independent of one another, providing instructors the flexibility to further develop higher level lessons and assignments relevant to their own discipline and students’ needs.
“The series has a “workplace” focus,” Phillips said, “and we think this will result in graduates who are better prepared for the information demands of today’s workplace environments.” In developing the module content, the team consulted industry leaders with ongoing interest in hiring Purdue graduates, a local entrepreneurship expert, faculty from the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the Krannert School of Management, and Purdue undergraduate students. “The video modules are also being used at two multinational companies who hire Purdue students to train new hires,” Phillips added, indicating their usefulness to industry.
Students who complete a module earn a digital badge that can be shared with potential employers on their résumés, and through badge compliant platforms like LinkedIn. “In our pilot phase, we integrated the modules into a senior level PPI course and a first year business management course with success,” Phillips said. “We have awarded nearly 1,000 badges to Purdue undergraduate students to date.”
The series currently includes five modules on the following topics:
Each module consists of 6–10 videos, each 3–5 minutes in length, plus short quizzes. Students who watch each video and complete each quiz earn a badge in Brightspace. More information, including sample videos and the ability to sign up for the Brightspace course, is available on the project website: https://sites.lib.purdue.edu/workplaceil/index.php.
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, press_release, Research HighlightFebruary 15th, 2023
This article first appeared in the January 2023 edition of Libraries’ Research Highlight newsletter.
At this paradoxical moment in history, more Americans have access to high quality, factual information at their fingertips than ever before, and yet, conspiracy theories and their believers have never appeared more prevalent or more powerful in inspiring grassroots fanaticism. How did this happen, and more importantly, what can we, as educators, researchers, and concerned citizens, do about it?
At Libraries and School of Information Studies, we are actively seeking solutions to the misinformation epidemic. One faculty member at the forefront, Dr. Matthew N. Hannah, is exploring the public impacts of information technology and the way such technology facilitates and accelerates the growth and spread of viral online conspiracy theories. His research focuses on the visual aspects of conspiracy graphics and maps and the role they play in convincing Americans of a conspiracy theory’s legitimacy, the rhetorical and structural elements of social media in spreading mis/disinformation, and the informational dynamics of online conspiracies.
In 2022, Dr. Hannah brought his research into the classroom to engage students in a challenging project with real-world applications. Co-directed with Associate Professor Bethany McGowan (Libraries), “Diplomacy Lab” focused on global mis/disinformation. Collaborating with the Purdue Policy Research Institute and the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Hannah and Professor McGowan led an undergraduate initiative to respond to the information needs of U.S. diplomats in assessing mis/disinformation. While learning to be smarter consumers and creators of information and data themselves, students had the opportunity to design and build an information toolkit for government officials (see the toolkit here) that was well-received by the Department of State.
Building on the success of “Diplomacy Lab,” Dr. Hannah is also leading a research initiative through the Institute of Information Literacy at Purdue, entitled “Information Literacy in the Age of Online Mis/Dis/Malinformation.” This project will bring experts in psychology, political science, computer science, and communications together to develop an information literacy toolkit for the masses, designed to help the public intervene directly when encountering online conspiracy theories. This framework will provide the basis for future toolkits to help de-radicalize conspiracy theorists.
If you are interested in reading more of Dr. Hannah’s work, his research on the conspiracy theory QAnon has appeared in First Monday and Social Media + Society. He has an article focused on online conspiracies and information literacy forthcoming in a special issue of the Journal of Information Literacy, and a chapter forthcoming in the book Extremism and Conspiracy Movements: From the Alt-Right to QAnon (Lexington Books). He is also co-editor with Dr. Christopher Conner (University of Missouri) of a special issue of Frontiers in Communication focused on the public impact of conspiracy theories, entitled “Paranoid Publics: Conspiracy Theories and the Public Sphere.” This semester, Dr. Hannah will teach “American Studies 301: American Conspiracy Theories,” which focuses on the conspiracism pervading American cultural and political life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries (see the syllabus here).
Filed under: faculty_staff, general, press_release, Research HighlightFebruary 10th, 2023
By: Ayn Reineke, in conversation with Professor Sarah Huber
A revolution in creative pedagogy is coming to the third floor of the Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC 3007). When the Libraries’ Knowledge Lab opens on February 14th, the Purdue community will have its first opportunity to engage with a brand new conceptual space on campus where students, staff, and faculty can explore a variety of maker tools and materials, get creative, and have fun while turning their ideas into rapid prototypes, podcasts, textile art, and more. Offering tutorials, guidance, and free low-stakes resources such as a vinyl cutter, sewing machine, Riso printer, a podcast booth, heat press, yarn, cardboard, and fabric, it will serve as a first stop in a pipeline of opportunities on campus to fully actualize an idea.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Sarah Huber, associate professor and faculty librarian supervisor of the Knowledge Lab, to discuss the new space in advance of the grand opening celebration on February 14th, 2023.
AR: As a creative person who would have absolutely loved having access to a resource like this as a student, it’s like walking into a toy store as a kid, but even better, it’s all free to use! How did this happen?
SH: That’s great to hear, and just the kind of impression we want people to have coming into the space. The Knowledge Lab is a natural extension of Libraries’ Mobile Making efforts. After five years of developing programming across campus, which included partnering with departments and the Purdue cultural centers, we kept asking, “Why do Making in an academic setting?” We know why people Make in a costume shop or an engineering lab, but why should we encourage and facilitate Making across all disciplines in academia? We realized that we needed space to explore this question in more depth.
AR: Interesting. How do you find an answer to that question?
SH: One experience in particular sparked me to dig deeper into the idea of Making in an academic setting. A couple years ago, I partnered with Dr. Pam Sari from the Asian American and Asian Resource Cultural Center (AAARCC) to host a podcast. The podcast was dedicated to examining the ideas of who is a Maker and what is the definition of Making.
AR: We should pause there. Could you define Making for readers who may not be familiar with the concept of Making with a capital M?
SH: Yes, traditionally, Making included areas such as robotics, 3D printing, and woodworking. It was often associated with males in the STEM fields. That wasn’t always the case in practice, of course, but that’s the reputation it gained.
AR: Thank you. So, what happened on the podcast?
SH: We took it in many fun directions, and I learned a lot. One guest, a PhD candidate at the time, Kadari Taylor Watson, talked about her exploration of African print fabrics as her scholarship. She didn’t want to dilute her work into a journal article—she wanted to present her work in the form of an exhibition, and that would be her scholarship. The episode is called Making with African Print Fabrics. That was it for me, the spark that set us on a path towards the Knowledge Lab.
I wanted our Maker programming to explore the idea of finding the best medium to deliver your content. I wanted us to host a space that facilitates the exploration of different mediums to deliver new knowledge. Plus, there’s no getting around it—it was not easy lugging equipment and materials all over campus. The Knowledge Lab allows us to provide a greater variety of Maker tools that are too heavy or impractical for Mobile Making, like our RISO printer, which is a printer that produces the look of digital screen printing. We’re hoping students will create zines and booklets with it.
AR: Right. I imagine a giant printer doesn’t travel well! In Libraries, we like to say that we are “More Than Books,” and that certainly applies here.
SH: Absolutely! The intention of the Knowledge Lab is for the Purdue community to experiment with different media as a means to express an idea, to test ideas under different circumstances to see what medium best serves that idea in a new and innovative way. We hope it will serve faculty and students as a space for discussions about alternative, non-traditional scholarship that will contribute to Purdue’s knowledge landscape. We want to facilitate a focus on process, not just product, so that an idea isn’t forced into an expected container, such as the traditional expectation of a journal article, but fully realized in a way where the creator and the audience can best connect with the intent and content.
AR: Was the Knowledge Lab inspired by the makerspaces we see popping up in cities around the world?
SH: I would say that we have built on the makerspace principles of building, creating things with your hands, and testing ideas. When people look into a makerspace and see students working through their ideas, I think the word “autonomy” often comes to mind. I think this is a very important facet of makerspaces, maybe the most important. Where we take a step in a different direction, I think, is by challenging students to answer the question, “How can your Making be considered scholarship?” or “How can it lead to a final outcome that is your scholarship?” It’s all about working through the creative process and approaching ideas from new angles, because that’s what drives innovation.
AR: What makes Libraries the best home for a space like this?
SH: As a faculty librarian, this is my elevator pitch, “We used to be the gatekeepers of knowledge, then we became the curators of knowledge, and now, libraries are both curators and facilitators of new knowledge.” Our libraries are inclusive places of information sharing, and the Knowledge Lab allows students and faculty to actively participate in information creation. We see and value students’ creative processes and output, and we want to facilitate and acknowledge their contribution to Purdue’s information landscape.
AR: My understanding is that everyone in the Purdue community can use Libraries resources, regardless of discipline, major, or degree. There’s no gatekeeping, no prerequisites. I imagine that the mission of the Knowledge Lab aligns well with that.
SH: Yes. We want everyone to feel comfortable visiting the Knowledge Lab, exploring their ideas and creative processes, and using our resources. You don’t need to be proficient in a particular software or enrolled in a specific academic program to find a place here. We encourage experimentation and discovery through trial and error because it’s all part of the innovation process. And our staff will help familiarize visitors with the resources we offer, or troubleshoot if they get stuck.
AR: Tell me more about the role staff will play.
SH: The Knowledge Lab Manager, Robin Meher, and her team will be present to help students safely use the equipment, software, and discover the materials to spark their creative thinking. If they’ve never used a particular tool, or simply have a great idea but no clue where to start, our staff is here to help. That said, we also understand that sometimes, you just need time and space to work out a problem or explore an idea independently, and we are sensitive to those needs, too. We are happy to provide as much or as little guidance as our visitors need.
AR: Will there be opportunities for more in-depth instruction if someone wants to build their skills with a particular resource?
SH: Yes, absolutely. We plan to invite campus experts, artists, and I hope, eventually, some of the talented students who use the Knowledge Lab, to give one-hour introductory tutorials and share their own creative and learning processes. Our first KNOW 101 session is already planned for March 9th. I’ll be teaching participants the basics of machine sewing. We’ll be making soft toys for their favorite cats and dogs.
AR: That sounds like a fun way to get comfortable with sewing machines, which, let’s face it, can sometimes be intimidating with their bobbins and needles to thread, and frustratingly vague instruction manuals.
SH: Ha! Yes, and we still have lots of vague instruction manuals throughout the space. The good news is—people will be here to help. Once you de-mystify the equipment for the user, it opens up a world of possibilities for innovation, ideation, and exploration. That’s something that is really important to us in the Knowledge Lab. We have the resources and expertise to help you learn and make things you may have previously taken for granted, like bags with different types of closures—zippers, snaps, buttons, etc. We don’t want any barriers to entry and welcome all ideas, no matter how “out there” you may think it is. We never want anyone to feel intimidated in our space. We are located in a beautiful corner space on the third floor of the Wilmeth Active Learning Center. Between the big sunny windows and the gorgeous views of campus, it’s a warm, welcoming space where we hope to build a community of makers, dreamers, and creative risk-takers.
AR: You mentioned community. With all these cozy nooks and open work stations, the space seems to invite conversation and idea sharing.
SH: Yes! Thank you for pointing that out. We want to encourage and nurture students in developing their ideas in tandem with others. We often focus on the digital, the data-driven. Of course I see the value and the place for that, but Information consumption and creation so often takes place by ourselves, in isolation, and is done almost entirely on screens. The research is there—working with our hands and bouncing ideas off each other helps us both process information and develop ideas. And honestly, it’s just fun. Bring your cup of coffee, sit in our textile section and knit with a classmate, share ideas, and give each other feedback on a way to deliver a math concept through knitting.
AR: Sounds like the Knowledge Lab encourages a much more active, creative ideation process. I’d like to think there could be social and mental health benefits, too.
SH: I hope so. This is a space where students can talk through and explore their ideas without the pressure of a letter grade. It’s just for them, for the benefit of their own creative process and idea actualization. I know for myself, when I work with my hands, it activates something in me that helps calm me and takes my mind off of something stressful I may be going through.
AR: Speaking of letter grades, how will faculty and instructors use the Knowledge Lab?
SH: First and foremost, I hope they come to explore the space. I hope they reach out to me for a conversation on how to integrate Making into their course design. Ultimately, we want this to become a service that the Lab offers in the future. And I’d like them to understand that the heart of this space is inclusion. That inclusion relates to valuing the different ways students exist in the world. So, let’s give them opportunities to express that in the classroom, in their course deliverables, in their scholarship.
AR: How will you assess the impact and learning taking shape here?
SH: I hope the Lab will foster discussions on how to assess diverse deliverables. We know how to assess a paper or a PPT, but how do we assess something Made, something exhibited? Well, we can learn from teaching and learning practices of faculty across different disciplines. I want to make one clarification, though—this effort is not intended to be prescriptive. When I look back on my most impactful instructors, they knew their content well and they taught it in very different ways from one another. I respect that if faculty believe the best way for students to learn a section of their content is through a specific format, their experience and knowledge informed that decision. This space and concept is for instructors who want to experiment with ways to give autonomy to students in their course deliverables.
AR: Having sat through many dry final project slide-based presentations as a student, I can’t tell you how much more engaged I would have been if, after having all learned the same content, my classmates and I were given the freedom to demonstrate our learning proficiency in ways that excited and inspired us as individuals.
SH: Exactly. To take one concept and see it actualized not only in data or a research paper, but also in art, robotics, music, you name it—that depth and creativity breeds synthesis, reflection, and innovation. And once they have taken their ideas as far as they can go in the Knowledge Lab, we will help students confidently connect to other resources for the next phase of their actualization journey on campus, if they choose to take it further. There is no pressure.
AR: So, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey?
SH: Very much so.
AR: Lastly, why should people come to the grand opening on Valentine’s Day? Besides free food and coffee and the opportunity to design the DIY mug of their dreams.
SH: (laughing) Because it’s amazing, of course! Come and see what we’re doing. We want to hear your thoughts, get the conversations, and the Making, started!
AR: Thank you so much for your time.
The grand opening of the Knowledge Lab will take place in WALC 3007, on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. All members of the Purdue community are invited to drop in, explore the space, enjoy snacks, and participate in maker activities. For more information about the Knowledge Lab, upcoming tutorial sessions, and hours, please visit our website at https://www.lib.purdue.edu/KnowledgeLab.
Filed under: events, faculty_staff, general, News and Announcements, press_release, services, WALCFebruary 1st, 2023
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research has released a new opinion poll database, the Health Poll Database , dealing with health related survey questions. It is included in the Purdue University Libraries’ subscription to the Roper Center’s iPoll Databank .
Filed under: collections, general