Welcome to CAIS 2021: Northern Relations: Connecting the Unexpected and Overlooked to Information Science

An OPEN Virtual Conference

CAIS 2021 is the 49th annual conference of the Canadian Association for Information Science/ l’Association canadienne des sciences de l’information (CAIS/ACSI), hosted online by the University of Alberta, June 7 – 10, 2021. This year’s CAIS conference theme “Northern Relations: Connecting the Unexpected and Overlooked to Information Science” invites reflection upon library and information science as a diverse and relational field. Inspired by the overlooked, entangled, unexpected, and novel approaches to scholarship, teaching, and practice, we considered the many ways that library and information science can offer diverse and inclusive perspectives on data, information, knowledge, libraries, pedagogy, place, space, relationships, and communities.

This year’s presenters took up our call, enabling us to offer a program featuring a keynote, 23 papers, 9 posters, and 2 panels that challenge the status quo and deeply consider our contemporary times. We would like to thank all of our double-blind peer reviewers, and offer our special thanks to Yaxi Zhao and Alex Mayhew for organizing the Student Research Forum.

We are delighted to have Dr. Beth Patin as our keynote speaker. Dr. Patin argues for a paradigm shift in information science by inviting us to consider the knowledge systems, practices, and transformative methodologies that have been traditionally excluded from our field in her keynote: “Unexpected and overlooked: Understanding epistemicide in information science.”

Congratulations to all of our presenters and particularly the Best Paper “A bibliometric analysis of race-related research in LIS” by Philippe Mongeon, Alison Brown, Ratna Dhaliwal, Jessalyn Hill, and Amber Matthews; Best Paper Honourable Mention “Perspectives on telehealth projects in northern communities: Lessons learned for decolonized participatory design and assessment” Joelena Leader, Abby Goodrum; and the Student-to-CAIS award winner “Reading the silence: Canadian library responses to racial injustice” by Amber Matthews.

The University of Alberta is situated on traditional Treaty 6 territory and homeland of the Métis peoples. Amiskwaciwâskahikan / ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᕀᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ / Edmonton.

Tami Oliphant
School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

Robyn Stobbs
Research Data Management Librarian, Athabasca University**
PhD Candidate, Human Ecology & Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

Adam Worrall
School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

Program

Zoom link for all sessions: https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Note that all times are in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).
Please make sure to use your real name when joining the Zoom call to ensure that the moderators let you in. If you have problems accessing the meeting, please contact us.
Download PDF version of the program here.
Day 1 - Monday, June 7
SessionTime (MDT)Presentation
Keynote12:30pm - 2:00pmUnexpected and overlooked: Understanding epistemicide in information science
Beth Patin
Break2:00pm - 2:30pm
Best papers2:30pm - 3:00pmA bibliometric analysis of race-related research in LIS
Philippe Mongeon, Alison Brown, Ratna Dhaliwal, Jessalyn Hill, Amber Matthews
3:00pm - 3:30pmReading the silence: Canadian library responses to racial injustice
Amber Matthews
3:30pm - 4:00pmPerspectives on telehealth projects in northern communities: Lessons learned for decolonized participatory design and assessment
Joelena Leader, Abby Goodrum
Day 2 - Tuesday, June 8
SessionTime (MDT)Presentation
Serendipity and contemplation9:30am - 10:00amContemplative inquiry: A novel research methodology for information science
Hugh Samson
10:00am - 10:30amAha! Librarians’ predisposition for information encountering and serendipity in the workplace
Naresh Kumar Agarwal, Yuan Ho Huang, Sanda Erdelez
10:30am - 11:00amThe role of human information behaviour in resilience and recovery
Angela Pollak, Julia Hersberger, Shelbi Webb
11:00am - 11:30amMany paths: Curiosity as transformative process
Linds Roberts
Lunch break and social11:30am - 12:30pm
Panel12:30pm - 2:00pmFinding sanctuary and strength in the LIS classroom
Jenna Hartel, Kiersten F. Latham, Beck Tench, Hugh Samson, Hailey Siracky, and Roger Chabot
Break2:00pm - 2:30pm
Poster Session2:30pm - 4:00pm“I’ll just make sure we’re all on the same page”: Talking fictional worlds into being
Robyn Stobbs, Arlene Oak
The established archives: A bibliometric overview of archival research
Kendell Fitzgerald, Grace Bourret, Jordan Audas, Lisa Olson, Ana Roeschley, Philippe Mongeon
Assessing the loss of Western Canadian digital heritage
Tasbire Saiyera, Brenda Reyes Ayala, Qiufeng Du
A whole new world: Investigating the use of social media by the Vancouver Public Library to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sam Vander Kooy
Is archival scholarship for everybody? A bibliometric analysis of gender and knowledge production in the archival field, 1981 - 2019
Lisa Olson, Jordan Audas, Grace Bourret, Kendell Fitzgerald, Ana Roeschley, Philippe Mongeon
Public library staff experiences of accommodation in the workplace
Heather Hill
From “a great counter attraction to the ale-house and low music hall” to “the one place everybody goes”: the public library in The Globe and Mail, 1860 -2016
Sofia Beraldo, Chelsea Coubry-Forte, Katrina Desjardins, Erin Isings, Kate McCandless, Pam McKenzie
“Hide, stay still and listen carefully”: Birdwatchers’ information seeking and sharing on YouTube
Yazdan Mansourian
Multi-method experience sampling in information behaviour research
Amelia W. Cole, Kelsey Urgo
Day 3 - Wednesday, June 9
SessionTime (MDT)Presentation
Public libraries, media, and gender9:30am - 10:00am#LibraryLife: A quantitative analysis of social media usage, content, and engagement at the Vancouver Public Library
Sam A. Vander Kooy
10:00am - 10:30amUse of Twitter by a public library during the pandemic
Dinesh Rathi
10:30am - 11:00am“We’re still open”: Canadian news media’s framing of Canadian public libraries’ Covid-19 responses
Nicole Dalmer, Meridith Griffin
11:00am - 11:30amNaming patron-perpetrated sexual harassment in libraries
Tami Oliphant, Danielle Allard, Angela Lieu, Karla Mallach
Lunch break and social11:30am- 12:30pm
Panel12:30pm - 2:00pmEthical accountability and high-stakes recordkeeping: Discussions from the Sex Work Activist Histories Project
Danielle Allard, Amy Lebovitch, Jenn Clamen, Shawna Ferris, Micheline Hughes
Break2:00pm - 2:30pm
Northern communities2:30pm - 3:00pmIndigenous digital storytelling for cultural heritage access and preservation
Ali Shiri, Deanna Lyn Howard, Sharon Farnel
3:00pm - 3:30pm“Northern relations”: Collaborating “in a good way” to develop the Inuvialuit digital library metadata framework
Sharon Farnel
3:30pm - 4:00pmDecolonization and reconciliation work in public libraries: An analysis of strategic plans
Dinesh Rathi
Day 4 - Thursday, June 10
SessionTime (MDT)Presentation
Information policy9:30am - 10:00amThe intersection of shark research, policy and the public: A bibliometric and altmetric view
Kory Melnick, Tamanna Moharana, Rémi Toupin, Pallavi Gone, Bertrum MacDonald, Philippe Mongeon
10:00am - 10:30amCitizens’ right to privacy and right to information access in smart cities: Evaluating the smart city initiative of West Baltimore
Sunyup Park
Break10:30am - 11:00am
Scholarly publishing11:00am - 11:30amMapping the Canadian library and information science research landscape
Cora-Lynn Munroe-Lynds, Marc-André Simard, Vinson Li, Emily McClean, Philippe Mongeon
11:30am - 12:00pmThe burden of article processing charges on Canadian universities
Marc-André Simard, Toluwase Asubiaro, Philippe Mongeon
12:00pm - 12:30pmOverlay journals: Overlooked or emergent?
Gail Thornton and Emily Kroeker
Lunch break and social12:30pm - 1:30pm
Youth and information literacy1:30pm - 2:00pmInformation literacy in Nova Scotia: Systematic mapping of high school learning outcomes
Cora-Lynn Munroe-Lynds
2:00pm - 2:30pmInformation literacy from high school to university: Report of the Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP)
Mary Cavanagh, Dianne Oberg, Heather Buchansky, Marc d’Avernas: Kate Johnson-McGregor, Sarah Roberts
2:30pm - 3:00pmInstruction from the margins: Giving voice to community college librarians
Heidi Julien, Melissa Gross, Don Latham
3:00pm - 3:30pmEducating and Empowering teen activists in public libraries: A case study of the impact of reading on young adult social justice actions
Jennifer McDevitt
Day 5 - Friday, June 11
SessionTime (MDT)Event
Forum9:00am - 11:00amStudent Research Forum (by invitation only)
Yaxi Zhao, Alex Mayhew
AGM1:00pm - 3:00pmCAIS Annual General Meeting
Philippe Mongeon

Detailed program

Unexpected and overlooked: Understanding epistemicide in information science

This year’s conference theme asks us to re-examine our work by seeking overlooked, under-cited, and emergent voices and scholarship, and transformative methodologies, partnerships, and relationships within and beyond our field. Indeed, the information professions need a paradigmatic shift to examine the ways we have systematically undermined knowledge systems falling outside of Western traditions. Epistemicide is the killing, silencing, annihilation, or devaluing of a knowledge system. Epistemicide happens when epistemic injustices are persistent, systematic, and collectively work as a structured oppression of particular ways of knowing. Addressing epistemicide is critical for information professionals because we task ourselves with handling knowledge from every field. There has to be a reckoning before the paradigm can truly shift; if there is no acknowledgement of injustice, there is no room for justice.
Jun 7, 2021 12:30 pm — 2:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Beth Patin
Recording

A bibliometric analysis of race-related research in LIS

The purpose of this work in progress is to quantify the amount of attention given to questions of racial inequity experienced by BIPOC in LIS research. We find that despite a recent surge in BIPOC-related research output, the publications are low in numbers and tend to receive fewer citations than other work in the same research area. BIPOC-related research is present but unevenly distributed across several areas of the field. These trends may help create and sustain momentum towards addressing the persistent lack of diversity and equity in LIS.”
Jun 7, 2021 2:30 pm — 3:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Philippe Mongeon, Alison Brown, Ratna Dhaliwal, Jessalyn Hill, Amber Matthews
PDF Recording

Reading the silence: Canadian library responses to racial injustice

This paper presents the findings of a research study on the statements issued by the Canadian library community in the wake of George Floyd’s death in May 2020. The study employed mixed-methods content analysis to (a) identify formal responses between May to August 2020; (b) analyze themes; and, (c) identify commitments for future accountability and research. Ninety-seven organizations were in the study and represent large public and academic libraries along with provincial, national, and professional associations. The results show that one third of the sampled Canadian library community formally responded with an organizational statement and fewer situated their organizations as contributors to systemic racism in Canadian society
Jun 7, 2021 3:00 pm — 3:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Amber Matthews
PDF Recording

Perspectives on telehealth projects in northern communities: Lessons learned for decolonized participatory design and assessment

Northern and Indigenous communities face well documented challenges to accessing services and are impeded by significant infrastructure and technological limitations prompting the urgency to adopt innovative approaches to overcome these barriers. Telehealth – the means of accessing healthcare services and information across distance – promises to augment services to address access issues, yet notable utilization and structural constraints remain. Drawing on a recent community-based study capturing the perspectives from four Northern Saskatchewan communities on telehealth utilization, this paper draws attention to the importance of community collaborations as crucial to better decision-making and pathways forward. Specifically, this work identifies the need for decolonized participatory design (PD) and participatory technology assessment models that consider broader socio-cultural and technical factors to inform Indigenous technology design, adoption, and assessment for long-term …
Jun 7, 2021 3:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Joelena Leader, Abby Goodrum
PDF Recording

Contemplative inquiry: A novel research methodology for information science

Contemplative inquiry is an introspective methodology that values first-person perspectives and diverse ways of knowing. This paper introduces contemplative inquiry as a promising methodology for information science research. The methodology is first contextualized within a discussion of research at the crossroads of information and contemplation and then elaborated utilizing examples from the author’s thesis research. Possible contributions of the methodology to information science are subsequently highlighted, as are potential future research applications. It is proposed that adoption of the methodology will offer information science researchers the techniques and tools necessary to explore fundamental questions regarding human contemplative experiences and growth.
Jun 8, 2021 9:30 am — 10:00 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Hugh Samson
PDF Recording

Aha! Librarians’ predisposition for information encountering and serendipity in the workplace

It is not clear if people’s high propensity for information encountering translates to organizational work settings. We investigate the relationship between individual predisposition for information encountering with the frequency of individual information encountering at work. Through a survey of 274 medical librarians of the top 100 medical schools, we found that individual information encountering was a significant predictor of information encountering at work. This finding helps information behavior researchers discover the transfer of behaviors from everyday-life to organizational environments. It brings attention to the need for greater support for information encounters at work, which may enhance their contribution to the organizational objectives.
Jun 8, 2021 10:00 am — 10:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Naresh Kumar Agarwal, Yuan Ho Huang, Sanda Erdelez
PDF Recording

The role of human information behaviour in resilience and recovery

Theoretical conceptualisations of resilience and recovery are examined in this paper to determine how critical elements of information behaviour interact while individuals attempt to regain equilibrium following a crisis event. Situated within the larger historical, social, scientific and psychological landscape, this review of the literature suggests that individuals who actively engage in positive information behaviour are generally perceived as better able to acquire needed resources to aid in recovery efforts post-trauma in order to achieve equilibrium or even improve on their previous status to achieve a level above that (thriving). Individuals who experience information difficulties find recovering or thriving more difficult and may be perceived as less resilient.
Jun 8, 2021 10:30 am — 11:00 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Angela Pollak, Julia Hersberger, Shelbi Webb
PDF Recording

Many paths: Curiosity as transformative process

Curiosity is seen as an integral part of information-seeking, including the power to transform, innovate, and synthesize, as well as the power to disrupt. While there is consensus that curiosity is vital to learning, innovation, and transformative change, scientists have yet to agree on definitions or categories of curiosity, and little is known about how best to engage learners’ curiosity in academic libraries. This paper presents interview findings with 41 transfer students. Students reflected on their experiences with libraries and on moments when they felt intensely curious or passionate about learning. Findings indicate that students’ curiosity ignites through ideas, hands-on learning, interpersonal, and lived experiences. Implications follow for library workers to consider how curiosity is framed within their institutions and intentionally cultivate learners’ curiosity.
Jun 8, 2021 11:00 am — 11:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Linds Roberts
PDF Recording

Finding sanctuary and strength in the LIS classroom

In the spirit of contemplative pedagogy, this panel introduces “The Tree of Contemplative Practices”—a graphic representation that helps educators and students to understand the main principles and seven major types of contemplative practices. Using the Tree as a framework, enthusiasts can learn contemplative practices in a systematic, secular, and bespoke manner. Sequentially, the moderator and presenters will: 1) Encapsulate their commitment to contemplative pedagogy; 2) Recount an application of The Tree of Contemplative Practices in their teaching; and 3) Demonstrate several of the Tree’s major limbs (e.g., GENERATIVE) and branches (e.g., loving-kindness meditation).
Jun 8, 2021 12:30 pm — 2:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Jenna Hartel, Kiersten F. Latham, Beck Tench, Hugh Samson, Hailey Siracky, Roger Chabot
PDF Recording

“I’ll just make sure we’re all on the same page”: Talking fictional worlds into being

This poster will present emerging results from a study of material and discursive information practices in tabletop roleplaying games. The focus will be on the ways in which players collaboratively construct and interact with the fictional worlds of play. A “big and small story” approach, influenced by the ethnomethodological methods of conversation analysis and membership categorization analysis, will be used to analyze the players’ talk as they intersubjectively create and sustain a fictional space of play.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Robyn Stobbs, Arlene Oak
PDF Poster

“Hide, stay still and listen carefully”: Birdwatchers’ information seeking and sharing on YouTube

This paper presents early findings of an ongoing investigation about information seeking and sharing patterns among birdwatched on YouTube. The research aims to find out how they seek and share hobby-related information and to what extent publicly available multimedia resources on YouTube can satisfy their information needs. The researcher analysed 1988 comments from a sample of the most visited birdwatching videos to identify the patterns based on the user-generated contents to address the questions. The findings show birdwatching is a very information-rich context, and birdwatchers are involved in various information activities to pursue their hobbies.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Yazdan Mansourian
PDF Poster

The established archives: A bibliometric overview of archival research

This research uses bibliometric methods to trace the interdisciplinary nature of archival studies and the ‘archival multiverse’ through the analysis of academic journal articles. We first analyzed the networks of archival papers included in this study and the identified communities within it. We then analyzed the most frequent words and citations for each network. This analysis provides an overview of the structure of the archival studies in recent decades, which points to a field that is slowly developing its own identity.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Kendell Fitzgerald, Grace Bourret, Jordan Audas, Lisa Olson, Ana Roeschley, Philippe Mongeon
PDF Poster

Public library staff experiences of accommodation in the workplace

Identifying as having a disability in the workplace can be a complicated proposition. This research examines public library staff experiences of accommodation for a disability within the workplace. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Canadian public library staff who sought accommodation in their workplace.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Heather Hill
PDF Poster

Multi-method experience sampling in information behaviour research

Capturing information behaviours and attitudes occurring in natural settings is a challenge. Observational methods are often intrusive or retrospective proxies, which may change behaviour or misrepresent attitudes. Technology enables novel approaches to in-situ quantitative data collection but rarely explores qualitative reflections; informing researchers on what happened, but not necessarily why. Recent work uses multi-method approaches that combine quantitative data, tracking experiences, feelings, and behaviours over time, with qualitative data to gain deeper insights into subjective experiences. This poster has two main objectives: (1) introduce experience sampling methods (ESM) to information and library scientists, and (2) show how traditional quantitative ESM measures can be extended with qualitative measures.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Amelia W. Cole, Kelsey Urgo
PDF Poster

Is archival scholarship for everybody? A bibliometric analysis of gender and knowledge production in the archival field, 1981 - 2019

Analyzing over 7000 academic journal articles spanning four decades, this research uses bibliometric methods to assess the hypothesis that the archival field is a feminized discipline. First, an explanation of our dataset is presented, followed by the results of the proportion of men and women amongst the authors for which we were able to assign a perceived gender. This analysis shows a gradual rise of female-perceived authorship. We then compare these results to the differences in citations between papers with female and male first authors, which shows no clear trend.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Lisa Olson, Jordan Audas, Grace Bourret, Kendell Fitzgerald, Ana Roeschley, Philippe Mongeon
PDF Poster

From “a great counter attraction to the ale-house and low music hall” to “the one place everybody goes”: the public library in The Globe and Mail, 1860-2016

Canadian public libraries espouse a set of values that may not be congruent (e.g., preserving “high” culture vs providing access to inclusive collections). Tension or conflict can result when stakeholders emphasize different values, so it is crucial to attend to values in stakeholder accounts, including those in the mass media. This poster presents a) emerging findings from a study of the representation of public libraries in The Globe and Mail since 1860; and b) reflections on the research and research communication process as an innovative experiential learning opportunity for the interdisciplinary team of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Sofia Beraldo, Chelsea Coubry-Forte, Katrina Desjardins, Erin Isings, Kate McCandless, Pam McKenzie
PDF Poster

Assessing the loss of Western Canadian digital heritage

In 2003, UNESCO recognized the volatility of our heritage on the web. In response, many Canadian institutions rose to the challenge to preserve our digital heritage. This study examines web archives created by the University of Alberta Libraries relevant to Western Canadian heritage. We examine these collections in order to (1) assess their degree of link rot (which occurs when a website is no longer online) and (2) to determine how extensively these websites have been preserved.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Tasbire Saiyera, Brenda Reyes Ayala, Qiufeng Du
PDF Poster

A whole new world : Investigating the use of social media by the Vancouver Public Library to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic

This poster will present the preliminary results of a thematic analysis of the contents of theVancouver Public Library’s (VPL) Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube feeds throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (February 1st to June 30th, 2020) to better understand what types of crisis-related services and information they are providing to the public. This data will also be compared to Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube content from the same time period in 2019 to investigate whether the pandemic has changed VPL’s social media practices in any significant ways.
Jun 8, 2021 2:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Sam Vander Kooy
PDF Poster

#LibraryLife: A quantitative analysis of social media usage, content, and engagement at the Vancouver Public Library

This paper explores the contents of the Vancouver Public Library’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube feeds between September 1st and November 30th, 2020 to better understand how each social media platform is being used to communicate with stakeholders. This quantitative content analysis of each platform’s usage, content, and engagement highlights some important trends libraries should be aware of concerning both the use of multiple social media platforms and the evaluation of their current social media strategies.
Jun 9, 2021 9:30 am — 10:00 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Sam A. Vander Kooy
PDF Recording

Use of Twitter by a public library during the pandemic

Social media such as Twitter and Facebook are used by organizations including public libraries to disseminate a variety of information to community members. This research aims to identify key areas in which Twitter was used to share information with users during the initial pandemic phase by a large public library operating in the Western region of Canada. The findings resulting from the analysis of 150 tweets revealed that the library shared information primarily in the following areas: Programs and Services, Library Operations, Health and Hygiene, Resources, and Other.
Jun 9, 2021 10:00 am — 10:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Dinesh Rathi
PDF

“We’re still open”: Canadian news media’s framing of Canadian public libraries’ Covid-19 responses

COVID-19 is persistently transforming how and where public libraries are able to engage with and support their communities. While existing research at the juncture of public library services and COVID-19 has overwhelmingly examined library-produced content, this study shifts focus to media representations of library practices during COVID-19. Using frame analysis methodology, this study analyzed 218 Canadian news articles for the ways in which news stories articulate public libraries’ roles and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three frames emerged: (re)negotiating the library’s space, (re)configuring the library’s roles, and (re)constructing “others”. Conclusions explore the implications of these frames, linked to a broader conversation regarding transformations to public spaces during COVID-19.
Jun 9, 2021 10:30 am — 11:00 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Nicole Dalmer, Meridith Griffin
PDF Recording

Naming patron-perpetrated sexual harassment in libraries

Patron-perpetrated sexual harassment (PPSH) is increasingly recognized as a significant problem in the field of library and information studies (LIS) but is often described and treated as “unfortunate” and “part of the job.” The results from a large-scale survey (505 responses) where participants described incidents of PPSH in the workplace support widely held public statements that define PPSH as a form of gender-based violence (GBV), insisting that it must be named and treated as such. Naming PPSH as sexual harassment and a form of GBV has important implications for library workers, library workplaces, and the broader field of LIS.
Jun 9, 2021 11:00 am — 11:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Tami Oliphant, Danielle Allard, Angela Lieu, Karla Mallach
PDF

Ethical accountability and high-stakes recordkeeping: Discussions from the Sex Work Activist Histories Project

Including both academic and sex work activist community partners, panel members will discuss established and developing practices and key findings from the Sex Work Activist Histories Projects’ first two years as we collected and archived sex work activist histories. We draw from feminist and Indigenous frameworks of ethical, affective, and relational accountability (among groups, between academics and non-academics involved in the project, and between people and their records/histories) to productively consider how project relationships might be cultivated that are mutually accountable to the varied and complex analytical and affective positionalities of project members as they work together.
Jun 9, 2021 12:30 pm — 2:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Danielle Allard, Amy Lebovitch, Jenn Clamen, Shawna Ferris, Micheline Hughes
PDF

Indigenous digital storytelling for cultural heritage access and preservation

This paper reports on an examination and analysis of digital storytelling interface features and functionalities within a select number of Indigenous digital libraries and archives to support and inform the participatory and culturally-informed design and development of a digital storytelling system for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Western Arctic. The paper presents participatory and inclusive design ideas and examples from Canada, US, and Australia.
Jun 9, 2021 2:30 pm — 3:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Ali Shiri, Deanna Lyn Howard, Sharon Farnel
PDF Recording

“Northern relations”: Collaborating “in a good way” to develop the Inuvialuit digital library metadata framework

Digital libraries are online platforms for organizing, sharing, and providing access to resources. Ideally, they are developed by, with, and for specific user communities. Metadata frameworks, as integral components of digital libraries, should also reflect the needs and serve the interests of those communities. In this paper I report on one aspect of my doctoral research which involved working collaboratively, respectfully, and appropriately with members of the Inuvialuit community in the northwestern part of Canada to explore and articulate a culturally responsive metadata framework for their digital library of cultural resources.
Jun 9, 2021 3:00 pm — 3:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Sharon Farnel
PDF Recording

Decolonization and reconciliation work in public libraries: An analysis of strategic plans

The 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report provides valuable guidance and critical foundation on decolonization and reconciliation in Canada. Public institutions including universities and libraries have affirmed their commitment towards reconciliation and decolonization by undertaking initiatives and establishing both short- and long-term goals. This research examines strategic plans posted on the organizational websites of nine Canadian public library systems operating in cities with significant Indigenous population. The findings suggest that different library systems made varying levels of explicit and/or implicit commitment towards reconciliation and decolonization.
Jun 9, 2021 3:30 pm — 4:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Dinesh Rathi
PDF

The intersection of shark research, policy and the public: a bibliometric and altmetric view

Sharks have traditionally been portrayed as dangerous animals by modern media, contributing to a negative perception in the public eye. On one hand, despite some species being listed as critically endangered, news about the perceived risk of sharks for humans protrudes more than other topics. On the other hand, conservation topics tend to focus on specific topics, such as finning, highlighting the divergence between scientific and mediatic discourses about sharks. Our research compares the attention of shark research topics across citations, tweets, news and policy mention to assess the salience of specific themes. We find that citations are evenly distributed across research communities, tweets and policy mentions exhibit a significant focus on conservation, and news mentions tend to focus on more sensationalist topics such as shark attacks or the repercussions of fisheries on coral reefs.
Jun 10, 2021 9:30 am — 10:00 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Kory Melnick, Tamanna Moharana, Rémi Toupin, Pallavi Gone, Bertrum MacDonald, Philippe Mongeon
PDF Recording

Citizens’ right to privacy and right to information access in smart cities: Evaluating the smart city initiative of West Baltimore

This paper will detail smart city initiatives in West Baltimore and evaluate different approaches to ensure the right to privacy and the right to information access of lower-income communities of color. After evaluating these approaches, this paper proposes recommendations to facilitate the right to privacy and the right to information access in lower-income communities.
Jun 10, 2021 10:00 am — 10:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Sunyup Park
PDF Recording

Mapping the Canadian library and information science research landscape

This work-in-progress paper aims to map the scholarship produced by the eight Canadian Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. After using the citation network to divide publications into several research areas, we analyze how the research output of different LIS schools is distributed across these areas, in an attempt to shed light on the schools’ specificities and commonalities and how each school contributes to the global picture of Canadian LIS research.
Jun 10, 2021 11:00 am — 11:30 am https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Cora-Lynn Munroe-Lynds, Marc-André Simard, Vinson Li, Emily McClean, Philippe Mongeon
PDF Recording

The burden of article processing charges on Canadian universities

The question about the cost of access to scholarly resources is usually answered by focusing on subscription cost. This study highlights the article processing charges (APCs) paid by Canada’s research institution as an additional scholarly resource. Unpaywall database was queried with the DOIs of CARL member universities’ publication indexed in the Web of Science. We find that while Open Access should in principle reduce the cost of access to scholarly literature, we are rather in a situation where both the cost of access and the cost of publishing are increasing simultaneously.
Jun 10, 2021 11:30 am — 12:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Marc-André Simard, Toluwase Asubiaro, Philippe Mongeon
PDF Recording

Overlay journals: Overlooked or emergent?

Overlay journals are not a new concept but have been experiencing a recent resurgence because of the increase in the number of preprint servers and the increase in the number of preprints on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related topics. This study examines overlay journals at various stages of maturity for unique characteristics, including whether the authors submitted their article to the journal and whether the reviews of the article are published by the overlay journal. Whether they are considered overlooked or emergent, overlay journals are becoming an important contribution to scholarly communication.
Jun 10, 2021 12:00 pm — 12:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Gail Thornton, Emily Kroeker
PDF Recording

Information literacy in Nova Scotia: Systematic mapping of high school learning outcomes

Information literacy has never been more important for the functioning of the democratic process, and for autonomy over one’s decisions. The Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) created a framework for information literacy, which lists six threshold concepts that an information literate individual possesses. This paper seeks to identify information literacy embedded in the Nova Scotia high school curriculum learning outcomes. Information literacy threshold concepts were mapped in the learning outcomes using qualitative coding. Findings from this study will reveal strengths and weaknesses in IL competencies in the Nova Scotia high school courses. This study also provides recommendation for future research.
Jun 10, 2021 1:30 pm — 2:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Cora-Lynn Munroe-Lynds
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Information literacy from high school to university: Report of the Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP)

The Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP) investigated the impact of school libraries on the development of key information literacy skills in students entering post-secondary education, using online surveys and qualitative interviews. The project found that first-year university students are challenged by the demands of post-secondary course research assignments. These findings support previous research indicating first-year university students are challenged by new demands for research skills. Unfortunately, opportunities to develop those skills are inconsistent among school boards in Ontario. This is a multifaceted problem confronting both school librarians and academic librarians as well as their teaching partners.
Jun 10, 2021 2:00 pm — 2:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Mary Cavanagh, Dianne Oberg, Heather Buchansky, Marc d’Avernas, Kate Johnson-McGregor, Sarah Roberts
PDF Recording

Instruction from the margins: Giving voice to community college librarians

This study explores the experiences of community college librarians in the United States with instructional responsibility, as they negotiate professional guidelines that challenge their existing practices. Community college environments, students, and programs differ significantly from those typically explored in information literacy research. Thus, the study gives voice to a relatively marginalized set of librarians, many of whom struggle to implement instructional approaches perceived to be more suitable for university contexts.
Jun 10, 2021 2:30 pm — 3:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Heidi Julien, Melissa Gross, Don Latham
PDF Recording

Educating and empowering teen activists in public libraries: A case study of the impact of reading on young adult social justice actions

This participatory case study, which consisted of a co-designed virtual program through the Camrose Public Library, investigates how teen readers engage with the social justice themes in YA fiction, how and if they find these themes useful for understanding and engaging in activism on their own, and the influence of public library programming on these actions. I approached my research from a teen-centred perspective, inviting the youth who participated to make adjustments to each stage of the process. My research design, data collection, and data analysis were informed by critical ethnography as theory and reader-response theory. This case study found that, on their own, neither social activism narratives nor library programs motivate teens to conduct social justice actions; instead, they contribute to a network of learning opportunities and information that leads to teens becoming motivated to make a difference in their communities. Thus, public libraries can provide teen programming …
Jun 10, 2021 3:00 pm — 3:30 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Jennifer McDevitt
PDF Recording

Annual General Meeting

Jun 11, 2021 1:00 pm — 3:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/96815079086
Philippe Mongeon, Michael Ridley, Heather Hill
Meeting agenda and reports

Team

Conference co-chairs

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Adam Worrall

School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

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Robyn E. Stobbs

Research Data Management Librarian, Athabasca University, and PhD Candidate, Human Ecology & Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

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Tami Oliphant

School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta

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