In the Library with the Lead Pipe – An open access, peer reviewed journal

In Brief Each year during the American Library Association’s “Banned Books Week,” librarians display famous books that have been challenged in the past as well as the most frequently challenged books in the present day. This book-centric approach seems to be the standard. By focusing on the books themselves, however, do librarians tacitly concede that...

In Brief This paper explores the relationship between EBP as a system of knowledge governance, its implementation in library work, and the means by which librarians’ value-neutral commitments to EBP consequently serve the interests of oppressive regimes. I expand on this contention by first exploring the origination and early adoption of EBP first in medical...

In Brief Access services policies at academic archives in the United States are, in many ways, informed by carceral logics. This essay explores the ethical implications of upholding such policies for academic archives engaged in the growing realm of carceral collecting. Drawing from sources in trauma theory, abolitionist and Black feminism, and critical race theory,...

In Brief Free menstrual products at libraries are no longer a new phenomenon, thanks to the work of global menstrual equity advocates such as Period.org and Global Menstrual Collective. However, more often than not, these initiatives center around disposable period products. We argue that the work should not stop there. Libraries should explore the distribution...

In Brief This paper employs autoethnography to expose the conference experiences of disabled scholars within the academic and library fields, highlighting the systemic barriers found in these professional settings. In integrating personal narratives with theoretical insights, this study highlights how rigid conference spaces and norms do not accommodate disabled bodyminds, which hinders professional development, and...

In Brief Over the course of a year, I conducted a diversity audit of part of the general nonfiction collection, specifically the psychology section (BFs) at the Charles C. Myers Library at the University of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa. In total I audited 1,075 books using questionnaires I developed to collect data on the science...

In Brief It is inevitable that public librarians interact with mentally ill patrons daily. We do our best to help find information and connect patrons to resources, where appropriate. What is missing from these conversations is that mentally ill librarians exist too. We often mask our own mental health struggles for the sake of helping...

In Brief While a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree is typically necessary to become an academic librarian, practical experiences such as internships, practicums, and apprenticeships are essential in gaining employment post-graduation. Providing paid opportunities where LIS students participate in and contribute to meaningful mentorship, training, and work experience is critical to improving...

In Brief Library guides can help librarians provide information to their patrons regarding their library resources, services, and tools. Despite their perceived usefulness, there is little discussion in designing library guides pedagogically by following a set of assessment standards for a quality-checked review. Instructional designers regularly use vetted assessment standards and a peer review process...

In Brief by Keahi Adolpho and Stephen G. Krueger Trans and gender diverse people are present in all areas of library work. We use libraries of all types, as members of the public, as students, as researchers. Though as of this writing the most recent public demographics from the American Library Association do not count...

Rethinking Banned Books Exhibits in the Library

False Positive: Transphobic Regimes, Ableist Abandonment, and Evidence-Based Practice

Radical Trust: Access Services and Archives Engaged in Carceral Collecting

Sustainable Menstrual Equity: A Case Study on the Success of Low-Cost Menstrual Cup Distribution

Cripping Conferences: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Disability in Academia

Conducting a Diversity Audit in an Academic Library on the Psychology, Non-Fiction Collection

What’s Missing in Conversations about Libraries and Mental Illness

Not Business as Usual: Incorporating LIS Student Perspectives in the Apprenticeship Hiring Process

Using a Proposed Library Guide Assessment Standards Rubric and a Peer Review Process to Pedagogically Improve Library Guides: A Case Study

Decistifying trans and gender diverse inclusion in library work: A literature review