Michelle L Finley

In today’s higher education landscape, staff well-being is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. At The University of West Florida's John C. Pace Library, our Circulation Department reimagined its scheduling model to prioritize flexibility, equity, and work-life balance, while still maintaining 18-hour daily coverage. This lightning round presentation will share how we implemented a variety of flexible scheduling options—including remote work (for administrative tasks), flex time, and compressed workweeks—within a traditionally rigid service model. The session will highlight our collaborative approach to redesigning schedules, the tools we used to manage coverage and communication, and the cultural shifts that made these changes successful. Attendees will leave with practical takeaways, lessons learned, and a renewed perspective on how libraries can support frontline staff through flexible, sustainable scheduling practices, without compromising service.

Books help people think deeply about cultural identity and provide librarians with a curriculum to curate these experiences. This qualitative instrumental case study investigated the metadata searchability of juvenile books featuring Black content in a regional comprehensive public university library in the southeastern United States. The study specifically examined how metadata assigned to juvenile fiction books purchased between 2017 and 2021 reflected the content of the books and impacted their discoverability in the library catalog. By analyzing the metadata coding of these books, the research highlighted the systemic gates that either promote or hinder accurate and comprehensive searchability. Through document analysis, the study offered insight into the challenges and intricacies of catalog search language in juvenile book collections. Findings from this study can guide librarians and policymakers in optimizing metadata standards to enhance the accessibility and visibility of cultural narratives in library collections. By focusing on juvenile books featuring Black characters, this research underscored the importance of metadata in supporting cultural representation and promoting visibility in library collections. It also provided a framework for libraries to evaluate their metadata assignment and align practices with institutional goals of equal opportunity. This work contributes to a growing understanding of how metadata shape the library catalog search experience and encourages libraries to curate collections that resonate with cultural identities while fostering educational growth and awareness among readers.

A systematic review of trends in academic hiring was conducted using literature from the library and information science and broader disciplines over the past twenty-two years in the United States. The review aimed to identify growth in interest in hiring practices and discuss the need for more academic research on hiring practices. While searches initially produced 1,142 results on academic hiring in library environments, the researchers could only find 49 results that addressed hiring practices in higher education related to their specific parameters.

A systematic review on diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic hiring was conducted using literature from the library and information science and broader disciplines over the past twenty-two years in the United States. The review aimed to identify a growth in interest in DEI hiring practices as well as to discuss the lack of academic research being conducted on hiring practices. While searches initially produced 1,142 results on academic hiring and diversity, equity and inclusion, the researchers could only find 49 results that addressed hiring practices in higher education as related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learning Outcomes: Define Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as it relates to recruitment, retention, and professional development in academic libraries. Identify and address gaps in the scholarly literature pertaining to hiring and retaining diverse hires in academic libraries. Critically examine the role of DEI initiatives in academic library personnel recruitment and development.