Limestone Library Faculty To Present Proposal At National Conference

A paper proposal contributed by three of Limestone University’s library faculty has been accepted for presentation at the upcoming Association of College and Research Libraries Conference. The virtual conference will be held April 13-16.

The proposal was submitted by Information Literacy Librarian Justin Davis, Director of the Library Lizah Ismail, and Assistant Director of the Library Janet Ward.

“Applying Inclusive Pedagogy to a 3-Credit-Bearing Library Research Course: Enhancing Student Learning Through Reflection, Critical Engagement and Community Consensus” highlights the authors’ attempt to redesign the course ID 305 – the capstone course for Liberal Studies majors, and a required course for English, Professional Communication, and Health Science/Pre-Athletic Training majors – by not only enhancing student engagement but also adopting a stronger student-centered approach that includes reflection, critical engagement, and student community consensus.

Inclusive pedagogy, as explained in the proposal, invites instructors to consider the choices around both the content they teach and the means through which it is delivered. It is a method of teaching in which instructors and classmates work together to create a supportive environment that gives each student equal access to learning.

Davis, Ismail, and Ward agreed that at a time when the diverse backgrounds of students, both in terms of learning styles as well as demographics, are more recognized than ever, this is an opportune time to embed such principles into ID 305.

“We are excited and pleased to be selected to present at this prestigious conference for academic library professionals,” Ismail said. “We were told that only 30 percent of contributed paper proposals were accepted, so we are deeply honored to be given this opportunity.

“Instilling inclusive pedagogy core principles in our course will help students recognize and embrace the diversity around us, particularly in academic discourse,” she added. “I believe that this is a step toward greater student engagement both in the class and in the students’ respective communities on and off-campus.”

In addition to the proposal that will be presented in April, the co-authors will be submitting an accompanying research and position paper that will be published as part of the 2021 Association of College and Research Libraries Conference proceedings.

The Association of College and Research Libraries is the higher education association for librarians. Representing more than 10,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals, it develops programs, products, and services to help academic and research librarians learn, innovate, and lead within the academic community. 

Davis is the Information Literacy Librarian and University Archivist at Limestone. He has co-presented at professional conferences and recently presented his work on the academic research seminar class he regularly teaches as part of the information literacy program at the University. Davis currently serves on a working group for the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL) Consortium. He holds both an MLIS and an MA in Public History from the University of South Carolina.

Ismail is Associate Professor and Director of the A.J. Eastwood Library at Limestone. She has served as a member of the PASCAL Board of Directors and as an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Library and Information Services in Distance Learning. Ismail currently serves on the Editorial Board of ACRL’s College and Research Libraries journal and on the ACRL's Value of Academic Libraries committee. She has presented her research on non-traditional students, Net Generation students, and the use of Course Management Software in library services at several conferences. She has also published on these topics. Ismail received her Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and her Master of Arts degree in Communications from the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. 

Ward is Associate Professor, Assistant Director of the A.J. Eastwood Library and Web Services Librarian at Limestone. She currently teaches Computer Science courses at the Day Campus and has taught freshman courses for over nine years. She has served as a member of the PASCAL Chair of the Commons Collections Committee and a current member of the Cataloging and Metadata Working Group.  She has served as Limestone’s Academic Wellness Educators Core Faculty, FACIA committee, Judicial Appeals Committee, Digital Accessibility Committee, Faculty Development Committee, IT Advisory Council, Digital Accessibility Committee, and is currently serving the Graduate Council. She is a former member of Cherokee County First Steps Partnership Board. She has presented her research and web designs on freshman user experience, collaborative collection management, research skills, library services and resources, and using applications in the library at numerous national conferences. Ward received her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina, a Bachelor of Science in Internet Management and Web Development Degree and Associate of Arts Degree from Limestone, and she completed Administrative Support Personnel Training certifications at the College of Business and Public Affairs at Clemson University.