While the ideal of a paperless library may be unobtainable, striving for a paperless interlibrary loan department is both possible and desirable. Interlibrary loan departments at smaller academic libraries are often understaffed and overworked. In this environment, streamlining and efficiency become priorities; implementing practical changes that save time, effort, and money are critical. Changes may include going paperless, improving shipping techniques, using custom holdings wisely, and training staff for efficiency.The ability to multitask is an essential characteristic of librarians in smaller academic libraries. Heartland Community College, located in Normal, Illinois, serves a population of 5,000 matriculated students and 6,000 students taking noncredit courses. Three full-time librarians divide all professional and many of the clerical library duties. On any given day, a librarian might be found teaching information literacy in the classroom, working at the reference desk, sending out fine notices, scanning electronic reserve, checking out books, and managing interlibrary loans. Interlibrary loan is handled by one librarian supervisor and one part-time student worker, and no more than two or three hours per day can be devoted to interlibrary loan. This level Submitted with the assistance of JILLDDER Fellow Diane L. Schrecker, MLIS, Curriculum Librarian,
The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education was adopted by the ACRL Board in 2016. Many librarians, particularly those interested in critical librarianship and critical information literacy, were disappointed that social justice did not explicitly appear anywhere in the Framework. To be fair, multiple elements of the Information has Value frame describe social justice work, specifically the Knowledge Practice: “understand how and why some individuals or groups of individuals may be underrepresented or systematically marginalized within the systems that produce and disseminate information.”
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