Academic libraries have long been called the heart of their campuses. As priorities have shifted away from print collections and other repository services, college libraries have expanded their services to be welcoming spaces that support students' sense of belonging and meet a wide range of needs. This is perhaps especially true of community…

This study aims to discover the current value and role of the contemporary community college library for community college executives. This dissertation informs librarians about how libraries will be able to thrive on the contemporary community college campus. The study draws on the literature and utilizes a mixed methods study approach to develop…

Open educational resources (OER) provide college students with course materials on the first day of class, ensuring an equitable learning experience for all. The concept of OER has been around for almost 20 years, yet many faculty and librarians are just now becoming aware as more and more statewide initiatives are introduced. The adoption of OER…

There is little literature on what community college library deans must do to transform the community college library into an integral part of modern community colleges. Using a qualitative approach, this study examines the roles and responsibilities of an effective leader in a community college library. Semi-structured interviews with six Texas…

Reference services in academic libraries often focus on user education and giving students the skills to perform their own searches. This article describes a new Research Concierge Service established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) in southwest Missouri. The service entails library staff curating a…

Teaching is a core role for librarians in academic contexts, although most librarians are not formally prepared to teach and encounter significant challenges in the role, including complex relationships with campus colleagues. The purpose of this research was to explore how community college librarians, an understudied population, understand their…

Community college libraries provide retention support for students navigating through their coursework. This research consists of interviews with 10 out of 18 library directors in New Jersey. This study takes a sizable positive step in determining how an academic library supports retention since a library director is uniquely qualified and able to…

Over the past three years, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)-funded Community College Academic and Student Support Ecosystem (CCASSE) initiative has aimed to provide the higher education community with insight into the organization of student-facing support services and how the library can best position itself to enhance student…

While working at a fast paced reference desk at a busy community college, a librarian may encounter many challenging questions and situations. One such problem that may exist on a community college level is that of the very needy student, who not only has issues with information literacy, but with reading competency and computer literacy. The…

Using cross-institutional survey data from 407 first-year college students, differences in information literacy preparation and academic library experiences between community college students and students at four-year institutions are examined. Results show that first-year community college students are more likely to be novice library users,…

This case study details how a community college library, in response to rising textbook costs and COVID-related closures, advocated for and received an increase in funding to provide online copies of many textbooks in its reserve collection. It also provides a glimpse into the roadblocks acquisitions librarians might encounter in trying to bolster…

With millions of dollars being spent for higher education library services each year, the cost and value of libraries are being scrutinized even with evidence that libraries aid student success. Community college libraries offer more open hours than most other campus services and provide research help, textbook access and many other services to…

This case study demonstrates how librarians at LaGuardia Community College led a college-wide knowledge management project to implement "Ask LaGuardia," an online knowledge base where users can find answers to common questions on navigating this large urban college. Students had been experiencing difficulty receiving clear, correct, and…

As academic institutions continue to renovate and remodel existing libraries to include colocated services, it is important to understand how this new environment requires the redefining of traditional library roles and responsibilities. This case study examines how Delaware County Community College redefined reference and research service by…

Libraries are the central resource for supporting faculty and students in their research and information needs, both physically and remotely. This essential role of libraries and library faculty has remained consistent amid significant technological and pedagogical changes within the community college system. As librarians continue to determine…