On December 10, 2025, members of the DOLS Web Committee hosted a Discussion Hour on the topic of Title II to commiserate and share tips about the upcoming change in requirements for web content.

According to attendees, the rate of updating and remediation seems to vary from institution to institution. There is even a sense of panic on some campuses, although libraries seems to have it mostly together. A big frustration and limitation is that many administrations are relying on the expertise of volunteers to make essential updates, rather than investing in proper tools or help for remediation, especially of posted documents. For example, PDFs are more difficult to remediate but it is easier to make Word documents accessible. Rather than relying on posted PDFs, the consensus is to rely on accessible Word documents when posting to the web.

In terms of prioritization, attendees reported that the library website is at the top, followed by ILL documents, Archives & Special Collections, and then, of course, LibGuides. A question came up about the ability to make our general collections more accessible online, but no one had a good answer for that!

During the discussion, an important point was made about a library’s responsibility regarding any vendor content. Whatever vendor content a library is contracted with, the library and staff is responsible for making sure that content is accessible to all users. This is in contrast to content that we may link out to, like in a LibGuide. We are not responsible for that content being accessible, but we may feel ethnically responsible to choose to link to more accessible content instead.

The committee has put together a Padlet for crowdsourcing information about technical topics regarding the accessibility of different content types. Anyone can add questions, best practices, and links to resources.

Calling all DOLS members: The Research & Publications Committee wants to celebrate what you’re writing, designing, and saying! Please share your publications, posters, and presentations via this brief Google Form. We know distance and online learning is only one piece of the larger educational puzzle, so if your publications are outside that scope… share them just the same! To view the full library of past member publications, access the Member Publications collection within the ACRL DOLS Zotero library.

Baskin, G. & Nourse, K. V., (2025) Exploring Student & Faculty Engagement with an OER Textbook in First-Year Composition. Journal of Open Educational Resources in Higher Education 3(3), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.31274/joerhe.20077

Carrillo, E., Kelly, H., & Brewer, A. (2025). Localizing guidance for research guides: Developing shared understandings for creating research guides with internal focus groups. Virginia Libraries, 69(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.21061/valib.v69i1.689

Del Castillo, M. & Kelly, H. (2025). Can AI become an information literacy ally? A survey of library instructor perspectives on ChatGPT. College & Research Libraries, 86(5), 797. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.86.5.797 

Jones, R. A., & Meky, D. (2025). Research, instruction, and outreach on a global scale: Challenges, best practices, and sustainable librarianship. Portal, 25(3), 453–469. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2025.a964600

Calling all DOLS members: The Research & Publications Committee wants to celebrate what you’re writing, designing, and saying! Please share your publications, posters, and presentations via this brief Google Form. We know distance and online learning is only one piece of the larger educational puzzle, so if your publications are outside that scope… share them just the same! To view the full library of past member publications, access the Member Publications collection within the ACRL DOLS Zotero library.

Haber, N., Mandani, S., & Accardo, K. (2024). Evaluating the New York Times: Content analysis of student responses to open-ended tutorial questions. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 28(1), 39–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875301.2023.2273249

Lechtenberg, U., & Gold, H. (2024). Beyond the minimum: New rule requires web content (I’m looking at you, LibGuides) to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. Information Technology and Libraries, 43(4). https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v43i4.17312

Persohn, L., Letourneau, R., Abell-Selby, E., Boczar, J., Symulevich, A., Szempruch, J., Torrence, M., Woolf, T., & Holtzman, A. (2024). Podcasting for public knowledge: A multiple case study of scholarly podcasts at one university. Innovative Higher Education, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09704-w 

Sturgeon, C., Parker, W., & Szempruch, J. N. (2024). Key concepts in business librarianship at academic libraries: A scoping review. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 29(2), 75-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/08963568.2024.2307309

ACRL DOLS AREDI Presents:

Decolonizing Digital Learning in the GenAI Era

Monday, June 16, 2025 | 11am – 12pm CT

Link to register

Given its convenience of learning from anywhere at any time, digital learning contributes to the democratization of learning and learning spaces.  Still, digital learning and learners face various challenges including isolations, identity incongruence, cultural responsiveness, and epistemic hegemony. This talk critically will discuss these challenges in the era of generative AI and advance the need to decolonize digital learning for libraries and librarians engaged in this space. This critical look will highlight and demonstrate how decolonizing digital learning can drive epistemic parity, affirm equity, and enhance the learning experience of all learners.

Presenter:

Dr. Rebecca Y. Bayeck is an Assistant Professor in the department of Instructional Technology & Learning Sciences at Utah State University. Her research includes literacies, artificial intelligence (AI) literacies, learning in various environments, and the design of inclusive learning spaces such as digital learning and exhibitions. She is the founder and project lead of the Hub for Artificial Intelligence Research in Archives (HAIRA). She has also partnered with the International Council on Archives (ICA) to lead a workshop on AI and Archival Appraisal and Selection; and worked as consultant with Mastercard foundation on their E-learning initiative program in Africa.

Please join the DOLS Research and Publications Committee for a conversation with Kaya van Beynen, Theresa Burress, Stephanie Jacobs, and Maryellen Nash who will be sharing their experiences in creating quality information modules to use at multiple campuses. We featured their article, “Quality matters: Using a peer-review process to create a cohesive multi-campus library online instruction program” from Communications in Information Literacy in our May 2024 Top 5 Articles on Online Library Orientations.

The authors will begin with a brief presentation on the development and execution of designing and assessing a cohesive self-guided instructional program across 3 libraries on multiple campuses. Then there will be a period of time for questions from the audience. Bring your curiosity, questions, and join us for this fun and informative discussion!

This webinar will be at 2 PM EST on April 14, 2025. Please register in advance via Zoom at https://cutt.ly/AuthorForum2025

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

This session will be recorded. By registering for the session, you indicate that you are willing to be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all recipients after the session.

Author Bios

Stephanie Jacobs is an instructional design librarian & librarian for the College of the Arts at the University of South Florida, where she partners with fellow librarians, faculty members, and others to bring a visual approach to information literacy instruction through the creation of instructional videos, online learning objects and web-based library instruction. Her research interests include emerging technologies for information literacy instruction, privacy issues, student engagement & interaction, educational design, and communication dynamics.

Kaya van Beynen is the Associate Dean of the USF Libraries, Research & Instruction at the University of South Florida. She received a M.Sc. in Library and Information Science from Simmons College, a M.A in Geography from McMaster University, and a B. A. in Anthropology from McGill University. Kaya has served as Chair of the ACRL, Education & Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS), as well as the Evaluation Chair of the St. Petersburg Science Festival, where she participated in an NSF grant on Informal Public Science Education. Her multidisciplinary research focuses on the intersections of academic libraries and engagement. She has published articles in Journal of Academic Librarianship, College & Research Libraries, and Communications in Information Literacy. In 2021, she received the ACRL / EBSS Distinguished Education & Behavioral Sciences Librarian award and in 2023 was an ARL Leadership Fellow. She currently serves as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Academic Librarianship.

Theresa Burress is an academic librarian with experience providing research and instruction services for a range of areas from STEM to humanities disciplines. Previously, Theresa worked as a special librarian for the Federal government and private sector, including more than a decade as a science librarian for the U.S. Geological Survey. Theresa’s research explores the intersections between information and data literacy, student research success, and digital scholarship. Her research agenda is strongly practitioner focused, while advancing theory within librarianship and expanding the professional framework for data literacy.

Maryellen Nash:  Originally from the Tampa Bay area, I am currently an instructional designer with the Office of Online Learning at Nashville State Community College. Previously, I served as an instruction librarian at Nashville State and the University of South Florida. I hold master’s degrees in Library & Information Sciences and Instructional Systems Design, and I am currently pursuing a PhD in Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida. My research focuses on leveraging generative AI tools to support student learning. Passionate about universal design, online learning, and information literacy instruction, I explore emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning experiences.

Featured Article

Jacobs, S., Nash, M., Burress, T., & van Beynen, K. (2023). Quality matters: Using a peer-review process to create a cohesive multi-campus library online instruction program. Communications in Information Literacy, 17(2). 487–509. https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2023.17.2.9

Do you have a tool, project, or great idea about teaching and learning online that you’d like to share with your peers? The ACRL Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee (DOLS-IC) invites you to submit a proposal to our seventh annual Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee Virtual Poster Session, which will take place April 21-25, 2025. Proposals for this free event are due March 7, 2024.

What is a virtual poster session?

The term “poster” is used very loosely. The intent is to keep the spirit of the traditional poster session while allowing for creativity in the format used. As in traditional poster sessions, virtual presenters will create short, asynchronous presentations of their work and be available to answer questions during the week of the poster session. While an image or PDF that matches the traditional poster format is welcome, the sky’s the limit! Interactive and multimedia formats that are accessible are especially encouraged.

• View presenter guidelines

All posters will be hosted on the DOLS website.  During the poster session week, presenters will asynchronously engage with attendees throughout the week. Viewers can ask questions about your work through commenting functionality and engage in conversation with you about your topic. After the poster session week has concluded, the posters will be archived on the DOLS website so that they can continue to be viewed indefinitely.

What is the timeline for this event?

• Proposals are due by March 7, 2025.
• If accepted, you’ll be asked to submit your completed poster by April 11, 2025.
• The virtual poster session will take place April 21-25, 2025. Presenters will actively respond to comments and questions for the full week of the poster session. The DOLS-IC will assist with promoting interaction, but we ask that you check in on your poster at least once a day to keep the conversation going.

What topics can I present on?

Posters can be on any topic related to distance and online library instruction. We would love to hear about your successes and failures in teaching distance and online students, your instructional techniques and approaches, and the tools and technologies that you use! Although Accessibility & Inclusion is its own track, we encourage these topics to be addressed in all tracks. Please align your proposal with one of our six tracks: 

• Accessibility & Inclusion: How do you ensure that your online courses and learning objects are accessible for all? How do you intentionally create inclusive online spaces and content for diverse audiences?
• Assessment: How do you assess your online instruction (including qualitative and affective assessment)?
• Creative Approaches & Student Engagement: How have you used creativity in your design, collaboration, or engagement strategies within online library instruction? How do you ensure students remain engaged in your synchronous and asynchronous online instruction?
• Emerging Technologies: How do you use new technologies, such as generative AI, in your online instruction?
• Instructional Collaborations: How do you effectively build relationships and collaborate with faculty, instructional designers, and others to instruct distance and online students?  
• Project Planning & Management: How do you efficiently manage the “behind the scenes” work of planning, developing, reviewing, and updating online courses and learning objects?

How will presenters be chosen?

We seek to provide a poster session featuring a diversity of perspectives and especially invite posters from librarians, staff, and LIS students that highlight voices and experiences which are underrepresented in libraries. Proposals will be reviewed and selected by DOLS-IC members, using a review process based on the following criteria:

• Quality of Proposal: Is the information requested on the proposal submission form complete? Is the abstract well written and articulate, and does it clearly describe the main idea of the poster? 
• Alignment to Poster Session Theme: Is the poster about library instruction in the distance/online environment? How well does it align to your selected poster session track?
• Interest to Attendees: Does the topic have potential to attract poster session attendees and stimulate conversation? Will innovative, new, and/or unique information be presented? Is the topic practical, easily implemented, and broadly applicable?

I’m ready to submit!

The Virtual Poster Session proposal submission form is available here

I still have questions!

If you have questions, please contact the ACRL Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee Co-Chairs, Theresa Mastrodonato ([email protected]) and Lisa Campbell ([email protected]).

Compiled and annotated by Ruth Monnier and Sharon Ladenson, members of the DOLS Research and Publications Committee.

In 2017, a DOLS Top 5 post addressed Open Educational Resources (OER); since that time there have been many advancements in OER and Open Education. One important advancement is the engagement of students to collaborate, create, and share renewable assignments that go beyond the single use or purpose in a course. This student-focused creation and work is at the heart of open pedagogy. The five articles in this collection explore open pedagogy in action and practice from R1 universities to community colleges. From librarians’ practices to student perceptions, these articles highlight the diversity of options within open pedagogy, while also raising awareness about power dynamics, workload, and other limitations.

Gilpin, S., Rollag Yoon, S., & Lazzara, J. (2023). Exploring open pedagogy in online community college settings: Enhancing equitable access, engagement, and student persistence. Online Learning, 27(4), 448-375. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v27i4.4031 

This article describes the results of a qualitative study on online community college students’ perceptions of open pedagogy after they participated in revising or creating OER material. The authors, instructors from two different institutions in the United States, provided an optional 6-question reflective questionnaire to their online community college students about the values and downsides of open pedagogy. One author was a Psychology instructor in an urban setting in the Southwest and another was an English instructor in a rural Midwest community college. Their student population was a diverse grouping that included first-generation, BIPOC (at least 20% at each setting), and part-time students (over 40% in each setting). Their findings showed the themes of collective creation, context matters, and audience awareness. In other words, students preferred the group work assignments to build confidence and meet others and were more comfortable sharing non-personal information publicly due to their privacy concerns. While this study occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, its findings and focus on online community college students in various locations in the United States start to fill gaps in the literature: student perceptions of open pedagogy and online community college students involvement with OER. 

Takeaways: 

• For those unfamiliar with interpretive qualitative study and use of reflexivity, the authors provide a clear and thorough overview of the methodology and the benefits of this type of study. 
• Open pedagogy should be student-centered, which includes students’ consent and ability to opt-out of publicly sharing materials; recognizing their rights to privacy and general privacy concerns in the current media landscape; and how to set students up for success such as utilizing group work. 
• Institutional support is needed to have sustained and widespread open pedagogy occurring on campus.

Beatty, J.F., Hartnett, T.C., Kimok, D., & McMahon, J. (2020). “And still we rise”: Open pedagogy and Black history at a rural comprehensive state college. In A. Clifton & K.D. Hoffman (Eds.), Open pedagogy approaches. Milne Publishing. https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/openpedagogyapproaches/chapter/and-still-we-rise/

In this book chapter, the authors explore the process using open pedagogy to develop and support an in-depth learner-centered project in researching, synthesizing, publicizing and critically engaging with information to center the history of Black life on campus at The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh (SUNY Plattsburgh). Initiated through an informal conversation during lunch at a new faculty welcome event, the partnership ultimately involved a team of three librarians working in collaboration with a faculty member to design a student-centered research project and facilitate learner engagement with archival and scholarly resources specific to notable African American figures who had visited SUNY Plattsburgh. Students enrolled in a face-to-face class on African American Political Thought completed a series of carefully scaffolded exercises to identify, critically analyze, and summarize information for a physical exhibit in the library and for an online exhibit. As content creators in both digital and face-to-face spaces, students had the valuable opportunity to raise awareness about critical racial justice issues. The opening event for the in-person exhibition also included students as speakers. In addition to reflecting on the open pedagogy process, the authors share helpful resources, including the course assignments, timelines, and lesson plans.

Takeaways: 

• An informal conversation between a librarian and a department faculty member led to a productive, mutually beneficial partnership, which demonstrates the importance of cultivating serendipitous connections.
• Using open pedagogy fosters learner-centered autonomy, active collaboration, social learning, and public engagement beyond the classroom.
• Opportunities to investigate campus history, critically engage with archival and scholarly resources, and develop public facing exhibits (face-to-face and online) provided meaningful experiences for learners to see themselves in the past, present, and future of campus life.

Bernd, L., Rose, S., & Caprette, H. (2024). Open pedagogy assignments in theatre and history courses to promote constructionist learning and digital skills. In T. Tijerina (Eds.), Pedagogy opened: Innovative theory and practice (pp.49-78). University of North Georgia Press. https://ung.edu/university-press/books/pedagogy-opened-innovative-theory-and-practice.php 

In this chapter, Bernd, Rose, and Caprette describe multiple types of open pedagogy assignments implemented in introductory undergraduate classes for Theatre, Geography, and Historical Studies at Cleveland State University. The assignments used digital authoring tools from Pressbooks, H5P, Google Sites, Adobe Creative Cloud, Panopto Video, Screencasify, and YouTube. The authors describe in great detail each open pedagogy assignment in the appendices and include exemplars of student work: Theatre students’ interactive learning objects with Pressbooks and H5P; Geography students’ concentrates of place assignment with Pressbook and H5P; Geography students’ location biography assignment with Google Sites, embeddable Google maps, and H5P; and Historical Studies’ students using Pressbooks and H5P for archival source analysis and press releases. Consent was an important part as students had the option to not publicly share their work or use a pseudonym for anonymity. While students were encouraged to work collaboratively on larger projects, alternative options were available from the outset for students who preferred to work individually. By using digital authoring tools, students engaged further with the course material than simply taking a test; and the created items (videos, chapters, etc.) could be highlighted in their professional portfolios and CVs. 

Takeaways: 

• Authors cover rationale for implementing open pedagogy and using digital authorship tools from active student learning, transferable skills, a public outlet for students’ voice, values, ideas, and creativity as well as a methodology that does not rely on state-approved sources. 
• Instructional designer or other administrative support helps ensure students know how to use digital authoring tools like Pressbooks and lowers stress on the instructor of record for the course.
• Integration of open pedagogy assignments saw at least a 10% increase in all courses’ pass rate.
• Open pedagogy assignments allow for students’ voices and creativity to shine; however, proactively be prepared to assist or have alternative options for when students hit a technical issue or have concerns about potential repercussions of their work.

McNally Carter, K., & Santiago, A. (2023). Exploring sustainability in library support for open pedagogy collaborations. Communications in Information Literacy, 17(1), 238-259. https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2023.17.1.3 

Carter and Santiago explore how identifying and documenting the various activities necessary for a successful open pedagogy collaboration informed the creation of a service model for future instructional initiatives. Their exploration describes various areas of consultative, technical, and instructional support needed in the process. The authors discuss a collaboration between a team of three librarians and a department faculty member to support the student development of an open textbook as a final project for a course on the “Tales of East Asian Cities.” Librarian participation involved several areas of consulting, including the benefits of open pedagogy; options for assignment design; considering students’ agency and author rights; and overall project planning and library support. Librarians also provided technical support for student engagement with the publishing platform, as well as instructional support in leading six class sessions for the open pedagogy assignment. The authors share their criteria for future partnerships, including requiring clear assignment guidelines; discussing the purpose for using open pedagogy; informing students about open licensing options; and permitting students to complete an alternative assignment or not publish their work. The valuable appendices include a summary of staffing and division of labor, and an overview summary of library-led class sessions.

Takeaways: 

• Developing clear guidelines for students and exercising flexibility in accommodating diverse learning needs is key for successful open pedagogy initiatives.
• Compiling documentation on specific activities and time required for meaningful open pedagogy partnerships is important for developing sustainable models for collaboration.
• No single model exists for libraries and open pedagogy; staffing and resources will shape the nature and extent of open education partnerships in libraries.

Younger, K., Branstiter, C., & Bobkowski, P. (2021). From passive participants to active learners: Open educational resources as a vehicle to move beyond one-shot library instruction. Journal of New Librarianship, 6(1), 84–126. https://doi.org/10.33011/newlibs/10/12 

In this case study, Younger, Branstiter, and Bobkowski discuss the evolution of creating a discipline-specific OER textbook and then implementing open pedagogy assignments with said OER textbook for an undergraduate journalism course of 300 majors per year. The step-by-step process and timeline of using a small team of librarians and the course instructor for the OER textbook ensured future consistency in content delivered to students as well as the incorporation of information literacy skills throughout the course. After the implementation of the created OER textbook in 2018 and 2019, an open pedagogy assignment was designed. This assignment was the result of the team’s representative justice plans, to ensure the inclusion of all voices (student populations tend to be more diverse than teaching faculty), and student feedback advocating for student-created tutorials on qualitative feedback provided. For the open pedagogy assignment, students in the class collaboratively created and decided on the selection criteria which was used to evaluate the student-centered tutorials. The authors recognize the workload, time, and resources it takes to create an OER textbook and work with a course instructor on creating and evaluating open pedagogy assignment; and therefore, they also provide some alternative options for library workers to advocate and utilize OER in other more manageable ways.  

Takeaways: 

• Power differentials between the instructor and students means that the instructor needs to take multiple steps to check their power; ensure students can give informed consent for licensing and sharing their work as well multiple points to opt-out of previously given consent; and trust student agency.
• Open pedagogy stimulates the exploration of other literacies and skills like intellectual property, discipline practices, and digital tools.
• Open pedagogy practices from the instructor must include not sharing student work to protect the student’s “private learning” and if publishing/sharing the student work could harm the student including their professional reputation. 
• OER and open pedagogy assignments are an iterative process with constant changes to improve workflow processes and content.

Join us for Anti-Oppressive Work in Online Librarianship: Challenges, Solutions/Strategies, Hopes, a dynamic panel exploring the lived experiences and personal narratives that illuminate anti-racism and EDI in distance and online library services. Members of the ACRL DOLS Anti-Racism & EDI Committee will share stories and insights into structural barriers perpetuating inequities in digital learning spaces, highlight concrete strategies for programming and instruction, and explore how to cultivate supportive networks that uplift both librarians and the communities we serve. Whether you’re a seasoned distance librarian or just entering the field, you’ll leave with fresh strategies, meaningful connections, and the momentum to transform your anti-oppressive practice.

Date & Time:

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025

1 – 2 pm CT

Zoom

Register here.

Panelists:

• Dr. Ash Lierman: Ash (they/them) is a Teaching & Learning Librarian and Education liaison at Rowan University.
• Kaiya Schroeder: Kaiya (she/they) is a Reference & Instruction Librarian at DePaul University.
• Brittni Ballard: Brittni (she/her) is Learning Technologies and College of Education liaison Librarian at Towson University.
• Melissa Gomis: Melissa (she/her) is Chair, Collections Strategy & Open Scholarship at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
• Jamila Hastick: Jamila (she/her) is an Arts and Social Sciences Librarian at Carleton University.
• Joseph Kevin Tuvera Sebastian: Kevin (he/they/siya) is the Teaching and Learning Librarian for Online Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

DOLS is run by amazing librarians like you! Show your interest in joining us by completing ACRL’s volunteer form before the February 28, 2025 deadline. More information about the work of DOLS is available on the Join DOLS page.