ACTAL Virtual Conference
July 30-31, 2024
Hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University
Eastern Daylight Savings Time Zone (EDT)
Schedule At A Glance
All session times are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT).
Tuesday, July 30 (Day 1)
- 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM: Opening Session – ACTAL Potluck
- 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: Presentation Block One (Concurrent Sessions)
- 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM: Presentation Block Two (Concurrent Sessions)
Wednesday, July 31 (Day 2)
- 12:00 PM – 12:50 PM: Opening Session
- 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
- 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
- 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: PROJECTions
- 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM: Closing Session
Full Schedule
All session times are in Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT).
Wednesday, July 30 (Day 1)
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM: Opening Session (ACTAL Potluck)
Reserve a seat in Opening Session (ACTAL Potluck):
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-day-1
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
Session 1 (Panel: Audio)
Building and Maintaining Your Audio Space: Lessons and Advice from the Reality of Running One
Presenters: Jason Evans Groth (NC State University), Emily Thompson (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), and Ian Mellor-Crummey (Rice University)
The infamous podcast assignment needs a space to be created, but what should it look like and what equipment do you need? This session will get into the practicalities of what these spaces can look like and the pitfalls we have experienced and learned from. Participants will disclose the technical makeup of their spaces, discuss their design and how that design has either stayed the same or changed with usage, and suggest the institutional best practices they employ to help ensure that the spaces remain accessible and as effective as possible. Participants will share this information about their spaces with ACTAL’s resource repository.
Reserve a seat in Session 1:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-01
Session 2
Empowering Makers: Engaging Online Makerspace Training Programs for Student Employees and Patrons
Presenter: Rebecca Glasgow (University of Nevada, Reno)
Over the years, the DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library Makerspace has grown its equipment offerings and user population with more individuals and classes using the space for personal, academic and research projects. This increase in demand has resulted in the need for the development of a robust training program for student employees and patrons. Over the course of 2020-2022, two online training programs were developed; one targeted at training our student employees and one for our makerspace patrons. Both training programs were developed using our universities existing learning management system (Canvas), and was designed as a flipped learning experience where makers engage with online training to learn how to operate each piece of equipment offered in our makerspace and learn more about safety protocols and community guidelines. Both training courses have similar elements, where the student employee training expands into makerspace policies and procedures, how to conduct consultations and more. Efforts have been made to ensure the training is as engaging as possible while providing all essential information, as well as maintaining full web accessibility. This session will discuss the path of development, a walk-through of the online training programs and resources for how to develop a similar training at your institution.
Reserve a seat in Session 2:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-02
Session 3
When Print Meets Digital: Digital Literacy Initiatives & Library Exhibits
Presenter: Dayna Diamond (University of New Mexico)
Print materials may not be the first thing some think of when imagining a digital literacy project, but I have found that they can provide a strong base for learning outcomes. During the 2023-2024 academic year, I took this further, working with two different instructors to place two different poster exhibits in library spaces. This also led to stronger relationships and collaborations with colleagues in my working group (Access Services). First, when a new exhibit space opened in my library’s learning commons, I saw an opportunity to partner with a class for a new type of project. This project was a highly-ambitious, student-lead collaboration between myself, the instructor, and the librarian who was developing the exhibit space. The second project was a small collection of individual posters, which were displayed in the main lobby of the main branch library. In each case, the students learned digital tools, digital literacy-relevant concepts like design thinking, project management, and group collaboration. They also had the opportunity to tangibly see their work “go somewhere,” and be displayed in a high-level public space in front of their peers. This, to me, creates a tangible result and greater buy-in from students. The collaboration and outreach I did also continues to benefit my space and unit.
Reserve a seat in Session 3:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-03
3:00 PM – 3:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
Session 4
#CityTechSoundsGood | #CityTechSuenaBien: Connecting Students with Podcasting and Vinyl Recordings
Presenters: Anne Leonard, Monica Berger, and Junior Tidal (New York City College of Technology, CUNY)
The New York City College of Technology’s (City Tech) Ursula C. Schwerin Library was awarded an American Library Association grant to supply libraries with services and materials. The ALA Building Library Capacity Grant allowed our library to acquire podcasting kits, portable turntables, and vinyl records by Latin/o/a/X performers to augment the existing media collection. City Tech is a federally-designated Hispanic-serving (Title V) institution and our goal was to better allow our students to see themselves represented in our collections. We also sought to provide students with tangible experiences with physical media and podcasting production that would invite them to use the library’s resources in new, creative ways whether for schoolwork or for fun. This presentation will examine how we designed the grant to solicit student-led collection development input and encourage student content creation at a large, urban, commuter college. Attendees will learn how tangible equipment bridges digital and analog technologies with students who may not have the access or exposure and how institutional limitations impacted outreach for these new services. As we rethink student engagement related to this grant, we are confident the grant activities are evergreen, providing us with an opportunity to try new outreach strategies after the year-long grant concludes. For example, we plan to collaborate with faculty and staff on vinyl and podcasting workshops and assignments. Our presentation will provide attendees with an opportunity to reflect and give feedback on their own relevant experiences.
Reserve a seat in Session 4:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-04
Session 5 (Panel: Collaboration with Other Spaces)
Breaking Down Barriers: Using Interactive Technologies to Promote User Engagement in Special Collections
Presenter: Anna Kaetz (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
With a well-established relevance between technology and engagement in libraries, there is an increasing opportunity to highlight rare materials through emerging technologies. The use of these technologies to supplement physical material promotes access and the long-term preservation of material. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Reynolds-Finley Historical Library (RFHL), a collection of over 21,000 rare books and manuscripts pertaining to the history of the health sciences, continues to explore and adopt new technologies to feature collections and promote user engagement. For over two years, Anna Kaetz, the Digital Strategy and Metadata Librarian has assisted with various digital initiatives to achieve these efforts within RFHL. Additionally, the Historical Collections team of UAB Libraries (which RFHL is a part of) has worked for the past year to develop a new gallery space that will promote its rare collections. Along with modern display cases, an array of touchscreen technology has been selected to promote an interactive, visitor-centered space. The inaugural exhibit featured in this space will discuss the history of visual and hearing impairments and will include a variety of interactive elements that promote accessibility and engagement. In this presentation, Kaetz will discuss her work in RFHL, the technology selection process for the new gallery space, and the collaborative efforts to create several interactive elements for the first exhibit including a VR experience on blindness, a digitized audio recording of a speech by Helen Keller, 3D printed objects, and more.
Creating audio narratives for a future museum exhibit
Presenter: Jess Barth (University of Delaware)
In spring of 25, UD museums will be hosting an exhibit about the oldest building on campus. The curator wanted to add multimedia to the exhibit to make it more interactive. I was brought in to help them and their students create audio narratives that could be utilized in the exhibit as well as capturing oral histories. I will talk about early discussions, instruction and assistance with the grad students, struggles and shortcoming through this project and what I have learned. While the exhibit has not been created yet and there are aspects that haven’t been completed by the time of this submission, this might help others learn how to bring multimedia and audio narratives into a museum exhibition.
Reserve a seat in Session 5:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-05
Session 6
Becoming a Gaming Librarian: Workshops, Programs and Problems
Presenter: Joy DuBose (Mississippi State University)
In September 2023, I moved from my position as a cataloger to being the gaming librarian at Mississippi State University. For those who know cataloging, it has rules and is fairly straightforward. The position which I moved to, was not. I was tasked with creating this position and figuring out just what a “Gaming Librarian” was and how it could best serve the students and faculty. The past two semesters have brought about many changes. LibGuides were developed, programs have been held, workshops hosted, and guest lectures in classes have been done all with video games and VR programs at the center. In this process, many lessons have been learned about where some things have worked well, and others have flopped.This presentation will give a highlight of some of these lessons and current plans that are currently in the works for the upcoming semester. By doing so, hopefully, others can learn about the academic research aspects of video games, and some of the ways to add them to their libraries.
Reserve a seat in Session 6:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-06
Wednesday, July 31 (Day 2)
12:00 PM – 12:50 PM: Opening Session
Sponsored by TechSmith
Whats New With Camtasia 2024
Join Casey Seiter, TechSmith’s Customer Success Manager, in this webinar as he goes over the complete video creation workflow, from recording to production. We’ll demonstrate how to properly prepare for your recording or screencast, do an overview of the interface and discuss basic editing features like cuts, zooming, callouts, titles, and other tips and tricks. Casey will showcase the newest 2024 feature in Camtasia – Dynamic Captions! Time permitting he will show the companion program Audiate, which uses AI to generate scripts and voice narration. Session will be 50 minutes with time for Q&A at the end.
Reserve a seat in Opening Session (Day 2):
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-day-2
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
Session 7
How We Managed on a $0 budget… Spoiler Alert – We Didn’t
Presenter: Vanessa Rodriguez (University of Miami)
The Creative Studio at University of Miami Libraries has been through a lot of changes in budgeting in the past ten years. This past fiscal year was the biggest challenge yet as the library received a large budget cut that affected every department and left us with no funding for equipment or clerical supplies. However, we still had to run all services! Learn about different funding models for creative labs and how they have worked or not worked for us. In this session, I will detail how our funding has changed in the past ten years and how we managed to run our services with no budget… spoiler alert, we cheated.
Reserve a seat in Session 7:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-07
Session 8
Fostering Collaboration: Early College Makerspace Partnership
Presenter: Jason Fleming (UNCW)
Our local Early College has a strong connection with the University, and the library plays a pivotal role. High school students view the library as a favorable after-school destination and visit annually during campus tours. We’ve collaborated on school projects, and this year, we launched an ambitious initiative: providing advanced students with makerspace training opportunities. Our goal is to prepare incoming freshmen, making them aware of our offerings and keep them eager to engage us in their projects. Our successful spring training program, developed in collaboration with the Early College liaison, sets the stage for an even bigger launch in the fall. I will talk about our missteps and successes along the way.
Reserve a seat in Session 8:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-08
Session 9 (Panel: Immersive Tech)
What To Expect When You’re Expected (To Create A Virtual Environment As A Class Assignment)
Presenter: Grover Saunders (James Madison University)
In the Spring of 2024, I was tasked with teaching a for-credit course where the outcome would be a 360 virtual tour of campus. The course had no prerequisites, no home department, and an unclear budget. Embark on a magical journey as I discovered what’s required, what is (or isn’t) possible in a single-semester, and experience the results firsthand.
Immersive Empowerment: UT Libraries Nurturing Creativity & Inclusion
Presenters: Paris Whalon, Shelly O’barr, and Michelle Brannen (University of Tennessee – Knoxville)
The UT Libraries’ Immersive Spaces & Technologies Department in Hodges Library offers creative services like The Studio, eXperience Point, and Medberry Maker Space. These spaces cater to diverse user needs, aligning with our commitment to inclusivity and equitable access. We would like to share our approach in working towards being an inclusive space and our progress in offering equitable access to the necessary media resources needed for the community to be successful. Our session will offer prompts for engagement using anonymous interactive presentation software with diverse participation options. We will also showcase dynamic media, emphasizing the integration of media literacy and creation into the curriculum to stimulate peer discussions and encourage sharing media creation experiences. Our approach stems from cultivating a team of curious individuals focused on making sure the values of the library are at the forefront of our work and that we remain adaptable and accessible to as many individuals as possible.
Reserve a seat in Session 9:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-09
2:00 PM – 2:50 PM: Concurrent Sessions
Session 10
Panel: Is there such a thing as a simple studio setup?
Presenters: Heaven Herrold (Ohio University), John Williams (Miami University), Mike Strittmatter (Harford Community College), and Oscar Keyes (Virginia Commonwealth University)
As the demand for high-quality video production grows within educational institutions, the need for accessible, cost-effective, and flexible studio setups has become increasingly important. However, the options for user-friendly studios often turn out to be not-so-easy to purchase, install, or maintain. This panel is a discussion with a group of studio librarians who have investigated simple studio models that do not require the use of proprietary hardware or software and can be assembled and maintained in-house. The hope for this session is to provide a forum imagining simpler ways to set up simple studio spaces in our libraries.
Reserve a seat in Session 10:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-10
Session 11
ProtoSpace: Experiential Learning for Everyone
Presenters: Greg Hatch and T. J. Ferrill (University of Utah)
During this presentation we will share the history and current praxis of ProtoSpace, the J. Willard Marriott Library’s experiential learning lab. Over 9 years, ProtoSpace and its predecessors have undergone several permutations, influenced by financial and physical space opportunities, academic and curricular contributions, and the principles of egalitarianism, accessibility, and autonomy. The physical layout is generally devoid of barriers, promoting an environment of fluid exploration and discovery. The open structure enables us to respond to usage patterns, expressed and implied needs, and emerging technology trends. By rearranging, deploying, and testing new technologies and services, we adapt to a changing academic environment. The unrestricted design extends to our equipment and resources; 3D printers & scanners, VR systems, media production spaces, gaming equipment, and a data visualization lab are all available for walk-up, hands-on use. Integration of ProtoSpace resources into academic curricula is a key component of our success. Prior to course integration, we consider equipment capacity and reliability, staffing availability and skill sets, and scaffolded learning content. We strive to empower users and employees at all stages of knowledge and experience, and choose equipment robust enough to accommodate them. Through this approach, we enable student success without reliance on instructor expertise or staff intervention. We will share examples of training materials and course-integrated projects. Throughout this presentation, we will discuss insights about fostering a culture of experiential learning; the challenges of balancing open access versus a reliable and productive work space; and the failures that inspire us to continually innovate and improve.
Reserve a seat in Session 11:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-11
Session 12
Facilitating Creativity: Adapting the Reference Interview for Creative Technology Spaces
Presenters: Sarah Kantor (University of Tennessee Chattanooga) and Vanessa Rodriguez (University of Miami)
As creative spaces in libraries have become more and more popular over the last 15 or so years, hundreds of books, articles, webinars, and more have been published with information to help library professionals set up their own spaces in their own libraries. However, very few of these resources discuss the most important part of creative technology labs and makerspaces: the people who work in them. When personnel is addressed, it is often recommended to find people who are experienced in relevant technologies. While this experience is important, there are few references in the literature to training creative technology workers in library practices or philosophies. In this presentation, we will discuss the importance of training both new and established creative technology workers in the reference interview. The reference interview is well-established in libraries, but in literature and professional development resources but focuses mainly on research. Behaviors do not change when the user enters the creative technology lab, and patrons still hide their actual need in a basic question. All staffers in creative technology labs should use the reference interview to determine each user’s actual need in order to provide the best possible service. This presentation will go over adapting the reference interview for a creative space and training new hires.
Reserve a seat in Session 12:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-12
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: PROJECTions
Reserve a seat in PROJECTions and Closing Session:
https://vcu.libcal.com/calendar/actal/2024-projections
Design Thinking and Intellectual Property Library Sessions in a Business First Year Experience Course
Presenter: Rebecca Glasgow (University of Nevada, Reno)
In the 2023-2024 academic year, the Engineering & Makerspace and Business Librarians collaborated with College of Business faculty members to expose business freshman to library resources. The Business 101 course is a 12-section course required for approximately 600 incoming business students. Within the new BUS 101, students would be introduced to campus support services and learn the foundational aspect of the College of Business curriculum. While a library session was a longstanding portion of the previous iteration of BUS 101, University librarians took this as an opportunity to revamp their instruction. What resulted was the creation of a two-session “library week”. Session one engaged students with intellectual property activity. Session two aimed to introduce design thinking concepts to students, within the library makerspace, using the Stanford d.school ideal wallet activity. This session will cover successful instruction techniques practiced by UNR librarians in BUS 101. Presenters will cover their lesson planning and activities as well as the basics of design thinking and intellectual property literacy, and how they can serve as early intervention to strengthen student outcomes within business and entrepreneurship curricula.
Escape Room in UNM’s Adobe Creative Commons
Presenter: Dayna Diamond (University of New Mexico)
I tried an escape room in my creative tech space, with the goals of getting student patrons to experiment, to learn some foundational digital media tools, and to feel comfortable with the space and associate it with play. There were successes (students did experiment, it did help with intimidation, and they did get using the tools in a low-stakes environment) and things to consider (most of those patrons did not return; and I learned how to improve the marketing for the event, and timing was crucial). A more open-ended play experience could have benefits as well – I think experimentation is warranted.
From Archives to Pixels: The Tiger Tales Oral Histories Digital Exhibit
Presenter: Andy Tincknell (Fort Hays State University)
The Tiger Tales Oral Histories Digital Exhibit began as a cross-promotional tool for Forsyth Library’s new Media Lab and its Special Collections and Archives. The Media Lab serves as a vehicle to collect stories spanning decades of university history from alumni and retired professors and administrators of the university, augmented by images already preserved in Special Collections and Archives. It also serves as scholarly work required for merit and promotion. The project nurtures good relationships with alumni and donors and preserves the history of the university and its community. After six years, Tiger Tales continues to be of tremendous mutual benefit for the Media Lab, Special Collections, and Forsyth Library as a whole.
Help Build ACTAL’s Shared Resources
Presenter: Vanessa Rodriguez (University of Miami)
ACTAL’s goal is to provide ongoing support to folks in academic creative technology labs. As part of these goals, we would like to create a collection of shared resources in hopes that future workers in our field do not need to start from scratch or reinvent the wheel. Here I will let participants know what we are looking for and where you can send in what resources you are willing to share with ACTAL members.
Bringing AI Image Generation to the Library
Presenter: John Brosz (University of Calgary)
At the start of 2023 we developed and deployed a touch-screen interface/installation that encourages people in the library to try out AI Image Generation (via Midjourney). Over 9,000 prompts and 36,000 images have been generated since its deployment. This installation provides a unique opportunity for students, classes, and scholars to first explore with this new image creation modality. Our touch-screen interface navigates the delicate balance of facilitating exploration while safeguarding against controversial content, ensuring a conducive environment for academic inquiry.
How do you load that filament again? Developing hands-on training certifications in the makerspace
Presenter: Michelle Brannen (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Many academic libraries with makerspaces offer a range of tools and some require training to use. In opening our makerspace this February, we developed training workshops for 3 types of equipment: Cricut vinyl cutters, sewing machines, and 3D printers. Our approach to 3D printing is unique on our campus. Rather than having students submit files for employees to print, we are training students to use the machines hands-on, even how to load filament. In this short presentation I’ll share information about our certification workshops, focusing particularly on the 3D print workshop. I’ll discuss the pro’s and con’s we’ve experienced in having students use the machines hands-on and our plans for expanding this service in the coming year.
From Myth to Metropolis: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Ancient Greece in the Humanities
Presenter: Lauren Haberstock (Pepperdine University)
The Humanities sequence, a three-course requirement, is an oft-dreaded part of the General Education curriculum at Seaver College, the undergraduate college at Pepperdine University. Unfolding over three semesters, students cross their fingers and hope that at least one of their professors will be one of the fun ones. One professor might set up a scavenger hunt that will take you all across campus and have you solve riddles based on your readings. One professor might let you bake a cake for your final project. One professor might even take you to the Genesis Lab, the library’s makerspace! This PROJECTion will detail the process of developing an interactive class session hosted in the Genesis Lab, a makerspace with a focus on digital media and technology, in which students taking Humanities 111 (the first of the three-course sequence) explore Ancient Greece in virtual reality and try their hand at 3D scanning a 3D printed artifact highlighted in their course. Developed in partnership with a Humanities faculty member and piloted in May 2024 with a summer session course of 8 students, future plans include adapting and expanding this session for fall and spring semester courses, which are often large lecture hall-style courses with hundreds of students, and creating an adaptable blueprint for further curricular partnerships with the Humanities faculty.
Frame by Frame: Elevating Your Multimedia Resources at the Library
Presenter: Eve M. Ellis (University of Delaware)
The “Multimedia Tips and Tricks” sub site is a new weekly blog designed to enhance students’ multimedia skills by offering easy access to video tutorials and articles focused on various multimedia tools and techniques. The content is curated by Student Multimedia Design Center’s technology support staff. The PROJECTion will showcase how this sub site supports students in improving their digital content creation capabilities and offer tips on effectively managing content for a similar site. Topics covered include developing workflows, inspiring content creators, selecting topics, and assessing the content’s impact.
Zines in the Makerspace: Creating, Collecting, and Community Building
Presenters: Nada and Leanne Nay (Indiana University Bloomington)
Zines empower patrons to become creators, storytellers, and advocates for their own narratives. This presentation delves into our journey of developing a zine collection and facilitating DIY zine workshops within the Wells Library Makerspace.
Music Technology Education in the Library: Continuity and Content
Presenter: Michael Standard (University of Tennessee Chattanooga)
This PROJECTion will describe the development and content of a series of workshops which address Music Technology topics. UTC does not have a Music Technology program, but these workshops have proven to be interesting and popular to students of many different majors. 2023-2024 was the first iteration of this series, and it was fun, but not perfect. I learned several important strategies as the instructor and organizer that I will be improving on for future iterations. This presentation will share my experience and my project in its current form, and provide an opportunity to foster discussions about providing this kind of programming in the Academic Library.
ACTAL 