In this article, the authors take a critical look at the challenges faced by librarians new to the profession. Using Michel de Certeau’s The Practice of Everyday Life, they examine how the coping tactics for new librarians described in the literature mirror the “tactics” de Certeau describes individuals using to “make do” within systems of power. This includes how individuals make do in their personal lives by coping with stress and how they succeed at work by developing networks and manoeuvering politically. This article will also discuss what de Certeau refers to as “strategies,” or moves undertaken by the system of power itself, within the context of onboarding and mentorship. Examining the literature on new librarians through the lens of de Certeau allows the authors to consider the ways in which the individual may choose to act tactically and integrate into a system of power, or may use the limited means available to them to quietly rebel. It also allows the critique of the use of tactics, which require individuals to take on additional work in order to adapt to the needs of the institution. Requiring new librarians to adapt to their institution is problematic, specifically in relation to precarious labour and to barriers to entry. These systematic issues require a collective response beyond what individuals can address. Using de Certeau’s work, the authors critically examine the literature that exists on new librarians and how individuals adapt and change to the needs of the academic library as a system of power.

This article explores technology fetishism in academic libraries as an irrational form of worship. Academic libraries participate in networks of prestige through their investments in technology and its fetishistic rhetoric. To counter the myth of technology as a neutral good, this article draws on contemporary fetishism theory and specifically the work of Bruno Latour to trace how technology is entangled with social relations and upholds hegemonic power. All technology is laden with human thought, feeling, and intent. However, Modern fetishes are dispersed into culture and obscure these entanglements, hiding materiality and obscuring the visibility of labour. This article considers library technology through the lens of fetishism, specifically considering the ways in which discovery layers shape research. Confronting fetishism enables academic library workers to reimagine more human-centered approaches to technology and to bring to light embedded whiteness and sexism in library practices. There is an urgent need to reconfigure our relationships with technology given its entanglement with research and the unexamined power that fetishism holds.

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<p>This paper was delivered to the Library Assessment Conference in November 2022. </p> <p><br></p> <p>Abstract: In the summer of 2020, the Toronto Metropolitan University  (TMU) Libraries started a digitization service called Scan and Deliver amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the Library building was closed to patrons with limited on-site staffing, the library provided some access to parts of the print collection when electronic alternatives were unavailable. The Scan and Deliver service allowed patrons to request a portion of text, such as a chapter of a book or journal article, to be scanned by a Library staff member and emailed to them. When the Library building reopened to patrons in Winter 2022 we assessed this service to understand its impact and plan for future service offerings. This paper addresses why Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries patrons have used the Scan and Deliver service: what benefits does it offer them, what role do scanned materials play in their scholarly research, and what barriers does it help them overcome? The results of our assessment show that the Scan and Deliver service has been impactful for patrons. Specifically, students told us it enabled them to complete their coursework and instructors stated that it allowed them to plan coursework and conduct research. The service helped patrons overcome barriers to completing their academic pursuits during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limits related to travel and serious health concerns. The service has also increased access to the collection and patrons describe it as easy to use and convenient. They also noted a few areas for service improvements. Patrons viewed the service as working in conjunction with other library services, such as interlibrary loan and course reserves, as a method of extending access to print. As a result of this analysis Library administration extended the scanning service for an additional year due to its value to patrons, allowing additional time for ongoing assessment.  </p>

<p>The consent form to participate in research is form that introduces the principal investigator and the purpose of the survey. The form outlines what the resondent will be asked to do, potential benefits and risks. A section of the form includes information about confidentiality, protection and incentives for participation.  </p>