Urbanism is a way of life for those who reside in a densely inhabited area with a heterogeneous human population. The diversity of cultures, worldviews and practices found in urban areas combine in a form of cultural mixing. The urban amalgamation of cultures raises the question of how urban dwellers process their dead. Indeed, does urbanism influence regional death rituals and funerary practices? Other elements such as urban zoning laws, funerary technology or land scarcity add further dimensions to the original question. In short, do urban funerary practices and death rituals differ precisely because they are urban? My research examines how urbanism affects the rituals and ceremonies that surround death in a North American urban setting, and specifically in Portland, OR. I further contrast the funerary practices in urban settings to those in rural ones, and analyze the influences or pressures urbanization poses on funeral practices. My research explores emerging trends in funeral practices and sheds important light on the changing rituals and symbols that surround death. The conclusions cover the upcoming issue of space scarcity in cemeteries and the new funerary applications of existing technology. Investigating interment practices in an urban setting reveals how an increasingly urban society interacts with death.

Purpose -The purpose of this article is to explore the process of implementing LibAnswers, a reference statistics collection and analysis software, at multiple service points in an academic library and to outline the benefits of the process. Design/methodology/approach -The article outlines the process used to implement a statistics software, including initial testing, development of categories and terms used to define the question types, and training of library staff. Findings -Implementing a statistics program at multiple service points takes flexibility and patience. The biggest challenge faced was developing common terms to define what each desk did and how the statistics would be used. While this process was useful for implementing the software, it also resulted in unexpected organizational development opportunity as it allowed others to see and better understand the functions of different service points. A total commitment to the new program developed through training and the experiences of those who had used LibAnswers during a test period. Practical implications -LibAnswers, and similar statistics collection programs, are fairly new applications in the library field. While they have multiple uses for expanding and simplifying the collection of reference statistics, this article demonstrates that while implementing statistics software across multiple service points can be difficult, the process of putting it in place can produce numerous benefits. Originality/value -Much has been written on the implementation of reference statistics, but little has been written in detail about developing a library-wide statistics program. This article fills some of the gaps.

Effectively addressing concerns about assistance animals in any library setting is often problematic due to a lack of awareness about assistance animals in general, which then leads to uncertainty on how to proceed in these situations. Library personnel, regardless of library type, are often unaware of legal definitions of assistance animals. When compelled to respond to a patron complaint about “a dog in the library,” many library professionals are uncertain about which questions they may legally ask a patron who is accompanied by an animal. This uncertainty then creates concern about how to act in these situations, and thus, many library personnel may seek to avoid it entirely. However, with knowledge, time, some organizational development, and the appropriate legal vetting, it is possible to establish a best-practices protocol for handling complaints or concerns about patrons with an assistance animal in a library. This article details one such case study at an academic library in the Pacific Northwest.

Sequential art is a unique storytelling medium that combines visuals and content in a deliberate, specific delivery in order to engage audiences on emotional and cognitive levels. Consequently, graphic novels, comics, and comix are a rich educational medium for undergraduate credit instruction in academic libraries, precisely because this alternative delivery of content can effectively educate many learning styles. This article documents the development and implementation of an undergraduate, upper division credit-bearing course in an academic library that examined multiple types of literacy through the medium, with commentary on instructional strategies for other academic librarians and professors.

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