BU Librarians Present on Experiential Learning, AI, and More at Annual Boston Library Consortium Forum
Boston University librarians shared insights and expertise into emerging trends, innovative tools, and best practices at the Boston Library Consortium Forum, an annual membership meeting of library professionals from 26 public and private universities, liberal arts colleges, state libraries, public libraries, and special libraries across the Northeast.
The forum, hosted at Boston University, is a venue for library professional to discuss current industry issues and trends, engage in professional development through workshops and presentations, and connect with peers and colleagues. Presentations by BU Libraries staff at this year’s forum include:
- Lucy Flamm, Social Work Librarian, and Jack Mulvaney, Discovery Services Manager, led the lighting talk, Making Meaningful Metrics: Applied Analysis of Online Content for Instructional Librarians. In this talk, they offered a case study of BU’s online instructional and resource-directed content, known as Library Guides, to demonstrate how alternative metrics inform our understanding of users, user information goals, and platform discovery, and furthermore how these metrics can influence iteration practices and translate value to stakeholders.
- In their presentation, Library Strategies to Support Experiential Learning Courses in Business Schools, Dorice Moylan, Reference Librarian, and Kathleen Berger, Assistant Head of Information Services at the Pardee Management Library, reviewed trends in experiential learning in business schools and the increase in these courses offered at the Questrom School of Business. They provided examples of the additional library support strategies they have developed to meet the needs of experiential learning classes.
- Brock Edmunds, Assistant Head for Access Service at the Pardee Management Library, demonstrated how library professionals can responsibly use AI tools to support patrons in his presentation, AI in Action: Practical Ways Library Staff Can Leverage AI. Brock offered actionable insights into how AI can streamline workflows and improve service quality, covered AI-assisted citation and bibliography generation and brainstorming, among other topics, and provided practical tips for responsible AI use.
BU librarians and archivists also welcomed forum attendees on tours of the library’s distinctive collections and lively exhibitions. BLC attendees joined curator-led tour of Textiles Tell Stories, an exhibition of the African textiles collection held at the BU Libraries, and its complementary community exhibit Textiles Tell OUR Stories; had an intimate view of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s time at the University and his leadership of the Civil Rights Movement through the Libraries’ archival collection of Dr. King’s papers; and engaged with other select items from the University’s special and archival collections held in the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at the BU Libraries.
New Libraries Guide for Updated NIH Public Access Policy
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has accelerated the implementation of its updated public access policy required of all peer-reviewed research papers related to NIH-funded activities. Beginning July 1, 2025, researchers who have received a grant from the NIH must submit an electronic version of their accepted manuscript to PubMed Central immediately upon their paper’s final acceptance for publication to be made publicly available upon its Official Date of Publication. There will no longer be a 12-month embargo period before public availability.
This updated policy was previously set to begin in December 2025. The NIH may delay the processing of non-competing renewal awards until all publications relevant to the award are brought into compliance.
To support researchers, the BU Libraries have created a NIH Public Access Policy Guide (library.bu.edu/NIHpublicaccess). This guide explains the updated public access policy, and offers guidance and resources related to the submission process and methods, copyright and licensing issues, and relevant citation management tools. Researchers can contact the Guide’s authors or other librarians for additional assistance.
Author Q&A: BU Libraries Michael Fernandez on Streaming Video Collection Development and Management
Michael Fernandez, Head of Technical Services for the BU Libraries, oversees the work to ensure library resources are discoverable and accessible to the BU community. He has co-authored a new book that offers library professionals practical advice on selecting, acquiring, and managing streaming media. Streaming Video Collection Development and Management, co-authored by Yale University Library’s Amauri Serrano, outlines the rapidly evolving and complex landscape libraries are currently navigating and provides guidance for library professionals at every size and type of institution.
Streaming Video Collection Development and Management, published by Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, is now available through the BU Libraries.
Michael, who previously held e-resource positions at Yale University and American University, recently shared more about the book, ongoing issues in streaming media management, and his approach to creating a resource for all library workers.
Q: What did your work, and the landscape of streaming media in libraries, look like when you began thinking about this book?
A: In 2019, Yale was acquiring more and more streaming media, and there were challenges responding to this format and the growing demand for it—faculty were increasingly asking for it to show in classes and students were asking for it to complete assignments. This was leading up to 2020, when the need for streaming video exponentially grew due to the pandemic, and we needed to ramp up our efforts to acquire more.
Working with the collection development librarian at Yale, my co-author Amauri Serrano, we found we were having to develop new workflows for sourcing streaming videos and doing outreach to distributors. In many cases, the streaming videos we were acquiring were niche documentaries where we’d have to directly contact the filmmaker: how do we do that? On the e-resources management side: how do we make content discoverable and accessible to users? That was a challenge.
Q: How did building workflows for managing streaming media evolve into a guide for libraries?
A: This wasn’t really written down anywhere and the actual monographs that were out on streaming management and libraries were 5 to 10 years old. Obviously, a lot of changes had taken place in the marketplace and there are a lot of differences in what workflows look like today.
We had the basics. How do we scale this up? We felt that a lot of libraries were going through these same challenges, so our idea was to outline what we found to be best practices and to reach as wide an audience as possible. A lot of the fundamentals are the same, regardless of size, mission, or budget of your library. We wanted to put them into a manual that would be helpful across libraries. We saw that as supporting our mission: speak to librarians at all types of institutions and address their specific work.
Q: How did you approach this manual to address such a wide range of topics and users?
A: This book is for any librarian or library worker in any situation. Even though there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, the fundamental tools and techniques that we outline in the book can be applied by library staff to their library and help them manage streaming video, regardless of what capacity they are working in.
Each chapter includes interview sections with librarians who work with streaming at different types of libraries--public, community college, other small and mid-size universities, large consortia. One thing we found, regardless of size or financial situation, we were still fundamentally dealing with the same issues. All of their stories echoed what we were seeing in our day to-day work at Yale.
It’s a guide with real-world perspectives.
Q: What does the future of streaming media management look like?
A: The way the marketplace is going for streaming video now, it seems to be moving away from ownership models and more toward subscription-based models, which is similar to what we are seeing with other content, such as e-books. Going forward, I’d like to see what other options we have for the local hosting of files and to look into applying principles from the book into practical licensing workflows.
Michael Fernandez is the Head of Technical Services for the BU Libraries, overseeing a department tasked with managing electronic resources as well as cataloging and processing physical collections.
Rachel White
Effective metadata management allows library users to reliably discover, retrieve, and utilize the resources they need to complete their research journey. I have been helping library users accomplish this in government, public, and academic libraries for over two decades. I enjoy discovering and describing hidden collections, evaluating policies and workflows to shorten the time between acquisition and availability, and employing user-centered and culturally sensitive subject cataloging to connect people with the resources they seek.
Publications
- Gentry, S., Hale, M.L., Payant, A., Tarver, H., White, R., Wittmann, R. (2020). Survey of benchmarks in metadata quality: initial findings. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1637685
- Tarver, H., Hale, M., White, R., Gentry, S., Chartier, M., Wittmann, R. (2022). Metadata quality in digital libraries: an analysis of survey response data. https://www.dpconline.org/docs/miscellaneous/events/2022-events/2791-ipres-2022-proceedings/file
24-hour service begins at Mugar Library for study period and finals week
Mugar Memorial Library will be open 24 hours a day beginning on Thursday, May 1 at 7 am. until Friday, May 9, at 11 pm to provide all students study space that fits their schedules during the University's study period and final exams. All other BU Libraries branches will be open during their regularly scheduled hours during this time.
The BU Libraries will also provide a late-night campus shuttle for students from midnight to 6 am each day during its 24-hour service schedule. The shuttle will depart from Mugar Memorial Library every 30 minutes, following this route:
- Mugar Library – 771 Commonwealth Ave.
- StuVi 1 – 10 Buick Street
- StuVi 2 – 33 Harry Agganis Way
- Rich Hall – 277 Babcock Street
- 1019 Comm Ave
- South Campus – Park Dr. & Beacon St.
- Fenway Campus – 255 Brookline Ave.
- Danielsen Hall – 512 Beacon St.
- 610 Beacon Street & Kilachand Hall – Bay State Road & Raleigh St.
- The Towers – Bay State Road & Silber Way
- Warren Towers- Commonwealth Ave. & Granby St.
Students must show a BU ID to use the shuttle.
From BU Today: Why Is Everybody Talking About “Third Places” Right Now?
In exploring the concept of third place, BU Today spoke with BU librarians how the BU Libraries foster our role as a third place for the BU community.
From the article:
Libraries are a lot of things for a lot of people. They’re home to study sessions and gossip sessions, chance encounters and habitual meetups, social events and quiet reflection. At Boston University’s Mugar Memorial Library, clubs meet, event spaces are rented, on-campus services offer pop-ups, students study individually and in groups, and people find quiet refuge, says Michelle Niebur, BU’s head of access services and library experience. It’s free, available to anyone at BU, and open from 19 to 24 hours a day, depending on the season.
In a lot of ways, Mugar fills in the cracks of campus life: it’s not home, it’s not work or class, it’s the very definition of a growing cultural movement—it’s a third place.
“We recently had a station set up where students could write something they loved about the library on a slip of paper and make a chain,” says Kristina Bush, library experience manager. “What students said that they love about the library really speaks to envisioning the library as a third place—many of the comments were about community, friendship, and ‘the vibes.’”
New Books by Questrom Faculty
We’re excited to showcase a few of the latest books by Questrom faculty, now available at Pardee Library. These new titles highlight original research, practical insights, and thought leadership across disciplines. Explore what your professors have been writing!
Featured Titles:
The Power of Cash: Why Using Paper Money Is Good for You and Society
Jay L. Zagorsky, Markets, Public Policy & Law
A timely look at why cash still matters—offering privacy, spending control, and vital support for the unbanked in a digital-first world.
View in BU Libraries
True North: A Step-by-Step Guide for Business Excellence
Keiko Fuchioka, Operations & Technology Management
This practical guide helps leaders craft a clear vision, align teams, and foster a culture of excellence through strategy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
View in BU Libraries
Leading with Cultural Intelligence, 3rd Edition: The Real Secret to Success
David Livermore, Strategy & Innovation
An essential resource for leaders navigating diverse and global workplaces, this updated edition provides actionable strategies to build cultural intelligence and lead across borders.
View in BU Libraries
Check out our New and Featured Books Guide for more faculty publications and recent additions to the collection.
Questions or need help locating a book? Email us at pardstf@bu.edu—we’re happy to help!
Textiles Tell Stories Highlights BU Libraries African Textiles Collection
Photo by Jake Belcher
BU Today featured the new Special Collections exhibition, Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection, and spoke with the African Studies librarians and faculty and scholars of BU’s History of Art & Architecture department who curated the exhibition of African textiles held at the BU Libraries. At the opening of this exhibition and its complementary community exhibit, Textiles Tell OUR Stories, BU students, faculty, staff learned how symbolic, political, and ceremonial textiles have been used in Africa and continue to have significance today and celebrated in community.
From the feature story:
On a recent Wednesday evening, Mugar Memorial Library looked a little different.
From the back of the library, beyond the rows of students silently studying, emanated the sound of African music and the aroma of plantains and jollof rice. Colorful textiles lined the walls, and the space was humming with BU community members.
The occasion? The opening of the new BU Libraries exhibition, Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection, which showcases the University’s rich collection of African textiles.
Continue reading on BU Today on BU Today.
To view the exhibition, visit the Gotlieb Gallery on the first floor of Mugar Memorial Library, during regular library hours. View our visitor policy non-BU community members and request to visit.
Textiles Tell OUR Stories: Celebrating the BU Community
Photo by Kelly Davidson
On display | Richards-Frost Room | Mugar Memorial Library
Textiles Tell OUR Stories: Celebrating the BU Community displays garments and cloths contributed by BU students, faculty, and staff and describes in their own words the significance that these garments hold for them. This community exhibition complements the BU Libraries Special Collections exhibition Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection
About the Exhibition
Photo by Kelly Davidson
The textiles we wear communicate who we are. Our clothing is an outward expression of identity and belonging. To the casual observer, clothes may simply be fashion. But for the wearer and their community, they tell stories—stories of family connection, of culture, of confidence, of pride and belonging. Here, our Boston University community shares the stories of textiles in their lives.
Most of the panels of cloth displayed in Textiles Tell Stories: Exploring the African Studies Library Collection are textiles in their most basic form: rectangular pieces of cloth that you might purchase from a shop or acquire from a textile mill. However it is through the transformation of these textiles to clothing that their purpose and meaning are revealed. This community exhibition showcases such garments on loan from our own students and staff and recognizes, in their own words, the stories and the significance ascribed to them.
The individuals represented in this room are part of a greater legacy. For decades, BU has been the academic home of countless students and scholars either from Africa or deeply connected to it. These include African students who found their place here, such as Nigerian playwright Ola Rotimi (BFA ‘64), and African American students, such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (GRS ‘55, Hon. ‘59), whose paths led them to the continent in solidarity and advocacy. BU staff and faculty, such as Howard Thurman, Adelaide Cromwell, and President Harold Case, also strengthened the University’s connections to the continent through travel and education.
Today, the African Studies Center, African American & Black Diaspora program and no less than 12 African student groups continue to advance this connection and build community among BU’s significant and wonderfully diverse population of students, faculty, and staff from across Africa and beyond.
These textiles tell their stories.
These textiles tell OUR stories.
Photo by Kelly Davidson
Exhibition Contributors
Basil Adamah
Nneka Agba
Cynthia Becker
Rebecca Fekru
Victoria Gorman
Naveen Inim
Chiharu Kamimura
Lesya Kuzyk
Bright Nogoh
Seth Kwabena (Cobey) Ofori
Addi Ouadderrou
Amy Luecht
Jim Racette
Beth Restrick
Avenie Seynedhee
Mustard Uzu
Elsa Wiehe (on behalf of Yara Munif & Zoya Munif)