Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose

Job Title

Assessment and Planning Librarian

Last Name

Fitzgerald

First Name

Sarah Rose

Discipline

Higher Education
Scholarly Communication
Scholarly Publishing

Introduction

I hold a PhD in Educational Administration from Michigan State University, a Master's of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University, and a Bachelor's in English from the University of Michigan. My research interests include scholarly communication, faculty work, and information seeking behavior.

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Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 18

Semiotic Analysis of a Science Library: Inclusion and Messaging
(2023-01-01) Reznik-Zellen, Rebecca; Berube, Suenita; Fischietto, Cai; Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose
Purpose and goals The purpose of this study is to investigate what semiotic analysis can discover about how welcoming and inclusive a science library space is for patrons. Semiotic analysis examines the meanings that individuals interpret places as having. It involves the study of objects, which can range from images and words to physical items, and their meanings as individual interpreters understand them (Hall, 1997). We chose to study a science library space because the lack of racial and gender diversity in STEM is a persistent challenge despite the growth in the number of STEM jobs and STEM degrees earned (Pew, 2021). Design, methodology, or approach We conducted a semiotic analysis of a science and engineering library to determine how well the signs and signifiers in the space reflect its goals. To that end, we examined how diverse groups of patrons might interpret elements in the space, which behaviors are encouraged and discouraged, and whether the space promotes scientific disciplines to its visitors. The space we investigated serves as a case study highlighting the ways in which library spaces can communicate messaging to patrons of various backgrounds. Findings Based on our semiotic analysis, the library space’s communication to its patrons succeeds more in promoting science and encouraging desired behavior (or discouraging undesired behavior) than in promoting diversity and inclusion. Practical implications or value In keeping with universal design, libraries should provide clear and visible signage for the library itself, as well as its elevators, exits, restrooms, quiet study spaces, group study spaces, and browseable stacks. Libraries should provide gender inclusive restrooms and clearly marked spaces for religious reflection. Libraries can make an effort to choose inclusive art and display artifacts to appeal to patrons from a variety of backgrounds. Libraries can learn from our findings that library signage that precludes activities frequently performed by patrons should be accompanied by library signage that directs patrons where they may participate in these activities without disturbing other patrons. This will balance the prescriptive, negative messaging in libraries with positive, inviting messaging. Libraries should consider their priorities in terms of safety versus a feeling of surveillance for patrons when designing study spaces. While glass can help library staff monitor activity in the library, glass walls can also lead to a lack of privacy and a feeling of distrust. Likewise, libraries must make decisions between the security for their materials provided by wired glass and theft detectors versus a more welcoming atmosphere of trust. A science library should be updated with modern, clean, furnishings in good condition to show respect for its patrons and their work. It is important to represent the interests of patrons a library wishes to welcome in a balanced way. A science library should not have a predominance of science items from any particular science discipline it serves, but provide appealing displays from a variety of disciplines representing both the history of science and modern advances. Educational disciplinary displays can incorporate diverse scientists to promote the inclusion of diverse patrons.
Exploring faculty consideration of instructional resource cost to students
(2023-01-01) Turner, Christine N.; Graham, Anne; Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose
This study investigated how instructors consider resource cost and availability to students when selecting reading and viewing assignments. It employs a critical incident technique method, asking instructors to consider one course syllabus when considering their assignment practices. Findings address differences across formats including books, chapters, articles, and media. Most instructors never consulted library personnel regarding their reading and viewing assignments. Social and behavioral science instructor responses demonstrated interest in course material cost to students. Humanities and fine art instructor responses also demonstrated interest in cost and familiarity with library services. Responses from natural science, nursing, and engineering demonstrated less familiarity with library services and copyright laws.
Modeling time-to-trigger in library demand-driven acquisitions via survival analysis
(2019) Jiang, Zhehan; Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose; Walker, Kevin W.
Conventional statistical methods (e.g. logistics regression, decision tree, etc.) have been used to analyze library demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) data. However, these methods are not well-suited to predict when acquisitions will be triggered or how long e-books will remain unused. Survival analysis, a statistical method commonly used in clinical research and medical trials, was employed to predict the time-to-trigger for DDA purchases within the context of a large research university library. By predicting which e-books will be triggered (i.e., purchased), as well as the time to trigger occurrence, the method tested in this study provides libraries a deeper understanding of factors influencing their DDA purchasing patterns. This understanding will help libraries optimize their DDA profile management and DDA budgets. This research provides a demonstration of how data science techniques can be of value for the library environment.
Promoting Institutional Repositories via Visualizations - A Changepoint Study
(2019) Jiang, Zhehan; Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose
This paper examines whether implementing visualizations on an institutional repository webpage increases traffic on the site. Two methods for creating visualizations to attract faculty and student interest were employed. The first is a map displaying usage of institutional repository content from around the world. This map uses Tableau software to display Google Analytics data. The second method is a text mining tool allowing users to generate wordclouds from dissertation and thesis abstracts according to discipline and year of publication. The wordcloud uses R programming language, the Shiny software package, and a text mining package called tm. Change in the number of institutional repository website sessions was analyzed through changepoint analysis.
Scholarly Publishing at a Crossroads: Scholarly perspectives on Open Access
(2020) Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose; Jiang, Zhehan
The cost of access to scholarly research creates inequity for readers with varying resources. Open access publishing is an avenue to address this inequity. This research employed a survey of scholars to discover what they know and think about open access. The survey elicited both faculty and doctoral student perspectives. Data were analyzed according to rank and discipline. Although the majority of scholars across disciplines agreed that their work should be freely available to all readers, there were significant differences between disciplines regarding whether scholars had distributed their publications through open access. The survey instrument was examined through Exploratory Factor Analysis.
Higher Education Publication and Institutional and National Diversity
(2019) Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose; Jiang, Zhehan
Educational scholarship is used by practitioners, policy makers, and scholars to shape educational practices. Since education takes place across the globe and incorporates students from a wide variety of backgrounds, educational scholarship should incorporate diverse perspectives. This study examines how institutionally and internationally diverse five leading journals of higher education are. Twelve years of publications are examined to determine the level of diversity among top higher education journals and compare diversity among these publications over time. Maps displaying the distribution of authors across the world are provided to illustrate the findings that higher education publication in the leading journals tends to come mostly from the US and to show the differences in distribution between leading journals.
Becoming a Professor: Exploring New Faculty Learning
(2023) Bano, Sara; Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose
Faculty careers come with formal and informal expectations for how faculty should behave. This study investigates how faculty discover these expectations using an adult learning theory lens. Phenomenological interviews with faculty were conducted to identify themes in their learning. Diverse experiences from faculty of different fields and ranks were included. Key themes that emerged from our study include missing information, diversity of faculty work, emotional labor, and exceptional circumstances as a result of the pandemic. We found that adult learning theory explained certain aspects of faculty learning behaviors; however, andragogy did not address socio-emotional aspects of the learning process.
The Role of Affect in the Information Seeking of Productive Scholars
(2018) Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose
Carol Kuhlthau's (2004) work shows that affect is a vital part of information seeking for high school students and undergraduates. This article explores the influence of affect on research university faculty. Like beginning information users, advanced information users are influenced by their confidence, ambition, and interest in their work. This study employed phenomenological interviews to explore how scholars' willingness to tackle new areas of research, submit manuscripts to prestigious publications, approach colleagues for collaboration, and conduct literature searches with tenacity is impacted by their emotions and dispositions.
Semiotic Analysis of a Science Library: Inclusion and Messaging
(Association of College and Research Libraries, 2023) Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose; Reznik-Zellen, Rebecca; Berube, Suenita; Fischietto, Cai
The purpose of this study is to investigate what semiotic analysis can reveal about how welcoming and inclusive a science library space is for patrons. A space was examined in terms of its messaging to patrons of various genders, abilities, races, ethnicities, nationalities, and disciplines. Findings are presented about the space’s messaging regarding the disciplines it serves, inclusion of patrons from minoritized demographics, and general expectations of visitors. Recommendations for library practice and future research are discussed.
Library Use and Student Success: Focus on First Generation Students
(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Fitzgerald, Sarah Rose; Berube, Suenita; Jiang, Zhehan; Ting, Cai
This study seeks to test for relationships between use of library study rooms, materials, and instruction with student success as measured by retention to the second year, graduation within four years and grades. A cohort of 4,605 first time undergraduate students were considered. Findings show that students who had checked out materials, had library instruction, or using used library study rooms had higher GPAs, retention to the second year, and greater likelihood for graduation in four years. Many of these relationships between library use and student success were particularly strong for first generation college students for whom academic engagement is particularly important.