Lightning Talks
These seven minute sessions are on Saturday, May 17, immediately following lunch.

Digital Literacy 101: A Peer Mentoring Pilot at an Academic Library

Avery Olearczyk @ Grand Valley State University  

This lightning talk will explore a peer-to-peer digital literacy initiative at Grand Valley State University Libraries in Western Michigan led by the Digital Literacy Librarian. Involving students as mentors and content creators, the initiative makes digital literacy support accessible and relatable. Student mentors are empowered to design digital learning modules, lead workshops, offer in-class support, and provide one-on-one consultations to their peers. This talk will highlight success and challenges and provide insights on how a peer-driven module can be used to scale digital literacy in an academic setting.

Gays Against the Machine: Using Generative AI to Teach Search Strategies in LGBTQ+ Studies

Russ Peterson @ Emory University

The rapid rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked ongoing discussions among librarians about this technology’s implications for research and teaching. While generative AI can streamline search processes by generating queries and keywords, its limitations become evident in fields like LGBTQ+ Studies, where terminology evolves rapidly. This lightning talk, "Gays Against the Machine: Using Generative AI to Teach Search Strategies in LGBTQ+ Studies," presents a unique learning activity that emphasizes both the capabilities and shortcomings of AI, while empowering students to leverage their unique human expertise and metacognitive skills.

It's No Myth: How the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Reveals the Role of Information Literacy in Student Learning

Britt Foster @ University of California, Riverside

How does information literacy shape student engagement from the first year through senior year? The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) may help your library begin to answer that question. Check out this lightning talk to hear how librarians work with NSSE data and the topic module, “Experiences with Information Literacy,” to compare the role of information literacy with reflective and integrative learning, higher-order learning, and assigned reading and writing. We will also initiate meaningful conversations around how a qualitative, user story approach in data collection can foster collaborative partnerships with campus stakeholders.

Reinvigorate the First Year Experience with the Cephalonian Method

Kelli M. Wilder @ St. Philip's College

Participants will participate in a mini-Cephalonian exercise to discover how utilizing the Cephalonian tour in first-year instruction builds not only engagement and interest in what can often be a stodgy tour but also provides a foundation for learning the information literacy skills critical to college and life-long learning success. Through the Cephalonian exercise, participants will discover how the Cephalonian method increased participation, gave us better assessment data, created a solid foundation for scaffolded learning, and increased learning outcome success at a community college.

Using Research Clinics as a "Third Space" to Support First-Year Students

Anna Yang @ Santa Clara University

What can an academic librarian do when a faculty is pushing for 40 individual research appointments for their students in the span of two weeks, rather then one instruction session? This lightning talk will describe an academic librarian's experience with negotiating with faculty to move from 40 individual research appointments to 8 Research Clinics in support of a First Year Critical Thinking and Writing course. We'll focus on the design of the session in consideration of the limited time as well as provide an update on the sustainability of this format, moving forward.

Rachel Wishkoski, Santa Clara University, co-created this lightning talk