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Service Point Staffing in Arts Libraries is a research study on current staffing models of service points in arts libraries in the United States and Canada, including branch characteristics, staffing levels, and services provided, for which we are gathering data. Our purpose is to examine the prevalence of arts-specific service points in libraries and their commonalities and differences in organizational practices, features, and services. Please note that while this data is anonymous, the data will be shared or published at the Music Library Association meeting in February 2026 and possibly in additional future publications or conference presentations.

Research and Access Services Subcommittee Members, Music Library Association

Principal investigator:
Laura Thompson
Music Librarian, Michigan State University
thom2552@msu.edu

Co-researchers:
Lisa Read
Music Librarian, Princeton University
lisaread@princeton.edu
Bonnie Finn
Arts, Humanities, and Digital Humanities Librarian, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
bfinn001@csbsju.edu
David Haskins
Music Librarian, University of British Columbia
david.haskins@ubc.ca

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What are folks doing re: collections?

Examples: E-resources, weeding, off-site storage, transformative agreements and OA, digitization, transdisciplinary collections, post-custodial collections, media collections, etc.

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Neurodifferent-informed approaches to arts librarianship (instruction, spaces, services, staff training, outreach, engagement, etc.). Not accomodation only, but inherently inclusive approaches.

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How do you typically hear about ACRL Arts events / news?

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Logging into the Arts Section ALA Connect Group

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ACRL / ALA emails (including emails from Connect)

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Ideas or questions not found elsewhere

What's on your mind, ACRL Arts Section members?

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How can Arts better reach its members? Do you have any suggestions for how Arts could share-out information and resources?

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How can we support members' scholarly and creative activity?

Share some thoughts about how ACRL Arts can support members in developing research, publications, creative works (visual or performing arts), etc.

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What are some topics you'd like to learn about?

ACRL Arts is looking for new professional development ideas. Committee members may consider any ideas posted here when they develop programming next year.

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Since we have an IFLA liaison, I wonder if hearing from international colleagues somehow in terms of what's happening in higher education in the arts outside North America would be worthwhile.

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I'm relatively new to the field, but I'm interested in attending a workshop on creating and utilizing RSS feeds to stay informed about new developments in the field. This isn't necessarily only relevant to Arts Librarians, but could be a helpful skill to teach to patrons who are on the look out for jobs/opportunities in the visual and performing arts industries.

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Featured member posts, in connect or on the blog. It could be a brief 3-4 question format where the member could share a project they're working on, an interesting collection they work with, etc.

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It might be fun to have some virtual show-and-tell sessions where people highlight something cool at their institution

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Perhaps a session on the ACRL Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education as well as the Music companion document on which some folks in MLA are working.

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I know the main communication happens through ALA Connect, but it may be helpful to make an optional Slack, Discord, or Facebook group to help foster more casual chats about upcoming projects and day-to-day issues in the field.

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I’m interested in hearing more about effective information literacy teaching strategies or activities for classes in the performing arts.

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Cross posting to and re-sharing info from Theatre Library Association and Music Library Association -- since our section encompasses visual and performing arts

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It might be cool to have a community calendar if one doesn't exist already! It could contain research publication dates, presentations by members, or dates/times when members are presenting creative works.

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I'm always interested in how art librarians incorporate their creativity into their librarian work. This might also have something to do with wellness.

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Censorship in Libraries

Host an informal discussion for people who want to discuss the climate of censorship at their institution, specifically related to art materials in libraries. I don't think that this is an area where ACRL Arts can advise or provide guidelines, but moral support, sharing experiences, and developing strategy in community are appealing.

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Webinars on AI generative content and implications for the visual/performing arts field.

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Successful sudent/faculty collaborations

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AI literacy intertwined with creative arts and visual literacy, especially aligned with instruction.

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Writing Support

Host occasional, low-stakes virtual writing circles, for people who want to be held accountable for showing up to work on their writing.