Elizabeth South

Elizabeth South

Fair Use: What is it?

Fair Use: What is it?

To celebrate Fair Use Week (February 21-25, 2022) the IU East Campus Library is highlighting what fair use is and resources available that can help researchers determine if fair use applies to a given situation.  What is Fair Use? In US copyright law, fair use is the legal doctrine that allows brief excerpts of copyrighted material, under certain circumstances, to be quoted verbatim for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research, without the need for permission or payment from the copyright holder. Fair use is vitally important to creativity, teaching and scholarship, and innovation. It is a fundamental right, and thanks to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it is considered by the Supreme Court to be a “first amendment … Continued
Open Educational Resources (OER): Adding Diversity and Inclusion to the Classroom

Open Educational Resources (OER): Adding Diversity and Inclusion to the Classroom

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day of reflection and inspiration. It has us thinking more closely about equity and inclusion in our work in the library, and in particular, how we can support classroom endeavors in this cause. One way we can do this is to support the use and development of Open Educational Resources. We often discuss how Open Educational Resources (OER) can be easily adapted to suit the needs of the students and the instructor and how they can be a more affordable (free!) option for students  in comparison to traditional textbooks. However, it is also important to highlight that because OER can be remixed, revised, and shared freely, they can be used as an agent … Continued
Open Pedagogy: create and collaborate

Open Pedagogy: create and collaborate

Open Pedagogy is a concept in teaching that overlaps with other schools of pedagogical thought, especially as we now work, create, and learn in a digital environment and engage more with collaborative work, such as: Constructivist Pedagogy – learning based on the idea that we construct our own knowledge through direct experience (Hands-on learning). Critical Digital Pedagogy – focuses not just on the tools we use in teaching, but how we are connecting as human beings. Connected Learning – active participation in learning, collaboration with peers, mentors, etc. The term Open Pedagogy was first cited in 1979 by a Canadian named Claude Paquette and he “outlines three sets of foundational values of Open Pedagogy: autonomy and interdependence; freedom and responsibility; … Continued
Climate Resilience and Sustainability at IU East

Climate Resilience and Sustainability at IU East

The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference took place in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31 to November 12.  Aligned with that, there were several events at the IU East campus focused on climate change, climate resilience, and sustainability.  Participation by student organizations included the College Democrats of Indiana and the Animals and Earth Club. A Climate March for Our Lives event in the campus quad on October 26 inspired discussion on the importance of sustainability efforts, both small and large, and how there is much that we can still do at the campus, community, and state levels to make a difference. An active member of the Campus Climate Resilience Committee, Assistant Librarian of Access and Technical Services Beth South worked with the … Continued
Electronic Records: Preserve to protect

Electronic Records: Preserve to protect

Electronic records are a major part of our personal and professional lives, from the creative and academic work we publish online via journals, blogs, and social media platforms to the meeting minutes and published policies of individual groups, committees, and organizations. The majority of work is now online and we need to act in order to preserve it, the same as for physical materials. There is even an official day to recognize the importance of electronic records – Electronic Records Day, celebrated annually in October. This is a day dedicated to raising awareness among the general public, government agencies, and public institutions on the importance of preserving electronic records. Archivist Beth South is currently working on several initiatives to preserve … Continued