7:30 AM

Breakfast/Registration

8:00 AM

Welcome

8:15 - 9:00 AM

Evidence Synthesis in Management (Keynote)

Ryan Splenda, Business & Economics Librarian, Carnegie Mellon University, rsplenda@andrew.cmu.edu

As the liaison librarian to the Tepper School of Business and CMU University Advancement, my main responsibilities include providing research, teaching and information support to the faculty, staff and students of these campus units. My research interests include the evaluation and usage of private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) data sources and expanding the evidence synthesis methodology within the fields of business librarianship and business and management at-large. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife of six years and our two cats, watching college football, attending rock concerts and discussing horror movies.       

9:00 - 9:15 AM

BREAK

9:15 - 9:40 AM

Redefining Roles and Fostering Collaboration in “Transformational Times” (Session 1)

This session highlights how a new Business and Entrepreneurship Librarian navigated a period of significant change and adapted to a dynamic environment by redefining their role, fostering collaboration, and contributing to a forward-thinking library culture. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for thriving during times of transformation and organizational change.

Anna Clymer is the Business and Entrepreneurship Librarian in the Research and Instruction Department, where she supports faculty, staff, and students through research assistance, instruction, strategic outreach, and the integration of library resources into business education. Her research interests include faculty perceptions of libraries, AI literacy in business education, and information literacy instruction.

9:45 - 10:10 AM

Partnering with Career Services as International Students Strategize Their Career Research Amid Political Uncertainty. (Session 2)

International business school students face unique challenges in their job search, including finding companies that will sponsor their visas and navigating political uncertainties. This session will focus on our collaboration with the Career Management Center to support these students by discussing strategies for targeting H1B visa sponsors in the U.S. and conducting global career searches. Participants will gain tactical strategies for research consultations and ideas for cross-departmental collaborations to help students feel more comfortable with their career options post-graduation.

Malisa Anderson-Strait, a Business and Career Librarian at the Goizueta Business Library of Emory University, works with business undergraduates, full time and working professional MBAs, and alumni in many stages of their course and career research. A Kansas City native, she received her undergraduate degree from Baker University in Baldwin City, KS, and her master’s from the University of Illinois in Library and Information Science.  She is currently Secretary of the Business and Finance Division of the Special Libraries Association, and is a past Chair of the Insurance and Employee Benefits Division.

10:10 - 10:25 AM

BREAK

10:35 - 10:45 AM

One Badge at a Time: Leveraging Digital Badges to Promote Information Literacy (Lightning Round 1)   

Academic libraries enhance students' information literacy and academic success through digital badging for library instruction modules. This session will demonstrate how digital badges were integrated into core business courses, expanding instruction reach and incentivizing students to showcase their achievements online. Attendees will learn strategies to implement digital badging in their own libraries, helping students enhance their resumes and demonstrate continuous learning.

Kara Van Abel received her MLIS from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2013. In 2016 she became a Reference Librarian & the Liaison to the Collat School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) where she also serves as the Academic Integrity Coordinator for UAB Libraries. Her work as a liaison led her to develop a successful online business reference course called the Business Research Toolkit. In addition to her service roles at UAB, she is an active member of BRASS and co-creator of Business Librarians Exchanging Instructional Materials (BLExIM).

10:35 - 10:45 AM

No Budget? No Problem. A New Business Librarian Gets Creative and Leans into Past Experiences (Lightning Round 2)

In an era of shrinking budgets and expanding patron needs, libraries must do more with less. This talk shares strategies from a new business librarian on delivering high-quality services under financial constraints, including identifying untapped community resources, utilizing free government data, and leveraging local public libraries. Attendees will also learn the importance of mastering available business library databases and using their strengths and past experiences to overcome challenges.

Matt Lutt is a Teaching & Learning Librarian at the University of Missouri - Kansas City and is the liaison to the Bloch School of Management. He has a strong background in education from his time in Los Angeles, where he worked as an English teacher for eight years at the middle and high school levels. Matt also worked for two years at the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library on an archival collection of Indigenous artifacts and helped to create the Wyandot Heritage Digital Archive. He began his new role as a business librarian at UMKC in September of 2024.

10:50 - 11:15 AM

Navigating Library Reorganization: Two Perspectives on Adapting and Thriving (Session 3)

This session explores a major library reorganization from two perspectives: transitioning from a solo business librarian model to a collaborative team "cluster model" and stepping into a new liaison role. Presenters will discuss the rationale behind the transition, strategies for addressing librarian capacity and student body size imbalance, and ensuring a smooth change. Attendees will learn about proactive communication, workload analysis, and optimizing librarian expertise to maintain excellent service delivery.

	Min Tong is the Research librarian and liaison to the College of Business at the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include business students' information-seeking behavior and how they navigate and utilize research resources.
	Michael Furlong is the Photography, Integrated Business, Economics and Real Estate Librarian, with research interests that include research collaborations between subject faculty and academic librarians. His dissertation, discussing collaboration is located here: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2020/1008/

11:20 - 11:45  AM

Using Core Competencies to Navigate Departmental Mergers (Session 4)

Libraries often use staff reorganizations and department mergers to adapt to changing needs and economic pressures. To ensure these changes are successful, librarians should focus on bringing people on board and helping them thrive. Jennifer Boettcher co-authored an article about her experiences (Jones, Portal 2019: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/715614) and will further discuss how creating a core competencies document, developed by staff, can establish a common culture, encourage growth, and articulate shared values to advance the library's mission.

Jennifer C. Boettcher (bO*cher )is the Business Reference Librarian at Georgetown University. She has had a prolific career spanning 30-plus years. She has published dozens of articles and has given more than 40 presentations at the national and local levels.  Jennifer has received several awards, most recently the 2023 RUSA Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to reference librarianship.

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM

LUNCH

12:45 - 12:55 PM

Intercultural Interviewing as Information Literacy Instruction Model (Lightning Round 3)

In today's higher education landscape, demonstrating value is crucial. This session will explore how interview-based information literacy modules can enhance the library's value, support course curriculum, and develop students' practical and soft skills. It will detail the value of librarian-led intercultural semi-structured interview assignments, faculty collaboration, and lesson planning, highlighting a successful lesson plan for senior-level international marketing students that can be adapted for various fields.

Sarah Steiner has worked at Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC) as an administrator and librarian for the College of Business for eleven years. Previous appointments include nine years at Georgia State University Library in Atlanta, GA. Her areas of research focus include employee burnout, oral history and ethnographic interviewing, and LGBTQIA+ archive maintenance.

12:55 - 1:05 PM

Did It Stick? Using Quizzes to Evaluate One-Shot Library Sessions (Lightning Round 4)

Each year, librarians at Austin Peay State University use a Student Learning Outcome initiative to improve teaching sessions and ensure students learn necessary skills. Outcomes are defined and measured in collaboration with faculty, previously through assignments. This presentation will discuss how a business communication class collaboration introduced a quiz or 'knowledge check' to measure learning and inform teaching, which will be adapted for future sessions across disciplines to better align with students' understanding.

Kristy Cunningham is the Business, Research Services, and Accessibility Librarian at Austin Peay State University. She supports the College of Business through information literacy sessions and embedded librarianship. She chips away at accessibility issues in the library and with online resources in support of all students, faculty, and staff at her university.

1:10 - 1:35 PM

Integrating Gen AI into the Literature Review Process: Insights from an MBA Course and an Upper-Level Honors College Course (Session 5)

This session explores the role of AI tools in enhancing the literature review process for graduate and undergraduate courses taught during the Spring 2025 semester at at four-year research institution in North Carolina. AI tools like Research Rabbit, Elicit AI, and LitMaps aim to streamline data collection, synthesis, and organization, improving time efficiency and research quality. The research assesses these tools' effectiveness and their impact on students' critical research skills, providing insights into balancing efficiency with essential skill-building.

	Ophelia Chapman is the Business Librarian at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she serves as a liaison librarian supporting the Cameron School of Business faculty and students in research and information literacy. Her research interests include the integration of AI in research, information literacy, and the role of emerging technologies in academic scholarship.
	Dorcas Dennis is an anthropologist of Religion. She serves as an assistant professor of Religion at UNCW. She works on research including Ethics of AI. Dr Dennis employs both traditional and digital ethnographic methods in her research. She is currently a research Fellow of the Crossroads Project at the Center for Culture, Society, and Religion, Princeton University.

1:35 - 1:50 PM

BREAK  

1:50 - 2:15 PM

The Business Librarian Index: Navigating shifting priorities in the academic landscape (Session 6)

The role of Business Librarians is evolving, balancing traditional duties with emerging functional roles. This presentation introduces the "Business Librarian Index" to gauge work priorities, focusing on instruction, collection development, and research support. By analyzing job postings and personal experiences, it highlights the need for flexibility, collaboration, and integrating new technologies, offering strategies for Business Librarians to optimize their impact and navigate their changing roles.

Nancy Lovas is Entrepreneurship & Business Librarian for the University Libraries at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She provides research and reference support as the liaison librarian for economics, business, entrepreneurship, political science. She teaches the Business Information course at UNC’s School of Information & Library Science, and is serving as the 2023-2025 Chair of Business Librarianship in North Carolina (BLINC).

Edward Lim is a long-time liaison librarian for business schools and has worked in Singapore, Shanghai, and Connecticut academic institutions. Edward is the co-creator of the Business Information Sources Index (BISdex), a website that provides quick insights into leading and emerging business information sources by and for librarians. He is on a sidequest to digitize a Connecticut radio program aired in the 1990s for and by Asian Americans.

2:20 - 4:05 PM

Vendor Roundup (Break out)

Attendees have the opportunity to engage with academic business resource vendor representatives in small groups to learn about latest updates, provide feedback and get specific questions answered.

4:05 - 4:20 PM

BREAK

4:20 - 4:45 PM

Feedback & Wrap-up