Library Research Scholars Program Spring 2025

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  “Something to be involved in”: Fostering intra-campus community through zine- making and the potentials of a zine library at Binghamton University

  Autumn Jacobs

  Zines encompass a wide variety of works broadly defined as self-published print works that are not made with profit in mind. They have long fostered community networks for marginalized groups and fringe interests. In recent years, they have increasingly been used in academic contexts, through class assignments, student organizations, and library programming. While there have been a number of zinemaking initiatives at Binghamton University, there has been little institutional support for this work and it has been incredibly fragmented. This project aims to bridge the gaps between zinemakers and administrative support through the creation of a campus zine library. During the Spring 2025 semester, I studied resources and articles that discussed what a zine library can provide to a university campus, interviewed faculty and student organizations already utilizing zines, and facilitated student zinemaking workshops to understand zinemaking at Binghamton as well as foster interest in zines. I will utilize these resources to create a proposal for the creation of a zine library at Binghamton University that can be used by library administration beyond this semester. By analyzing previous writing on zine libraries and zines in academic institutions and incorporating my own research with stakeholders at Binghamton University, this project contributes to the growing body of research on zines as tools for academic and social engagement as well as highlights the role that the Binghamton University Libraries have to foster creativity and engagement through a potential campus zine library.

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  Health Science Book Club for Cultural Competency

  Yu X. Liu

  This Library Research Scholars project was designed to supplement cultural competence in health science education by developing a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-focused library collection and book club for Binghamton University’s health science programs. The project begins with a comprehensive literature review to identify how DEI resources can enhance cultural competence in health science education.

  Based on this literature review, a curated book list will be developed using criteria that prioritize diverse authorship, representation of historically marginalized communities, and coverage of topics in cultural humility, health equity, and inclusive clinical practices. To further promote the collection, a library guide will be created to highlight featured titles and outline future book clubs. The goal of developing this collection is to bridge historical context with modern practice, increase the awareness of diverse populations as healthcare professionals, encourage ethical reflection, and support the development of culturally competent, healthcare professionals.

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  Chronicling language, gender, and sexuality research through digital text analysis

  Aidan L. Niebauer, Halie Kerns, and Ruth Carpenter

  This project is an exploratory analysis of the field of language, gender, and sexuality using the journal Language in Society, a key publication within the fields of sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. Chronicling over 50 years of scholarly research, a corpus of research will be analyzed with digital text analysis methods using Python, including topic modeling and sentiment analysis. The project aims to empirically analyze how a) notions of gender and sexuality are represented in linguistics research b) how language surrounding gender and sexuality is represented, discussed, and challenged through research, and c) how language regarding sexual and gender identity has evolved over the course of the journal’s history and how it mirrors the contemporary global and sociopolitical history of gender and sexuality. Preliminary research has indicated trends in men and women’s conversational differences in the 1970s and 1980s, with trends in non-binary language and sexuality emerging in the 21st century.

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  Uncovering Libraries Instagram Engagement

  Kenneth Saito

  The Binghamton University Libraries utilizes its Instagram platform to engage its audience to share information regarding its resources and services. Current research suggests elements such as color grading, scenic backgrounds, and maintaining a proper online social media presence affect how Instagram users engage with content. However, additional elements such as audience type and how they engage with content may factor into the Libraries’ reach on their platform. This project seeks to identify how the Libraries Instagram platform can maximize engagement based on their audience needs and identified interaction behavior. A literature review determined that a qualitative survey is the best method for this project due to its practicality, quality of responses, and the greatest possibility of reach. Results of the data collected, correlations of the data set, and recommendations based on the findings will be presented via a poster presentation to be used by the Libraries Administration for future implementation.