LRRT Webinars

LRRT Webinars

Please view recordings of our past webinars!

All webinars are scheduled during US Central Time. To search for the correct time zone, please use World Clock Converter.

Upcoming Webinar

Sep 9, 2025, 12PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Title: Supporting College Readiness: How Public and Academic Libraries Can Foster College Literacy and Fluency

How are students supposed to know where to start when applying to college? Once they arrive, how do they continue navigating complex institutional systems and advocating for themselves? For many students—especially first-generation students, English language learners, and adult learners—higher education can feel like an overwhelming maze of unfamiliar terminology, decentralized services, and bureaucratic roadblocks. Without clear guidance, students may struggle to access the support they need, impacting their ability to enroll, persist, and succeed in college.

Join us for a webinar exploring how libraries can play a pivotal role in supporting student success by fostering college literacy and college fluency, with Africa S. Hands (University of Buffalo), jean amaral (Borough of Manhattan Community College Library), and Melissa Blankstein (Ithaka S+R).

This hands-on session will help participants identify key action steps to implement at their own institutions, ensuring they are better equipped to support students holistically.

Registration Link: https://ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QEB-i1j0SN6x5YPNUnd7mw

Webinar Speakers

Africa S. Hands, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Information Science at University at Buffalo. Her research examines public library access in marginalized populations, information access in higher education settings, and first-generation student experiences. She is the author of Successfully Serving the College-Bound (ALA Editions, 2015).

jean amaral (MLIS, MA), associate professor and open knowledge librarian at Borough of Manhattan Community College, partners with faculty across disciplines to create active and engaging learning experiences for students through open knowledge practices, such as open educational resources and Wikipedia edit-a-thons.

Melissa Blankstein is a senior analyst in the Libraries, Scholarly Communication, and Museums program at Ithaka S+R. Melissa uses her mixed-methods research background to lead a multitude of institutional and large-scale research projects studying the attitudes and practices of faculty members, students, administrators, and library leaders.

Past Webinars

Artificial Intelligence and Academic Integrity (AI & AI): The Research Process and Prognosis for Student and Faculty Perceptions of AI Ethics
February 21, 2025
Meeting Recording: Link to Recording