Open Educational Resources Save Students Nearly $500,000 in Course Costs This Past Year
UNC News and Public Relations interviewed me for an article celebrating Open Education Week 2025.
On the Outer Balcony of the Ivory Tower: Contingent Librarians and the Academy (March 2025)
Abstract
This column explores the parallels between contingent (i.e., non-tenure-track) faculty positions in academic departments and contingent librarian positions in academic libraries, examining how issues of job security, professional identity, and institutional dynamics impact professionals across these roles. Drawing on personal experience and existing literature, the author discusses the implications of her contingent status for job satisfaction, institutional commitment, and career development. The column concludes with recommendations for increasing awareness and advocacy about contingent librarianship within the field of Library and Information Science, emphasizing the importance of addressing labor issues and their intersection with diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Available in the Journal of New Librarianship, vol. 10, issue 1.
Librarians’ Roles in OER Authoring and Open Pedagogy: Lessons from the Field (December 2024)
Abstract
Open Educational Resources (OER), or learning materials such as textbooks that are available without cost to students and include permissions for reuse and adaptation, are a growing part of academic library resources and services. This trend also appears in other areas of higher education; for instance, librarians increasingly serve as partners with faculty in the creation and delivery of online courses that use OER materials. This article discusses a partnership among three individuals, all trained as librarians, whose teamwork produced an OER textbook and an open-pedagogy-driven online course. The partnership represents an adaptable model of the types of contributions necessary to effective online instruction framed by the values and modalities of the open education movement. We explore the complex nature of this partnership by articulating the underpinning concepts and essential skills.
Version of Record published in Internet Reference Services Quarterly
Accepted Manuscript available open access in UNCOpen
DEI in Libraries and Archives: Lessons Learned from a Reparative Description Project (June 2022)
In this blog post for the Colorado Virtual Library, I explain my Spring 2022 practicum project at Colorado State University where I engaged in a reparative description project in CSU’s digital collections.
Nancy Henke: Farewell After 13 Years
Read my goodbye from the Colorado State University English Department.
Nancy A. Henke, MA, MLIS 