Presentation Title: Citizen Science in the Library

Presenter(s): Hope Peters

Abstract: My research centers on the information community of citizen science and the importance of integrating resources for amateur scientists into library and information education centers. Important topics include the integration of online communities for citizen scientists, global integration and recognition of this community’s information needs and behaviors, and how citizen science in the library upholds the LIS theory of Serious Leisure. Research on these topics has yielded a review of several pieces of literature, via the SJSU King Library while supplementing a few articles from Google Scholar. The online communities I reference in my research include SciStarter, a program that offers a starting point for those looking for Citizen Science projects and how libraries can integrate Citizen Science into the library. Also included is a resource known as iNaturalist, a platform used by participants around the globe that connects community members and increases data used for scientific research. These platforms and programs reinforce the idea that libraries must provide access to online communities for this information community to continue thriving. In regards to the LIS theory of Serious Leisure, in my research, there has been substantial evidence that Stebbins’ theory relates to citizen science in the sense that its community members engage in scientific explorations on their own time, outside of professional work, making citizen science an act of leisure that constitutes a lot of time and energy on a volunteer level. Citizen science is an ever-growing information community that has taken the interest of library and information professionals, and this is the focus of my research.

Link to Recorded Presentation: https://youtu.be/BeJFlPV7ZOo