Selected Publications

DeFrain, E., Sult, L., & Pagowsky, N. (2025). Effectiveness of academic library research guides for building college students’ information literacy skills: A scoping review. College & Research Libraries, 86(5), 817. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.86.5.817  

Sult, L., & DeFrain, E. (2025). Where does all the time go? Setting realistic expectations for conducting rigorous scoping reviews”. In Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy. SAGE Publications, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036216818  

DeFrain, E. (2024). Universal Design for Learning as a framework for expanding liaison work and engaging with students. In R. McMullin & D. Skaggs (Eds.), Universal Design for Learning in Academic Libraries: Theory into Practice. ACRL Press. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libraryscience/456  

Riehle, C.F., DeFrain, E., Minter, D., & Simons, J. (2024). Writing instructors’ intentional integration of the information literacy framework. Communications in Information Literacy 18(1). https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2024.18.1.2  

DeFrain, E., Thoegersen, J., & Hong, M. (2022). Standing out or blending in: Academic libraries in the informal learning space ecosystem. College and Research Libraries, 83(1). https://www.doi.org/10.5860/crl.83.1.45  

Head, A., DeFrain, E., Fister, B., & MacMillan, M. (2019). Across the great divide: How today’s students engage with news. First Monday 24(8). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v24i8.10166  

Allison, D., DeFrain, E., Hitt, B., & Tyler, D. (2019). Academic library as learning space and as collection: A learning commons' effects on collections and related resources and services. Journal of Academic Librarianship 45(3). 305-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2019.04.004  

DeFrain, E., Delserone, L., Lorang, L., Riehle, C.F., & Anaya, T. (2019). Re-centering teaching and learning: Toward communities of practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. In Mallon, M., Huisman, R., Hays, L., Bradley, C., & Belanger, J. (Eds.) The Grounded Instruction Librarian: Participating in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Chicago: ACRL Press. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libraryscience/408/  

Selected Presentations

DeFrain, E., & Wonch-Hill, T. (2026, February). Informal biodiversity education models for rural and Tribal youth [Conference presentation]. National Science Foundation Advancing Informal STEM Learning Annual Awardee Meeting. Virtual.

DeFrain, E., Clements, K., Cook, D., & Pagowsky, N. (2025, July). Information Literacy Instruction in a Post-Liaison World [presentation]. Transforming Our Perspectives on Information Literacy. The Ohio State University Libraries Teaching Information Literacy program. https://u.osu.edu/teachinginfolit/teaching-information-literacy-workshops/past-workshops/  

DeFrain, E., Long, G. Barker, B., Bruguier, G., & Krehbiel, M. (2025, October). Celebrating Libraries, STEM, and Biodiversity at the Umoⁿhoⁿ Nation Public Schools [Conference presentation]. Nebraska Library Association. York, NE. 

DeFrain, E. & Sult, L. (2024, April 16-18). Gathering evidence to inform practice: A scoping review of library research guide effectiveness studies [Conference presentation]. Evidence Synthesis Institute. Minneapolis, MN. 

DeFrain, E., & Sult, L. (2023, May). Paving the way or still charting a path: How are we measuring the learning effectiveness of library research guides? [Conference presentation]. Association of College and Research Libraries, Education and Behavioral Sciences Section, Research Committee. Virtual Research Forum. 

Riehle, C.F., & DeFrain, E. (2023, May). Writing Instructors’ Intentional Integration of the Information Literacy Framework [Conference presentation]. Association of College and Research Libraries, Education and Behavioral Sciences Section, Research Committee. Virtual Research Forum.