AI, Sustainability, and Comic Arts: Recent Research from SDSU Library Faculty (Fall 2026)
The University Library is often noted as a home for interdisciplinary research owing to the range of resources we provide to SDSU students and faculty in support of research, scholarship, and creative activity across all disciplines, but that breadth of work is also represented among our own faculty, who continue to present and publish across all areas of library work. Some of the recent contributions made by SDSU librarians include:
“Strategic Advancement: Intentionally Aligning University Library Practices with the UN SDGs” – in this book chapter (Introducing the UN SDGs in Higher Education Institutions, 2026), Sciences and Sustainability Librarian Sarah Tribelhorn presents a case study of the San Diego State University Library and the development of its strategic commitment to sustainability initiatives in recent years as well as the ways in which library activities “map” to specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. More information on sustainability initiatives in the University Library, campus and community partnerships around sustainable library programs, and research support services for sustainability research at SDSU is available through the sustainability research guide.
“Transparent AI Tools for Libraries: Creating the OneSearch Assistant,” in this article (Information Technology & Libraries, 2026), Lucy Campbell, Electronic and Continuing Resources Librarian, and Keven Jeffery, Digital Initiatives Librarian, describe the development of the “OneSearch Assistant,” an addition to the library’s discovery layer that employs generative AI to enhance the experience of discovering scholarly resources that meet a specific information need while promoting user reflection on the research process. While questions continue to emerge about the impact on generative AI tools and technologies on the academic experience, Campbell and Jeffrey provide a case study of how “libraries can play a critical role in shaping AI discovery tools that align with information literacy goals and institutional scholarly standards.” Learn more about “AI in the library” in the AI at SDSU research guide.
“Donna Barr: Independent Comics Visionary,” in this article (Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Society, 2026), Comic Arts Curator Pamela Jackson provides an introduction and overview of the life and work of Donna Barr, comic book author and artist, and winner of the Ink Pot Award at San Diego Comic-Con (1996). Jackson demonstrates how primary sources such as the Donna Barr Papers can support scholarship across several fields, including publishing history, Comics Studies, and LBTQIA+ Studies. More information on the use of the Comic Arts Collection to support teaching, learning, and scholarship at SDSU (and beyond!) is available through the SDSU Center for Comics Studies.
Additional examples of recent faculty work are available through the Library Faculty Research Portal.
