About This Project
This page is part of a larger project focusing on how the Juneau Public Library, in Juneau, Alaska, provides digital literacy services to its community. This project is conducted as part of the course requirements of CIS 650 (Applying Diversity Leadership Theories & Praxis) course in Spring 2025. This project was developed with input from Juneau Public Library's Outreach Coordinator.
Juneau, Alaska Cruise Ship Dock
Juneau, Alaska Vista
Who Am I?
I have 30+ years of progressively responsible work experience in U.S. and international library settings, including public, academic, school, and corporate institutions. I hold a B.S. in Library Science and an M.L.I.S. in Information Science from the University of Southern Mississippi. From 2003 to 2021, I served as a public library director in Tennessee, taking a two-year break to serve as the Director of Library Services for the Cayman Islands Government. I retired from public library service in 2021. I am an adjunct instructor for the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where I teach public library management and adult services (since 2011). In 2022, I taught collection management for the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences. My published research has focused on how public library programming impacts community social justice issues and how public libraries impact the development of sustainable communities.
I am especially focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a construct for building a stronger and more just world, especially in light of the current political climate. I would like to see diversity, equity, and inclusion become embedded in my research and my actions as a professional. I believe public libraries are key institutions in building and maintaining sustainable libraries. At this time, public libraries have a vital role in preserving local, state, and national culture, given that the current national and state political leaders are focused on rewriting history. The inspiration for much of my research comes from Dr. Bharat Mehra. Through our collaborations over the past twenty years, I have realized how much of my practitioner work falls into the social justice arena. He continues to inspire my current and future research directions through his commitment to social justice, both in and through the work being carried out by public libraries
Diversity Focus
Early in my career as a librarian, I recognized the importance of community connections in meeting a library's mission, regardless of the library type (school, public, or academic). Much of my published research identifies the public library as a backbone institution in public library-community partnerships that bring about social change on a local level (Kania and Kramer, 2011). During this course, CIS 650 Applying Diversity Leadership & Praxis, I will focus on digital literacy for senior adults living and working in Juneau, Alaska.
Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective Impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, (pp. 36-41). https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact