Hey, Y'all!
This picture was taken in the bombed ruins of Holland House, Kensington High-Street, London during World War II; it was destroyed in the air raids by Molotov Breadbasket bombs. It's my favorite picture of all time. In an active war zone, these people came out seeking literature and information. This was incredibly dangerous, but the literature and information were more important. I use this picture every semester in my intro slides to explain to my students why I am so passionate about information and education: they are powerful enough to change the world and to draw people out during a war to seek them.
* * *
My dissertation focused on LGBTQ resources in small and rural libraries in Alabama, and I hope to extend this research further into the southeast in the future. I am passionate about equity of access and diversity and inclusion, particularly in the classroom.
A Little About Me
I grew up in Sylacauga, Alabama, a small town about an hour and a half from Birmingham. I've been out since 1996 and feel that being a visible and vocal member of the LGBTQ community is vital to students coming behind me in my academic programs and my own students in the classes I teach. Representation is important! I also make no secret of the fact that I grew up low-income in the south and was a first generation student. People like me from where I'm from don't usually get to do the things I've done. It's important for other people like me to see that, despite expectations and obstacles, it is possible.
In 2016, I was honored to become a Point Foundation LGBTQ Scholar. This organization provides support, mentorship, conference and leadership opportunities, and an amazing network of queer scholars. I am always happy to talk about Point with anyone, so if you or someone you know is LGBTQ+ and is seeking funding to pay for any stage of higher education, check out their website (https://pointfoundation.org/) or shoot me an email. The application opens November 1 every year and is due in January.
My research interests include
* * *
My dissertation focused on LGBTQ resources in small and rural libraries in Alabama, and I hope to extend this research further into the southeast in the future. I am passionate about equity of access and diversity and inclusion, particularly in the classroom.
A Little About Me
I grew up in Sylacauga, Alabama, a small town about an hour and a half from Birmingham. I've been out since 1996 and feel that being a visible and vocal member of the LGBTQ community is vital to students coming behind me in my academic programs and my own students in the classes I teach. Representation is important! I also make no secret of the fact that I grew up low-income in the south and was a first generation student. People like me from where I'm from don't usually get to do the things I've done. It's important for other people like me to see that, despite expectations and obstacles, it is possible.
In 2016, I was honored to become a Point Foundation LGBTQ Scholar. This organization provides support, mentorship, conference and leadership opportunities, and an amazing network of queer scholars. I am always happy to talk about Point with anyone, so if you or someone you know is LGBTQ+ and is seeking funding to pay for any stage of higher education, check out their website (https://pointfoundation.org/) or shoot me an email. The application opens November 1 every year and is due in January.
My research interests include
- LGBTQ young adult literature
- Radical librarianship
- Social justice librarianship
- Information literacy, especially as taught through a social justice lens
- Issues of intellectual freedom
- Comics and graphic novels
- Diversity and inclusion in the classroom
- Rural public libraries in the U.S. South
- Librarianship in the U.S. South
- Diversity within Library and Information Studies and Library and Information Studies programs
- Information needs of diverse populations