Educator & Librarian

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I am an Associate Professor and Teaching and Learning librarian at the Lied Library at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to UNLV, I taught at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Auraria Library in Denver, CO. I am originally from Albany, NY.

My research interests include critical pedagogy, the affective nature of research, dismantling deficit approaches to students, and the intersection between civic engagement and information literacy education. I am also interested in the relationship librarians have to their own research and how we can better support LIS research-practitioners in the field.

It is my deepest hope as an educator to empower students to challenge their assumptions about the world and develop a genuine passion for seeking and gaining knowledge in order to improve their lives and communities.

When I’m not obsessing over library things I read, hike, travel, drink whiskey, and spend time with my partner Thomas and our dogs Nimbus and Miller.

teaching

My goal in teaching information literacy is to challenge student perceptions of academic research and create an environment where students feel inspired to indulge their genuine curiosities. I believe that if a student is connected with the right information, they will be just as passionate about its potential as I am. I intentionally seek to learn about the strengths and funds of knowledge my students possess, so I may connect their existing lived experiences with unfamiliar elements in their new academic environment. Additionally, I encourage risk taking, open discourse, and problem-based learning in my classroom. It is my deepest hope as an educator to empower students to challenge their assumptions about the world and develop a genuine passion for seeking and gaining knowledge in order to improve their lives and communities.

Dismantling Deficit Thinking in Academic Libraries Theory, Reflection, and Action Authors: Chelsea Heinbach, Rosan Mitola, and Erin Rinto

research