Librarians of the Future enters its second year
Librarians of the Future, a three-year residency that seeks to recruit new librarians with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, is now entering its second year. The program aims to give residents the opportunity to experience multiple career paths within academic librarianship, gain project management experience, build a professional network, prepare for tenure-track research and service.
The University Libraries Communications Team caught up with the residents to learn more about their experiences in the program.
Brandi Hart
- Graduated from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois with Master of Science – Library and Information Science 2023
- Interested in library instruction, collaborating with faculty
What did you think when you first heard of Librarians of the Future?
When I saw this program come up and what was written about it, I felt like this is a place where there were a lot of open-minded, supportive people that want to change the profession.
What did you do when you first arrived at the University Libraries?
My first project has been to create digital learning objects and instructional videos for the Business Library. It’s such a cool opportunity to mix creative visual media and instructional needs. And part of that is thinking about accessibility and how we can provide multiple means of learning to students.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m serving as the liaison librarian for the Classics and Religious Studies Department as well as the Program for Jewish Studies.
What have you learned?
I have found that working with CU faculty has been wonderful. They are some of the most thoughtful and kindest people on campus, and I’m grateful to be able to collaborate with them and support their research and curricular needs. Also, working with students has been very rewarding. I am learning from them how to be a good and effective instructor—how to present information and complex ideas in an understandable way, how to support their affective needs, and how to foster learning and curiosity in and out of the classroom and library.
What have you noticed about the University Libraries?
I’ve noticed that the Libraries are viewed by our patrons as a community gathering place. I think it is such a compliment to the incredibly thoughtful work done by Libraries staff to foster and nurture inclusivity. We still have work to do, and I hope this motivates all of us at the University Libraries to continue to create spaces, collections, and learning environments that makes everyone feel valued.
What’s in the future for you?
I see myself continuing to serve my departments and program and working together with faculty, staff, and students on collaborative projects. The most important thing to me is that our diverse communities are heard and they see themselves represented in the library.
Katie Randall
- Graduated University of Colorado Boulder, PhD History, 2021
- Interested in Indigenous Knowledge and ways of knowing and how that impacts librarianship
What did you think when you first heard of Librarians of the Future?
While I was a graduate student at CU Boulder, I actually worked for the Libraries, in Rare and Distinctive Collections. It was absolutely incredible and life changing. I decided that I wanted to be an academic librarian. When I saw the Librarians of the Future residency, I went for it.
What did you do when you first arrived at the University Libraries?
The first year of this project, from 2023 to 2024, I focused on the development of patron-facing resources and services. I identified the needs of students, faculty and staff affiliated with the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS) through informal assessments. This allows me to address gaps in collections, instruction and other scholarly support for the center.
What are you working on now?
My three-year Librarians of the Future project is working to identify meaningful and sustainable opportunities to integrate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) across the Libraries resources and services. The second year of this project, from 2024 to 2025, focuses on technical and systems-level resources and services. I have partnered with librarians in acquisitions and cataloging to assess our existing practices, partners, and procedures to identify and create strategies to integrate IK into our collection development and management practices.
What have you learned?
I’ve had so many opportunities to engage with academic libraries at the system level to analyze how each unit contributes to the Libraries’ overall services and resources. I’m eager to collaborate with my colleagues across units here in the Libraries to better understand their departmental priorities and how to align our work to develop more strategic methods to integrate Indigenous Knowledge across the Libraries.
What have you noticed about the University Libraries?
The Libraries prioritize data-driven strategies to address concerns and rise to new challenges that emerge in the landscape of higher education. I’m thrilled that my work on this Indigenous Knowledge project is included in these initiatives.
What’s in the future for you?
In the coming year (2025-26) I hope to continue assessing opportunities across the University Libraries' services, particularly in relation to information literacy curriculum and pedagogies to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing and discussions of IK into Libraries instruction.
As a Librarian of the Future in the present, I try to balance the objectives of my ongoing projects with the ever-evolving climate across higher education. I’m optimistic that I can achieve my strategic goals before the end of my three year term, and provide my colleagues with a sustainable plan to continue this work moving forward.