Meet Natalia Umaña: New education librarian focused on inquiry and collaboration
Natalia Umaña is CU Boulder’s new education librarian, bringing a passion for curiosity, collaboration and inclusive learning to the School of Education. The Libraries Communications Team met with her to discuss her journey to CU and her vision for her work here.
What inspired your path into academic librarianship?
Natalia Umaña: My journey began in the classroom, I was a bilingual primary school teacher and I was always drawn to the learning and inquiry process. While pursuing my Masters in Library and Information Science, I worked at an academic library, and that experience really planted the seed. I realized I wanted to support that same curiosity and knowledge-building in higher education. I’ve been an academic librarian for three years, and I’m especially inspired by researchers who explore different cultural perspectives and challenge traditional ways of thinking to make learning more relevant and available to everyone.
What excites you most about joining CU Boulder?
Umaña: So much! I’m thrilled to be part of a library that supports free and open access to learning materials and encourages fresh thinking about how education works. One project that stood out to me helps librarians choose books and resources in ways that better reflect all kinds of people and experiences, and I am excited to work alongside colleagues who are so intentional in their practices. Another example is the collaborative work happening through the Center for Research Data and Digital Scholarship (CRDDS). But what excites me most is working with the School of Education. Their commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for all learners aligns deeply with my own values. I recently toured the school and met with faculty and center directors. It reaffirmed how excited I am to be here.
How do you envision supporting faculty and graduate students in their research and teaching?
Umaña: Relationship-building is at the heart of my approach. I want to develop a deep understanding of the School of Education’s programs and curricula so I can identify key points to support research skills and information literacy. That might look like classroom instruction, but more meaningfully, I hope to collaborate one-on-one or in small groups so I can learn about folks’ research areas, the methodologies commonly deployed, and therefore identify the best tools and resources to connect them with. Research consultations have been one of the best ways I’ve gotten to know graduate students’ work, and I’m eager to build those connections here.
Can you share a book or initiative that has shaped your perspective as a librarian?
Umaña: It’s hard to choose just one, so I’ll call this a “theoretical initiative.” Works like A Third University Is Possible by la paperson and This Bridge Called My Back by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa have deeply influenced how I think about knowledge in the context of higher education. In our field Knowledge Justice by Sofia Leung and Jorge López-McKnight has been especially impactful. These texts guide my thinking about how librarians can support different ways people learn and understand the world, and how we can make higher education more fair and accessible for everyone.