REGISTER TO ATTEND

Dr. Kawanna Bright, Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University will deliver the 2023 OCLC/Frederick G. Kilgour Lecture on Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. in the Hitchcock Multipurpose Room at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center.  In her talk, titled “EDI, Research, and LIS: Interest, Effort, and Impact,” Bright will discuss topics surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the library and information science space. The lecture, hosted by the UNC School of Information and Library Science (SILS), is free and open to the public.

Abstract: Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as central research topics in library and information science (LIS) offer fertile ground for exploration and discovery, albeit on a landmine filled battlefield. The necessity of understanding EDI topics within LIS may be recognized by many in the field, sparking both interest in and emphasis on these topics and a need for increased research. However, need, interest, and emphasis do not always equate to effort, especially in terms of understanding the impact of EDI on nearly every facet of LIS. This lecture will discuss the concerns surrounding EDI research in LIS, Dr. Bright’s efforts to engage in research and assessment of EDI, and the importance of collaboration to fully address the continuing EDI issues faced by the field.

Kawanna’s Bio: Dr. Kawanna Bright is Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University. Dr. Bright earned her PhD in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Denver in 2018.  Prior to earning her doctorate, Dr. Bright worked as an academic librarian for twelve years, with a focus on reference, instructional services, and information literacy.  She earned her MLIS from the University of Washington iSchool in 2003.

Dr. Bright’s current research focuses on assessment in libraries; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in libraries; the application of research methodology to the study of library and information science; and the importance of the liaison librarianship role in academic libraries. Her work with Dr. Amy VanScoy (University at Buffalo) to investigate the reference and information services experience of librarians of color received a 2014 ALA Diversity Research Grant and was awarded the 2017 Beta Phi Mu-Library Research Round Table Research Paper Award. Among other projects, Dr. Bright is diligently continuing her efforts to develop a standardized DEI assessment tool for academic libraries in the hopes of moving the assessment of DEI away from simply counting “diverse” employees.
​
Dr. Bright is also a co-PI on a recently funded IMLS grant project that will utilize survival analysis to determine when and why BIPOC librarians are likely to leave the profession. Dr. Bright is a 2021 recipient of an ECU College of Education Profiles in Diversity Award and a recipient of a 2021 NCLA Round Table for Ethnic

About the Kilgour Lecture

The Frederick G. Kilgour Lecture was established in 2004 by OCLC Online Computer Library Center on the occasion of Dr. Kilgour’s 90th birthday. Dr. Kilgour was a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at SILS and Founder of OCLC Online Computer Library Center. Of his many innovations, he is most noted for inventing the WorldCat database in1971. Today, OCLC is a nonprofit global library cooperative providing shared technology services, original research, and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research, and innovation. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.