Meghan Harper, Ph.D.

Meghan Harper, Ph.D., currently serves as the Director of the School of Information. In addition, she has been serving as the school library media concentration coordinator since joining the iSchool faculty in 2001, and is the MLIS graduate coordinator. Since 2003, Harper has served as an advisory board member of the Virginia Hamilton Multicultural Literature Conference, the longest running national conference of its kind. She served as co-director from 2012-2022 for the Conference. She is a member of several International Associations, and serves on the Reading and Literacy committee of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL). Nationally, she is active in the American Library Association (ALA), and its divisions, the American Association of School Librarians, (AASL), Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Young Adult Library Services Association, (YALSA). She also serves on multiple national and state committees, including the Buckeye Children’s and Teens Book Award. Her interest in assessment and accreditation has led to her professional service for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Committee on Accreditation for the American Library Association.

Harper has published numerous articles, chapters, manuscripts and reviews relating to her research interests, which include school library administration, facility design, multiliteracies, care-based practices, electronic portfolios, cataloging, evaluation and assessment. Harper is also the author of Reference Sources and Services for Youth and has two more books slated for publication. She received the Presidential Award from the Ohio Educational Library Media Association in 2013. Harper has been an invited speaker and presenter both nationally and internationally. Prior to joining Kent State, Harper held the administrative positions of Assistant Curriculum Director and Director of Technology and Libraries, and she worked as a school librarian at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Harper holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, master's in library science (with K-12 Library Media Certification), and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education (with K-8 certification), all from Kent State University.

*The School of Information faculty are superstars in the field. Therefore, it is impossible to list all of the great work they do on one page. Listed below is a small selection of Dr. Harper’s work. Further information can be viewed in Dr. Harper’s CV, on her personal website, or on her Google Scholar page.

Teaching/Advising

Academic Programs
School Library Media K-12
Library & Information Science

Youth Engagement: Information, Culture and Community

Research Specialties

Whole Person Services Education of Information Professionals Reference Transactions Cataloging Information Literacy Children's Services Collections Development

Selected Projects

click on a project to learn more

Selected Publications

Harper, M., & Deskins, L. (2020, May). Fostering and sustaining student voice in the library [one example from a year-long article series]. School Library Connection.

Harper, M. (2019). Fostering resilience, wellness and hope in the school library. In M.A. Mardis & D. Oberg (Eds.), Social justice and cultural competency: Essential readings for school librarians. The International Perspective, (vol. 2). Libraries Unlimited. ISBN: 978-1440871207

Harper, M. (2017). Helping students who hurt: Care based policies and practices for the school library. School Libraries Worldwide, 23(1), 41-54.

Harper, M. (2016). Evaluating effectiveness of teachers and school librarians. In M.A. Mardis (Ed.), Librarians and educators collaborating for success. The International Perspective. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN: 978-1440837500

Harper, M. (2011). Reference sources and services for youth. Neal-Schuman Publishers. ISBN: 978-1555706418. Second Edition available Summer 2022, ISBN: 978-0838916421.

Grants

American Association of School Libraries, ABC-CLIO ($1,750) and LSTA Grant ($4,622) for “Preparing Ohio’s School Library Media Specialists For Future Ready Leadership” in collaboration with Ohio Educational Library Media Association, Northeast Ohio-Regional Library System and INFOhio, awarded 2017.

Awards/Achievements

• Make A Difference Teaching Award, Kent State University (November 2019)
• Presidential Award from the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (2013) (read the news story)

Professional Service

• Elected North American Regional Director International Association of School Librarians (IASL) (2020 - 2023)
• Serves on the Reading and Literacy committee of the International Federation of Library Associations
• Board Member of the ALA Committee on Accreditation (2013 - Present)

Affiliations

• International Association of School Librarianship (IASL), Member (2011 - Present)
• International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), Member (2011 - Present)
• American Association of School Librarians (AASL), Member (2001 - Present)
• Ohio Educational Library Association (OELMA), Member (1992 - Present)
• American Library Association (ALA), Member (1992, 2001 - Present)