Editor’s note: April is Community College Month, and all month we are featuring community college librarians as the ACRL Member of the Week to celebrate!
Stacey Shah is a professor and distance learning librarian at Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL. Stacey has been a member of ACRL for 16 years and is your ACRL Member of the Week for April 25, 2022.
Describe yourself in three words: Resourceful, reliable, curious.
What are you reading (or listening to on your mobile device)? I just finished listening to Carmen Maria Machado’s original and wonderful short story collection Her Body and Other Parties. I’m currently digging into Safiya Umoja Noble’s eye-opening Algorithms of Oppression.
Describe ACRL in three words: Community, resources, network.
What do you value about ACRL? As a long-time member, I appreciate the resources and learning opportunities ACRL has provided to keep me up-to-date with trends and changes in the field. I also deeply value the networking opportunities and connections I’ve made with other librarians.
What do you as an academic librarian contribute to your campus? I am very fortunate that my role as a Distance Learning Librarian allows me to contribute to my campus in multiple ways. I teach, coordinate an Embedded Librarian program, help create and maintain our information literacy learning objects and resources, and serve on many institutional committees that strive to create a more equitable and inclusive campus for our students. I really enjoy working with so many different individuals from all areas of the college.
In your own words: Early in my career, I was very focused on what I could contribute to my library and institution. At this stage, I have come to appreciate how much I have gained from the opportunities I have been given. I am deeply grateful to have worked with teaching faculty and mentor librarians who have challenged me to become a better librarian, educator, advocate, and equity practitioner. I’m also grateful for the amazing students I get to work with every day. Helping students succeed never gets old.
Editor’s Note: Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!