I receive inquiries about working with me on doctoral studies. I would love to work with folks on their doctoral studies. I am writing this to let you know the kind of work I can support, and some logistics of how that might work. First, let me talk about my areas of research and the areas I would be able to advise. Then I’ll talk about the ways in which we can work on these areas.
What do you study and support?
My primary research agenda focuses on community-based librarianship. This works involves seeing the role librarians have in building knowledge in a community and help community members find meaning in their lives. I situate my methodology in Participatory Action Research, where I am part of building systems or working with librarians and community members to better understand systems. This work is international.
My recent work focuses these investigations on rural libraries and librarians serving small and rural communities. This work is under the Collaborative Institute for Rural Communities & Librarianship (https://circl.community).
If you want to better understand my work, I suggest reading the Atlas of New Librarianship (currently being revised) at https://davidlankes.org/new-librarianship/the-atlas-of-new-librarianship-online/
I am also interested in supporting innovative librarianship in general. The word “innovative” there is important. I do not have the capacity to oversee research in things like collection development in a given region, or history of librarianship. The bottom line is innovative and the inclusion of communities in the research question.
I am also an information scientist, and at the core of all my work is the use of complexity and conversation theories to understand participation in systems. Participation is the active inclusion of people in systems where those people have agency.
Can you be my advisor?
For those who want to work directly with me on doctoral work, you need to apply to the PhD program at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information. Here’s a link: https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/programs/phd-information-studies
Unlike the system in other countries, I cannot accept doctoral students directly. On the positive side, if you are accepted at the Texas iSchool, you get 5 years of funding.
If you are going to apply I strongly recommend you reach out to me so we can find a match and I can champion your application.
Will you be on my committee?
Maybe. Once again, if your work aligns with my research area as stated above. My work on committees as an outside reader is normally limited to dissertation proposal and final defenses rather than ongoing advising.
Do you have any postdoc positions available?
Not at this time.
I have funding from my government/Fulbright/Other Source, will you host me at UTexas?
Maybe. Once again it would be the School of Information that would be the host, and they have a process for that: https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/visiting-scholars
However, to sponsor a visiting position your work needs to align to my current work above. I love to create international ties in the field, but for a true host/visitor partnership, we must have aligned goals.