Kathleen de la Peña McCook

Kathleen de la Peña McCook is a renowned American librarian and professor, known for her work in the field of library science and her contributions to the development of library services at institutions such as the University of South Florida and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests include information literacy, library outreach, and community engagement, which have been influenced by the works of Paulo Freire and John Dewey. McCook's career has been shaped by her experiences working with organizations such as the American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries.

● Early Life and Education

Kathleen de la Peña McCook was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, where she developed an interest in social justice and community development, inspired by the works of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. She pursued her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona, where she studied sociology and anthropology, with a focus on the works of Emile Durkheim and Margaret Mead. McCook then went on to earn her master's degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was influenced by the research of Jesse Shera and Margaret Egan.

● Career

McCook's career in librarianship has spanned several decades, during which she has worked at institutions such as the University of South Florida and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she has collaborated with colleagues such as Michael Gorman and Christine Borgman. Her work has focused on developing innovative library services and information literacy programs, which have been informed by the research of Carol Kuhlthau and Donald Case. McCook has also been involved in various library outreach initiatives, including partnerships with organizations such as the National Council of La Raza and the League of United Latin American Citizens.

● Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, McCook has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the field of library science, including the American Library Association's Spectrum Scholarship and the Association of College and Research Libraries' Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. She has also been recognized for her work in information literacy and library outreach, with awards such as the National Education Association's Human and Civil Rights Award and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities' Excellence in Education Award. McCook's work has been acknowledged by organizations such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

● Publications

McCook has published numerous articles and book chapters on topics such as information literacy, library outreach, and community engagement, in publications such as the Journal of Academic Librarianship and the Library Quarterly. Her work has been cited by researchers such as Andrew Abbott and Susan Leigh Star, and has been influenced by the writings of Pierre Bourdieu and Michel Foucault. McCook has also edited several books, including Libraries and Democracy: The Cornerstones of Liberty and A Place at the Table: Participating in Community Building, which have been reviewed by publications such as the Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

● Professional Affiliations

McCook is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the Reforma, which is the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking. She has also been involved in various library advocacy initiatives, including the ALA Washington Office and the District of Columbia Library Association. McCook's work has been supported by organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Ford Foundation, and has been recognized by institutions such as the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Texas at Austin. Category:American librarians