Meet our speakers!

This year’s Spring Program, “New Visions of Community,” was held on April 14, 2023 and highlighted the ways academic libraries are re-envisioning their role in the campus community and beyond.

Thank you to SAGE Publishing for their generous program donation

“This project is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.” Support is also provided by the College and Research Division of the Pennsylvania Library Association (https://crdpala.org/). Show your appreciation by becoming a member of PaLA! And if you are a member – thank you!

We are excited to introduce our speakers!

Opening Presentation:

Danuta A. Nitecki
As Dean of Libraries since 2010, Dr. Nitecki has worked to envision the academic library and to model one that best contributes toward achieving Drexel University’s dynamic mission. Serving on the Provost’s Academic and Deans Councils, the President’s Executive Council, as well as various campus groups, she has worked to evolve the Libraries as an integral part of the learning enterprise. A Drexel alumna, Nitecki is also a Professor at Drexel’s College of Computing and Informatics.

Prior to returning to Drexel, she held administrative positions in the libraries of Yale University [1996 – 2010], University of Maryland at College Park [1983-1996], University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign [1978-83] and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville [1972-1978]. She has been active in national, state and regional associations, served as a consultant and invited presenter throughout the US and internationally, and has published over ninety articles, books, compilations, and reviews on such topics as user-based evaluation of library services, research methods, library space, document delivery, and management of library services and information technology applications.

Dr. Nitecki also has taught in library science graduate programs at the University of Rhode Island, Simmons College, and the University of Parma [Italy], as well as through an online course she co-developed for evaluating library service quality for professionals [Association of Research Libraries Online Lyceum, 2000–2004].

Panelists and Presenters:

Jon Drucker
Jon Drucker is Assistant Professor and Collections & Technical Services Librarian of the Landman Library at Arcadia University in Glenside, PA, where he manages print and electronic acquisitions and subscriptions, interlibrary loan, and an unruly Koha ILS. As of June 2023 he will head Arcadia’s Affordable Learning Materials initiative. He is an MLIS graduate of The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information and of the Open Education Network’s OER Librarianship Certificate program.

Marryam Naqvi
Marryam Naqvi is the communications and marketing coordinator for Rowan University Libraries, which consists of one undergraduate library and 2 medical libraries. Over the past 7 years, Marryam has worked with Rowan Libraries in Access Services before transitioning to her role in communications in the past year. She has received her Master’s in Strategic Communication, with a focus on higher education and school public relations.

Michelle Reale
Dr. Michelle Reale is a full professor at Arcadia University in both the Bette E. Landman Library and the English Department. She is the author of seven ALA titles on various topics such as mentoring, communities of practice, inquiry, information literacy and others. Her research interests are reflective practice, autoethnography, poetic inquiry, narrative inquiry, and embedded librarianship. 

Kristen Seikaly
Kristen Seikaly has a long history of involvement in community activities both in and outside of libraries. Originally from Southfield, Michigan, she works at Widener University’s Wolfgram Memorial Library in Chester, Pennsylvania as a User and Access Services Assistant. She regularly participates in library outreach programming such as meditation sessions and board game events, and she manages the library’s board game collection.  She is a practicing Zen Buddhist and serves as the chant leader at Soji Zen Center. With a Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan and a Master of Music from Westminster Choir College, she worked as a singer and voice teacher for several years. She also worked as a game instructor at a board game café in Philadelphia before transitioning into libraries. She is currently completing her MLIS through Wayne State University.