Earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Library and Information Management

The Program

The Ph.D. in Library and Information Management at Emporia State University, jointly administered by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research and the School of Library and Information Management, is an online research degree designed to support the development of scholars and leaders in the information field. The program prepares individuals for careers as researchers, administrators, leaders in library and information organizations, and faculty members in higher education.

The degree is distinguished by the School of Library and Information Management faculty's excellence in both research and teaching, as well as its strong emphasis on preparing graduates to become library and information science researchers who make original scholarly contributions to the knowledge base of the field. Through rigorous coursework, guided research experiences, and dissertation study, students gain the expertise needed to advance theory, inform practice, and shape the future of information environments.

PhD Program Highlights

• Become a changemaker who addresses complex Information Age challenges and transforms information environments for the public good.

• Join a network of interdisciplinary scholars who intentionally integrate knowledge, methods, and perspectives from multiple academic disciplines.

• Apply your master’s degree (34 credits) toward the required 90 credit hours for the PhD.

• Advance your career with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program designed to support working professionals.

• Engage in online coursework that includes required synchronous sessions and strong, ongoing faculty interaction.

• Complete your degree without a residency requirement, allowing flexibility for students across geographic locations.

Program Policy and Requirements

Applicants are admitted based on a combination of educational achievements, professional experience, and scholarly interests, ensuring that each cohort includes students prepared for advanced doctoral study.

The Guide for SLIM Doctoral Studies (2024) provides comprehensive details about program requirements, expectations, and the full application process. The next Ph.D. cohort will begin classes in Fall 2027, and applications are now being accepted. Prospective students can find additional information and begin the application process through the Apply Today section.

Incorporate Your Field of Expertise

Courses and Concentrations. In addition to required courses in research, content area, teaching and learning in organizations, and guided readings offered by the SLIM faculty, students enroll in 12 graduate credit hours to form a concentration area in library and information science or instructional design technology. The 12-credit-hour concentration may be approved in an area of the student’s choice. Students are encouraged to select a concentration and related courses that align closely with their anticipated dissertation topic.

Graduate course options that may be used to form a concentration include offerings in instructional design technology, business administration, psychology, sociology, forensic science, cybersecurity, and a wide range of library and information science areas. LIS options include courses in health information, archives studies, youth services, outreach and community engagement, instructional librarianship, intellectual freedom, music librarianship, artificial intelligence (AI) in libraries, virtual reality, and additional specialized topics.

Students also enroll in guided readings designed to prepare them for the qualifying examinations and for their subsequent dissertation research.

Dissertation. The dissertation requires a minimum of 3 credits in dissertation proposal writing and a minimum of 12 credits in Dissertation research.

For additional details about the SLIM Ph.D. Program, prospective and current students may contact:

• Dr. Mirah Dow, Doctoral Program Director

• Dr. Wooseob Jeong, Dean of the School of Library and Information Management and William Allen White Library

Both are available to discuss program expectations, admissions, coursework planning, and dissertation preparation.

Ph.D. Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Research

Some examples of recent SLIM faculty contributions to library and information science are listed here. Please also see their Curriculum Vitae (CV) for additional citations. 

Mirah Dow CV 

Dow, M. J., Cooperman, E., & Farris, M. (2026). Employment outcomes in libraries for library personnel with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The importance of work situations. In K. Dali & K. M. Thompson (Eds.), Disabled and Neurodiverse Staff: Toward Inclusion in the Library and Information Science Workplace. Bloomsbury.

Dow, M. J., & Wang, T. (2025). Health knowledge about early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A case for soft transdiagnostic approaches to better represent the clinical and scientific reality of ASD. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), (1-19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22060816

Dow, M. J. (2024). High-impact learning experiences and changed behaviors in college students: A systematic review with implications for information literacy. Journal of Education for Library and Information Studies, 66(1), 21-39. https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-2023-0084

Dow, M. J., Wang, T., Long, B. S., & Ptacek, C. (2024). Cognitive consequences of social presence in online asynchronous learning. A grounded theory study. Journal of Education for Library and Information Studies. 103-126. https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-2024-0024

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Hao He CV 

He, H., Xu, X., Gu, Y., Duan, Y., Li, S., & Bueno Vesga, J. (2026). Preparing for Meeting Patients: A Generative AI-Enhanced Virtual Reality Patient Encounter Practice. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 111(101889). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2025.101889

He, H., Xu, X., Li, S., Wang, F., Schroeder, I., Aldrich, E. M., Murrell, S., Xue, L., & Gu, Y. (2024). Learning Middle-Latitude Cyclone Formation up in the Air: Student Learning Experience, Outcomes, and Perceptions in a CAVE VR-enabled Meteorology Class. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 30(5), 2807-2817. https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2024.3372072

He, H., Xu, X., Bueno Vesga, J., Li, S., & Gu, Y. (2023). Outdated or Not? A Case Study of How 3D Desktop VR Is Accepted Today. In M.L. Bourguet, J.M. Krüger, D. Pedrosa, A. Dengel, A. Peña-Rios, & J. Richter (Eds.). Immersive Learning Research - Academic, 1(1), 150-161. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47328-9_11

He, H., Zhu, J., Qin, C., & Li, Y. (2023). Are We Ready for Undergraduate EdTech Programs? Lessons and Experience from Student Satisfaction in China. Educational Technology Research and Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-023-10264-7

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Amanda Hovious CV 

Hovious, A. (2026). A concept analysis of community data literacy. Library Trends, 74(3), 430-447. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lib.2026.a983007

Hovious, A. S., & Becker, J. A. (2025). The critical infrastructure roles of small and rural public libraries. Public Library Quarterly, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2025.2496169

Hovious, A. S., & Smith, A. J. (2025). The impact of generative AI on the LIS ecosystem: Threats and opportunities. Library Trends, 73(4), 538-552. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lib.2025.a968527

Hovious, A., & Wang, C. (2024). Hidden inequities of access: Document accessibility in an aggregated database. Information Technology and Libraries, 43(1). https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v43i1.16661 

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Bobbie Sartin Long CV 

Bushman, B. (2020). Every? Child ready to read: A model of successful programming for deaf children. Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, 18(3), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.5860/cal.18.3.11.

Bushman, B. & Kammer, J. (2020). Continuing education resources for librarians serving homeschoolers. In V. Gubnitskaia & C. Smallwood (Eds.), Homeschooling and Libraries (pp.250-258). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.

Bushman, B., Meek S., Purpura M., Fagan M.K. (2021). Story hour at a family homeless center: contribution to graduate students' preparation and confidence in preliteracy skills. Journal of Communication Disorders 93, Article 106124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106124.

Bushman, B. & Monobe, D. (2021).  Assisting students attending school after or during incarceration. In J. Skinner & M. Cross (Eds.), Underserved Patrons in University Libraries: Assisting Students Facing Trauma, Abuse, and Discrimination (pp.109-122). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

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Jinxuan Ma CV 

Ma, J. (2026). The expanded and evolving roles of health information professionals: A scoping review In E. Vardell (Ed.). Foundations of Health Sciences Librarianship.

Ma, J., & Lund, B. (2021). The evolution and shift of research topics and methods in library and information science. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 72(10),1059–1074. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24474

Ma, J., Stahl, L., & Knotts, E. (2018). Emerging roles of health information professionals for library and information science curriculum development: A scoping review. Journal of Medical Library Association, 106(4), 432–444. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.354

Ma, J., & Stahl, L. (2017). A multimodal critical discourse analysis of anti-vaccination information on Facebook. Library &Information Science Research, 39(4), 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2017.11.005

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Andrew Smith CV 

Smith, A. J. M. (2025). Studying the Slavic diaspora using online genealogical resources (проучавање словенског дијаспоре коришћењем онлине генеалошких ресурса).     Савремена Библиотека (Modern Library), 34(39), 49 – 62. https://doi.org/10.18485/nbks_sb.2022.34.39.3

Smith, A. J. M. & Velasquez, D. (2025). Findability is not access: Coping with shortcomings in automated information systems. Proceedings of the Kansas Library Association College and University Libraries Section, 15(1).  https://doi.org/10.4148/2160-942X.1105

Hovious, A. S., & Smith, A. J. M. (2025). The impact of generative AI on the LIS ecosystem: Threats and opportunities. Library Trends, 73(4), 538-552. https://doi.org/10.1353/lib.2025.a968527

Smith, A. J. M. (2024). Collection Policies and Requests for Reconsideration in Academic Libraries – a Kansas Perspective. Proceedings of the Kansas Library Association College and University Libraries Section, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.4148/2160-942X.1099

Smith, A. J. M. (2023). Problems of accessibility in teaching with historical digital materials in an online genealogy course. Proceedings of the Conference Digital Humanities and Slavic Cultural Heritage, Belgrade, Serbia, June 28-29, 2021, pp. 249-257. https://ssds.org.rs/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Zbornik-radova-DHSKN-2023.pdf

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Sarah Sutton CV 

Arif, A.B. & Sutton, S. (2025, April 21). The influence of collaboration on the impact of research scholars at KBOR institutions. Presented at ESU’s Research and Creativity Day, Emporia, KS.

Sutton, S. W., Tolbert, H., & Harris, K. (2024). Data-driven collection development: Text mining college course catalogs. Kansas Library Association College & University Libraries Section Proceedings, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.4148/2160-942X.1093

Sutton, S. W. (2025). Introduction to data science for librarians [Open educational resource].
https://github.com/sarahwsutton/Introduction_to_datascience_for_librarians/wiki/

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Stan Trembach CV 

Trembach, S. (2025). We are in it together: Community-based learning as a tool for teaching AI ethics in library professions. International Journal of Librarianship,     

10(2), 3–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23974/ijol.2025.vol10.2.433

Trembach, S. (2024) "Thrive in an age of uncertainty?: Using the ADAPT framework to build resilient academic libraries," Kansas Library Association College and

University Libraries Section Proceedings, 14(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.4148/2160-942X.1100

Trembach, S. (2024). Employability of library and information science (LIS) school graduates: Library leadership perspective. Journal of Library Administration, 64(2),

148-167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2024.2305070 

Trembach, S. (2022). Library services to multicultural populations through the lens of history: A literature review. International Journal of Librarianship, 7(2), 61-73.     

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23974/ijol.2022.vol7.2.259

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Emily Vardell CV 

Vardell, E., & Charbonneau, D. H. (Eds.). (2024). Health literacy and libraries. Rowman & Littlefield.

Charbonneau, D. H., Vardell, E., Huber, J. T., Shapiro, R. M., & Kean, E. B. (2024). Publication output and trends of LIS faculty teaching health related courses: Connecting research, teaching, and practice. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 65(3), 282-298. doi:10.3138/jelis-2023-0004

Vardell, E., & Wang, T. (2024). The information behaviour of individuals changing health insurance plans and an exploration of health insurance priorities. Journal of Information Science, 50(3), 751-765. doi:10.1177/01655515221108686

Vardell, E., Thomas, P. A., & Wang, T. (2023). The informational “cosplay journey” of Star Wars cosplayers in the context of a Facebook group. Information Research, 28(3), 37-58. doi:10.47989/ir283199

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YuXia (IDT) CV 

Xia, Y. (2026). Novice Instructional Designers’ Understanding of their Work and Professional Characteristics. TechTrends, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-026-01167-4

Xia, Y., Yan, S., Jiang, M., & Brown, Z. (2025). Supporting learning in synchronous collaborative game design in virtual worlds: A synergy between technological and pedagogical considerations. Computers & Education: X Reality, 7, 100110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cexr.2025.100110

Xia, Y., Cutler, S., & McCall, C. (2025). Identity work: developing a grounded theory of identity negotiation in early-career engineering faculty. Studies in Engineering Education, 6(1), 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21061/see.157

Xia, Y., Yan, S., & Jiang, M. (2024). Improvisation and strategy: lessons learned from supporting young digital makers in a fully online makerspace club for collaborative game design. Information and Learning Sciences, 125(11-12), 929-942. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-10-2023-0144