Kate McDowell

Dr. Kate McDowell leads the nationally-funded Data Storytelling Toolkit for Librarians (DSTL) project, building a DIY toolkit to equip libraries with narrative tools for data-informed advocacy. The DSTL has been used by over 1,000 librarians in over 50 countries so far. As of 2024, she had delivered over a dozen keynotes on her work to nonprofit organizations nationally and internationally and many more informal talks for state and regional organizations. Her book Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact is coming out in August 2025 with ALA Editions. Her future research will center on storytelling for research communication.