About Me

Hi, I'm Liz Grauel. I am a partner, friend, dog and cat companion,  academic librarian, and lifelong learner living in Dayton, Ohio. I have a BA in economics and studied for my MS and MBA, also in economics, in my first academic life. For the first 15 years of my career I worked in the software industry as a quality manager, product manager, and most recently, a director of marketing. I own a small business that provides marketing and writing consultation services, focusing these days almost entirely on academic and racial justice work.

During the summer of 2020 I decided to return to school to earn my Master's degree in Library and Information Science at Dominican University. My time spent in the classroom has been critical to growing my understanding of librarianship, and as valuable has been the wisdom I've developed through additional learning venues. As a student and research assistant I've focused deeply on social justice and information equity, leading me to publish several articles in scholarly and trade publications and to become deeply involved with a dynamic group of scholars and academics who work to address issues of racial, gender, and economic equity in the LIS field. 

My academic and research interests have led me to pursue a career in academic librarianship. I am an incoming assistant professor and digital pedagogy librarian at the University of Dayton and look forward to carrying forward the skills and values I have shaped over the course of my adult life and MLIS education.

To begin this section, I would like to share the vision statement I created for myself during my time as an MLIS student:

My vision as a curious, passionate, and critical seeker of knowledge is to grow as an ally and activist in my community by challenging unjust and ineffective systems and disrupting barriers to information and learning.

This vision guides my personal and professional philosophies and approach to life. To me, a vision statement is a lighthouse rather than a rule book - it shows me where I'm going and helps me navigate back home to my core values. This vision shapes my values as a librarian and educator, which are as follows:

Learning is a community activity

I am a steward and guide to the learners with whom I engage, and learners are co-conspirators in shaping how we approach, interpret, and create knowledge. Students are not passive listeners waiting for us to fill their minds, but learners in every sense of the word and participants in their own knowledge growth. I am a learner, too.

Information is power

Actively identifying, challenging, and removing barriers to information is critical to ensuring educational justice. As an academic librarian, this comes in the form of creating inclusive learning environments and pursuing opportunities to reduce digital and information divides, while also engaging in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice-focused research. 

Everything is possible 

Transformation comes from experimenting, imagining, and a healthy dose of 'why not'. My job is to create safe places to explore ideas, to support new ways of thinking and creating, and to encourage active learning within and outside of the library.

Technology is what we make of it

Information forms, formats, and flows - and even function- are changing in step with technology. It is tempting to jump into the newest digital trend to avoid falling behind. What we should always remember, though is this: Digital technologies are tools, and they're only good so far as they are used – so they should be introduced with the intent of transforming learning and the creation of knowledge.

• View my publications: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7866-2328

• Read my blog and connect on social media: Find Me Online 

• Get in touch: elizabeth.grauel@gmail.com