Dr. Alyn Gamble (they/them)

STEM Librarian, Northeastern University
Affiliate Faculty, Emerson College
Adjunct Professor, Simmons University

As a librarian and professor, I work at the intersections of information literacy, information behavior, and scholarly communication. My research bridges personal narratives, information science, and emerging technologies, with a commitment to underserved communities. Ultimately, I seek to empower people to explore their experiences and help change systems that represent them.

When away from screens and classrooms, I enjoy noncompetitive running, creative writing, wildlife photography, and performing improv comedy.

Research & Projects

A Great Place to Meet (current)

Collecting and restorying oral histories from participants at an LGBTQIA+ affirming twelve-step program clubhouse, interweaving information behavior scholarship and literary nonfiction.

Digital Publishing (current)

Development of open access research journals and open educational resources. Teaching undergraduate and graduate students essentials for publishing careers, and guiding students and researchers through the scholarly publishing landscape.

AI and Mental Health

A social informatics project on the use of artificial intelligence in mobile mental healthcare applications, with a focus on privacy and chatbots.

Library Retrospectives

Historical perspectives on issues in LIS, including the classification of mental health information, library support for marine biomedical research, and historical LIS research.

Research Data Training

Development of educational resources for information professionals in data management, data repositories, GIS visualization, and data information literacy.

Publications

Teaching

"Study nature, not books." — Louis Agassiz, as displayed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Library

When first encountering Agassiz's adage, I thought his view was antithetical to my pedagogy. But as I began teaching students and researchers within a library, then moved into more formal instruction as a faculty member, his statement became central to my own practice. While reading can teach us a great deal — including empathy — actively working in a field leads to experience and knowledge. Though I incorporate Agassiz's idea into my pedagogy, it is through education that I seek to dismantle the white supremacist perspective with which he evaluated the world.

01

Education as a collaborative ecosystem

02

Reflective thinking over rote learning

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Mastery, not comparison with peers

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Accessibility as a foundational principle

My teaching philosophy is holistic. I view education as an ecosystem, with teaching and learning inexorably intertwined. I teach in order to help students mature via meaningful experiences as individuals in service to the world — developing reflective thinking that allows them to critically engage with information and become empathetic contributors to the global conversation. Likewise, I believe teachers must remain open to learning opportunities while advancing scholarship. Education is, at its heart, a collaborative operation.

Students gain a great deal from evaluating and assessing their own work, as well as the work performed by their peers and instructor. For this reason, I ask students to write anonymous evaluations for themselves, their classmates, and myself — encouraging honest feedback and allowing me to tailor the course to address knowledge gaps while giving students space to explore their own interests. When assessing students, I focus on their mastery of a topic rather than comparison with other learners, assessing at the beginning, throughout, and summatively at the conclusion of each educational endeavor.

I first make sure students know their well-being is paramount, encouraging them to reach out with any accommodations they need — whether or not formally documented. I work with student accessibility services, educational technology, and information literacy professionals to ensure access to support. Where possible, I flip the classroom, allowing digital elements to give students background information they can then use in face-to-face discussions. I aim to create an inclusive environment where students feel comfortable acknowledging their needs and empowered in their learning.

Just as my students are on a lifelong journey of learning and growth, so am I. As my experiential and scholarly knowledge continues to develop, so shall my teaching philosophy. My pedagogical practices are grounded in the holistic environment of an educational ecosystem where students and instructors share the experience of active learning — creating a better-educated population of professionals who can critically reason and demonstrate their skills in ways that impact them far beyond their time in my classroom.

View full teaching experience

Curriculum Vitae

Education

2024
PhD, Library and Information ScienceSimmons University
2013
Master of Library and Information ScienceLouisiana State University
2011
Master of Liberal ArtsTulane University
2008
Bachelor of Arts, cum laudeSpring Hill College

Positions held

2023–present
STEM LibrarianNortheastern University
2025–present
Adjunct Faculty, School of Library and Information ScienceSimmons University
2020–present
Affiliate Faculty, Dept. of Writing, Literature and PublishingEmerson College
2020–2023
Research Librarian for the Sciences, Tisch LibraryTufts University
2018–2020
Research Associate, Harvard Data Science ReviewHarvard University
2015–2017
Assistant Librarian, Sciences, Jane Bancroft Cook LibraryNew College of Florida and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee
2014–2015
LibrarianMote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
2011–2013
Library TechnicianTulane University
2010–2011
Research Help Desk Student AssistantTulane University
2007–2009
Literary ManagerBienville Books
2006–2008
Library Support SpecialistSpring Hill College
View full CV

Contact

Email
alynreads@gmail.com
Academic profiles
ORCID · Google Scholar

This portfolio was developed with the assistance of Claude.