Dr. Jenny Bossaller is an associate professor of library & information science at the University of Missouri. She received her MA in Library Science from the University of Missouri in 2005. Recent work focuses on the intersection of public libraries and public health. She is co-author of Introduction to Public Librarianship (3rd ed. and forthcoming 4th ed.).
Dr. Noah Lenstra, MS.LIS., is an associate professor of Library & Information Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He received his M.S. and PhD in Library & Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He brings a community organizing approach to the research and teaching of public librarianship. His books include Healthy Living at the Library (2020, Bloomsbury) and 12 Steps to a Community-Led Library (co-author Audrey Barbakoff, 2023, American Library Association Editions). Since 2016, Dr. Lenstra has managed the Let’s Move in Libraries initiative, which he started.
Dr. Bobbie Sartin Long is an Assistant Professor at Emporia State University who specializes in public library services to underserved populations such as people who are deaf, children with disabilities, individuals who have been incarcerated, people who are unhoused, and homeschoolers.
April Roy is the Director of Employee Success at Kansas City Public Library. During her career of over 20 years, she has served as a Children’s Librarian, Branch Manager and Programming Director. After transforming service using trauma-informed practices at the L.H. Bluford Library, she was awarded the prestigious I Love My Librarian Award. Her work included a partnership with The University Health System for training, resources, and programming. She is certified by University Health as a Trauma Informed Care Ambassador and Trauma Informed Culture Trainer. April is also certified in Mental Health First Aid for adults and teens. April is also an adjuct instructor at the University of Missouri.
Dr. Emily Vardell is an Associate Professor at the Emporia State University. she earned her MLIS from Texas Women’s University and PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research interests focus on health information behavior, health insurance literacy, health-related decision-making behavior, the Affordable Care Act information needs, and Health sciences librarianship. Her books include Health literacy and libraries (2024, co-edited with Deborah Charbonneau for Rowman & Littlefield) and The Medical Library Association guide to answering questions about the Affordable Care Act (2015, Rowman & Littlefield).