School of Information Science Alumni and Faculty Connect at ALA Conference

Alumni and faculty of the University of Kentucky School of Information Science’s Library Science master’s program connected during a recent happy hour gathering held at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. The event provided an opportunity for any students, graduates, faculty, and friends of the program who were attending the conference to get together at a scheduled time.

Two alumni who joined the gathering, Matthew Noe (MSLS ’16) and Ashley Martin (MSLS ’17), represent the diverse career paths and leadership roles that UK graduates have embraced across the library and information profession.

While enrolled in the MSLS program, Matthew Noe pursued the Health Sciences Librarianship track, completing internships at the University of Kentucky Medical Center Library and other campus units, including the archives. “I was able to present my first ever research results while still a student, thanks to program and library support,” Noe stated.

This year marked 10 years since Noe earned his MSLS degree and began his career as a professional librarian. Today, Noe is Lead Collection and Knowledge Management Librarian at Francis C. Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Since 2017, he has also served as a part-time instructor in UK's MSLS program, helping prepare future information professionals.

Just this year, Noe was elected as an ALA Councilor-at-Large, contributed as an annotator for Gender Queer: The Annotated Edition, and received the prestigious Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award, an honor recognizing distinguished contributions to reference librarianship.

His involvement at this year's ALA Annual Conference reflected his leadership within the field. As a member of the ALA Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table Conference Committee, Noe coordinated panel programming for the conference. He also participated in six different sessions as both a moderator and panelist and attended ALA Council Orientation.

In addition to his work with ALA and the University of Kentucky, Noe teaches Introduction to Comics Librarianship through Library Juice Academy and continues to contribute to emerging conversations in librarianship through research and writing. He has spent a lot of time over the last few years writing about AI refusal and resistance, co-authoring a chapter in an upcoming Library Juice Press book.

For Ashley Martin, the MSLS program provided the opportunity to explore multiple professional interests before choosing a career path. As a student, Martin pursued the generalist track, knowing she wanted to become a librarian but unsure what kind. She was most excited about courses focused on Youth Services and Archives, two areas that would ultimately shape her career.

After graduating in 2017, Martin began working as a Children's Librarian and steadily advanced into library leadership. Today, she serves as Branch Manager of The Floyd County Carnegie Library Cultural Arts Center in New Albany, Indiana. The role allows her to combine her interests, directing the youth programming while also working with the archives.

Martin attended ALA to connect with librarians from around the country and gather fresh ideas that could benefit her library and community. “This conference allowed me to go outside the box and attend sessions on leadership, youth services, archives, and more to build skills and grow in my profession. I also was a tourist while in Chicago and explored the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium in order to gain programming ideas as well,” she said.

In addition to her work at the local level, Martin is actively involved with the Indiana Library Federation's Youth Services Division, which helps organize the Annual Youth Services Conference for librarians across the state. She highly encourages all librarians to engage with professional organizations and committees that align with their interests and passions.

"Knowing your 'why' helps combat against the burnout and fatigue of the profession," Martin shared, emphasizing the importance of finding meaningful ways to be involved in the field beyond day-to-day responsibilities.

The ALA School of Information Science happy hour highlighted not only the professional accomplishments of UK School of Information Science graduates but also the connections fostered through the program. Whether teaching future librarians, managing cultural institutions, conducting research, or serving local communities, alumni like Matthew Noe and Ashley Martin showcase the impact of our graduates across the profession.