Kumasi selected as 2016-2018 iSchool research fellow

Kafi D. Kumasi, associate professor in Wayne State University's School of Library and Information Science, has been selected by the iSchool faculty as a research fellow for the 2016-2018 academic years. Research fellows are chosen because their work is relevant to the interests of the School's faculty and students. Each will give at least one lecture during their appointment.

"I'm honored to serve as a research fellow for the iSchool. I look forward to sharing my ideas and inquiries, particularly as they relate to educational inequities in school libraries. We are at a critical juncture in our nation with regard to human and civil rights concerns, especially among minoritized groups. Illinois is a great place for me to share my work in this area, as I know many Illinois faculty who are deeply committed to issues of social justice," said Kumasi.

Kumasi's research interests focus on issues of literacy, equity, and diversity, particularly occurring in urban educational environments and spanning K-12 and graduate school contexts. Her publications include book chapters and journal articles in the Journal of Education for Library and Information ScienceThe Journal of Research on Libraries and Young AdultsSchool Libraries WorldwideSchool Library Media Research, and Urban Library Journal, among others. She teaches in the areas of school library media, urban librarianship, multicultural services and resources, and research methods. A Laura Bush 21st century scholar, she holds a PhD from Indiana University, Bloomington and a master's degree in LIS from Wayne State.