Projects per year
Personal profile
Professional Information
Formerly the cataloging librarian at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Rachel Ivy Clarke is currently an assistant professor at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies. Her research centers on the reconceptualization of librarianship as a design profession (rather than a scientific one) to facilitate the systematic, purposeful design of library services for the 21st century. She holds a BA in creative writing from California State University Long Beach, an MLIS from San Jose State University, and a PhD from the University of Washington.
Research Interests
The bulk of my current research focuses on reconceptualizing librarianship as a design profession rather than a scientific discipline. Design is a creative discipline that often seems magical and intimidating to outsiders. Yet design reflects unique ways of knowing and assessing knowledge, different from traditional science. My dissertation, “It’s Not Rocket Library Science: Design Epistemologies and American Librarianship” analyzes examples of artifacts created through American library history to argue that librarianship is truly a design discipline. Continuing work draws on the idea of critical design–the creation of provocative artifacts to challenge established assumptions–to reveal ways in which libraries can explicitly, rather than implicitly, demonstrate and empower the values that set them apart from other information service providers. I also explore ways of incorporating design epistemology into both formal and informal LIS education.
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Network
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Projects
- 3 Finished
The Critical Catalog: Understanding Metadata for Access to and Promotion of Diverse Library Resources
OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
2/1/18 → 1/31/19
Project: Research project
Designing Future Library Leaders
Institute of Museum & Library Services
7/1/17 → 6/30/18
Project: Research project
Research Output
Design thinking
Clarke, R., 2020, American Library Association. (Library Futures; no. 4)Research output: Book/Report › Book
The Critical Catalog: Social Justice, Tricksterism, and Library Information Systems
Clarke, R. & Schoonmaker, S., 2020, Proceedings of ACM SIG CHI 2020. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
What we mean when we say "design": A field scan of coursework offerings on design topics in Master's level library
Clarke, R. I., Jan 1 2020, In : Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 61, 1, p. 2-24 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Design thinking and methods in library practice and graduate library education
Clarke, R. I., Amonkar, S. & Rosenblad, A., Jan 1 2019, (Accepted/In press) In : Journal of Librarianship and Information Science.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Exploring the role of repertoire in library cataloging
Clarke, R. I. & Dobreski, B., Sep 9 2019, In : Journal of Documentation. 75, 5, p. 1169-1189 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Activities
A Library for Everyone: Community Centered Design to Promote Inclusive Librarianship
J. Elizabeth Mills (Speaker), & Rachel Clarke (Speaker)
Jun 21 2018 → Jun 26 2018
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Critique
Rachel Clarke (Speaker)
Jun 1 2018
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation
Exploring the Role of Repertoire in Library Cataloging
Rachel Clarke (Speaker), & Brian Dobreski (Speaker)
Jun 23 2018
Activity: Talk types › Oral presentation
Design Thinking: How Librarians Are Incorporating it into Their Practice
Rachel Clarke (Speaker)
Mar 8 2018
Activity: Talk types › Invited talk
iWorlds: Exploring the Interdisciplinary Vocabularies of Information Research
Rachel Clarke (Speaker)
Mar 25 2018
Activity: Talk types › Invited talk
Press and Media
Art Park announces new staff, 2020 season highlights
2/24/20
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Rachel Ivy Clarke, Sayward Schoonmaker receive ALCTS Outstanding Publication Award
2/14/20 → 2/15/20
5 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
ISCHOOL PROFESSORS' RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE SHOWCASED IN THREE NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOKS
Jennifer Stromer-Galley & Rachel Clarke
1/6/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Primer on design thinking is newest book from the Center for the Future of Libraries
1/3/20 → 1/4/20
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
PRIMER ON DESIGN THINKING IS NEWEST BOOK FROM THE CENTER FOR THE FUTURE OF LIBRARIES
1/3/20 → 1/4/20
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Prizes
Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Illinois Fellowship
Clarke, Rachel (Recipient), 2015
Prize