Joyce Kasman Valenza to Retire After Transformative Career at Rutgers SC&I
After a 12 +-year career at SC&I, Associate Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science, Joyce Kasman Valenza, an expert on school and public libraries, search, youth information seeking, emerging literacies, technology and learning, and information equity, will retire from the Department of Library and Information Science on July 1, 2026.
SC&I honored Valenza and her major contributions to the field and the school at a retirement party held at the Rutgers Club on the evening of Wednesday, May 13.
"Joyce's eminent career journey started at Rutgers after her prior and major life's work as a practicing school librarian and field-wide leader in this key professional domain," said Chair and Associate Professor of Library and Information Science Rebecca Reynolds. "Joyce has led our School Librarianship Concentration with acumen, vision, and deep care for our students and their careers (especially in her extensive advising). Our students love her, and she has shaped the careers of so many of our MI program grads while bolstering the school library field in New Jersey and beyond for over a decade at SC&I, in this strong leadership capacity. Joyce has also led our school's certification of librarians, with the state of New Jersey and the New Jersey Department of Education. We thank her deeply for the broad spectrum of her contributions."
Prior to her career at SC&I, Valenza spent decades working as a special, reference, public, and school librarian at the Franklin Institute, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and Springfield Township and Wissahickon High Schools.
At Rutgers, Valenza has been a prolific researcher, writer, teacher, and mentor to countless Master of Information (MI) students and undergraduate students. Her research and teaching interests include digital literacies; librarians’ impact on communities; AI in search and research, teaching, and learning; school libraries; youth information seeking; and information equity.
"At Rutgers, I've had the privilege of teaching and learning alongside remarkable students—future librarians who have already gone on to shape the information and reading lives of children, teens, teachers, and communities for generations," Valenza said. "Watching them grow into confident, ethical, equity-driven, human-centered professionals has been one of the greatest joys of my life."
A consistent theme running through Valenza's work as a practicing librarian and library science professor and scholar has been her dedication to two main objectives: preparing future librarians to create innovative, community-engaged practices; and understanding how youth interact with information. Valenza's aim has been to inspire youth so they develop into aware, ethical, creative, and innovative adult citizens. This work reflects her view of libraries "as critical equity institutions" and frames transformative school libraries as "equity and intellectual-freedom work, urging recognition of information privilege to close access gaps."
Joyce has led our School Librarianship Concentration with acumen, vision, and deep care for our students and their careers (especially in her extensive advising). Our students love her, and she has shaped the careers of so many of our MI program grads while bolstering the school library field in New Jersey and beyond for over a decade at SC&I, in this strong leadership capacity.
Chair and Associate Professor Rebecca Reynolds
Her projects at SC&I include serving as coordinator of the Master of Information School Librarianship Concentration and contributing to the Teens, Family and Technology research team; the American Association of School Libraries (AASL) School Librarians Pipeline Study; and the IMLS-funded Researching Students’ Information Choices project, along with information-literacy work with NJDOE.
The prolific author of many of book chapters and papers, Valenza is also a co-author of the book “The School Library Manager: Leading Through Change," published in 2023. She wrote the "NeverEndingSearch" blog for School Library Journal. For ten years, she wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer’s weekly techlife@school column.
"My research life has been joyful—studying teens, search behavior, credibility, social media, AI, and the endlessly fascinating ways humans make sense of information," Valenza said. "I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with brilliant colleagues across institutions, publish work that mattered, and contribute to conversations about how we teach, learn, and navigate digital spaces."
Professor Emerita of Library and Information Science Marie L. Radford said, "Since Joyce’s arrival in 2014 to the LIS Department, it has been my pleasure and honor to work closely with her. She is among the most innovative faculty members in our department and in the discipline.
Valenza has mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The courses she's taught include School Library Leadership; Management and Evaluation; Social Media; Search and Information Landscape; and Emerging Literacy. She also re-developed, updated, and taught, for the past several years, the School Librarianship Field Experience, which is required by the New Jersey Department of Education and functions as a capstone experience for students preparing to become certified as School Library Media Specialists.
To provide professional opportunities for her students, every spring, Valenza co-organized "The Annual New Jersey Open Libraries Tour (NJOLT)," initially nicknamed "The School Bus Tour," to enable SC&I students, library colleagues, and school administrators to discover the many innovative practices led by the librarians at New Jersey public and school libraries.
Valenza said, "On the tour, several students made lasting contacts that led to their first professional positions. Some students initially thought they wanted to be high school librarians and instead chose middle school positions. Through this tour, some found their field experience placements, and others found their first professional positions."
During COVID, with a team of students and alumni, she developed SchoolLibraryNJ to support remote learning. SchoolLibraryHQ remains to support students and emerging professionals.
Active in the American Association of School Libraries (AASL), American Library Association (ALA); The Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE); ISTE Learning Library; New Jersey Library Association (NJLA); and New Jersey Association of School Libraries (NJASL), Valenza has also participated in NJ Academic Librarians AI SIG, the ALISE Youth Services and Pedagogy SIGs; and serves in Pennsylvania on the Philadelphia Alliance to Restore School Librarians.
For AASL, Valenza chaired the Educators of School Librarians Section, contributed to Best Apps, National Standards Implementation, and Community of Scholars as well as Conference Committees. For the American Library Association, she served on Council, as well as the Education, Leadership Development, Rapid Response, Nominating, Publishers’ Liaison, and several other committees over more than 30 years of participation.
In 2019, AASL named Valenza the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes "an individual member of the library profession who has, over a significant period of time, made an outstanding national contribution to school librarianship and school library development." In 2017, AASL recognized Valenza as a Social Media Superstar: Leadership Luminary. Valenza has also been awarded the 2025 NJ Center for the Book Literary Lion Award and AASL and NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ research awards in 2023.
Valenza has delivered over 300 keynotes and presentations, domestically and internationally, including in Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, Singapore, Brazil, Turkey, Scotland, Hungary, Hong Kong, and more, where she has talked about search, equity, curation, literacy, thoughtful integration of emerging technologies into learning and practice, and the future of libraries.
At Valenza's retirement party, many of her colleagues and former students spoke of their gratitude to her for her contributions to students, colleagues, school, university, community, and field. Many more posted to the Kudoboard set up for Valenza by her colleagues.
Professor Emerita of Library and Information Science Marie L. Radford said, "Since Joyce’s arrival in 2014 to the LIS Department, it has been my pleasure and honor to work closely with her. She is among the most innovative faculty members in our department and in the discipline. I don’t know how she does it, but she is always in the know about any and all technological advances, AI, the latest scoop on social media, amazing apps. She is known far and wide for her curation of tech help for K-12 students, school librarians, and MI students. If you have a question about educational instruction and technology, ask Joyce. She is also a top networker and advocate in the State of NJ and beyond with a legion of followers and fans. Joyce is a dynamic professor who provides a model to everyone that inspires, informs, and empowers her students and the school media global community. In conclusion, I wish you well in your retirement adventure. You have forged an amazing legacy of positive influence on the next generation of school librarians and on all of us."
Our friend Joyce has often been referred to as the rock star of school librarianship. And I think that's apt. She's widely admired, a thought leader, and possessed of an infectious zeal for the library profession.
Associate Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science Brenda Boyer
Associate Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science Brenda Boyer said, "Like many of you, I've been honored to call Joyce Valenza my collaborator, my colleague, and most importantly, friend. Our friend Joyce has often been referred to as the rock star of school librarianship. And I think that's apt. She's widely admired, a thought leader, and possessed of an infectious zeal for the library profession. I've witnessed it in action, over the last 3 decades at countless conferences with literally thousands of people you've informed and inspired."
Looking ahead to retirement, Valenza said, "I’m excited for what comes next. I’m looking forward to slower mornings, creative projects, research that doesn’t require committee approval, and the freedom to say 'no' to meetings without guilt. I’m also looking forward to staying connected to this field in ways that feel joyful, sustainable, and maybe even a little mischievous.
"The heart of my career has always been people. My students, who challenged me, inspired me, and kept me learning. My colleagues, who collaborated, debated, laughed, and built with me. My professional communities, who showed me what collective action looks like. And my friends and family, who supported every pivot, project, and 'just one more semester.' Thank you for giving me a career, and several delightful encores, filled with meaning, purpose, and community. Thank you for trusting me with your students, your ideas, your collaborations, and your friendship. And if I happen to un-retire again, after this third retirement…well…let’s just call it a sequel."
Photos: Courtesy of Joyce Kasman Valenza.
