Kathleen Campana, PhD, Named Patsy H. Perritt Chair in Youth Services in the LSU School of Information Studies

BATON ROUGE, LA – The LSU School of Information Studies welcomes Kathleen Campana, PhD, to the faculty this fall as an associate professor and the Patsy H. Perritt Chair in Youth Services. Campana previously served as an associate professor at Kent State University in the School of Information.

 “We are very excited to welcome Dr. Campana as the School’s Patsy H. Perritt Chair. Her passion for improving the quality of life for children and their families through innovative learning environments is evidenced by her extensive research and publications. I have no doubt that she will bring that passion to fulfilling Richard Peck’s goal of improving library and information programs and services for children and youth, and providing outreach to underrepresented and underserved communities,” said LSU School of Information Studies Director Carol Barry, PhD.
 
Campana received her BA in psychology/biology from University of North Carolina Asheville, her MLIS from Florida State University, and her PhD in information science from the University of Washington. 
 
Campana focuses her research on understanding how to support learning and development for children and their families in out-of-school and digital learning environments. Her most recent funded research projects include Project VOICE and Project SHIELD, both funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Read Baby Read, funded by the William Penn Foundation. She has taught in the areas of children’s and youth library services, museum studies, and research methods. Her work has been published in Library Quarterly, Information and Learning Sciences, Journal of Early Childhood Research, Early Childhood Education Journal, and Journal of Research in Childhood Education, among others. She has also co-authored one book, Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide, and co-edited another, Create, Innovate, and Serve: A Radical Approach to Children's and Youth Programming.

Read below to learn more about Campana and her goals for supporting young children and their families
 
Why LSU?

The Perritt Chair is really what brought me to LSU. I am passionate about using research to understand how community spaces and informal learning environments can provide more effective learning and development support for young children and their families, particularly for those from underserved communities. Because of that, I am really excited about the opportunities that the Perritt Chair will provide for me to broaden my research nationally, while also expanding it locally within Louisiana. I am also thrilled that the School of Information Studies is in the College of Human Sciences & Education at LSU. My research is closely aligned with early childhood education, educational psychology, and child and family studies, so I am looking forward to connecting with potential collaborators across the college.

What does it mean to you to hold the Patsy H. Perritt Chair in Youth Services, a gift from the acclaimed YA author Richard Peck?

I am honored to hold the Chair and excited to get started and do it justice. Libraries, museums, and other community spaces can be transformative learning spaces for young children and their families, particularly those from underserved communities. I hope to use the position to build strong partnerships with these community organizations in Louisiana and work with them to understand how they can provide more effective, innovative support for all young children and their families. 

What are you most looking forward to seeing/doing/eating when you arrive in Louisiana?

I am looking forward to immersing myself in the culture and engaging with families and community organizations across the state. Over the past several years, I have only been to New Orleans a few times. However, because my father is from Louisiana, I spent more time in different parts of the state when I was younger. As a result, I am looking forward to refamiliarizing myself with other parts of the state, and getting involved, through research, in different communities across the state. 

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About the Patsy H. Perritt Chair in Youth Services

Richard Peck, award-winning author and former adjunct professor at LSU, began his career as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer. He published more than 40 novels for young readers and young adults; professional articles supporting teachers, librarians, and readers; poetry; short stories; and more. In 2002 Mr. Peck became the first young adult author to be awarded a National Humanities Medal, presented by President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Mr. Peck and Professor Emerita Patsy Perritt met and became close friends in the 1970s. At Perritt’s invitation, Peck was the first guest author at the Author/Illustrator Program sponsored by the Baton Rouge Public Library System and the LSU School of Library & Information Science in 1977. From that time, he returned to Louisiana to do research for his books, give guest lectures at LSU, and speak in schools and libraries. In 1996 he was appointed Adjunct Professor in the LSU School of Library & Information Science where he co-taught courses until 2010, including three Academic Programs Abroad with Perritt. In further support of the School, he established the Richard Peck Youth Services Scholarship and endowed the Patsy H. Perritt Chair in Youth Services.

 

About the LSU School of Information Studies

The LSU School Information Studies (SIS) provides a 100% online prestigious education in library & information science. It is the home of the Master of Library & Information Science, which is the only program accredited by the American Library Association in the state of Louisiana. SIS also offers a dual degree with the Department of History, an undergraduate minor, and three graduate certificate options. SIS is a member of the iSchools, a group of Information Schools dedicated to advancing the information field. SIS is part of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education.

Visit the School of Information Studies website.

 

About the College of Human Sciences & Education

The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and is committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.

Visit the College of Human Sciences & Education website.