Author: pnzomo

Post Program Review Meeting- January 14, 2026

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

The 2025 Mortenson Center Associates had a post program review meeting on Zoom with the Mortenson Center Team. The associates each had a chance to share what their Action Plans were after completing the program and provided an update on the implementation, including challenges and opportunities they had encountered in implementing the projects. Some of the challenges included a lack of funding, new management, and time constraints. A common challenge was finding different priorities or realities in their workplaces that necessitated a change in their proposed action plans from the program. Some of the opportunities mentioned included presentations, publications, collaborations and plans for further studies.  The associates expressed a desire to stay connected and to continue staying engaged with the center. The projects the associates are working on are varied and include:

Fernando Bravo- Provided an update on a project on improving and enriching an Audio-Book Platform; his IFLA library impact training workshops in Chile and Perú and is looking forward to pursuing a PhD program in Library and Information Studies.

Donus Buadi- Working on establishing institutional journals at Accra Technical University.  Interested in pursuing a PhD in library and information studies.

Fabiola Marin Soto– Interested in establishing a research lab for students in the school of library and information science at the University of Costa Rica. Will be pursuing a master’s in library and information science.

Beatriz Martinez Calle– Interested in AI in libraries/ Use of chatbots in libraries.

Unika Omowale- Interested in establishing a historical medical collection; She is serving as a Member on the American Library Association (ALA) webinar committee.

Kandis Roberts- Was encouraged to move toward becoming an internal resource on Human-Centered Design (HCD) for NALIS.

Takashi Shimada- Exploring Maker Spaces in Libraries. Has been involved in presentations and conferences and Collaborations (with students, the community, and internationally). Examples: Collaborations with universities in Hong Kong (mainly HKSKH Ming Hua Theological College), and collaborations for publication with colleagues/Associates from Trinidad and Tobago.

Ahmad Samsudin- Presented his action plan “Unlocking Miri’s Oil & Gas Legacy: Preserving and Promoting Historical Industry Records,”  to management and met with several interested parties, including community leaders, which led to the purchase of several digitization devices and the initiative is scheduled for implementation under their 2026 strategic plan. Had an opportunity to share his Mortenson Associates Program experience with the Librarians Association of Malaysia (Sarawak) through an online session titled: “From Local Roots to Global Platforms: A Librarian’s Journey of Knowledge Sharing.”

Hien Tran- Working on updating library online tutorials on information literacy. Library also planning on purchasing a license for Synthesia, a tool for creating AI-generated avatars to produce a suite of new interactive videos.

Veliswa Tshesha- is leading the implementation of a new research workflow and the Journal Quality and Compliance Check Tool and is also helping researchers align their work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  She has developed a Research Commons page inspired by Ohio State University Library’s Research Commons. She is also piloting AI-assisted science communication using Google Notebook LM to translate complex academic research into accessible public storytelling.

Meet Your Neighbors: A Human Library Event

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

Internationalization @ Home!

The Mortenson Center, in collaboration with the New American Welcome Center,  and Illinois International- Global Relations will have a Human Library Event as part of the events featured during 2025 National Welcoming week. The event will feature immigrants and international students living in Champaign-Urbana as human books. Each human “book” will be available during the event to interact with “readers” and talk to them about their native country. Topics covered in the conversations include among others geographic location, cuisine, languages spoken and culture. Snacks, arts & crafts will be offered as part of the event. Open to all ages!

When: Sunday September 21 at 3:30-5:30pm.

Where: Champaign Public Library, 200 W Green St, Champaign, IL 61801

Twelve countries will be featured: Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,  South Korea, Syria, Turkey. . In keeping with the mission of the Mortenson Center, the event aims to introduce the concept of “internationalization @ home to the University of Illinois community and to foster intercultural competency and global understanding as well as welcome newcomers to the community while embracing diversity and fostering a sense of belonging. This event is part of our ongoing work on Project Welcome, a project that was previously funded by IMLS.

This year, as the event coincides with the International Peace Day, we will use it as an opportunity to commemorate the day and our director Prof Clara Chu will share some remarks on what we can do as individuals to promote peace through actions for peace,  and highlight our Libraries for Peace Project. We will also be asking attendees to contribute to the discussion on our website on: What is Peace?

35th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

 

The 35th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture will feature Amanda Rubin, documentary filmmaker and journalist. Her lecture focuses on The Third Reich of Dreams, a long-overlooked classic book about Charlotte Beradt’s incredible untold story and legacy of courage as a woman, journalist, and refugee. The lecture will focus on the power of the irrepressible imagination and the potent symbolism of books, writing and archiving as “witnesses to history”.

Book Description:

Set in Berlin, 1933. shortly after Hitler is elected Chancellor, Journalist Charlotte Beradt (1906-1968) begins to experience vivid, disturbing nightmares. Realizing she’s not alone, she embarks on a quiet mission to record the dream life of her Jewish and non-Jewish friends, colleagues, and neighbors in Berlin. She compiles an extraordinary document of the slow colonization of the unconscious as the Third Reich’s persecutions and propaganda seep into the last refuge of the private self. The resulting book: The Third Reich of Dreams

Date: September 4, 2025

Time: 3:30- 5:30pm CDT

Location: School of Information Sciences building, Room 126, 501 E. Daniel St., Champaign and Livestreamed

Register: Online & In-Person Registration

Sponsors:Mortenson Center for International Library Programs | The Program in Jewish Culture & Society | School of Information Sciences | UNESCO Center for Global Citizenship | University of Illinois Library Urbana-Champaign.

Congratulations 2025 Mortenson Center Graduates!

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

Congratulations to the 2025 Mortenson Center Graduates!

The Mortenson Center celebrates the remarkable achievements of our 2025 Mortenson Center Associates. Their dedication, hard work, and passion for their libraries and the library and information science field have been truly inspiring. As they move forward in their careers, we are confident that they will continue to make a significant impact in their communities and beyond. We acknowledge and thank all our collaborators for sharing their knowledge/ expertise and/or for providing tours of their libraries.

Congratulations Fernando Bravo Arenas, Donus Buadi, Maria Mercedez Haz, Jiwon Kim, Beatriz Martínez Calle, Pauline Nicholas, Unika Omowale, Kandis Roberts, Ikhlas Ahmed, Ahmad Samsudin, Takashi Shimada, Fabiola Soto, Hien Tran (Josiah), Veliswa Tshetsha, Rina Wahyuni, Yunhye Yi.

World Refugee Day Webinar

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

The Mortenson Centre in collaboration with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the American Library Association (ALA)’s International Relations Committee (IRC) and the Services to Refugees, Immigrants, and Displaced Persons (SRIDP) Sub-Committee ) organized a webinar commemorating World Refugee Day 2025 (June 20). The webinar was held on May 27, 2025, and highlighted the recently published IFLA Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons: Refugees, Migrants, Immigrants, Asylum seekers (December 2024), complemented by presentations on international experiences and/or research on providing library and information services to refugees and other displaced persons, with commentary on how the Guidelines may inform their work.

Speakers:

Despina Gerasimidou, Community Mobilisation and Capacity Building Consultant, IFLA –From Shelves to Shelter: Libraries Making Room for Displaced Communities – IFLA Guidelines

Magdalena Gomulka, Curator, Silesian Library in Katowice, Polish Librarians Association –Ukrainians in Poland: How Did Libraries Help Refugees?

Lisa Hussey, Ph. D., Professor, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University –School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA) Library: Working with Afghan girls in Rwanda

Ana Ndumu, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Information, University of Maryland College Park – Partnerships and power: Reflections on the ILPI Project amid hardline anti-immigrant policies

For the Webinar recording and more information on libraries commemorating World Refugee Day see: https://publish.illinois.edu/projectwelcome/world-refugee-day/world-refugee-day-2025/

 

34th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture- September 19 3:30pm

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

34th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture | 19 Sept 2024



“Reading as Belonging: Implications for Library and Information Practice,” by Nadia Caidi, Professor and Director of International Student Experience, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

Thursday, 19 September 2024  |  3:30-5:00 pm CT Lecture  ::  5:00-5:45 pm CT Reception in person to follow (Check for local time here: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/)

HYBRID: In person (School of Information Sciences building, Room 126, 501 E. Daniel St., Champaign) AND online

Register for the Lecture.


 

Meet Your Neighbors: A Human Library Event- September 14, 2024

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

Internationalization @ Home!

The Mortenson Center, in collaboration with the New American Welcome Center,  The Urbana Free Library and Illinois International- Global Relations will have a Human Library Event as part of the events featured during 2024 National Welcoming week. The event will feature immigrants and international students living in Champaign-Urbana as human books. Each human “book” will be available during the event to interact with “readers” and talk to them about their native country. Topics covered in the conversations include among others geographic location, cuisine, languages spoken and culture. Snacks, arts & crafts will be offered as part of the event. Open to all ages!

When: Saturday September 14 at 3:30-5:30pm.

Where: The Urbana Free Library, 210 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801

 

Eleven countries will be  featured : Algeria,  Argentina, Brazil, Congo, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kazakhstan,  Russia, South Africa,  South Korea and Yemen. In keeping with the mission of the Mortenson Center, the event aims to introduce the concept of “internationalization @ home to the University of Illinois community and to foster intercultural competency and global understanding as well as welcome newcomers to the community while embracing diversity and fostering a sense of belonging.

 

SILL Training Workshop offered by Bibliotheca Alexandrina at AlMaadi Public Library, Cairo, Egypt

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt provided a second SILL (Strengthening Innovative Library Leaders) workshop on August 21-22 at AlMaadi Public Library, Cairo, Egypt.  The training was offered in person, and in both Arabic and English. Thank you Samia Abouhany, Sara Elgabalawy and Heba Eldeek for facilitating the workshop.

Congratulations 2024 Mortenson Center Graduates!

Posted on by Peggy Nzomo

 

Congratulations to the 2024 Mortenson Center Graduates!

The Mortenson Center celebrates the remarkable achievements of our 2024 Mortenson Center Associates. Their dedication, hard work, and passion for their libraries and the library and information science field have been truly inspiring. As they move forward in their careers, we are confident that they will continue to make a significant impact in their communities and beyond. We acknowledge and thank all our collaborators for sharing their knowledge/ expertise and/or for providing tours of their libraries.

Congratulations Yunjin Choi, Prince Dwomoh, Yoonju Gal, Liya Louis, Elizabeth Malabanan, Vafa Mammadova, Jessica Lewis Marshall, Mohammed Mirza, Khadija Muhsin, James Nyakundi, Chintan Pandya, and Daniela Skokovic!