Education

MA, Information Resources and Library Science, University of Arizona
MA, Political Science, Iowa State University
Graduate Certificate, Public Management, Iowa State University
BA, History, University of Northern Iowa

Specializations 

Public libraries, community engagement, and management and leadership, fostering inclusive library environments, strengthening community connections, and advancing effective organizational practices.

Biography

Bobbi L. Newman is an Associate Professor of Practice at the School of Library and Information Science, where she teaches and is the Undergraduate to Graduate Program Coordinator. Her scholarship and practice are grounded in translating research on workplace well-being, leadership, and organizational culture into applied strategies for library and information environments.

Bobbi’s career spans public, academic, and special libraries, encompassing leadership roles in strategic planning, digital services, community engagement, and national initiatives. She currently serves as a Director for the Iowa Library Association and as a member of the Certification Program Committee for the Allied Professional Association–ALA.

She has served on numerous national committees, including those with the American Library Association, the Public Library Association, OCLC, Pew Research, the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). She led national engagement efforts with the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) for nearly a decade, cultivating national partnerships and directing national projects and grants. She is an internationally recognized speaker who has delivered keynotes, workshops, and invited presentations at conferences and professional organizations worldwide.

Bobbi's work is unified by a commitment to helping libraries and the library profession build the conditions under which both institutions and the people who sustain them can thrive.

Recent Projects and Presentations 

• Newman, B.L. (2026, Jun). You’re Not Just Tired: The 7 Types of Rest Library Workers Actually Need [Presentation]. American Library Association Conference, Chicago IL.
• Newman, B. L. & Public Library Association. (2026). News Access and Media Literacy in Public Libraries [White Paper]. Public Library Association and PressReader.
• Newman, B. L., Hughes, K., & Public Library Association. (2025). Expanding Possibilities: Public Libraries and Adult Learning—Insights and Innovations from the Field [White Paper]. Public Library Association.
• Newman, B. (2025, May 22). Thriving staff = thriving libraries: The ripple effect of well-being [Lightning talk]. ALA Editions Book Club webinar, If We Could Have Just Ten Minutes of Your Time . . . All Library Workers!
• Newman, B. L. (2025, May 27). Building stronger communities: A toolkit for mental health information partnerships. 2025 ILA/ACRL & IPAL Conference, Des Moines, IA, United States.
• Dill, E., Slingluff, L., Ortega, A., & Kendrick, K. D. (2025, April 4). Trauma-informed leadership approaches to legacy toxicity: The road to wellness [Panel]. Association of College and Research Libraries Annual Conference 2025, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Recent Publications

• Newman, B. L., & Helmick, S. (2026, July 14). The Case for a Professional Foundation in Librarianship. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2026/07/14/librarianship-should-resist-credential-erosion-opinion
• Newman, B.L., Martin, C. (2026). The Public Librarian’s Guide to Answering Health Questions. ALA Editions.
• Newman, B.L. (2026). Burnout and Psychological Safety: Intertwined Challenges in Library Management. In N. Keppler (Ed.), Librarianship Beyond the Textbook. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Newman, B.L. (in press) Burnout and Psychological Safety: Intertwined Challenges in Library Management. In N. Keppler (Ed.), Beyond the Textbook. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Newman, B. L. (2025). Building psychological safety in academic libraries: Fostering innovation, well-being, and engaged teams. College & Research Libraries News, 86(5), 188-195. https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.86.5.188
• Newman, B.L. (Ed.). (2025). Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers. ALA Editions.
• Newman, B. L. (2024, May 10). Libraries as beacons of support: Empowering communities during mental health awareness month Public Libraries Online. https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2024/05/libraries-as-beacons-of-support-empowering-communities-during-mental-health-awareness-month/
• Newman, B.L. (2022). Fostering Wellness in the Workplace: A Handbook for Libraries. ALA Editions.