Dr. Natalie Taylor receives the 2025 Beta Phi Mu Award

CHICAGO — Dr. Natalie Taylor, associate professor and director of the University of South Florida’s School of Information in Tampa, Florida, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the American Library Association's Beta Phi Mu Award. This award is given in recognition of the achievement of a library school faculty member or another individual for distinguished service to education for librarianship. This annual award, which consists of $1,000 and a citation of achievement, is sponsored by the Beta Phi Mu International Library Science Honor Society.

Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from American University and a Master's and PhD from the University of Maryland in Library Science and Information Studies. She has developed an extensive record of scholarship and a lasting impression on her works as a scholar, professor, and colleague.

Taylor is a prolific scholar. She currently serves as an Editor for Library Quarterly, a prestigious academic journal for library and information studies. Additionally, Dr. Taylor has published articles in such journals as School Library Research, Journal of Information Science, Computers & Education, and Journal of Documentation. She has co-authored four books: Foundations of Information Literacy; Foundations of Information Policy; Digital Literacy and Digital Inclusion: Information Policy and the Public Library; and Libraries, Human Rights and Social Justice: Enabling Access and Promoting Inclusion. She has edited two books, Libraries and the Global Retreat of Democracy and Perspectives on Libraries as Institutions of Human Rights and Social Justice.

Taylor is highly regarded as a professor, with student demand for her classes consistently exceeding available spots, reflecting her impactful teaching and strong reputation.

Taylor is dedicated to moving the profession forward in and out of the classroom. In addition to providing leadership for the USF Master’s of Library and Information Science program, she has also served in leadership roles for numerous organizations such as the Association for Library and Information Science Educators.

The jury was impressed by Taylor’s scholastic focus on advocacy, information policy, and ethics, recognizing their importance in preparing new librarians to contribute meaningfully to the profession.

The 2025 Beta Phi Mu Award annual award will be presented at the ALA President’s Program on Sunday, June 29, during the 2025 ALA Annual Conference in Philadelphia.

The 2025 Beta Phi Mu Award Jury is comprised of Paul McMonigle, Penn State University, University Park, PA; Derek Mosley, Auburn Avenue Research Library, Atlanta, GA; Patricia Takas, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl; Edra Waterman, Anderson Public Library, Anderson, IN; and Kimberley Bugg, Jury Chair, AUC Woodruff Library in Atlanta, GA.

More information about the Beta Phi Mu Award, including how to submit a nomination, is available at the ALA website, www.ala.org.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the only non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to America's libraries and library professionals. For almost 150 years, ALA has provided resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. The ALA serves academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.