Santi Thompson

Santi Thompson, interim associate dean for Organizational Development, Learning, and Talent and Eva endowed professor at University of Houston Libraries, was selected to the competitive 2025 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Intensive Learning Program (ILP) cohort. As one of 20 awardees, Thompson will participate in an eight-month experience that “explores operational aspects of senior-leader portfolios in research libraries and archives as well as responsibilities related to managing those portfolios.” Fellows will participate in a variety of opportunities to enhance skills for impactful leadership.

“Santi Thompson is a talented senior-leader and poised to be one of the most influential research library leaders in the country,” said Christina H. Gola, interim dean of UH Libraries. “Today’s most adept leaders need to be prepared to lead through challenges and opportunities influenced by a variety of internal and external forces. This program will sharpen his political acumen and decision-making confidence to thrive in today’s environment and advance the impact of UH Libraries.”

At UH Libraries, Thompson holds the rank of librarian. In 2022 he was appointed as the associate dean for Research and Student Engagement (RASE). In 2020, Thompson was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Eva Digital Research Endowed Library Professorship, an appointment which enables the Libraries to expand its services in the emerging areas of digital research, data preservation and accessibility, and scholarly communication. In his prior role as head of Research Services, Thompson was integral in positioning the Libraries to support expansion of research productivity at the University, and continues to provide significant contributions in the development of research support services. Thompson developed policies and workflows for the digital components of scholarly communications, including digital research support and digital repositories. Under his direction and with support from the UH Division of Research and Office of the Provost, UH Libraries launched the Digital Research Commons (DRC) in 2018, a facility dedicated to the production of digital research projects and instruction on digital research methodologies.

Thompson has authored and produced numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations and has been invited to present his work at international venues. He has represented the profession and the University through leadership roles with the Digital Library Federation (DLF), the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS), and the Texas Digital Library (TDL). In 2018-2019 he served as an inaugural DLF Futures Fellow. He previously served as the principal investigator for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)-funded “Digital Content Reuse Assessment Framework Toolkit” (D-CRAFT) grant project, the principal investigator for the IMLS-funded “Developing a Framework for Measuring Reuse of Digital Objects,” and the co-principal investigator for the IMLS-funded “Bridge2Hyku Toolkit: Developing Migration Strategies for Hyku.”

Thompson earned a Master of Arts in Public History and Master of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina.

ACCESS
University of Houston Libraries has five locations on campus:

• MD Anderson Library
• William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design, and Art Library
• Health Sciences Library
• Medical Library
• Music Library

Immediately access millions of teaching and research materials
Request additional materials from around the world using interlibrary loan

TEACH
Collaborate with librarians to incorporate information literacy in your classes
Request workshops focused on information literacy concepts and research abilities
Incorporate interactive research lessons, videos, and research guides in Canvas
Request material to be placed on course reserves
Get support for adopting open and affordable learning materials
Collaborate with Special Collections curators on incorporating rare and archival primary source materials into courses, and teaching primary source literacy

CREATE
Get support for your research, including:

• Analyzing, managing, and sharing research data and other materials
• Scholarly publishing and licensing, including theses and dissertations
• Understanding research identifiers, assessment, and impact

Plan and develop interdisciplinary research through the Digital Humanities Core facility
Record podcasts, develop and present scholarship in the Digital Research Commons

A new initiative at University of Houston Libraries is transforming the way Coogs learn and collaborate.

Peer mentors with Teaching and Learning librarians Carolina Hernandez and Mea Warren at the recent Books and Bubbly event

The peer mentor program, led by student success librarian Carolina Hernandez, expands the reach of information literacy efforts offered by the Teaching and Learning team. Peer mentors comprise a small cohort of undergrads who are learning research and teaching skills, and who will go on to teach their peers across campus through co-curricular engagement while building community among UH students.

The goal of the pilot program is to improve information literacy and student success outcomes. Information literacy “is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning,” as stated in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

“Peer-assisted learning has been shown to not only improve students’ understanding, but can also give students a sense of belonging,” said Hernandez. “We hope that, through getting help from peer mentors, students will feel more welcome and comfortable with using UH Libraries.”

Sophia Sanchez, a first-year biochemistry major, is a peer mentor who learned about the program during UH Weeks of Welcome. “I was intrigued by the opportunities it presented, and the work environment provided by the library really appealed to me,” she said.

This semester, Sanchez has learned how to approach lesson planning, research counseling, and team communication. “These skills will be useful in my own future research and team settings,” she said. “I’m grateful to be able to gain leadership experience through teaching this early in my college career.”

“Peer learning is an essential skill to have, as it’s not only about teaching others with less experience; it’s also about connecting with peers who share your level of expertise and helping them pick up new abilities or even improve existing ones,” said Lexi Gaddis, a first-year pre-business major who plans to study marketing. Through peer mentor training, Gaddis has learned about creating research topics and using library databases to find scholarly resources, information she’s looking forward to sharing with other undergrads.

Gabrielle Epps is excited to see how the peer mentor program develops. She is inspired by the importance of student engagement in teaching and learning, and creating space for students to ask questions. She says peer mentors contribute to UH student success by being an additional resource that can reach more students and equip them with the right tools.

Nilesh Garg notes that peer mentoring can help students navigate the range of resources available at the University, such as books, peer-reviewed articles, and other academic tools. “It’s a valuable service that helps bridge the gap between students and professional librarians by offering guidance from peers who have a similar academic background,” Garg said. “It empowers students to become more confident and self-sufficient in their academic work.”

UH Libraries peer mentors are completing training, and in spring 2025, will be available to meet with students one-on-one for research assistance. The peer mentors encourage Coogs to take advantage of the widely accessible services the Teaching and Learning team offers. Students of any major can benefit from the introductory information literacy guides and videos developed by librarians, and can contact the team with specific academic and research-related questions.

This week, University of Houston Libraries hosted a stewardship event for friends and supporters to learn about services, resources, and scholarship offered for the advancement of student success, faculty research, and community engagement. 

Interim dean Christina Gola gives welcome remarks at “Books and Bubbly.”

“Books and Bubbly” was a “sparkling” celebration of UH Libraries and the communities we serve. Held at the MD Anderson Library Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion, the event featured presentation stations with Libraries leaders discussing current projects and programs. Guests of “Books and Bubbly” were encouraged to visit all stations and gain awareness about the foundation for Reimagined Libraries, a big idea that will drive the development of near-future spaces and services.  

Interim dean Christina H. Gola opened the celebration with thanks, and an invitation for guests to imagine the possibilities and share in the Reimagined Libraries vision as they engaged with librarians and archivists. 

Emily Vinson, preservation coordinator, presented audio/visual archives from the KUHT Film and Video collection and demonstrated preservation and reformatting efforts.  

Vince Lee, archivist of the Carey Shuart Women’s Research Collection, guided guests through the exhibit Nevertheless, She Persisted! 

Mary Manning, university archivist, and Katy Allred, assistant university archivist, displayed materials from University Archives. As the University approaches its centennial celebration, they are working to help tell the story of our past and its connection to our growing success.  

The Open Education Resources team, Ariana Santiago and Kate Carter, discussed expanding access to course materials and teaching tools that are freely available, customizable, inclusive, and collaborative. Open educational resources (OER) engage students in critical inquiry in ways that traditional textbooks do not, and offer significant cost savings to students.  

Interim head of Teaching and Learning Mea Warren and student success librarian Carolina Hernandez discussed the newly formed peer mentor program, in which undergrads are taught research and teaching skills, and find creative means of teaching their peers across campus through co-curricular engagement. Students from the program were present to talk about how peer mentorship is transforming the way Coogs learn and collaborate. 

Leo Martin, head of Resource Management and Metadata, showed how UH Libraries makes its collections more accessible through reparative cataloging research efforts, in which librarians and archivists undertake a critical reexamination of language, terms, and practices used to describe materials. 

Wenli Gao, head of Collections Strategies and Services, talked about the evaluation of circulating print collections to inform how UH Libraries can transform spaces and make collections more visible.  

Linda Garcia Merchant, director of the Digital Humanities Core Facility, and Taylor Davis Van-Atta, head of Research Services, led guests on a visit to the Digital Research Commons and presented innovative digital humanities initiatives that are flourishing across campus, with students taking a central role in moving DH forward. 

 View photos from “Books and Bubbly.”

Xiao Zeng

University of Houston Libraries welcomes Xiao Zeng as the new open publishing librarian.

Please describe your role. How does your work align with the student success and research productivity focus of the University?

My primary focus is to grow student success and enhance research productivity at the University. I oversee the UH Institutional Repository and the Vireo electronic thesis and dissertation management system, which provide seamless access for students and faculty to showcase their academic work. By offering specialized support in open access publishing and guiding our community through publisher agreements, I empower researchers to understand their rights and amplify their scholarly impact.

Collaboration plays a crucial role in my responsibilities. I work closely with various departments and research centers, including the Division of Research and the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Data Science Institute, to tackle emerging publishing challenges. Initiatives like Cougar ROAR and our open monograph publishing efforts ensure that our research outputs are accessible to a global audience, thereby advancing the University’s mission of knowledge dissemination and supporting the academic and research endeavors of our community.

Please share a bit about your background and professional interests. How do these inspire and shape your approach as a librarian?

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), followed by a Master of Science in Library and Information Science (MSLIS) from the same institution. My academic experiences have cultivated a strong appreciation for interdisciplinary studies and the fusion of diverse fields of knowledge. While serving as a graduate assistant at UIUC, I developed a deep interest in how library tools and current trends can facilitate research and improve information access. This background heavily influences my approach as a librarian, where I emphasize understanding users’ information-seeking behaviors and analyzing their needs to fill gaps in library research services.

Personally, I am passionate about supporting both students and faculty to succeed in their academic and research pursuits, especially in the areas of open access, scholarly publishing, and information management. My goal is to nurture a supportive environment that promotes information literacy and equitable resource access. My experiences inspire me to be an active librarian who encourages collaboration and seeks to improve educational and research outcomes across various disciplines. By bridging the divide between library services and user needs, I aim to ensure that our community has the tools and resources necessary to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.

What are one or two things you’d like faculty, students, and scholars to know about the function of open publishing in Research Services?

One critical aspect of open publishing in Research Services is its role in enhancing the accessibility and visibility of research outputs. By supporting open access, we encourage faculty, students, and scholars to share their work with a global audience free from paywalls, prompting greater collaboration and knowledge sharing. This approach not only elevates individual research but also aligns with the University’s mission of furthering education and public understanding.

Moreover, we offer wide support throughout the publishing process, including guidance on navigating publisher agreements, exploring open access options, and ensuring compliance with funder policies. This extensive assistance empowers our academic community to make informed decisions about their publications, ultimately boosting their research impact and helping them succeed in their scholarly pursuits.

Visit Research Support to learn more about UH Libraries’ research services.

University of Houston Libraries Special Collections will host programs in the month of October highlighting primary source materials in the LGBT History Research Collection, which includes personal papers, organizational records, publications, and library collections.

During the month of October, selections from The Banner Project will be on display in MD Anderson Library. The Banner Project, created by Houston activists Sara Fernandez, JD Doyle, and Kirk Baxter, is a pop-up exhibit featuring pivotal moments in Houston’s LGBTQ history from the 1930s to present day. 2024 marks the eighth year that UH Libraries Special Collections has partnered with the creators to host the banners, sparking discussion, reflection, and engagement with the LGBT History Research Collection. 

October 11: The UH community is invited to visit Coming Out of the Archives, a pop-up exhibit of archival materials documenting LGBTQ+ history, at MD Anderson Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 30: UH Libraries Special Collections and UH GLOBAL will co-host a tabling event, UH LGBTQI+ History and Zines, at the UH Student Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The UH community is invited to view a mini pop-up exhibit featuring materials from the Transgender and Queer Zine Collection in the LGBT History Research Collection, as well as University Archives; and to create a collective zine.

In addition, UH Libraries Special Collections will be participating in two off-campus events. On October 13, archivists from Special Collections will attend Collect & Connect: The Curve Foundation’s Curve Magazine Archive Celebration at Pearl Bar to collect and preserve donated copies of Curve magazine and oral histories, in order to start a Curve archive in the LGBT History Research Collection. On October 26, archivists from Special Collections will attend the Families with Pride event at Discovery Green, displaying archival materials from the LGBT History Research Collection.

University of Houston Libraries is pleased to announce that MD Anderson Library floor 1 has been updated with a new, contemporary seating configuration.

MD Anderson Library floor 1 refresh

The space refresh was inspired by student feedback reflecting preferences for a variety of seating options. This popular area offers Coogs a mix of furniture selections including relaxed, bar height, and laptop-friendly soft seating. The first floor is also where Coogs can find a streamlined computing and printing service, expanded mobile printing, and expanded Bring Your Own Device seating.

View photos of the MD Anderson Library floor 1 refresh.

Dr. Carrie S. Cutler, clinical associate professor of mathematics education in the University of Houston College of Education, collaborated with UH Libraries Open Education Services to create a student-authored open educational resource (OER), The InterACTIVE Kids’ Math Dictionary.  

Students in the summer 2024 Mathematics for Teachers I course each defined five mathematics concepts, developing both formal and “kids-speak” definitions for their assigned concepts. They incorporated various resources and interactive elements such as videos, games, and activities into their chapters. The course employed an open pedagogy approach by inviting students to contribute the work they developed for the course into the dictionary, making their work available with an open license of their choosing for others to reuse and adapt to their needs.  

This course was the first successful implementation of the new Open Educational Practices award category in the UH Libraries Alternative Textbook Incentive Program (ATIP). For her Open Educational Practices proposal, Cutler replaced her traditional assignment with a renewable assignment. Renewable assignments allow students to engage in meaningful work that can be shared, reused, and repurposed, providing a foundation for other students to learn from and build upon.

“Renewable assignments are often contrasted with disposable assignments, which are assignments where students turn in work that is only seen by the instructor, graded, and then returned to the student,” said Ariana Santiago, head of Open Education Services. “These assignments are ultimately thrown away, which is unfortunate because the time and effort students put into their coursework can seem like it’s being wasted. Renewable assignments give student work an opportunity to live beyond the classroom, giving it a broader audience and purpose.”  

Santiago and OER librarian Kate McNally Carter collaborated with Dr. Cutler to provide customized instruction during the course, focusing on the unique considerations of open publishing, open licensing, and how to cite and attribute different types of sources. They also provided technical support for the publishing platform students used to create and share their work, Pressbooks.  

“This was a really enjoyable class for us to work with,” Carter noted. “The students were deeply engaged in the assignment and asked really great questions that allowed us to explore in-depth topics related to open publishing and intellectual property. We’re very proud of the work they put into their chapters to make this a great resource.” 

The InterACTIVE Kids’ Math Dictionary can be used by teachers and parents to broaden their own conceptual understanding of mathematics and help teach math to children. It can also be used by young learners who can explore interactive elements that can help make connections between math and the real world.  

Cutler intends to have future students add to the dictionary and improve upon it in subsequent semesters. 

“We hope parents, teachers, and students will find the resource helpful in making sense of mathematics,” she said.

To learn more about open publishing, open pedagogy, and the Alternative Textbook Incentive Program, contact Open Education Services by emailing oer@uh.edu. 

Ariana Santiago

Ariana Santiago, head of Open Education Services at University of Houston Libraries, was selected to the competitive 2024 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Leadership and Career Development Program. As one of 24 awardees, Santiago will participate in a 13-month fellowship designed to facilitate advancement of the fellows’ leadership goals within research libraries and archives.

“I am excited to be selected for the ARL Leadership and Career Development Program, as it is a unique and valuable experience for supporting leadership growth,” Santiago said. “I look forward to the learning opportunities I will have as a fellow and expanding my impact as a leader in research libraries.”

At UH Libraries, Santiago provides leadership and strategy for open education services, collaborating with Libraries and campus partners to advance open education and pedagogy, including the adoption and creation of open educational resources (OER). Santiago has published, presented, and contributed professional service in the areas of open educational resources, information literacy, and library outreach.

“I’m thrilled to support Ariana’s participation in this program,” said UH Libraries interim dean Christina H. Gola. “The Association of Research Libraries offers premier leadership development programming that elevates leadership capacity across the profession. UH Libraries has a long history of supporting librarian participation in ARL leadership programs, so I am confident that Ariana and the Libraries will both benefit greatly.”

Santiago earned a Master of Arts in Applied Learning and Instruction from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Arts in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida, and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida. Before coming to UH, she was the Residency Librarian for Undergraduate Services at the University of Iowa. She was a 2017 American Library Association Emerging Leader.

University of Houston Libraries is pleased to announce the 2024 recipient cohort of the UH Alternative Textbook Incentive Program (ATIP).

ATIP was created in 2018 as part of the University’s initiative to mitigate the high cost of textbooks for students. Since then, more UH faculty have been empowered to provide an inclusive, accessible educational experience for UH students through open educational resources (OER).

This year, ATIP was expanded to include two award categories. Faculty members applying for the Textbook Affordability category could adopt, adapt, or create OER, or use a combination of freely available or library-licensed resources, to replace required traditional textbook(s) and other high-cost learning materials in a future course.

Instructors applying for the Open Educational Practices category could either create and share an OER learning object (e.g., assignments, quizzes, lecture slides, lesson plans, videos, etc.), or replace a traditional assignment with a renewable assignment, implementing what is commonly called open pedagogy. This new award category supports instructors in creating new open materials that benefit a broader community. In addition, instructors can engage students in co-creating course content that can be openly licensed and shared.

2024 ATIP winners are:

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences:

• Dhanushka Arunasiri Peru Durayalage – ECON 3357: Data Management with Economic Applications (Textbook Affordability)
• Melody Yunzi Li – CHNS 3344: Global Chinese Literature (Open Educational Practices)
• María Elena Soliño – HISP 2373: Spanish Culture and Civilization (Textbook Affordability)

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics:

• Nouhad Rizk – COSC 4337: Data Science II (Textbook Affordability)

College of Education:

• Marédil León, Tairan Qiu, & Velvette Laurence – CUIN 4361: Second Language Methodology (Textbook Affordability) / Resources for Teacher Education and Alternative Certification Program (Open Educational Practices)
• Carrie Cutler – CUIN 6335: Mathematics for Teachers I (Open Educational Practices)
• Bradley Davis – ELCS 6350: The Principalship / ELCS 8310: The Superintendency (Open Educational Practices)

C. T. Bauer College of Business:

• Emese Felvegi – BCIS 1305: Business Computer Applications (Open Educational Practices)

“I’m thrilled that we are able to continue supporting student success by increasing access to learning materials through ATIP,” said Ariana Santiago, head of Open Education Services. “Additionally, instructors are creating engaging learning experiences with open pedagogy in which students are empowered to share their knowledge in the form of an open educational resource (OER).”

Estimated savings for students in the first year of implementing alternative textbooks in these courses is $122,349, benefiting an estimated 3,300 students. Awards were granted based on the number of students impacted, estimated cost savings for students, the type of alternative textbook or open educational practices project, and the feasibility of successful implementation.

“These faculty, in collaboration with the Libraries Open Education Services team, are developing new learning strategies for their students and empowering them through dynamic learning experiences,” said Christina H. Gola, interim dean of UH Libraries. “They are modeling the way for innovations in student success and learning. I am so appreciative of their efforts, and based on past student data, I know that students are also grateful to have the opportunity to engage with open educational resources.”

Learn more about open educational resources at UH.

Special thanks to the members of the 2024 ATIP Review Committee: Natalia Kapacinskas, Minjung Shin, Mingjian Wen, Kate McNally Carter, and Ariana Santiago.