Academic Liaison and Research Specialist Directory

Mohamed Berray is the liaison to the Department of Political Science, International Affairs, and the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy. He came to Florida State University from the Pennsylvania State University where he was resident Social Sciences Librarian and subject specialist for political science, international law, and international affairs. Mohamed has a Master’s Degree in Political Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in International Law with specialization in Refugee Law from the American University in Cairo, and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a former Fulbright Scholar, and an ILEAD (International Librarians Enhancing Access and Development) Fellow with the Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He also was the Assistant Director, and, Head of the Law Library at the American University in Cairo. Mohamed serves on many ALA and ACRL Committees and Round Tables.

Jonathan DaSo is the Modern Languages Librarian and serves as liaison to the department of Modern Languages and Linguistics as well as to the area studies programs on campus, including: Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, and Russian & East European Studies. In this role, Jonathan is responsible for research support, bibliographic and information literacy instruction, and collection development for these areas. Before his current assignment, Jonathan served as the Student Success Librarian and later as the Digital Literacy and Modern Languages Librarian. Jonathan received an MS in Library and Information Science and an MA in Spanish from FSU. His current research interests include diversity and inclusion initiatives in academic libraries, accessibility and universal design in library services and resources, and the use of emerging technologies in information literacy instruction.

Kathleen Dowling is the Librarian for FSU's Florence, Italy campus and Archivist for the FSU Florence Special Collections and Archives.

Liz Dunne is the Instruction & Reference Librarian and the liaison to the Human Development & Family Science department. In her role as Instruction & Reference Librarian, she coordinates the ENC 2135 Instruction Program, the Libraries' Learning District Tutoring Services, and the Research Help Desk, and she co-coordinates the Libraries’ Virtual Reference Program. As the subject specialist for Human Development & Family Science, she is responsible for instruction requests, research consults, and collection management for the department. Liz holds a BA in Literature and MS in Information from Florida State University. She is currently working on a Masters in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies. Her research interests include critical pedagogy, universal design for instruction, systematic instructional design, and digital pedagogy.

Leila Gibradze received her MLIS from Rutgers University and MA in Western European Languages from Tbilisi State University, Georgia. Leila has extensive professional experience as a reference librarian and a cataloger both in public and academic library settings. She has taught graduate and continuing education courses in reference services and cataloging.

Laura Gayle Green holds degrees from Ashland College (B. music, piano), the University of Virginia (M.A., musicology), and Indiana University (M.L.S. with an emphasis in music librarianship). She became Head of the Warren D. Allen Music Library at Florida State University in July 2012. Previous positions include Director, Music/Media Library at the University of Missouri—Kansas City (UMKC, 1993-2012) with an appointment as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Conservatory of Music and Dance, and Visiting Assistant Librarian, Music Cataloger at Indiana University (1990-1993). Ms. Green has been published in Cataloging and Classification Quarterly and Music Reference Services Quarterly, and has invited articles in Women and Music in America Since 1900 (Oryx Press 2002). She has been a speaker and panelist at Music Library Association (MLA), Music Library Association Midwest Chapter, American Musicological Association, Society for American Music, and Innovative Users Group meetings. Ms. Green has served as Convention Manager, Assistant Convention Manager, Treasurer/Executive Secretary, Program Chair, and Co-Chair Local Arrangements Committee for MLA. Ms. Green serves on the advisory board for Naxos Music Library and is on the editorial board for College Music Symposium.

Kelly Grove is the STEM Program Director for FSU Libraries and serves as the subject librarian to the Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science (EOAS) Department and Geography Department at FSU. Additionally Kelly provides support for those interested in GIS tools such as ArcGIS and QGIS along with finding and using spatial data. Her background includes a B.S. in Geology from the University of Idaho, a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Alabama, and a Master in Geographic Information Science (GIS) from Florida State University. 

Kassidy Hof-Mahoney is the Open Science Librarian and the liaison librarian for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, the Biological Sciences department, and the Physics department. She has a BS in Animal Biology from the University of South Florida and an MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a member of the American Library Association (ALA).

Renaine Julian is the Head, Academic Liaison Programs & Services (ALPS) at FSU Libraries. The Academic Liaison Programs & Services (ALPS) department in the Libraries support FSU scholars across the teaching, learning, and research lifecycles. ALPS supports research and learning, including evidence synthesis, collection development, research data management, data visualization analysis, and others. Renaine has a MLIS, a MS in Urban and Regional Planning and a BS in Political Science all from Florida State University. His research interests include library leadership and administration, information behavior, and open science.

Kyung Kim was awarded a doctoral degree in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. Before joining the FSU Libraries as an academic librarian in 2013, she had worked as a medical librarian in South Korea and taught at the FSU iSchool for over nine years. A recipient of the Fred L. Standley Award in 2022, she has expertise in User Studies, research life cycle, database evaluation, advanced techniques for literature search, and evidence synthesis methods. Her research interests include health information behaviors, innovative information services for faculty and graduate students, curriculum support, and AI fluency for academic researchers. She is a member of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL).

Kirsten Kinsley is an Assessment Librarian at the Florida State University Libraries and a liaison with the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice and a co-liaison for the College of Social Work. Kirsten completed her Master of Science in Library and Information Studies in 1999 and received a Master of Science and Specialist in Education degrees in Counseling and Human Systems in 1995 from Florida State University. In 1989, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Honors. Ms. Kinsley previously worked for the FSU Career Center Library and Law Research Center and has been working in libraries on campus in various capacities since 1991.

Mallary Rawls (she/her) is a Humanities Librarian at Florida State University. Her responsibilities include research support, library instruction, and collection development support. Mallary earned her Master of Science in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University in 2015. Prior to working at FSU Libraries, Mallary was a Children's Librarian at the LeRoy Collins Main Library in Tallahassee. Mallary's research interest include critical information studies, African American literature, American history, and algorithm bias in information. 

Dr. Nick Ruhs is the Research Data Management Librarian at Florida State University. He leads the development of data services for STEM scholars and provides support on topics related to research data management and data information literacy. He is also the subject liaison for the Chemistry, Computer Science, and Scientific Computing departments. Prior to joining FSU Libraries, Nick earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to that, he received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Quincy University in 2011. His current research interests include research data services, and data information literacy for undergraduate and graduate students. Nick is the Chair of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Information (CINF) for 2025.

Dan 'Brew' Schoonover serves as the subject librarian for the Department of Anthropology and the College of Education. He joined the Florida State University Libraries in 2008. Brew received his M.A. in Religion from Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL and his Masters in Library and Information Studies at Florida State University. 

Leah Sherman serves as the library liaison for all departments within the College of Fine Arts (Art, Art Education, Art History, Dance, Interior Design, and Theatre) as well as the FSU Museum of Fine Arts, The Ringling Museum, and the FSU Master Craftsman Studio. Her responsibilities include collection development, research consultations, and instructional support across the various disciplines. Leah earned her Master of Science in Library and Information Science at Florida State and is currently pursuing her PhD in Art History at FSU as well. Leah’s research interests in librarianship include increased awareness of visual literacy in instruction and the impact of outreach while her work in Art History focuses on 20th century Italian abstract painting, conceptual art, and museum history. She is an active member of ARLIS (Art Libraries Society of North America), CAA (College Art Association), ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries), and ALA (American Library Association.)

Interlibrary Loan Librarian - secures access to information not available at the Florida State University Libraries. Provides library service to the FSU Distance Education Community. Assists Subject Liaisons with Collection Development.

Mila Turner (she/her) earned her doctorate in sociology from Howard University with concentrations in social inequality and criminology. Prior to joining the FSU Libraries, Mila worked as an instructor and researcher at various institutions. Now she is a subject librarian who supports faculty and students in the social sciences and provides leadership in the discovery and use of research data. She has expertise in social inequality, environmental justice, community development, social research methods, and demography. Most of all, she loves sharing and working through ideas with students and other scholars.

Lindsey Wharton joined the faculty at the Florida State University Libraries in 2014. As the Extended Campus and Distance Services Librarian, she is responsible for ensuring equitable access to library services and resources for all distance learning students as well as students and faculty at FSU's remote instructional sites and international programs. This entails creating library tutorials, videos, and web content, embedding library resources into the learning management system, providing online instruction and workshops using Collaborating, consulting with faculty teaching online courses, and coordinating our virtual reference service. Lindsey received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Florida State University and her Master of Arts in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. Before joining FSU, she served as the Assistant Director of the Learning Resource Center at Florida Keys Community College. Lindsey is a member of the American Library Association, Florida Library Association, and the Association of College and Research Libraries. Her research interests include information literacy and library instruction, emerging technologies, virtual reference services, information ethics, and digital pedagogy.

Kim Windham is the Humanities Librarian for Classics, History, Philosophy, and Religion. Trained as an architecture librarian and cultural historian, her research explores the material and intellectual history of Florida. She has held appointments at the Library of Congress, Tallahassee State College, and Florida A&M University, and is a life member of the African American Intellectual History Society.

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Trip Wyckoff is the Entrepreneurial-In-Residence for the University Libraries to the new Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. He also is a subject librarian to the College of Business, Department of Economics, and the Department of Sport Management.. In addition to consulting with students and faculty, he has developed the "Business Research Certificate – BR101" course covering all aspects of business research, presented around the university for faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and the public. Trip has worked for a wide range of libraries, including stints in public (Houston Public Library), law (Baker & Botts), corporate (Hoover's), and nonprofit (American Productivity & Quality Center) libraries. In addition to his work with FSU, he has also owned his own company, Specialissues.com, which compiled industry information for researchers and librarians. He received his B.A. in history with a minor in Anthropology/Archaeology from Florida State University in 1987 and his Master of Science in Library and Information Studies from Florida State in 1988. Trip is a member of the Special Library Association and the American Library Association. His professional interests include business research literacy, competitive intelligence, and student entrepreneurship.