Education

B.A., Sociology, Boston University
B.S., Advertising, Boston University
M.L.I.S., Rutgers University
Ph.D., Library & Information Science, Rutgers University

Research

Dr. Vanessa Kitzie studies the information practices of marginalized groups, with a focus on LGBTQ+ people and communities. Her research findings inform how information centers, such as libraries, and systems can better serve these individuals. Kitzie's  work is interdisciplinary, spanning library and information science, communication, sociology, and critical studies.

Funded Research

Principal Investigator. Developing Training for and Establishing Partnerships between Community Health Workers and Medical Librarians for LGBTQIA+ Health Promotion. Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grants - Libraries. $357,367. 2020-2022. More info»

2018-Present Examining Public Library Service to LGBTQ+ Communities for Health Information, IMLS. PI. A three-year investigation into how public libraries can promote the health of their LGBTQ+ communities. $298,000. More info»

Co-Principal Investigator. Library Staff and Drag Queen Perspectives and Decision-Making About Drag Queen Storytimes (ALA Diversity Grant). Interviewing public library staff and drag queens to explore factors influencing decisions to host or not host these storytimes, supports and challenges encountered when hosting, strategies used to address these challenges, and how drag queen storytimes may complement existing library programs and services. $2,500.

Teaching

Kitzie teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses. BSIS courses: Data, Information, and Society; News Literacy: Battling Misinformation, Deepfakes, and Conspiracy Theories; Social Issues in Information and Communications Technologies; Information and Communication Needs and Assessment; and a Special Topics course, “Gender and Technology.” MLIS courses: Ethics, Values, and Foundational Principles of Library and Information Science Professions; Research Design and Evaluation. Ph.D. courses: Research Issues in Library and Information Science; Theory and Research Methods in Library and Information Science.

Recent Publications

Wagner, T.L. & Kitzie, V. (2023). Centering queer knowledge paradigms in designing and implementing health information and communication technologies [Special issue, “Feminist and Queer Approaches to ICT4D”]. Information Technology for Development, Eds. S. Vannini, S. Masiero, A. Tandon, C. Wellington, K. Weyers, & K. Braa.

Vera, A.N., Kitzie, V., Wagner, T.L. (2023). Queer Mediated Practices as a Method to Center and Sustain Critical Health and Media Literacies [Special issue, “Queer(ing) Critical Literacies in Response to Anti-queer Legislation and Policies”]. International Journal of Critical Media Literacy, Eds. S.A. Shelton & R. Schey.

Kitzie, V., Smithwick, J., Blanco, C., Green, M. G., & Covington-Kolb, S. (2023). Co-creation of a training for community health workers to enhance skills in serving LGBTQIA+ communities. Frontiers in Public Health, 11: 1046563

Kitzie, V., Tsai, T., Martzoukou, K., Mabi, M.N., & Greyson, D. (2022). What is next for information world mapping? International and multidisciplinary approaches to understanding information behaviors/practices in context [Special issue, “Research Methods in Information Behavior Research”]. Library & Information Science Research, Eds. Y. Zhang, A.T. Chen, & M. Ocepek.

Kitzie, V., Floegel, D., Barriage, S., & Oltmann, S.M. (2022). How visibility, hypervisibility, and invisibility shape library staff and drag performer perceptions of and experiences with drag storytimes in public libraries. The Library Quarterly: Information, Communication, Policy, 92(3), 215–240.

Service

Chair, iSchool BSIS Committee, 2021 – Present