BiblioBios: Deep roots in academia anchor librarian’s empowerment of research and discovery

KU Libraries’ Social Sciences Librarian Amalia Monroe-Gulick has spent the past 17 years working with colleagues and the campus community to empower research and discovery, the latest chapter in her lifelong relationship with higher education. With deep roots in academia throughout her family tree, Monroe-Gulick has built a career helping others thrive in an academic environment.  

Everyone grows up with their own unique sense of what is “normal,” and for Monroe-Gulick, the word has a few meanings. Raised in a family with multi-generation ties to Illinois State University, Monroe-Gulick grew up in Normal, Ill., living next door to the campus where her mother, father, and grandparents worked and studied. Monroe-Gulick’s father and grandfather were professors of political science and psychology, respectively, at ISU, her grandmother worked on staff at the university, and her mother earned undergraduate and graduate degrees there. 

Monroe-Gulick spent many after-school hours between the political science department offices and the library stacks, and especially in her father’s perpetually overflowing office, where ideas swirled along with the smoke from his pipe, papers and projects piled high on his three desks. 

“For me, it felt normal, and I felt comfortable on campus.,” Monroe-Gulick said. “I know that’s a very different experience than a lot of people have, and the transition can be challenging for those who don’t have that familiarity.” 

Monroe-Gulick earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science at ISU, where her wide and varied interests also led her to study film and social work before attending Indiana University to earn a master’s degree in library information science.  

“I was a research assistant looking at doctoral programs and working with a librarian on a political science research project, and I really liked working with that librarian,” she said. “I realized I had a knack for the kind of work academic librarians do, and that this could be a path for me, especially because academic librarians not only work with faculty and graduate students but pursue their own research.” 

Monroe-Gulick had never been to Kansas, but a colleague in Indiana was from the area and encouraged her to apply for a KU Libraries position. She had to look up Lawrence on a map before coming to visit but quickly felt at home in the community.   

Her versatility and passion for learning have been a great match for KU Libraries, where she has worked in collection development and co-led the disability, inclusion, and accessibility working group, as well as systematic review services. A systematic review is a research methodology that employs a comprehensive process to identify and synthesize all relevant research studies on a given research question, a rigorous and detailed undertaking that Monroe-Gulick gravitates toward.  

“Librarians play an important role on systematic review teams because of expertise in searching and knowledge of information resources,” Monroe-Gulick said.  

Monroe-Gulick collaborates with many different colleagues on various projects and core functions of the library, and in addition to efforts around systematic reviews, her daily work includes selecting books, evaluating databases, and piloting the libraries’ adoption of Libby, a digital platform that provides access to e-books and audiobooks. 

“There is satisfaction in the work. It’s important work,” she said. “And I’ve had the ability to try things. I like doing my job and doing it well, and I like being able to take part in mentoring others.” 

In addition to being part of the libraries’ new employee orientation mentorship program, Monroe-Gulick mentors library colleagues throughout the promotion and tenure process. She has also worked with undergraduate students considering a career in librarianship, piloting a student-led curation program with Performing Arts and Humanities Librarian Sara Outhier. The months-long effort resulted in a student-built collection with seven subtopics and more than 90 titles, and it solidified future plans for several of the participants who intend to pursue librarianship as a career.  

“Mentoring is one the most important things we can do in our profession,” Monroe-Gulick said. “I was mentored and it’s essential to pass that along. Being a mentor also helps me grow professionally. I personally get a lot out of it.” 

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