Nada Abdelrahim

In her role in public services, Nada Abdelrahim assists patrons at the reference desk, collaborates with faculty to provide instructional support, and works alongside the Creative Technologies Librarian, Leanne Nay, to run and develop the Wells Library Makerspace. As part of her diversity residency, she is developing partnerships and collaborations with various library departments, most recently University Archives and Preservation. 

Nada’s research interests include: the intersection of book arts and information literacy, particularly how bookbinding and zines can be integrated into information literacy instruction; examining the impact of informal workshops for zines and bookmaking on information literacy outside the classroom; the influence of a book lab in a makerspace and the demographic diversity of its users. Additionally, she hopes to explore trends in youth literature, specifically the representation of Muslim characters in books published for young readers over the past decade. 

In 2019, Nada was honored as an ILA Sylvia Murphy Williams Scholar and selected as an ALA Spectrum Scholar for the 2019-2020 cohort. Since April 2021, she has been an active member of Hijabi Librarians, contributing to efforts that promote diverse Muslim representation in literature and librarianship. 

Nada grew up in the Chicagoland area, surrounded by a big Palestinian family and just a five-minute walk from her local library. After earning a Bachelor’s in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago in 2015, she went on to complete a Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2020. Her career began in public libraries, where she connected communities with information and organized programs for all ages. In 2021, she moved to Fukui, Japan, to teach English to high school students, immersing herself in cultural exchange and personal growth. After returning to the U.S., she found her place at IU Libraries as the Research & Learning Diversity Resident. 

Nada states: “My motivation for my work at IU Libraries is to create a positive and engaging experience for students, faculty, and all library users. I strive to ensure that everyone who visits the library and makerspace is inspired by the resources and opportunities available to them. As a Palestinian Muslim American, I am particularly driven to foster an inclusive environment that acknowledges and respects the diverse backgrounds and needs of our community. If I can contribute to making even one person’s day more positive, I consider my efforts a success.”