Dr. Kristen Rebmann Awarded Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant

Dr. Kristen Rebmann

Dr. Kristen Rebmann

The School of Information is proud to announce that Associate Professor Dr. Kristen Rebmann has received an Institute of Museum and Library Services National (IMLS) Grant.

Dr. Rebmann received $244,998 to help libraries explore dramatically expanding internet access in their communities by using TVWhiteSpace (TVWS), a new low-cost wireless technology.

This project will be led by San Jose State University’s School of Information (iSchool). Key collaborators, including the Gigabit Libraries Network, the School, Health, & Libraries Broadband Coalition, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center will explore dramatically expanding digital access/inclusion and modes to provide connectivity as part of disaster preparedness.

According to the IMLS press release September 26, 2016, “These recipients represent the best of the best,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “The grantees’ projects were selected from a competitive pool of proposals and rose to the top of our rigorous peer-review process. Their leading-edge work will provide fresh ideas for the museum and library fields and will lead to better programs and services for all served by these valued institutions.”

The National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG-L) program received 85 preliminary applications. Nineteen full proposals were invited, and 15 grants were made during this second 2016 cycle. The library grants total $5,017,937 and will be matched with $1,571,008 of non-federal funds.

About Dr. Kristen Rebmann:

Dr. Rebmann joined the iSchool in Fall 2007 after completing her Ph.D. in Communication at University of California, San Diego. Her dissertation research explored the design of interventions to support critical multiliteracies among children participating in community-based informal learning environments. Dr. Rebmann has worked as an academic librarian focused on web design and instructional technology. Her current research interests include studying relationships between information behavior and human development.