Dr. Nicole A. Cooke is the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and an Associate Professor at the School of Library and Information Science, at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Cooke's research and teaching interests include human information behavior, fake news consumption and resistance, critical cultural information studies, and diversity and social justice in librarianship. Early, innovative courses created by Dr. Cooke bringing EDISJ issues to the forefront sparked a major shift in curricula across library and information science programs. Dr. Cooke was named a Mover & Shaker by Library Journal in 2007 and is the recipient of numerous honors including the 2016 ALA Equality Award, the 2017 ALA Achievement in Library Diversity Research Award (Office for Diversity and Literacy Outreach Services), the Illinois Library Association's 2019 Intellectual Freedom Award in recognition of her work in combating online hate and bullying in LIS, and the 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award (Association for Library and Information Science Education). In 2021 she was presented with the Martin Luther King, Jr., Social Justice Award by the University of South Carolina. Dr. Cooke has published widely and is a frequent speaker; her other books include Fake News and Alternative Facts: Information Literacy in a Post-Truth Era and Foundations of Social Justice.

"At a time when libraries, librarians, and equitable access to information are increasingly under attack, Dr. Nicole A. Cooke offers not only a powerful defense of the profession but a visionary roadmap for its future. Information Services to Diverse Populations challenges library professionals to move beyond performative commitments to diversity and toward the practice of competent humility--a lifelong process of reflection, learning, and action. Drawing on the wisdom of scholars, educators, and liberation thinkers, including Octavia Butler, Dr. Ruha Benjamin, and Dr. Robin D. G. Kelley, Cooke invites readers to examine their work through four lenses of liberation and provides a practical framework for building library services that truly center the needs of marginalized communities. As a therapist and bibliotherapist, I deeply appreciate her recognition that access to stories, information, and community resources can be transformative and life-affirming. This second edition is both an urgent call to action and a generous guide for professionals committed to creating more just, inclusive, and liberatory institutions."
-- Emely Rumble, LCSW, author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx

Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman

Pub date: 2026-05-29

Length: 264 pages