Dr. Barbara F. Immroth (1942–2021) was a librarian, educator, and advocate for children's and school librarianship. She dedicated her career to promoting equitable access to information, particularly for underserved communities, and mentoring future librarians.
Dr. Immroth was a faculty member at the The University of Texas at Austin School of Information iSchool from 1980-2012. She was the first woman to advance from assistant professor to full professor and the first woman at the iSchool to direct a dissertation.
After graduating from Brown with a B.A. in Spanish, Barbara earned her M.A. in Librarianship from the University of Denver, then completed a School Certification from Duquesne University. She earned her doctorate in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She taught at the State Library of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh, was a children's librarian at the Carnegie Library, and worked as a high school librarian in Pittsburgh.
Leadership and Advocacy
Dr. Immroth was a prominent leader in library associations. She advocated for strong public libraries, equitable information access in underserved areas, and the role of librarians in child development. Her work earned her numerous state and national awards, and she was known for her commitment to professional development, such as training sessions for districts like Austin Independent School District.
- President of the Texas Library Association
- Texas Library Association Lifetime Achievement Award
- President of Beta Phi Mu Honor Society and in 2007 received the Beta Phi Mu Award for distinguished service for education for librarianship;
- Roll of Honor by the Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation in 1999
- Candidate for president of the American Library Association (ALA) in 2013, emphasizing issues like the value of academic libraries, student learning, and digital environments.
- Freedom to Read Foundation Trustee for 4 years and Vice President.
- President, Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and Councilor
- Newbery-Caldecott Committee
- Three terms as ALA Councilor at Large.
- ALA Committee on Accreditation (external visitor)
- ALA International Relations Committee
- Chair of the ALA Nominating Committee.
- Chair of the ALA Committee on Research and Statistics
- American Libraries Advisory Board
- Founding editorial board member for School Library Media Research.
- U.S. Delegate to the U.S.-USSR Commission on Library Cooperation, Moscow, 1989
- International Federation of Library Associations Committees including appointment to the School Library Section
Legacy
Following her death on September 8, 2021, the UT iSchool hosted a virtual memorial event where colleagues, alumni, and friends celebrated her impact. In her honor, the Barbara Immroth Endowed Excellence Fund in Children's and School Librarianship was established to support future initiatives in the field. Immroth's optimism about libraries' enduring role in education-"People are always going to have children... librarians have been part of that for well over 100 years"-continues to inspire the profession.
Barbara's research centered on children's libraries, literature, and services for Hispanic youth.
- Lukenbill, W. Bernard, and Barbara Froling Immroth. Health Information in a Changing World: Practical Approaches for Teachers, Schools, and School Librarians. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
- Immroth, Barbara, and W. Bernard Lukenbill. Health Information Across the Curriculum. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
- Lukenbill, W. Bernard, and Barbara Immroth. Health Information for Youth: The Public Library and School Library Media Center Role. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2007.
- Immroth, Barbara, and Kathleen de la Peña McCook, eds. Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage. With the assistance of Catherine Jasper. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2000.
- Immroth, Barbara, and Viki Ash-Geisler, eds. Achieving School Readiness: Public Libraries and National Education Goal No. 1. [Place of publication not identified]: 1990s.
- Immroth, B. "Intellectual Freedom as Practiced by Public and School Librarians in Texas." Collection management 7.3–4 (1986): 353–368. Print.
- Immroth, Barbara. Teaching Texas History: An All-Level Resource Guide.
- Immroth, Barbara. Texas in Children's Books.
Sources
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Kathleen de la Peña McCook
Distinguished University Professor
School of Information
University of South Florida
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