{"673106":{"#nid":"673106","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet Aisha Johnson, the Library\u2019s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAisha Johnson joined the Georgia Tech Library in 2021 as associate dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach. Before that she was the Master of Library Science program director for the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University, the only HBCU with an MLS program. She came to Tech because she was ready for a new challenge and an opportunity to grow. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI knew that by coming to Georgia Tech I would grow as a professional and I would learn a different side of academia,\u201d she said, having worked in environments ranging from federal offices to public and private universities to HBCUs. \u201cI have learned the business ins-and-outs, navigating not only at a university level, but also at the university system level, as well as state politics and educational policy. For anyone who aspires to be a senior executive leader or an administrator in any form, it\u2019s extremely important to learn how to navigate policy and still get things done.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnson is responsible for four areas at the Library \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2014 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EArchives, Special Collections, and Data Curation; Assessment; Public Programming and Community Engagement; and Academic Engagement. \u201cCurrently, I have four direct reports \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2014 previously 18 \u2014 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand 25 people within my line. But as a leader I feel responsible for all 94 people in the Library.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShe describes her role as an educator, advocate, and scholar. She enjoys solving problems and developing people. \u201cI like giving people enough space to try to figure things out. At the same time, I\u2019m always in a position of encouragement and support, stepping in when heavy lifting and additional guidance are needed.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnson has a bachelor\u2019s in political science, a master\u2019s in library and information studies, and a Ph.D. in information studies, all from Florida State University. She also has an M.B.A. from Clark Atlanta University. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShe was recently awarded an individual ALA Carnegie-Whitney Grant for the collaborative project, Sustainable Leadership as a Solution for Representation and Inclusion in LIS: A Bibliography and Toolkit, which will provide library leaders and aspiring leaders with the resources to build sustainable leadership practices. It will be applicable across disciplines.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnson is a prolific writer, from think pieces to research. In 2019 she wrote a book titled \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/galileo-gatech.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?docid=alma9914893777802947\u0026amp;context=L\u0026amp;vid=01GALI_GIT:GT\u0026amp;lang=en\u0026amp;search_scope=MyInst_and_CI\u0026amp;adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine\u0026amp;tab=Everything\u0026amp;query=any,contains,the%20african%20american%20struggle%20for%20library%20equality\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe African American Struggle for Library Equality: The Untold Story of the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, about the program that established more than 10,000 school, college, and public libraries in the American South, and funded library science programs and institutes that trained African American librarians. She will be featured in an upcoming \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.slj.com\/story\/Documentary-Film-to-Spotlight-black-Librarianship\u0022\u003Edocumentary on Black librarians\u003C\/a\u003E, to be released in summer 2025, highlighting the importance of access to information and the value of Black librarianship. \u201cI\u2019m excited to be a part of the documentary and honored to be one of the interviewees,\u201d she said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAway From Work \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhen she isn\u2019t working, Johnson is a world traveler. \u201cI try to leave the country about five or six times a year, just to explore the world,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to see everything, and I find such comfort in traveling. I\u2019m almost giddy when I\u2019m on the plane because I can\u2019t wait to get there.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETravel provides a respite when work can feel consuming. \u201cIn academia, we must pay attention to what\u2019s happening at the state level, what bills are on the floor and how they will affect us. But also, being a people-leader is selfless. You need an outlet. For me, travel became that outlet a few years ago.\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHer recent travels have taken her to Brazil, Fiji, Zanzibar, and Greece. \u201cCrete, in Greece, is one of those places that is what you see on TV. The people are beautiful. The food is organic. It\u2019s like a Hallmark movie.\u201d She would like to visit Ghana and Nigeria soon. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAlthough travel is a great escape for Johnson, she still manages to write, even if she\u2019s on a beach. \u201cI always have a notepad or my phone with me. So, it\u2019s work but it\u2019s different.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAisha Johnson is an educator, advocate, scholar, and world traveler. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Aisha Johnson is an educator, advocate, scholar, and world traveler. "}],"uid":"27713","created_gmt":"2024-02-21 21:28:02","changed_gmt":"2024-02-26 17:09:25","author":"Victor Rogers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673174":{"id":"673174","type":"video","title":"Meet Aisha Johnson ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAisha Johnson talks about her role as the Georgia Tech Library\u0027s associate dean of Academic Affairs and Outreach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1708552444","gmt_created":"2024-02-21 21:54:04","changed":"1708552483","gmt_changed":"2024-02-21 21:54:43","video":{"youtube_id":"gpbZbY3skHg","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gpbZbY3skHg"}},"673175":{"id":"673175","type":"image","title":"Aisha Johnson ","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAisha Johnson joined the Georgia Tech Library in 2021 as associate dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E(Photo by Allison Carter)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1708616392","gmt_created":"2024-02-22 15:39:52","changed":"1708616391","gmt_changed":"2024-02-22 15:39:51","alt":"Aisha Johnson in the Georgia Tech Library ","file":{"fid":"256534","name":"Aisha Johnson- 007.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20007.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20007.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":233171,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20007.JPG?itok=Czu4Z7N1"}},"673176":{"id":"673176","type":"image","title":"Aisha Johnson","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhen she isn\u2019t working, Aisha Johnson is a world traveler. (Photo by Allison Carter) \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1708616561","gmt_created":"2024-02-22 15:42:41","changed":"1708616561","gmt_changed":"2024-02-22 15:42:41","alt":"Aisha Johnson in the Georgia Tech Library","file":{"fid":"256535","name":"Aisha Johnson- 008.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20008.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20008.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":436477,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/22\/Aisha%20Johnson-%20008.JPG?itok=ICMvjafb"}}},"media_ids":["673174","673175","673176"],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}