Information
- College Unit
- School of Information Sciences
- Position
- Assistant Professor
- Office
- 454 Communications Bldg.
- bmehra(at)utk.edu
- Phone
- 865-974-5917
- Web Page
- http://web.utk.edu/~bmehra
- Education
Ph.D., Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; M.S., South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; M.L.A., Landscape Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Bachelors in Architecture, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India.
- CV
- http://www.sis.utk.edu/files/u118/MehraCV.pdf
- Biography
Dr. Mehra's research involves representing diversity and intercultural issues in library and information science and furthers social justice and social equity agendas to meet the needs of minority and underserved populations. He primarily teaches courses on public library management; diversity services in libraries; race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation in the information professions; collection development; services for adults; and information organization and representation.
Broadly Dr. Mehra’s research philosophy and teaching practices bring in a deeper understanding of the users and their social and cultural contexts (including socioeconomic and sociopolitical factors) into library and information science education. Specifically his work has focused on community informatics or the use of information and communication technologies to enable and empower communities to meet their needs and expectations. This has involved creating awareness of social justice and social equity in the information professions and developing supportive community information systems for representing the needs of minority and disenfranchised populations. Dr. Mehra joined the SIS faculty in January 2005 after completing his dissertation entitled “The Cross-Cultural Learning Process of International Doctoral Students: A Case-Study in Library and Information Science Education” from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His recent work on user-centered design, community development, and socially grounded methods has been published in peer-reviewed journals including The International Information & Library Review, Library and Information Science Research Electronic Journal, New Media & Society, First Monday, UCLA Journal of Information and Education Studies, International Journal of Progressive Education, Journal of the Community Development Society, and the Journal of the American Society of Information Science and Technology.
- Research Interests
Diversity and Intercultural Communication; Social Justice in Library and Information Science (LIS); Critical and Cultural Studies; Community Informatics; International Perspectives in LIS; Race/Ethnicity and Gender/Sexuality in Information and Communication; Information Organization and Representation; Public Library Management; Collection Development.
History
- Member for
- 2 years 33 weeks
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