S. Michele Echols

S. Michele Echols has quite a diverse array of experience and education, but what unifies her professional philosophy as a librarian and scholar is a commitment to seeing and serving whole individuals and the fact that stories matter.

As a self-taught Bibliotherapist, my service focuses on creating a truly personalized book prescription (detailed, tailored book recommendations) for my clients based on questions that explore their interests, needs, situations, and reading habits.

Echols has served in a various leadership position for the New York Black Librarians Caucus (NYBLC) and held the Councilor at Large for the New York Librarians Association (NYLA) representing academic libraries, and as Co-committee chair for the Affiliates of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA). She holds a Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) from St. John’s University as well as a Master of Science (M.S.) in Fund-Raising and Grant-Making from New York University (NYU). Since 2015, Echols has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at several colleges and universities in New York State, specializing in Information Literacy, Grant-writing, Career Development, and Reference, and Information Sources.

Ms. Echols also boasts a long list of publications and services to the profession. Recently received the New York Library Association 2020 Outstanding Services to Libraries Awards. She also has a commitment to Adult education and received the 2017 National Institute for Literacy Scholarship Award from the Coalition of Adult Basic Education (COABE), traces her commitment to adult education back to her own experience as an adult learner.

A native New Yorker, she enjoys reading, and participating in community service, and lives by the words of late activist Helen Keller: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”