Wagner collaborates on project to improve health of LGBTQIA+ populations

Travis Wagner
Travis L. Wagner, Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor Travis L. Wagner is collaborating on a project that explores how library and information science research and medical library partnerships can inform lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community health workers. The research aims to address the problem of health disparities among LGBTQIA+ populations. A team of researchers from the University of South Carolina's School of Information Science and Arnold School of Public Health is leading the project, which received a $357,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in 2020.

Wagner started working on the project as a PhD research assistant. This fall, a paper they coauthored received the SIG-HLTH Best Health-Related Paper Award and won second place in the Best Long Paper Award category at the 86th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T).

In the paper, "'What Is a Wave But 1000 Drops Working Together?': The Role of Public Libraries in Addressing Health Information Disparities For LGBTQIA+ Communities," Wagner and USC researchers Vanessa Kitzie, Nick Vera, and Valerie Vera presented the results of their study of over 100 LGBTQIA+ community leaders and library workers. According to Wagner, the work examined how LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities create, seek, share, and use health information and what potential roles, if any, libraries and library professionals might play in providing spaces and support in LGBTQIA+ health information work.

The researchers recommend that public libraries expand their strategies to include "outreach, community engagement, and mutual aid initiatives characterized by explicit advocacy for LGBTQIA+ communities and community organizing approaches."

Wagner's research explores the social and technical challenges and opportunities informing how LGBTQIA+ communities digitally curate and preserve their identities, histories, and culture and identifies the roles and responsibilities of institutions in aiding that work. Prior to joining the iSchool at Illinois, they served as a lecturer in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland. Wagner holds a PhD in information science from the University of South Carolina. 

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Desai defends dissertation

Doctoral candidate Smit Desai successfully defended his dissertation, "Designing Metaphor-fluid Voice User Interfaces," on June 10.

Smit Desai

Student says ‘thank you’ with a helicopter ride

Last month, Michael Ferrer showed his appreciation for one of his MSIM instructors in a unique way—by inviting him for an insider’s look at his work as a reservist in the Illinois Army National Guard. For the ILARNG BOSS Lift, which took place on June 18 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, Ferrer selected Michael Wonderlich, iSchool adjunct lecturer and senior associate director of business intelligence and enterprise architecture for Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS) at the University of Illinois.

Michael Wonderlich and Michael Ferrer hold a U of I flag in front of a military helicopter

Project helps librarians use data storytelling to advocate for public libraries

A toolkit for public librarians can help them use data to communicate the value of their services and justify their funding needs. The Data Storytelling for Librarians Toolkit helps librarians present data in story form using narrative strategies. It was developed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign information sciences professors.

Kate McDowell

Chan to deliver keynote at SIGCIS 2024

Associate Professor Anita Say Chan will deliver the keynote at the 15th annual conference of the SHOT (Society for the History of Technology) Special Interest Group for Computing, Information, and Society (SIGCIS), which will be held on July 14 in Viña del Mar, Chile. SIGCIS is the leading international group for historians with an interest in the history of information technology and its applications. The theme for SIGCIS 2024 is "System Update: Patches, Tactics, Responses."

Anita Say Chan

Mattson receives ISTE Making It Happen Award

Adjunct Lecturer Kristen Mattson has received the 2024 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Making It Happen Award. The award honors educators and leaders who demonstrate outstanding commitment, leadership, courage, and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students.

Kristen Mattson