The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has awarded Christine Thuy Minh Nguyen the Julia C. Blixrud Scholarship to attend the 2026 ARL President’s Institute. Christine is a master of science in library and information science (LIS) student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign specializing in digital archives and data stewardship. She currently serves as a graduate assistant in the Research Data Service Unit of the University of Illinois Library, where she has developed a strong commitment to inclusive user experience and accessible digital design by leading a project to innovate change in current technical workflows.
Christine's professional interests center on organizing, preserving and improving access to digital collections that elevate underrepresented voices in history, as well as exploring the intersection between theoretical and computational linguistics and LIS to enhance the discoverability, usability, and scalability of digital resources. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in digital archives, metadata management, or research data librarianship.
The Blixrud Scholarship was established in 2015 to honor the memory and extend the legacy of longtime ARL staff member Julia C. Blixrud. Generous donations to the Julia C. Blixrud Memorial Fund support the scholarship.
The theme of the 2026 ARL President’s Institute, which will be held Wednesday, February 11–Thursday, February 12, is "Unlock Innovation." As part of the scholarship, Christine will write an overview of the event, to be published on the ARL Views blog.