Lisa Houde

Lisa Houde is a Lecturer at the School of Information, San José State University, where she teaches courses on youth services, young adult materials, and LGBTQ resources in libraries. She is also currently serving as the Assistant Director and Collections/ILL Manager at the Rye Public Library in Rye, New Hampshire.

• Institution: San José State University, School of Information
• Current Position: Lecturer (Part-Time)
• Prior Role: Director of Youth Services, Rye Public Library (2006–2016)
• Degrees: MLIS (SJSU, 2014), BA in Humanities (Seattle University, 1990)

Her research and teaching focus on children’s and young adult literatures, public library youth services, and inclusive programming for LGBTQ teens. She emphasizes diversity in collection development and the transformative role of libraries in youth empowerment. Her work bridges academic instruction and frontline public library practice.

The recent publications reflect a strong commitment to inclusive youth services, particularly in supporting LGBTQ+ teens through library resources and programming. Themes include representation in YA literature, inclusive outreach, and practical guides for librarians. The forthcoming book chapter continues this trajectory by addressing foundational aspects of youth services in public libraries.

• Serving LGBTQ Teens: A Practical Guide for Librarians (2018)
• Open to all: Serving the GLBT community in your library (2016)
• Children's and youth Services in the public library (Forthcoming 2024)

Lisa Houde is actively engaged in both LIS education and professional publishing, contributing to Rowman & Littlefield as a book proposal reviewer and contracted writer. She mentors future librarians through her teaching, aiming to instill a passion for youth literature and inclusive library services.

She has developed a deep commitment to intellectual freedom and the societal role of public libraries. Her career includes diverse experiences beyond librarianship, such as teaching and utility work, but her focus has been firmly on youth services since 2006. She is not known to lead a formal research lab or team but contributes significantly through her publications and professional outreach.