Colette Drouillard

Dr. Colette Drouillard serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Library and Information Studies at Valdosta State University, specializing in children's and young adult literature instruction and youth library programming development. Her position anchors her research in practical library applications while maintaining scholarly rigor through conference presentations and collaborative publications.

Her academic foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Library and Information Studies, Florida State University (2009)
• M.S. in Library and Information Studies, Florida State University (2000)
• M.Ed. in Occupational Training Management/Instructional Design, Idaho State University (1993)
• B.S. in Elementary Education, Oakland University (1988)

Dr. Drouillard's research creates vital bridges between literary theory and library practice, with signature focus on multicultural literature reception among youth. Her work examines reader response patterns through computational sentiment analysis while advancing technology integration in youth services via initiatives like Ready to Code. This dual emphasis on cultural representation and digital literacy defines her contemporary scholarship.

Recent publications (2018-2025) reveal an evolving trajectory from foundational technology integration (2018 computational thinking studies) toward sophisticated analysis of multicultural literature impacts (2024-2025 sentiment research). Her work consistently intersects library science with education, cultural studies, and data analysis methodologies.

As an active supervisor, Dr. Drouillard engages students through Capstone projects and specialized literature courses while maintaining research momentum through conference presentations and collaborative studies. Her participation in national organizations like ALISE and American Library Association demonstrates ongoing professional leadership.

Her research environment centers on practical youth services innovation, particularly through conference-based collaborations and interdisciplinary projects examining literature reception in diverse communities. This practice-oriented approach ensures direct applicability to contemporary library challenges.