Eliza T. Dresang is an American professor of Library Science

Library science

Library science is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the...

 who studies fundamental changes in children's literature because of digital format. Dresang is the Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...

 Professor in Children and Youth Services at the University of Washington Information School

University of Washington Information School

The Information School at the University of Washington is an undergraduate and graduate school that offers BS, MLIS, MSIM, and PhD degrees...

.

Career

Dresang received a bachelor's degree from Emory University

Emory University

Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...

 and a master's degree in Library Science from the University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Los Angeles

The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...

. In 1981, she earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison

University of Wisconsin–Madison

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...

 School of Library and Information Studies. While at the University of Wisconsin, Dresang worked with the UW–Madison Cooperative Children's Book Center. She also worked as the Director of Library Media and Technology for the Madison, Wisconsin Metropolitan School District

Madison Metropolitan School District

Madison Metropolitan School District is a public school district headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves the cities of Madison and Fitchburg, the villages of Shorewood Hills and Maple Bluff, and the towns of Blooming Grove, Burke, and Madison. It includes four regular high schools, one...

 and taught courses in children's and young-adult literature

Literature

Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...

. Dresang taught at Florida State University

Florida State University

The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...

, where she was the Eliza Gleason Atkins Professor in the College of Information. In January 2009, Dresang assumed the Beverly Cleary Professorship in Children and Youth Services at the University of Washington Information School.

Dresang is active with the American Library Association

American Library Association

The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....

. She has served on the Newbery Award, Jane Addams Children's Book Award, Caldecott Award, and Batchelder Award Committees.

Dresang has published numerous papers and books. Her 1999 book Radical Change: Books for Youth in a Digital Age is cited for its "Radical Change Theory" which posits a positive fundamental shift in reading interaction for children because of digital books and hypertext formats.

Awards and recognition

• University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Distinguished Alumna/Alumnus Award 2001
• American Library Association Scholastic Library Publishing Award 2007

Selected works

• Dresang, E.T. (1999). Radical Change: Books for Youth in a Digital Age. H.W. Wilson, New York.
• Dresang, E.T.(2003). "Controversial books and contemporary children," Journal of Children's Literature, 29, pp. 20–31.
• Dresang, E.T., Gross, M., & Holt, L.E. (2003). "Project CATE: Using outcome measures to assess school-age children's use of technology in urban public libraries: A collaborative research process," Library and Information Science Research, 25, pp. 19–42.
• Dresang, E.T. (2007). "New perspectives: an analysis of gender, net-generation children, and computers," Library Trends, 56, pp. 360–386.
• Dresang, E.T. (2005). "The information-seeking behavior of youth in the digital environment," Library Trends 54, pp. 178–196.