IFT Executive Board Member Dr. Troy Swanson Named 2026 Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Palos Hills, IL — The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) congratulates Dr. Troy Swanson, a member of IFT's Executive Board, on being named the 2026 Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year by the Illinois Library Association (ILA).
Dr. Swanson serves as Teaching & Learning Librarian and Library Department Chair at the Sylvia M. Jenkins Library at Moraine Valley Community College. The award, presented by the ILA Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries (IACRL) Forum and sponsored by Library Juice Academy, recognizes an Illinois librarian making an outstanding statewide contribution to academic or research librarianship and library development.
"Dr. Troy's recognition reflects the very best of what IFT members do every day. We fight for students, defend the value of human expertise, and build a stronger future for public education," said Stacy Davis Gates, President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and Chicago Teachers Union. "We are proud to see his leadership honored on a statewide stage."
Dr. Swanson has been at the forefront of efforts to set standards for the use of artificial intelligence. His advocacy helped advance HB1859, a state law affirming that community college courses must be taught by human instructors rather than artificial intelligence. Over the summer, Dr. Swanson worked on the American Federation of Teachers' resolution on AI, bringing awareness to the societal, environmental, and climate harms the technology could bring.
He co-edited Not Just Where to Click: Teaching Students How to Think About Information, which received the ACRL Instruction Section's Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year Award. He also authored Knowledge as a Feeling: How We Know What Is True, which explores the psychological and neurological foundations of information literacy instruction.
###
