Heidi Julien


Heidi Julien is a Canadian information science professor and scholar whose research focuses on human information behavior, information literacy, and theory used in information science. She is currently a professor at the University of Buffalo. Heidi focuses on digital literacy, information literacy, information behavior, and research methodologies in library and information science.
She is the recipient of the 2025 Award of Merit from the Association for Information Science and Technology--the association’s highest honor.

Early life and education

Very little public information is available about Julien's early life. She has earned a Bachelor of Education in 1984 and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Alberta in 1994. She completed her PhD in Library and Information Science at the University of Western Ontario in 1997. Her dissertation was titled "How Does Information Help? The Search for Career-Related Information by Adolescents", her supervisor was Dr. Gillian Michell.

Career

Professor, Department of Information Science, Graduate School of Education, University of Buffalo, Department Chair 2013-2019.
Research Associate, Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Dalhousie University.
Professor and Director, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alabama.
Professor, Graduate Coordinator, Associate and Assistant Professor roles, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta.
Julien has held major leadership roles in information societies and conferences, including President of the Association for Library and Information Science Education 2018-2019, President of the Canadian Association for Information Science 2015-2016, and several other organizations as well. She has also held multiple chair, and jury positions within ASIS&T.
She teaches graduate-level courses in theoretical foundations of information science, information practices, information literacy instruction, and research methods. She has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students to completion, and severed on several different doctoral examination committees internationally. Dr. Julien is recognized for her sustained graduate student mentorship and commitment to the work in library and information studies.

Awards

ASIS&T Award of Merit.
Canadian Association for Information Science Career Achievement Award.
University at Buffalo Exceptional Scholar - Sustained Achievement.
ASIS&T SIG-USE Outstanding Contributions to Information Behavior Research Award.
ALISE Service Award.
Library and Information Studies Graduate Student Supervisor Award – University of Alberta – 2010.

Selected publications

  • Julien, H., & Barker, S.. How high-school students find and evaluate scientific information: A basis for information literacy skills development. Library & Information Science Research.
  • Fisher, K. E., & Julien, H.. Information behavior. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology.
  • Aharony, N., Julien, H., & Nadel-Kritz, N.. Survey of information literacy instructional practices in academic libraries. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science.
  • Detlor, B., Booker, L., Serenko, A., & Julien, H.. Student perceptions of information literacy instruction: The importance of active learning. Education for Information.
  • Julien, H., Detlor, B., Serenko, A., La Rose, T., & Serenko, A.. Community-led digital literacy training: Toward a conceptual model. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology.
  • Julien, H., Gerstle, D., Detlor, B., La Rose, T., & Serenko, A.. "It's just core public works": Digital literacy training for Canadians. Library Quarterly.

Research grants

Dr. Julien has received many research grants for her work in information literacy and information science. Her most recent grant is Precarity and Information Marginalization: Exploring How Academic Casualization Complicates Workplace Information Practices; Federal Government; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Awarded in 2025.

Professional memberships

Association for Information Science and Technology
Association for Library and Information Science Education
Canadian Association for Information Science
New York Library Association

Partnerships

In partnership with the University of Alberta Faculty of Graduate & Postgraduate studies Dr. Julien has created an award of $500 that gets awarded to two Library and Information Students. The award is the Dr Heidi Julien Professional Development Award in Library and Information Studies.