Kathleen de la Peña McCook

Education and career

She earned her MA in Library Science from the University of Chicago Graduate Library School in 1974, and her Ph.D. in 1980 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Library and Information Sciences.
McCook has been active in a number of professional organizations within the field of librarianship. She was highly involved in the American Library Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Librarianship. She is a past president of the Association for Library and Information Science Education.
McCook has taught full-time since 1978. She has served on the faculties of Dominican University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Louisiana State University. Currently, she is serving as a Distinguished University Professor at the University of South Florida's School of Information. She also served as 2003 scholar-in-residence for the Chicago Public Library.

2025 McCook was the subject of a for her contributions to library scholarship.2019 Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the profession of librarianship.2016 Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award, REFORMA. 2010 Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture. Topic: "Librarians and Human Rights".2004 ALA Office of Diversity, Achievement in Diversity Research Honoree.2003 John Brubaker Award. Outstanding work of literary merit for article, “Social Justice, Personalism and the Practice of Librarianship,” Catholic Library Association for article in Catholic Library World 72 : 80–84.2003 Beta Phi Mu Award for distinguished service to education for librarianship.1997 President of the Association of Library and Information Science Education.1991 Named Outstanding Alumna by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Library and Information Studies.1987 American Library Association Equality Award.