Sonya Durney

Sonya M. Durney, PhD, M.L.I.S.

she/hers
Scholarly Communication Librarian
Library Services

Location

Biddeford Campus

Reach out to Sonya for expert research support, guidance on publishing, copyright, open access publishing, open education, and open educational resources, as well as tracking UNE鈥檚 research and scholarly output. She also serves on the 51小黄车Research Council and chairs the 51小黄车Open Educational Resources Steering Committee.

Credentials

Education

B.A. Political science
Framingham State University
M.L.I.S.
Simmons College
Public Policy Ph.D.
Muskie School of Public Service, University of Maine
2022

Expertise

  • Information literacy
  • Legislative advocacy
  • Library instruction
  • Market research
  • Political theory
  • Public policy
  • Research methods

Research

Selected publications

Anatachai, T., & Durney, S.M., & Pun, R. (June 2025). Advocacy and Policy Work for Academic and Research Library Workers: Perspectives and Strategies. ACRL Publications.

Durney, S. M. (2025) The Urgent need for political literacy in LIS education鈥, The Political Librarian 8(Special Edition). doi: 

Durney, S.M. (2024). Protecting the Freedom to Read in Maine. Maine Policy Review. 

Durney, S. M. (2023).  The Political Librarian, 6(1) 

Durney, S. M. (2023). The library advocacy gap: Increasing librarians鈥 political self-efficacy, a mixed-methods research study (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern Maine).

Invited plenary presentation

Unite Against Book Bans and ALA鈥檚 Policy Corps: Challenging Book Bans in Critical Times - American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom, May 2023
 Fellow Panelist(s): Kent Oliver (Senior Policy Fellow, American Library Association), Mary Pelicano (Retired School Librarian and Library Board Member), Jamie M. Gregory (Upper School Librarian)

Bridging the Library Advocacy Gap: Coalition Building - SirsiDynix Connections Conference, October 2023

Censorship - The University of Maine Raymond H. Fogler Library Salon Series, October 3, 2023
 Fellow Panelist(s): Lori Fisher (Maine State Librarian), Beth Andersen (Maine Association of School Libraries), Ben Treat (Bangor Public Library)

How Do We Keep Talking with Our Neighbors? - Maine Humanities Council, October 2023
 Fellow Panelist(s): Savannah Sessions (Maine Library Association), Heather Perkinson (Maine Association of School Libraries), Susan Preece (Topsham Public Library), Craig Freshley (Make Shift Coffee Houses)

Interview with Stephen and Tabitha King - Maine Library Association Annual Conference, May 2023
 Fellow Panelist(s): Stephen and Tabitha King

The Library Advocacy Gap: Increasing Librarians鈥 Political Self-efficacy - EveryLibrary: Library Advocacy and Funding Conference (LAFCON), September 2022