Melissa Aho

She/her/hers

Evening Supervisor

Health Sciences Library

Experts profile: Melissa Aho

Melissa is the Evening Supervisor in the Health Sciences Library, a position she has held since 2007. Melissa has worked in a variety of libraries in Minnesota, as well as a 1^st through 12^th grade library in Honduras. She has also participated on archaeological excavations in Belize, Colorado, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, researched mosque architecture in Guyana and Minnesota, taken salsa lessons in Havana, Cuba, and spent various amounts of time in 16 countries. She has had over 100 book reviews published, as well as book chapters, articles, and two books. She completed her Ph.D. in International Development from the Department of Political Science, International Development and International Affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2021. She is a member of many professional organizations, including American Library Association; The Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots; and The Explorers Club, MN12.

Education

Ph.D.: 2021; University of Southern Mississippi (International Development) (Major: Political Development, Minor: Security Studies)
M.Ed.: 2016; University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Learning Technologies)
M.A.: 2009; University of St. Thomas (Art History)
M.L.I.S.: 2001; Dominican University (Library and Information Science)
M.S.: 1998; University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (Anthropology)
Postbaccalaureate Graduate Certificate: 2019; University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Elections Administration)
Postbaccalaureate Graduate Certificate: 2012; University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Online Distance Learning Postbaccalaureate Graduate Certificate)

Select publications and presentations

Books

Aho, Melissa. A Short History of the Mosque in Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN: Second Goldfish LLC, 2019.

Aho, Melissa K. and Erika Bennett, Editors. The Machiavellian Librarian: Winning Allies, Combating Budget Cuts, and Influencing Stakeholders. Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing, 2013.

Selected book chapters

“Mosques in Minnesota,” in Anne R. Richards and Iraj Omidvar, Editors, Muslims and American Popular Culture. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger/ABC-CLIO, Inc., 305-315. 2014.

“Circulation Supervisor Superstar or Jill of All Trades, Mistress of None?” in Rebeca Peacock and Jill Wurm, Editors, The New Academic Librarian: Essays on Changing Roles and Responsibilities. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers, 9-17. 2013.

Aho, Melissa and Erika Bennett, “Introduction,” in Melissa Aho and Erika Bennett, Editors, The Machiavellian Librarian: Winning Allies, Combating Budget Cuts, and Influencing Stakeholders. Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing, 1-6. 2013.

Aho, Melissa and Erika Bennett, “Stuck in the Middle and Loving it! Why Middle Managers have the Ability to Lead from the Heart and the Power to Persuade” in Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen and Linda Cook, Editors, Mid-Career Library and Information Professionals: A Leadership Primer. Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing, 29 – 39. 2011.

Peer reviewed articles

Bakker, Caitlin, McBurney, Jenny, Chew, Katherine, Aho, Melissa, and Reed, Del. 2019. “Implementing and assessing a service to demonstrate public impact of faculty research in news and policy sources” Journal of the Medical Library Association, Vol 107, No 4: (1 October).

Selected articles

Todd J. Barry and Melissa K. Aho. 2016. “Technological Unemployment and Socio-Economic Change: Historical Perspectives and the Future.” Communications in Applied Sciences Vol 4, No 2: 1-48.

Aho, Melissa K., Anne M. Beschnett, and Emily Y. Reimer. “Who is Sitting at the Reference Desk?: The Ever Changing Concept of Staffing the Reference Desk at the Bio-Medical Library.” Collaborative Librarianship 3 no. 1: 46 – 49. 2011.

Aho, Melissa K., Anne M. Beschnett, and Emily Y. Reimer. “Using an Untapped Resource: Expanding the Role of the Student Worker at the Bio-Medical Library.” Public Services Quarterly 6, no. 1 (January – March): 65-68. 2010.

“Acquisitions in a Career College Library.” Against the Grain 19, no. 4 (September): 52-53. 2007.

Aho, Melissa, Marcia Franklin, Susan Wakefield, and Sara Wakefield. “Internships are the Appetizers of the Library World so Nibble, Nibble, Nibble…” Library Journal (June 6). 2007.

Aho, Melissa, Erika Bennett, & Susan Wakefield. “Fringe Librarians: Career College Librarians Introduce Themselves.” Information Outlook 9, no. 6 (June): 38-39. 2005.

Selected academic presentations

Bakker, Caitlin, Katherine Chew, Jenny McBurney, Del Reed, and Melissa Aho. “Beyond Citation Counts: Policy and News Media Impact” Presented at the ARLD Day 2019, Chaska, Minnesota, April 26, 2019.

“Harvey the Husky: An Adventure Learning Game.” Learning Technologies Master of Education Student Showcase 6^th Annual, Saint Paul, Minnesota, May 6, 2016.

Barry, Todd J. and Melissa K. Aho. “Technological Unemployment and Socio-Economic Change: Historical Perspectives and the Future.” Midwest Political Science Association 74^th Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 7-10, 2016.

“My Dictator Don’t Tweet: The Use of Social Media in Failed States.” International Studies Association (ISA) 56th Annual Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 18-21, 2015.

Aho, Melissa and Madeline Gillette, “Killing Me Softly: Women, Suicide, and War.” International Studies Association (ISA) 54th Annual Convention, San Francisco, California, April 3-6, 2013.

Aho, Melissa, Madeline Gillette, and J Patton, “Killing Yourself Will Not Stop the War: Suicide, Women, and Stressful Times.” The 54th Annual Conference of the Western Social Science Association (WSSA), Houston, Texas, April 11-14, 2012.

“Masjid An-Nur: Building Meaning in a Minnesota Mosque.” Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, Fourth Annual Student Symposium. University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, September 26, 2009.

“Hill Stations to Houseboats: House Hunting with the Victorians in India.” Symposium: The Victorian Home, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, April 4, 2008.

Goonewardena, Lillemar Nevanka and Melissa Aho, “Writing a New Chapter Glocalization: Creating Libraries across the Globe – A Case Study in Sri Lanka.” World Library and Information Congress: 73^rd IFLA General Conference and Council. Libraries for the Future: Progress, Development and Partnerships, Durban, South Africa, August 19 – 23, 2007.