Professor Mariangeli Lugo Zayas holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Business Administration, a Juris Doctor, and a second master’s degree in Information Science, all from the University of Puerto Rico system. She currently directs the Acquisitions Office within the Technical Services Department of the UPR Law Library, where she has collaborated for more than 15 years, and teaches Legal Research and Writing courses at the School of Law. As part of her work at the library, she has led projects aimed at strengthening legal information literacy skills within the university community, both in-person and virtually.

She is an active member of several professional organizations in the field of information science, including the Puerto Rico Librarians’ Society, where she serves as Vice President; the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL); and the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) and its Puerto Rico chapter. She has promoted initiatives for the inclusion and representation of Latinx professionals in the law library field, as well as continuing education programs for information professionals in Puerto Rico.

Her career combines experience in administrative management, law, and librarianship, allowing her to contribute a comprehensive perspective to policy development, collection management, and the strengthening of professional networks in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the United States.

She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Later, she completed a Master of Science with a specialization in Demography at the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico and another Master of Science in Information Science at the Graduate School of Information Sciences and Technologies of the Río Piedras Campus, University of Puerto Rico.

Throughout her professional career, she’s had the opportunity to work in various units of the University of Puerto Rico Library System. Her experience includes specialized libraries in Business Administration, Planning, and Education, as well as multidisciplinary units. She has also worked in the Technical Services Department, in the Acquisitions Section. Additionally, she worked in the Program for Integrating Information Literacy Competencies into the Curriculum of the Library System.

Currently, she is the librarian in charge of the Business Administration Library at UPR, Río Piedras, where she also coordinates the information literacy project and collection development.

She’s presented papers at national and international professional association events. Among the topics she has worked on are: specialized health libraries, sustainable development and the contribution of librarians, virtual learning objects in the library context, open access policies, among others.

Librarian in the University of Puerto Rico Library System, Río Piedras Campus. He has more than 15 years of experience in academic libraries, specializing in collection assessment and development, acquisitions, and electronic resources management. He holds a Master of Science in Information Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, a Master of Business Administration from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in the Administration of Academic, Public, and Special Libraries. He is a doctoral candidate in Education with a specialization in Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning Environments. He currently serves as a member of the Executive Council of the Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL).

Dr. Jeannette Lebrón Ramos has experience in library environments since the year 2000. She currently works as a teaching librarian, reference service coordinator virtual in the Library System of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. At an academic level, she has a doctorate in Documentation: Archives and Libraries in the Digital Environment from the Carlos III University of Madrid, a master's degree in Administration Public and another in Sciences and Information Technologies, both from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.

She was the President of the Latin America and the Caribbean Division of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLALAC) from 2023 to 2025. She was the president of the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) 2021-2022 and ACURIL, Puerto Rico Chapter (2012-2021). He is a member of the Board of ACURIL and of ACURIL Chapter of Puerto Rico.

In June 2023 he received ACURIL's Caribbean Information Professional of the Year award.

I am originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and have an interdisciplinary academic background from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). I hold a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Voice, a Master’s degree in Information Science, and a Professional Certificate in Records and Archives Administration.
My professional career has spanned various sectors, including the private sector, where I worked as a Collections Officer at Microjuris.com, as well as public institutions, where I served as a Metadata Creation Specialist at the General Archive of Puerto Rico. I currently serve as a Teaching Librarian in the UPRRP Library System.

Cristina Larregui López is a librarian in Puerto Rico with experience in academic and community libraries. She currently serves as President of the Puerto Rico Library Association, where she supports collaborative initiatives and the strengthening of the library profession on the island.

Dr. Anidza Valentín-Rodríguez has more than 20 years of experience in academic libraries and has served for the past eight years as Director of the General Library and Coordinator of CEDIBI at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM). She holds academic degrees in Information Systems Management and Information Science. Her impact on higher education extends over more than a decade of teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. She has participated in the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation Steering Committee, where she successfully led the Ethics and Integrity standard, and she currently serves as a member of the Executive Council of the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL).

Gabriel Noriega Rodríguez holds a Bachelor's degree in Education with a concentration in History. He currently works as an Assistant Librarian III in the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus Library System, where he is in charge of the Microfilm Center. He is involved in projects related to the preservation of and access to Puerto Rican historical newspapers and magazines.

Javier Jared Álvarez-Ginés is an information professional, his professional interests focusing on the 3D digitization of cultural and performative objects, digital preservation, education through videogames, user experience (UX), learning experience (LX), accessibility, instructional design and research methods. Received the award Dr. Luisa Vigo-Cepeda by ASEGRABCI as well as recognition for Leadership and Academic Excellence by the Society of Librarians of Puerto Rico upon completion of its master’s degree in 2025. He also received the D-POEN Emerging Professionals' Grant to become a Digital Archives Specialist through the Society of American Archivists. Currently collaborates with the Cultural Documentation Laboratory Dr. Luisa Vigo-Cepeda in the process of digitizing cultural objects and their cataloging as well as in the implementation of digital preservation for three-dimensional digital resources.

I am from Morovis, Puerto Rico. I hold a certificate in Graphic Design, a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Creative Writing, a Master’s degree in Information Sciences and Technologies, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Library Administration.

I worked as a Library Assistant under the Jornal program at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and later served as a Teaching Assistant under the PEAF program, providing Porta-e workshops to students in the Faculty of Education. With this foundation, I began my professional career as a librarian at ICPR Junior College in Manatí and currently serve as a librarian at The Jane Stern Dorado Community Library.

On a personal level, I occasionally work as a caricaturist at events, create commissioned illustrations for book covers, promotional materials, and other projects, and I am also a certified crochet artisan.

José J. Morales Benítez is an academic librarian at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. He works in the Graduate Research and Innovation Center (GRIC) of the General Library, a unit that provides services specifically aimed at graduate students and faculty, with the purpose of supporting them in all stages of the research process. He obtained his master’s degree in librarianship from the Graduate School of Information Sciences and Technologies at UPR Río Piedras in 2018. As part of his responsibilities, José creates workshops, digital guides, and video tutorials on topics such as conducting effective searches for scientific information in databases, creating data management plans, and criteria for evaluating and selecting academic journals for the publication of research studies. He has also collaborated on oral history and digital humanities projects. He is currently a doctoral student in the Learning Technologies program at UPR Río Piedras.

From Utuado, Puerto Rico, she librarian in the Information Literacy Program at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. She has nearly three decades of experience in library science and archival studies. Her academic interests are related to public service, the history of libraries, and information literacy.

Dr. Balbina J. Rojas Sánchez serves as the Director of the Library at Ana G. Méndez University, Cupey Campus, where she also oversees the libraries of the university centers in Bayamón and Aguadilla. She has dedicated over 15 years to Ana G. Méndez University, gaining extensive experience across all library service areas. She holds a Doctorate in Education with a specialization in Curriculum and Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), as well as a Master’s degree in Information Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Dr. Rojas Sánchez is an active member of the Academic Senate and serves as the representative for the María Zambrano Centre for Transatlantic Studies at Ana G. Méndez University, as part of a formal agreement with the University of Málaga, Spain.

Alejandro Escobar Nieves is a librarian with experience in university library management, document preservation, and information literacy development. He is a graduate of the Graduate School of Information Sciences and Technologies at the University of Puerto Rico, where he earned a Master of Science in Information Science.

Since 2021, he has served as director of the Madre María Teresa Guevara Library at the University of the Sacred Heart, also teaching in the General Education School. His work has focused on strengthening information resources through the incorporation of digital technologies, the design of institutional policies, and the creation of special collections that support research and teaching. He has also collaborated on funded initiatives that promote reading among children and the preservation of documentary collections.

His professional experience includes positions at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico and its School of Optometry, where he developed information literacy programs, participated in various accreditation processes, and coordinated library service assessment efforts. Among his areas of specialization are the management of library resources and services, curriculum design, and pedagogical innovation applied to information literacy.

Dr. Gladys E. López-Soto has a 30-year career as a librarian and currently serves as the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) representative to the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the General Library of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. She is the intellectual author and facilitator of the project Mi Museo, Nuestros Museos of the RUM Art Museum and the International Education and Resource Network. She also promotes education and outreach on intellectual property issues through the publication of the website Conociendo sobre la Propiedad Intelectual.

She has been recognized as Dama del CAAM Hostosiana, received the I Love My Librarian Award granted by the American Library Association, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the New York Public Library, and the Premio al Mérito por Excelencia e Innovación en Comunicación e Información from the faculty of the School of Communication and Information (FACI), Río Piedras Campus, University of Puerto Rico.

She completed a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in History and Social Studies, a master’s degree in Information Science and Technologies, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Learning Technologies from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.

Milady Pérez Gerena holds a master’s degree in Information Science from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and a certification in Records and Archives Management. She has served as a school librarian at the Department of Education, an assistant librarian at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and a teaching librarian at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo Campus, and Dewey University. She served as President of the Puerto Rico Library Association from 2019 to 2021.

She holds a Master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language and another in Information Science, both from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She dedicated her professional life to both fields, primarily working in private schools. Currently, she is the librarian at the Community Library of the Sila M. Calderón Foundation's Center for Puerto Rico. There, she provides educational opportunities in information and technology literacy. She has been involved in organizing technology workshops designed for senior citizens, helping them adapt to modern devices such as smartphones and navigate online platforms safely. Her work focuses on inclusion and empowerment, ensuring that both seniors and the community can interact responsibly in the digital age.

Dr. Jay Omar Soto Vélez is a distinguished Puerto Rican professional with a strong academic background and extensive experience in the field of academic libraries and educational technology.

A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), he holds two master's degrees: one in Animal Science from the Mayagüez Campus and another in Information Science and Technology from the Río Piedras Campus. His passion for education and innovation led him to complete a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology and Distance Education from the prestigious Nova Southeastern University.

With more than fifteen years of experience as an academic librarian, he has specialized in electronic information resources, educational technology, and instructional design, with a particular focus on the development of information literacy skills. His research interests include the creation of online tutorials and the use of innovative tools to strengthen information literacy in the university environment.

Currently, he serves as Director of the Adelina Coppin Alvarado Library at the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, where he leads multiple initiatives related to innovation, technology, and community engagement. He is also an active promoter of reading within his university community, fostering cultural and academic activities that integrate literature, creativity, and critical thinking as tools for social transformation.

Noma Abreu is a librarian with more than twenty years of experience in academic and specialized library environments. She holds a Master’s degree in Information Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Art History, both from the University of Puerto Rico. She has served as the librarian in charge of the Documentation Center at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico and currently works as a Technical Services Librarian at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, where she specializes in collection development, cataloging of information resources, and the management of electronic collections.

Dr. Mercy Delgado Cordero is a passionate librarian with seventeen years of experience in higher education, in both public and private institutions. She currently serves as Head of the Puerto Rican Collection and the Historical Archive at the Library of the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón. She is also a Professor in the graduate programs in Library Science at Cambridge College and in Information Science at the Faculty of Communication and Information of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and Art History, a postgraduate certificate in Editing and Publishing Arts, a master’s degree in Library and Information Science, and a doctorate in Leadership of Educational Organizations from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She received the 2019 Distinguished Dissertation Award for her study Academic Librarian Leadership in a Time of Change: Their Voices.

Dr. Delgado has delivered presentations, workshops, and educational experiences in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bolivia, El Salvador, Chile, Brazil, Albania, and the United States.

She considers herself a cultural leader who, through librarianship, has devoted her academic and professional life to working with books and for books. She firmly believes that reading and education possess a unique power for social and personal transformation, ensuring a better future for society. Through teaching and mentoring, she is committed to shaping a new generation of information professionals who are deeply aware of the vital role they play in today’s world.

Melanie Vargas Cintrón is an academic librarian at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus and holds a master’s degree in Information Science. She currently works at the Puerto Rican Library and Newspaper Archive, where she provides information services and research support on Puerto Rican topics. Her work focuses on the management and development of the journal collection and handling of audiovisual archives.

Jeanmary, who identifies as Afro-Puerto Rican, is from the town of Carolina. She completed her studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and a Master’s degree in Information and Technology Sciences. Her capstone project focused on Digital Humanities under the mentorship of Dr. Luisa Vigo-Cepeda.

She currently serves as the Librarian in charge of Special Collections at the Puerto Rican Library and Newspaper Archive of UPR-RP. She has also worked as Coordinator of the Institutional Repository within the Library System (2020–2022) at the same campus. She is a member of the Editorial Committee of Acceso: Puerto Rican Journal of Library and Information Science (2020–present). She served as secretary of the Puerto Rico Library Society (2020–2021).

In the summer of 2023, she participated in the Digital Caribbean Studies Collective Summer Institute on Building Digital Archives, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Her areas of interest within Information Science include the promotion of collections, services, and programs; special collections; information literacy skills; and reference services. Her research and publication lines include special collections, Puerto Rican children’s literature, and digital humanities. She has collaborated in the creation of exhibitions and digital archives of Puerto Rican resources.

Jeanmary is Co-Principal Investigator of the GLAM DCM PR Project: Management of Digital Collections in Libraries, Archives, and Museums of Puerto Rico, initially funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and currently carried out with the generous collaboration of the Vieques Historical Archive, Humanities Puerto Rico, the Oral History Laboratory of the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Jeanmary is a lover of libraries; she enjoys reading, going to the beach, and loves to travel.