Karen Centeno
By Carrie Anderson
Karen Centeno has been a student in Spain and a professor in Puerto Rico. She's taught library science at the college level and music to younger students.
Now she's Old à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã University's liaison librarian to the Darden College of Education.
"I love that I have the opportunity to combine my two passions," Centeno said. "I am excited to use my skills in public education and my experiences as a graduate student in another country to bring different viewpoints to this position. I want to bring a global perspective to this area that, I think, will be very helpful in reaching all students."
Centeno has 20 years of experience as an educator in K-to-12 schools, first as a music teacher and then as a librarian/media specialist.
"When I was a music teacher, I realized I had a profound desire to improve education and that I could reach more people as a librarian," Centeno said. "Information is such a powerful tool, and libraries are a space where people can be free and creative."
Centeno previously worked as a public librarian and adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Information Science and Technologies at the University of Puerto Rico, where she taught school library courses and digital reading.
To strengthen her skills and impact, she is pursuing a doctorate in library sciences from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain.
In her new job, Centeno plans to serve as a link between faculty members and students and create spaces where they can collaborate on research.
"I want to inspire future educators," she said. "I want to improve our educational system and our nation. I want to explore how we can learn from other countries and other ways of doing things."
Find more information on the ODU Libraries liaison program on the ODU Libraries website.
