UH Libraries Welcomes Instruction Librarian
Ariana Santiago joins the team as the new instruction librarian.
Ariana Santiago recently joined the University of Houston Libraries as an instruction librarian in the department of Liaison Services.
In this role, Santiago works with UH instructors of high-impact undergraduate courses, such as English, psychology, engineering, biology and public speaking, to deliver point-of-need library instruction in research skills and information literacy.
Santiago is part of the Libraries instruction team, a group of librarians who support student success initiatives at the University by collaborating with faculty to strengthen students’ analytical skills and effectively use the library’s many resources.
FACULTY: Learn more about the Libraries’ Instruction Program | Request instruction for your courses
Applying active learning methods, the instruction team takes students through library basics and beyond to transferable, concept-based knowledge, such as ethically using scholarly resources or strategic searches for information. These are the skills students need while in college and after graduation.
Santiago’s professional interests include learning theory, pedagogy and instructional design. Previously, she was a residency librarian at the University of Iowa, focusing on library outreach to undergraduate students.
Her venture into instruction began when she taught several marching band drum lines and competitive drum corps. As a drummer herself, this teaching role influenced her interests in the different ways that people prefer to learn, and eventually, nudged her onto the path of librarianship.
A native of Florida, Santiago says that Houston reminds her of home, and the University is an exciting place to be. “There’s a great sense of pride here,” she says. “I love that people are really striving for excellence in everything they do.”
A big part of the journey is the Libraries’ collective focus on student success. “We want students to be successful academically, but also in their personal lives,” Santiago says. “We want them to excel and achieve their career goals, and we contribute by helping them make use of the resources that we have here, and think critically about information.”