About STEM South

A Brief History of the STEM Librarians South Conference

The STEM Librarians South conference, now in its twelfth year, brings together information professionals and academics from across the Southern U.S. and beyond to share their ideas, current research, best practices, and unique insights that help librarians advance the cause of STEM education and research.

The conference generally includes a keynote address, full-length presentations and “lightning talks” covering collections, data management, digital scholarship, information and data literacy, outreach, science education, and research, to the various services and programs libraries provide to support the STEM disciplines. Traditionally, the conference convenes mid- to late-July.

The University of Texas at San Antonio hosted the first STEM Librarians Conference in 2011. A group of STEM-focused librarians across Texas determined they could benefit from opportunities to gather in a small setting and discuss professional interests and trends.

In 2014, an informal steering committee formed to guide the conference, and a committee member generated a handbook, enabling hosts to mount a successful event. The conference has continued annually, at host institutions across the state.

In 2016, recognizing that a number of attendees regularly came from areas outside of Texas, including some from outside the U.S., organizers changed the name to the STEM Librarians South Conference, reflecting its wider audience.

The 2022 committee extends its thanks to the following people who provided information detailing the conference’s history:

• Nancy Linden
• David Flaxbart
• Jessica Simpson
• Bruce Neville
• And especially Sylvia Jones, the author of the content above, modified and reused with permission