Denise D. Nelson, Ph.D.

Director of Ryan Library

Dr. Denise Nelson has been a member of PLNU's Ryan Library faculty since 2004. In addition to her responsibilities as the library’s director, she provides support at the Research Help Desk and teaches information literacy and research strategies for various courses. She serves as the library's liaison to Psychology and Communication Studies.

Dr. Nelson's scholarly interests include hospitality in the academic library, information literacy, student satisfaction with college, and student success in higher education. She is co-author/editor, with Laurie A. Schreiner and Michelle C. Louis, of Thriving in Transitions: A Research-Based Approach to College Student Success (National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, 2012; rev. 2020).

Denise has served extensively on the Board of Directors of the Association of Christian Librarians, having served as president, past president, secretary, and director at large over the course of more than a decade. She and her husband, Job Nelson, are both proud PLNU alumni and attend New Life Church of the Nazarene in El Cajon, CA.

Education

  • Ph.D., Higher Education, Azusa Pacific University
  • M.S.L.I.S., Library and Information Science, Drexel University
  • B.A., Literature, Point Loma Nazarene University

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Council for Christian Colleges & Universities Council for Library Leadership (2021-present)

  • SCATLA Executive Council: Vice-President/President-Elect (2023); Secretary (2022)

  • Association of Christian Librarians: President (2016-2018; 2018-2020); Past President (2020-2021); Secretary (2014-2016; 2020-2023); Director at large (2010-2013)

  • Christian Higher Education: An International Journal of Research, Theory and Practice: Manuscript Reviewer (2016-present); Emerging Scholarship Editor (2017-present)

  • Theological Librarianship: Editorial Board (2021-present)

Awards and Honors

  • Volunteer of the Year (2014): Association of Christian Librarians
  • Student Success Advocate (2009): Azusa Pacific University Doctoral Programs in Higher Education

Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications

  • Dissertation: The Role of Thriving in Student Satisfaction with College

  • Book: Schreiner, L. A., Louis, M. C., & Nelson, D. D., (Eds.). (2020). Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success (2nd ed.). National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC.

  • Book: Schreiner, L. A., Louis, M. C., & Nelson, D. D., (Eds.). (2012). Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success. National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC.

Chapters and Articles

  • Nelson, D. D. (2022). Preface. In Faithful words: A collection of Reference Point devotions for librarians. Association of Christian Librarians.

  • Nelson, D. D. (2022). Far more influential. In Faithful words: A collection of Reference Point devotions for librarians. Association of Christian Librarians.

  • Nelson, D. D., Vetter, D., & Vetter, M. K. (2020). Thriving from the start: Equipping students for success in the first year. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, and D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success (2nd ed.).

  • McIntosh, E. J., & Nelson, D. D. (2020). Maximizing transfer: Thriving on a new campus. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, and D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success (2nd ed.).

  • Schreiner, L. A., Louis, M. C., & Nelson, D. D. (2020). Recommendations for facilitating thriving in transitions. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, and D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success (2nd ed.).

  • Nelson, D. D., (2019). In a manner worthy of God: Hospitality and the Christian librarian. In G. Trott (Ed.), The faithful librarian: Essays on Christianity in the profession. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

  • Nelson, D. D. (2018-present; all issues). Selected dissertations on Christian higher education [recurring bibliography column]. Christian Higher Education: An International Journal of Research, Theory, and Practice.

  • Nelson, D. D. (2018). The invisible students: Service excellence in the second year. In L. A. Schreiner (Ed.), Sophomore success: Making the most of the second year [Special issue], New Directions for Higher Education, 183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/he.20291

  • Nelson, D. D., & Vetter, D. (2012). Thriving in the first year. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, & D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success.
  • McIntosh, E. J., & Nelson, D. D. (2012). Transfer students: Thriving in a new institution. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, & D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success.
  • Schreiner, L. A., Nelson, D. D., & Louis, M. C. (2012). Recommendations for facilitating thriving in transitions. In L. Schreiner, M. Louis, & D. Nelson (Eds.), Thriving in transitions: A research-based approach to college student success.
  • Schreiner, L. A., & Nelson, D. D. (2013). The contribution of student satisfaction to persistence. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 15(1), 73-111.
  • Nelson, Denise. (2013). Blowing in the wind: A note of thanks [editor’s column]. The Christian Librarian, 56(2), 48.
  • Nelson, D. (2008). [Review of the book Sacred stacks: The higher purpose of libraries and librarianship, by Nancy Kalikow Maxwell]. The Christian Librarian, 51(2), 110.

Presentations

  • The I in DEI: Creating Inclusive Environments in the Workplace, a Discussion with Library Directors (panelist). Association of Christian Librarians 2023 Annual Conference, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH.

  • Collaboration and Confidence: Demystifying Annual Statistics (co-presenter). Association of Christian Librarians 2023 Annual Conference, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH.

  • Invisible Disabilities and How to Navigate Accommodations (co-presenter). Point Loma Nazarene University 2022 Faculty Development Day, San Diego, CA.

  • Reimagining the Reference Area: Planning with the New Neighbors. Association of Christian Librarians 2022 Annual Conference, Newman University, Wichita, KS.

  • Librarians Navigating the Promotion and Tenure Process (panelist). Association of Christian Librarians 2022 Annual Conference, Newman University, Wichita, KS.

  • Serving in Love: Hospitality in the Academic Library. Association of Christian Librarians 2019 Annual Conference, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN.

  • Turning Expectations into Experience: Revising IL Curriculum to Reflect the Framework. Association of Christian Librarians 2016 Annual Conference, Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI.
  • The Role of Thriving in Student Satisfaction with College. Doctoral Programs in Higher Education Winter 2015 Hooding Ceremony, School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA.
  • At the Intersection of Teaching and Assessment. Association of Christian Librarians 2014 Annual Conference, Huntington University, Huntington, IN.
  • Teaching the Teachers: Copyright in the Classroom. Association of Christian Librarians 2012 Annual Conference, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL.
  • The Thriving Quotient: Advancing the assessment of student success (co-presenter). 2009 Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC.
  • College student thriving: Predictors of success and retention (co-presenter). 2009 Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC.
  • Twittering while Rome burns? Relational librarianship in a high tech world (co-presenter). Association of Christian Librarians 2009 Annual Conference, Evangel University, Springfield, MO.
  • Forging alliances with composition faculty: A declaration of interdependence (co-presenter). Association of Christian Librarians 2008 Annual Conference, Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA.