Brian W. Sturm, PhD
School of Information and Library Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB #3360, Manning Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3360
(919) 962-7622

Education

Ph.D. in Library and Information Science. Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. 1998.

Master of Library Science. Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. 1991.

Bachelor of Arts in French, minor in Biology. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia. 1985.

Université Paul Valéry, Montpellier, France. 1983-84. (junior year of college spent abroad)

Norfolk Academy, Norfolk, Virginia. 1981.

 


Honors

2006 Nominated for ALISE award for Teaching Excellence.

2004 Nominated for the UNC Distinguished Teaching Award for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction.

2003 Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award, for a distinguished title published in the field of storytelling, The Storyteller’s Sourcebook, 1983-1999.

2002 Visiting Fulbright Scholar in Storytelling and Children’s Literature, Mahasarakham, Thailand.

2002 SILS Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award (nominated 2000, 04, 05, 06).

2002 Storytelling World Award Winner for the best specialized storytelling resource, The Storyteller’s Sourcebook, 1983-1999.

1993 Chancellor's Scholar - Indiana University.

1991 Elizabeth Myers Award in Children's Literature - given by the National Society of Arts and Letters.

 


Selected Professional Experience 1985-present

Associate Professor of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2004 - present.  Assistant Professor 1998-2004.

Children's Librarian, Monroe County (IN) Public Library. 1995-97.

Director of Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit of the Monroe County (IN) Humane Association. 1995-97.

Acting Assistant Director of the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, South Bend campus. Promoted the School to prospective students and library directors throughout northern Indiana and southern Michigan; established an Internet presence for the school and the university library; scheduled courses to be offered and adjunct professors to teach them; established inter-departmental connections to integrate the School into the campus community; monitored the School's budget; competed successfully for extra money to offer innovative summer courses. 1994-95. 

Professional Storyteller: performing and conducting workshops for adults and children at schools, libraries, conferences, and special events, 1990- present.

Editor for the Alumni Newsletter of the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science, 1993-94; Newsletter of the Bloomington Storytellers Guild, 1993-1996; Newsletter of the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, Northern California Chapter, 1986-87.

Library Manager for Halls of Residence Libraries, Indiana University. Scheduled, trained, supervised, and evaluated a staff of 6; developed a library collection for population of 1000; developed and monitored the budget; coordinated the payroll; publicized and promoted the library with programs and special events, 1989-90.

Children's Specialist for the Providence Public Library in Providence, Rhode Island. Managed the children's collection, provided reference assistance, and developed innovative programs, 1988-89.

Editorial Assistant for White Lilac Press, Providence, Rhode Island, 1988-89.

Outdoor Educator for San Joaquin County Schools, La Honda, California, 1985-87.

 


Selected Part-time Professional Experience 1985-present

Instructor of Networking Skills, Continuing Education Division of Indiana University, South Bend campus.

Character Voice, ERIC's Parent Outreach Project, a journal/cassette combination to encourage parents and children to read together. Bloomington, Indiana.

Research Assistant, Indiana University. Conducted and analyzed interviews with middle school professionals involved with the state funded REAP project (Reading Excitement and Paperbacks).

Research Assistant, Institute for the Study of Developmental Disabilities, Indiana University. Helped compile an annotated bibliography of resources for librarians serving people with developmental disabilities.

Research Assistant, Indiana University. Helped coordinate a summer institute on library services for people with disabilities.

Reference Assistant, Indiana University Undergraduate Library.

Program Director, San Francisco YMCA Camp, La Honda, California.

Ecology Director, Stanislaus County YMCA, Modesto, California.

Museum Docent, Natural History Museum, Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island.

 


Monographs

Books

MacDonald, Margaret Read and Brian Sturm. (2001). The Storytellers Sourcebook, 1983-1999. Chicago: Gale. 712 pages. (2002 Storytelling World Award, 2003 Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award).

Book Chapters

Refereed:

Sturm, Brian (due March 2009).  Storytelling. In Marcia J. Bates and Mary Niles Maack (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences. 3rd edition. New York: Taylor & Francis.

Sturm, Brian. (2002). Lost in a story: modeling storytelling and storylistening. In Irene Blayer and Monica Sanchez (Eds.), Storytelling: Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Perspectives (pp. 14-26). New York, NY: Peter Lang Pub. Co.

Sturm, Brian. W. (1999). An analysis of five interviews with storylisteners to determine how they perceive the listening experience. In Margaret Read MacDonald (Ed.), Traditional Storytelling Today: An International Sourcebook (pp. 563-571). London/Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn.

Invited:

Sturm, Brian. (due July 2008). Motif indexing. In Josepha Sherman (Ed.), Storytelling: an Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore. M.E. Sharpe.

Sturm, Brian. (due July 2008). The storylistening trance. In Josepha Sherman (Ed.), Storytelling: an Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore. M.E. Sharpe

Sturm, Brian. (2001). The reader's altered state of consciousness. In Kenneth Shearer and Robert Burgin (Eds.), The Readers' Advisor's Companion (pp. 97-117). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

 

Dissertation

Sturm, Brian. (1998). The entrancing power of storytelling: a systems approach to the storylistening discrete altered state of consciousness.  Dissertation Abstracts International, 59 (05), 231 pages, (Publication No. AAT 9834578).

 


Refereed Journal Articles

Sturm, Brian, Renee Bosman, and Leigh Lambert. (under review). Windows and Mirrors: Secret Spaces in Children’s Literature. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship.

Sturm, Brian. (under review). 20 Years Later: ALSC’s Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries. Library Quarterly.

Sturm, Brian and Karin Michel.  (accepted). The “Structural” Power of Young Adult Problem Novels. Young Adult Library Services.

Sturm, Brian.  (2008). The Process of Sharing Stories with Young People. Knowledge Quest, 36, 5,  12-18.

Sturm, Brian. (2008). Imaginary “Geographies” of Childhood: school library media centers as secret spaces. Knowledge Quest, 36, 4, 46-53. Also available: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/kqweb/kqarchives/volume36/364/KQW36_4Sturm.pdf.

Kuykendahl, Leslee Farish and Brian W. Sturm. (2007). We Said Feminist Fairy Tales, Not Fractured Fairy Tales! The Construction of the Feminist Fairy Tale: Female Agency over Role Reversal. Children and Libraries, 5, 3, 38-41.

Anderson, Tara and Brian Sturm. (2007). Cyberbullying: from playground to computer. Young Adult Library Services, 5, 1, 24-27.

Sturm, Brian. (2005). How safe should libraries be? North Carolina Libraries, 63, 1/2, 23-24. Available: http://www.nclaonline.org/NCL/ncl/NCL_63_1-2_Spring-Summer2005.pdf

Sturm, Brian (2003). Dogs and dinosaurs, hobbies and horses: age-related changes in children's information and reading interests. Children and Libraries, 1 (3): 39-49.

Sturm, Brian. (2003). The information and reading preferences of North Carolina children. [39 manuscript pages]. School Library Media Research [Online serial], 6. Available: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume62003/readingpreferences.htm

Sturm, Brian. (2003). Reader’s advisory and bibliotherapy: helping or healing? Journal of Educational Media and Library Science, 41, 171-79. [in English and Chinese]

Sturm, Brian, and William A. Sturm. (2003). Growing through enchantment. Diving in the Moon: honoring story, facilitating healing, 4, 43-47.

Sturm, Brian. (2000). The storylistening trance experience. Journal of American Folklore, 113, 287-304.

Sturm, Brian. (1999). The enchanted imagination: storytelling's power to entrance listeners. [38 manuscript pages]. School Library Media Research [Online serial], 2. Available: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume21999/vol2sturm.htm


Refereed Unpublished Oral Presentations

 

“Conundrums of Consciousness and the Power of Paradox: how story beginnings engage listeners.”  Eighth Annual University College of Cape Breton Storytelling Symposium, (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), May 2004.

“Commodification of Contemporary Storytelling.”  Storytelling, Self, Society: An Interdisciplinary Conference, (Boca Raton, FL), March 2004.

“Advice or Therapy? Helping People Find the “Right” Book.”  Florida Library Association conference, (Lake Buena Vista, FL), April 2003.

“Tracking the Elusive Tale: the motif index as a research resource.” National Storytelling Network conference, (Denver, CO), July 2002.

"The Perils and Pleasures of Motif Indexing." Panel Session. American Folklore Society conference, (Anchorage, AK), October 2001.

"Abducted by Elves: the listener's journey to the other world." Fifth Annual University College of Cape Breton Storytelling Symposium, (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), May 2001.

“Growing Through Enchantment.” (presented in absentia). Fourth Annual University College of Cape Breton Storytelling Symposium, (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), May 2000.

"The Enchanted Imagination." International Storytelling Conference, (Ontario, Canada), August 1999.


Invited Manuscripts

 

Sturm, Brian. (2007).  Storytelling and Environmental Education for Teachers and School Media Librarians. [10 manuscript pages]. Storytelling in Schools Website. http://www.storynet-advocacy.org/edu/projects/Sturm%202006.shtml

Штурм, Б.В. (2006). Приповедање и библиотеке - и одраслима су потребне приче. *Јавне библиотеке, I, 2, *89-95. (in Serbian)… Sturm, Brian. Storytelling and libraries: adults need stories, too! Public Libraries, 1, 2, 89-95.


Unrefereed Works

Sturm, Brian. (2008). Learning a Story: the 5-P approach. Journal of Tar Heel Tellers, 14, 4, 8-9.

Sturm, Brian.  (2006). Peeling the Onion: rethinking emotions in storytelling. Journal of Tar Heel Tellers, 13, 2, 3.

Sturm, Brian. (2006). The commodification of storytelling. Appleseed Quarterly: the Canadian Journal of Storytelling, 15, 3, 6-16.

Sturm, Brian. (1998). Altered States. Storytelling Magazine, 10, 3-4.

Fitzgibbons, Shirley. (1996). Evaluation Study: Reading Excitement and Paperbacks Project (REAP), REAP 3 Projects (1993-1996). Assisted by Brian Sturm. Center for School Improvement and Performance, Indiana Department of Education.

Fitzgibbons, Shirley. (1993). Evaluation Study: Reading Excitement and Paperbacks Project (REAP 2), Middle Schools. Assisted by Brian Sturm. Center for School Improvement and Performance, Indiana Department of Education.

 


Published Lectures

 

“Stories and Storytelling.” (2007).  http://youtube.com/watch?v=UFC-URW6wkU.

 

 


Book Reviews

 

Sturm, Brian.  (2000). Folkloristic approaches in library and information science. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 41, 1, 69-71.

 


Creative Work – Storytelling Performances (selected)

 

State

Storytelling Festivals

Perry Library Storytelling Festival, Henderson, April 2008

North Carolina Storytelling Festival, Burlington, October 2004

Vance County Storytelling Festival, Henderson, April 2004, April 2002

Wake County Storytelling Festival, Raleigh, September 2001, October 2000

Storyvine Storytelling Festival, Charlotte, May 2002, May 1999

Neuse Regional Library Storytelling Festival, Kinston, March 1999, October 1998

Granville County Storytelling Festival, Oxford, September 1998

 

Public Libraries

Wake Forest Public Library, Wake Forest, October 2004

Wake County Library System, Raleigh, November 2004, February 2004

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library, Charlotte, December 2002

Sheppard Memorial Library, Greeneville, April 2001

Southern Pines Public Library, Southern Pines, November 2000

Chapel Hill Public Library, Chapel Hill, April 2000, February 1999

Durham County Library, October 1998

 

Public & Private Schools

St. Stephens High School, Hickory, October 2004

A.V. Baucom Elementary School, Apex, annual performances since 1998

Estes Hills Elementary School, Chapel Hill, May 2000

Sandra E. Lerner Jewish Community Day School, Durham, March 2000

West Oxford Elementary School, Oxford, May 2000

Burlington City Schools, several performances in 1999

Harnett Primary School, Dunn, November 1999

Gentry Elementary School, Durham, March 1999

Frank Porter Graham Elementary School, Chapel Hill, bi-weekly during fall 1998

 

Other Cultural Institutions

UNC Davis Library, December 2007

Carol Woods Retirement Center, July 2007

United Church of Chapel Hill, January 2005

Morehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill, April 2004, May 1999

UNC Residence Life, Chapel Hill, October 2002

UNC Student Chapter of the American Library Assoc., Chapel Hill, March 2002

Meredith College Reading Celebration Raleigh, March 2001

Muscular Dystrophy Association Camp New Hope, Durham, 1999

Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, October 1998

 

National

Iowa                Des Moines, IA, September, 2005

3-day series of storytelling performances for De Kalb, IA city schools, November 2002

Virginia           Nellysford, April 2003

Wintergreen Ski Resort, June 2001

North Branch School, Nellysford, November 1998

 

International

Canada            University College Cape Breton, May 2004, May 2001

Brock University, St. Catharine’s, March 2003

           

Thailand          Taksin University, Songkhla, August 2002

Rajabaht Institute, Sakonnakhan, August 2002

University of Mahasarakham, August 2002

Sarakham Phitthayakhom Elementary, August 2002

Anuban Elementary School, Mahasarakham, August 2002

Anuban Elementary School, Chaiyaphum, August 2002

 

Artist in Residence

North Branch School (Waynesboro, VA), February 1999.

Indiana University Art Museum (Bloomington, IN), 1995-1997.

 


Teaching Record

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Children and Technology

Administration of Public Library Work with Children and Young Adults

Principles and Techniques of Storytelling

The Child’s Introduction to Reading

Children's Literature and Related Materials

Children’s Literature in Elementary Schools (online for School of Education)

Young Adult Literature and Related Materials (online and in-class)

Seminar in Teaching Practice

Professional Field Experience

Study in Information and Library Science

Master’s Paper in Information and Library Science

 

University of Mahasarakham, Thailand

Literature and Storytelling for Children

Indiana University, Bloomington

Children’s Literature and Materials

Principles and Techniques of Storytelling

Indiana UniversitySouth Bend campus

Children’s Literature and Materials

Principles and Techniques of Storytelling

Introduction to UNIX Skills

Introduction to Networking Skills

 


Grants

Thailand University Bureau in conjunction with Mahasarakham University and Taksin University. August 2002, 280,000 Thai Baht. Visiting Fulbright Scholar in Storytelling and Children’s Literature, PI: Dr. Wajuppa Tossa.

UNC Office of the Provost. Distance Education Grant, November 2001, $83,500.  Curriculum developer for online School Library Media Licensure Program. PI: Dr. Evelyn Daniel.

UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, November 2001, $20,000.  Storytelling’s Effect on MRI-Related Stress.

North Carolina Humanities Council, December 2000, $400. Support for Jackie Torrence’s storytelling performance.

UNC University Research Council, April 2000, $3,000. Publication grant for The Storyteller’s Sourcebook, 1983-1999.

Library Services and Technology Act. State Library of North Carolina. December 1999, $30,991.  Libraries and the Developmental Needs of Young Adults. PI: Ron Jones.

UNC Center for Teaching and Learning, February 1998, $350, Curriculum support mini-grant.

 


Service Activities

School of Information and Library Science

Beta Phi Mu Honor Society Address, (Chapel Hill, NC), May 2007.

Leader of Oxford Summer Seminar at the Bodleian Library in England, May 2007, 2003.

Storytelling Performance for UNC Student Chapter of ALA, (Chapel Hill, NC), March 2002.

SILS Commencement Speaker, December 2001.

Susan Steinfirst Lecture in Children’s Literature (1998, ’99, ’00, ’02, ’04, ’06, ’08)

Faculty Committee Membership:

Master’s Committee, Staff Excellence Award Committee, Information Resources and Technology Committee, Faculty Salary Committee, Research & Doctoral Committee, SILS Administrative Board, Personnel Committee, Ad Hoc Search Committee for Asst. Dir. of Instructional Technology

 

UNC Campus

Storytelling Performances

- “Winter Stories,” annual holiday event, December 2005-07.

- UNC Residence Life, April 2002.

Information Technology Awards Ceremony Keynote Speaker, April 2002.

Planning Committee for the North Carolina Literary Festival, April 2002.

Designed online course in children’s literature for the School of Education, 2001.

 

State-wide Service

Youth Services Advisory Committee, State Library Commission, 2005 – present (and ’00-’01).

LSTA Powerful Partners Grant Reviewer, April 2002.

Curator for “Picture A Book”, NC Children’s Book Illustrator Exhibit, Carrboro Branch Library, July-October 2001. One of four exhibits that helped the Friends of the Carrboro Branch Library earn runner-up in the Friends of the Library USA (FOLUSA) 2001 Awards Contest.

 North Carolina Library Association conference, (Winston-Salem, NC), September 1999.

 

National Service

Co-convener, with Jamie Naidoo of the University of South Carolina, for the Youth Services Special Interest Group sessions at the ALISE annual conference (2010).

State Liaison for the National Storytelling Network (2002-2005).

Advisory Board for NEH funded Tales Online Project to design and develop a web-based digital library of folktales (2000-2002).

Artist in Residence for North Branch School (Waynesboro, VA) April, 1999.

 

International Service

International Association of School Librarianship, 2007 Program Committee.

Guest lecturer – Brock University, St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada, March 2003.

Visiting scholar and storyteller with workshops, classes, and performances throughout Thailand, August 2002.

 

Editorial/Advisory Boards

Storytelling, Self, Society: an interdisciplinary journal of storytelling studies

School Library Media Research

 

Award Committees

Aesop Prize for the best children’s folklore title published in the prior two years. Given by the American Folklore Society, Children’s Folklore Section. (2005 - ’08)

 

Reviewer

Children and Libraries

Library Quarterly

Journal of Folklore Research

 

 


Selected Conference and Workshop Presentations

“Creating Community: Europe and Russia in the School Media Center.” World View Symposium for K-12 Educators, UNC Global Education Center, Chapel Hill (NC), May 2008.

“Storytelling as a Means of Communicating in Business Settings.” Durham County (NC) Public Library Staff Development, November 2007.

“The Immersive Power of Created Worlds.” Games4Learning Conference. UNC-Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC), October 2007.

“Storytelling in Environmental Education.” Environmental Education Institute. (Salter Path, NC), August 2006 (and August 2005).

“Theory vs. Practice in Librarianship.” Librarians’ Association at UNC – Chapel Hill. (Chapel Hill, NC), March 2005.

“Parents, Children, and Storytelling.” Seymour Johnson Airforce Base. (Goldsboro, NC), March 2005.

“Emotional Storytelling.” Wake County Staff Development Workshop. (Raleigh, NC), February 2005.

“The Art of Storytelling.” UNC – Asheville Center for Creative Retirement. (Asheville, NC), February 2005.

“The Effects of Reading.”  Librarians’ Association at UNC – Chapel Hill. (Chapel Hill, NC), March 2004.

“Reading Interests and Reading Trends of Youth.”  Panel session. Metrolina Library Association conference, (Charlotte, NC), March 2004.

 “The Art of Child Appropriateness.”  Presentation to NC Pre-school Assessment Team, (Chapel Hill, NC), February 2003.

 “Storytelling for Literacy Development.” Half-day workshop for Durham Academy, (Durham, NC), December 2002.

 “Performance Techniques for Librarians.” Half-day workshop for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library, (Charlotte, NC), December 2002.

 “Unity in Diversity.” Keynote address and 3-day series of storytelling performances for Northern Illinois University and surrounding schools.  (DeKalb, IL), November 2002.

 “Storytelling in Religious Institutions.” North Carolina Church and Synagogue Librarians Conference, (Chapel Hill, NC), November 2002.

 “Children, Literature, and Performance.” 3-day workshop for Taksin University, (Songkhla, Thailand), August 2002.

 Children’s Literature and Its Use in the Classroom.” 3-day workshop for university faculty from throughout Thailand and Laos, (Mahasarakham, Thailand), August 2002.

 “The Culture of Reading in the United States.” 2-day workshop for the Rajabaht Institute, (Sakonnakhan, Thailand), August 2002.

“Effective Communication and Programming with Children and Young Adults.” Full-day workshop for staff of Rowan Public Library, (Salisbury, NC), February 2002.

"Presentation Skills for Children's Authors and Illustrators." Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference, (Chapel Hill, NC), October 2001.

"Reader's Advisory and Reference with Children." Full-day workshop presented to para-professionals for the Northwest North Carolina Library Council, (King, NC), April 2001.

"Performance Tips for Authors." North Carolina Summit of Children's Authors and Illustrators, (Durham, NC), March 2001.

"The Magic of Harry Potter." UNC University Women's Group, (Chapel Hill, NC), January 2001.

"Storytelling with Children." Children's Services Section of the North Carolina Library Association annual retreat, (Brown's Summit, NC), October 2000.

"The Right to Read: The First Amendment and Book Censorship." Panel session. First Amendment Days: A Celebration and Exploration of the First Amendment, (Chapel Hill, NC), March 2000.

"New Strengths, New Needs, New Century - Opportunities for Improving LIS Education." Panel session. ALISE, (Philadelphia, PA), January 1999.

"Surfing the Net." North Carolina Theatre Conference, (Asheville, NC), November 1998.

"Storytelling as Transformation." Info-to-Go Continuing Education Workshop, (Chapel Hill, NC), October 1998.

"The Enchanted Mind: storytelling and reading." North Carolina Association for Home and Consumer Sciences, (Raleigh, NC), March 1998.

"Lifelong Learning Begins with Enchantment." Kentucky Library Association annual conference, (Lexington, KY), May 1996.

"Spinning the Web: a primer in Web Page Development." Indiana Library Federation conference, (Indianapolis, IN), April 1996.

 

Consulting

State Library of North Carolina. (2000). Developed and presented three workshops across the state dealing with adolescent development for librarians and teachers.


Professional Memberships

Beta Phi Mu (International Library and Information Science Honor Society)

Pi Delta Phi (National French Honor Society)

Association for Library and Information Science Education. (ALISE)

American Library Association (ALA)

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

American Folklore Society – Children’s Folklore SIG

National Storytelling Network


Last updated: June 2008