• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD),  2016- 2025
  University at Buffalo, State University of New York  (Buffalo, New York)
  Department of Learning and Instruction, Graduate School of Education
  Degree conferred: Spring 2025
  Dissertation title: Faculty Perceptions of Academic Librarians as Teachers: An Examination of Professional Identity, Power Dynamics, and the (In)visibility of Information Literacy.

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), 2006-2009
Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

Master of Arts (MA in Sociology), 2000-2004
University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Thesis title: Rewriting the Holocaust Online: A Discourse Analysis of Holocaust Denial Web Sites (defended on May 14, 2004)

Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), 1999-2000
University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada)

Bachelor of Arts (BA Honours in Sociology), 1995- 1999
Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Diplôme d’études collégiales (DEC), 1992-1995

Marianopolis College (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Major: Pure and Applied Sciences

Diplôme d’études secondaires (DES), 1987-1992
Wagar High School (Cote Saint Luc, Quebec)

Books

Polger, M.A. (2021). Library Signage and Wayfinding Design: Communicating Effectively with Your Users. ALA Editions

Polger, M.A. (2019). Library Marketing Basics. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers.

Polger, M.A. & Sheidlower, S.A. (2017). Engaging Diverse Learners: Teaching Strategies for Academic Librarians. Libraries Unlimited.

Book Chapters

Sich, D., & Polger, M. A. (2018). How to Assess Students’ Social Media Preferences: A Comparison at Two Academic Institutions. In Nina Verishagen (Ed.), Social Media: An Academic Library Perspective (pp. 3-14). Oxford, United Kingdom: Chandos Publishing.

Chao, S., Evans, B., Phillips, R., Polger, M. A., Posner, B., & Sexton, E. (2017). The CUNY-Shanghai Library Faculty Exchange Program: Remembering, Reflecting, and Reshaping How We Do Our Jobs. In C. Constantinou, M. J. Miller, & K. Schlesinger (Eds.), International Librarianship: Developing Professional, Intercultural, and Educational Leadership (pp. 27-40). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Polger, M. A. , Okamoto, K. (2012). Selective (and Subtle) Marketing of Library Instruction. In C. Smallwood, V. Gubnitskaia, and K. Harrod (Eds.), Marketing Your Library: Tips and Tools  That Work, (pp. 183-191). New York: McFarland & Company.

Polger, M. A. (2005). Degrassi.ca- Building a Fan Community On-line. In M. Byers (Ed.),  Growing Up Degrassi: Television, Identity, and Youth Cultures, (pp. 255-271). Toronto: Sumac Press.

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Polger, M.A. (2024). The Information Literacy Class as Theatrical Performance:  A Qualitative Study of Academic Librarians’ Understanding of Their Teacher Identity. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science,  65(2), 137-162. https://doi.org/10.3138/jelis-2023-0009

Polger, M.A., & Sich, D. (2019). Are They Even Following Us?: Using market research data to understand students’ social media preferences. Library Management, 40(8/9), 508-517.

Polger, M.A., & Stempler, A.F. (2014). Out with the Old, In with the New: Best Practices for Replacing Library Signage. Public Services Quarterly, 10(2), 67-95.

Polger, M. A. (2014). Controlling Our Vocabulary: Comparing Language Consistency in a Library Context The Indexer: The International Journal of Indexing,32(1). 32-37.

Chao, S.J., Evans, B., Phillips, R., Polger, M.A., Posner, B., & Sexton, E. (2013) Developing Sustainable International Library Exchange Programs: The CUNY-Shanghai Library Faculty Exchange Model, Metropolitan Universities Journal, 24(3), 102-123.                      

Polger, M.A., & Okamoto, K. (2013). Who’s Spinning the Library? Responsibilities of Academic Librarians who Promote.  Library Management, 34(3), 236 – 253.

Stempler, A.F., Polger, M.A., &  (2013). Do You See the signs?: Evaluating Language, Branding, and Design in a Library signage Audit. Public Services Quarterly, 9(2), 121-135.

Okamoto, K., & Polger, M.A.,  (2012). Off to Market We Go: A Content Analysis of Marketing and Promotion Skills in Academic Librarian Job Ads.  Library Leadership and Management, 26 (2), 1-20.

Polger, M. A. (2011).  Student Preferences in Library Web Site Vocabulary.  Library Philosophy and Practice, 2011 annual issue, 1-16.

Polger, M. A. (2010).  The Informationist: Ten Years Later.  Journal of Hospital Librarianship,10(4), 363-379.

Polger, M. A. (2010).  Information Takeout and Delivery: A Case Study Exploring Different Library Service Delivery Models. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 10(1), 3-22.

Polger, M. A., & Okamoto, K. (2010). Can’t anyone be a teacher anyway? : Student Perceptions of Academic Librarians as Teachers. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2010 annual issue, 1-17.

Professional Work Experience

College of Staten Island, City University of New York (CUNY)   (New York, New York)      

(September 2020 – present)          Associate Professor
(September 2008 – August 2020) Assistant Professor (tenured in Fall 2015)
Coordinator of Library Outreach / LIB 102 Instructor / Subject librarian for Psychology, Marketing, and Nursing

St. John’s University (Queens, NY)
(2020 – present)- Adjunct faculty (online and asynchronous)
Division of Library and Information Science (DLIS)

Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
(April 2023- Sept 2023)- Adjunct faculty (online and asynchronous)
School of Communication and Information
Summer 2023 special topics course “Marketing and Outreach for Libraries, Archives, and Information Organizations”

ASA College (New York, NY)
(2011 – 2020) -Adjunct Instructor (in-person 2011-2019, online and synchronous, 2020)
Division of Arts and Sciences, Department of Core Competencies
Information Literacy instructor (required, 2-credit course, 15 weeks)

Freshman Skills Seminar (required, 1 credit course, 15 weeks)

Humber River Hospital        (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

(2006 – 2008)     Health Sciences Librarian (full-time permanent)

Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology  (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
(2005 – 2008)    Adjunct Instructor – Library and Information Technician Program (part-time)

Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)   (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
(2004) – Web/Systems Librarian (full-time, 1 year contract)

University of Waterloo           (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)

(2003-2004) Liaison Librarian- Sociology and Psychology (full-time, 1 year contract)
(2005-2006) Liaison Librarian- Sociology and Psychology (full-time, 1 year contract)

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
(2002) – Media Librarian/Cataloguer for Textual Documents (full-time, 1 year contract)

University of Western Ontario – D.B. Weldon Library (London, Ontario, Canada)
(1999-2000) Circulation Services Assistant (part-time, 1 year contract)

Concordia Student Union (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
(1998-1999) Project Archivist (part-time, 1 year contract)

Concordia University Libraries – George P. Vanier Library (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
(1994-1995) Circulation Clerk (part-time, 1 year contract)

Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
(1993-1999)- Archives Assistant (part-time)

Marianopolis College Library (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
(1992-1995)- Circulation Clerk (part-time)