Megan Lotts

Megan Lotts is an artist, educator, and visionary academic librarian whose work reimagines the library as a dynamic space for creativity, connection, and play. As the Art Librarian at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, she brings an interdisciplinary approach to librarianship—one that merges research and art, scholarship and imagination, to foster inclusive and inspiring learning environments.

At Rutgers, Lotts collaborates across the visual arts, humanities, with art historians, and the landscape architecture programs, supporting faculty and students through research instruction, creative programming, and dynamic collection development. Her approach emphasizes the library as a site of engagement rather than quiet consumption—an active, participatory space where ideas are exchanged, art is made, and community thrives. Through projects that blend artistry, curiosity, and academic rigor, Lotts challenges traditional notions of what libraries are and what they can become.

Lotts is widely recognized for her pioneering work advancing creativity and play in academic libraries. Her scholarship explores how maker culture, experiential learning, and hands-on exploration can transform information spaces into living laboratories for innovation. Lotts invites users to engage with art in unexpected and participatory was which reflect her belief that libraries are not only repositories of knowledge, but catalysts for collaboration, experimentation, and joy.

A frequent speaker and mentor, Lotts has presented nationally and internationally at leading professional gatherings including the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA), the American Library Association (ALA), and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). Her scholarship appears in prominent journals such as Art Documentation, portal: Libraries and the Academy, and Journal of Library Administration. She is also the author of two influential books published by ALA Editions—Advancing a Culture of Creativity in Libraries: Programming and Engagement (2021) and The Playful Library: Building Environments for Learning & Creativity (2024)—both of which offer visionary frameworks for integrating creative practice into academic libraries.

Lotts holds an MFA and an MLIS from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, along with BFAs in Painting and Art History from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Her background as a practicing artist deeply informs her teaching, research, and outreach, grounding her librarianship in visual inquiry, making, and reflection. Whether she is leading a zine workshop, curating a student exhibition, or transforming a library commons into a pop-up gallery, she approaches each project as an opportunity to build community and spark creative confidence.

Rooted in a spirit of collaboration and curiosity, Lotts’ work continues to influence the next generation of library professionals and educators. Her commitment to creativity, access, and play demonstrates that libraries are not just about storing information—they are places of transformation, where people come together to imagine, make, and discover.

*Picture by Nick Romanenko