The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library and Information Science Program is delighted to welcome its newest faculty member, Dr. Alexandria “Alli” Rayburn. Dr. Rayburn joins the program following the completion of her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan School of Information, where her dissertation, Women in Museum Computing: Implementing Transformative Data Practices in Collection Work, explored the intersections of technology, gender, and cultural heritage.
Her teaching will center on archival studies, with additional interests in knowledge organization. This fall, she will lead LIS 655: Digital Archives, followed in Spring 2026 by LIS 654: Records, Archives, and Memory and LIS 657: Records Management.
Dr. Rayburn’s academic work is deeply informed by her personal passions, including textile arts and women’s crafts. She is especially interested in how these often underrepresented art forms can be integrated into archival systems and digital preservation practices.
When asked what excites her most about joining the UHM LIS ʻohana, she shared two reflections. First, she is thrilled to return to the close-knit learning environment she experienced as an undergraduate in a small residential college at Michigan State University, where she found inspiration in the liberal arts model within a large university setting. “Working with small groups of students who are truly engaged with their studies is something I deeply value,” she noted. Second, she looks forward to building relationships with professionals in Hawaiʻi’s museums and archival communities. “It’s exciting to immerse myself in a new cultural context and collaborate with those stewarding collections I have so much to learn about.”
Outside of her scholarship, Dr. Rayburn is an avid quilter and textile artist. She also enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, paddleboarding, and recently earned her scuba certification. While she’s experienced many of these activities in the Midwest, she’s enthusiastic about exploring them in the unique landscapes of Hawaiʻi and connecting with the ʻāina.