Since 2017, Eli Arnold has served as university librarian and director of the Philip Weltner Library at Oglethorpe University where he manages all aspects of the library and archives. Previously a reference and instruction librarian at Oglethorpe, Eli began his career at the Horace W. Sturgis Library at Kennesaw State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in archaeology from Oglethorpe and a masters of library and information science from Valdosta State University. He chairs the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education Library Council and sits on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed Georgia Library Quarterly. Previously, he was treasurer of the Georgia Library Association. Eli presents locally, nationally, and internationally on information literacy, the role of archives and primary sources in library instruction, and Oglethorpe University-related history.
Selected Publications, Reviews, Presentations, & Interviews
In press, “Review of Wide-Open Desert: A Queer History of New Mexico.” Choice Reviews.
In press. “Review of Drastic Dykes and Accidental Activists: Queer Women in the Urban South.” Choice Reviews, 61(2).
2023, March 23. “‘My spirit remains Southern’: The Lost Life of George Marion O’Donnell.” Lost Southern Voices Conference, Georgia
State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
2022. “Three Classes on Tap: Brewing Library Instruction through Collaboration,” LOEX Conference
Proceedings 2015, 42 (co-authored with Ashely Dupuy and Chris Sharpe).
2022, July. “Review of Handbook of Archival Practices.” Choice Reviews, 59(11).
2022, April 27. “Finding a Sense of Belonging through OUr Shared History.” Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium. Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia.
2022, April 20. “Philip Weltner.” New Georgia Encyclopedia.
2022, February 8. “Ernest Hartsock.” New Georgia Encyclopedia.
2021. “Foreword to the Reissue.” Publications of James Edward Oglethorpe (Athens: University of Georgia Press).
2021, December 28. “Time capsules took off in 2021.” US Embassy & Consulate in Italy.
2021, March 26. “Ernest Hartsock: Atlanta’s Forgotten Poet.” Lost Southern Voices Conference, Georgia
State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
2020, October 21. “What Leadership Looks Like During A Pandemic & Leadership Takeaways.” North
Georgia Association of Libraries Quarterly Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
2019, October 18. “‘I Had No Idea’: Surprising Students through Archives-Based Assignments.” Society
of Georgia Archivists, Augusta, Georgia.
2018, August 9. “Oglethorpe University and the Crypt of Civilization.” Living History, AIB Network.
2017, December 25. “Trying to locate a time capsule? Answer might be at Oglethorpe.” Atlanta Journal Constitution.
2017, December 20. “Time Capsules Part 1.” Looking Back at Tomorrow Podcast, Episode 28. WNYU
Radio.
2017, November 11. “James Edward Oglethorpe and His Enduring Legacy.” First Families of Georgia
Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
2017, July 4. “Intentional Learning for Global Issues and Solutions.” EDULEARN17 International
Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
2016, November 12. “A Small College, Superlatively Good: A History of Oglethorpe University.” First
Families of Georgia Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia.
2016, September 30. “Primary Documents and Academic Collaboration: Partnerships that Lead to
Student Information Literacy.” Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy, Savannah, Georgia.
2016, August 6. “Remembering the Afterthoughts: Outreach to Archives’ Underserved Constituents.”
Society of American Archivists Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.
2015, October 29. “Party with the Past – Oglethorpe University.” Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA.
2015, October 8. “Growing the Georgia Knowledge Repository: Increasing the Undergraduate Research
Component.” Georgia Libraries Conference, Athens, Georgia.
2015, October 7. “Three Years of First Years: Learning about Information Literacy, Freshman and the
Liberal Arts and Sciences.” Georgia Libraries Conference, Athens, Georgia.
2015, June 4. “My Serendipitous Research: Oglethorpe University, and the Interwar Gay Poetry Scene.”
Atlanta Prime Timers, Atlanta, Georgia.
2015, May 2. “Three Classes on Tap: Brewing Library Instruction through Collaboration.” Annual
Convention of the Library Orientation Exchange (LOEX) Conference, Denver, Colorado.
2015. “Book Review – The Hills Remember.” Georgia Library Quarterly, (52)4.
2015. “Book Review – A Church, A School.” Georgia Library Quarterly, (52)3.
2014. “Book Review – The Oglethorpe Plan: Enlightenment Design in Savannah and Beyond.”
Georgia Library Quarterly, (51)3.
2013, November 2. “Going Pro Success Stories.” Atlanta Emerging Librarians, Atlanta, Georgia.
2013, October 10. “Assessing Assessment: The Challenges of Proving Worth in Library Instruction
Programs.” Georgia Libraries Conference, Macon, Georgia.
2013, October 10. “Paying It Forward … And Backward.” Georgia Libraries Conference, Macon, Georgia.
2013, October 10. “Six Thinking Hats.” Georgia Libraries Conference, Macon, Georgia.
2013, September 28. “Book Review – How to Disappear: A Memoir for Misfits.” Lambda Literary.
Education
Master of Library and Information Science
Valdosta State University (Valdosta, Georgia)
Thesis: “Preserving and Promoting Institutional Heritage: A Descriptive Study of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Members’ Archives.”
Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology (Magna Cum Laude)
Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, Georgia)
