Margaret Kristin Merga

I am an Associate Professor in the at the University of Southern Denmark in Kolding. I conduct research and provide training and teaching in literacy, libraries, communications, workforce, higher education, doctoral education, knowledge mobilisation and research methods. I have written more than a hundred peer-reviewed and research-informed publications, including seven research-informed non-fiction books, such as the recent School Libraries Supporting Literacy and Wellbeing (Facet, 2022), Creating an Australian School Literacy Policy (Amba Press, 2023), Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools: A Practical Guide (Facet, 2023), and PhD Thesis by Publication in social science research: A practical guide (Facet, 2025). I have played an active role in researcher development across my career. I am the inaugural Patron of the Western Australian School Library Association, and in 2020 I was honoured as inaugural Patron of the Australian School Library Association. In 2021 I won an American Association of School Librarians ESLS Research Grant. I have consulted with schools, professional associations and government departments on a range of projects, such as the Department of Education Western Australia’s Never Stop Reading programme amongst many others. In 2022 I co-authored the International Literacy Association’s position statement on the essential leadership of school librarians.