Fatemeh Kholoosi Raftar

Research and Instruction Librarian

In 2015, Fatemeh Kholoosi Raftar decided to change her career title from language teacher to librarian, but she was uncertain whether she had made a good decision. Although both careers shared similarities, Fatemeh worried that she wouldn't find her desired job. As it turns out, she had nothing to worry about. After just one year, Fatemeh landed a management position in Willis Library at the University of North Texas. In 2019, she found her current position in Velma K. Waters Library at A&M-Commerce. When Fatemeh is not at work, you can find her gardening. She adores planting vegetables, watching them grow and using them in her cuisine. Fatemeh also enjoys listening to blues and rock and reading historical novels.

A Conversation with Mrs. Raftar

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending A&M-Commerce?

Texas A&M University-Commerce is a great place to pursue your education. You will receive great services! For example, you will have access to various print and electronic scholarly information sources, which are crucial in successful research projects. The goal of all A&M-Commerce faculty and staff is to make the path to your degree as smooth, pleasant and fruitful as possible. Trust us.

What do you like most about your career?

I am drawn by a strong desire to help people learn something new. I was an English language teacher and enjoyed helping my students speak a new language. When I came to the U.S., I was searching for a higher education discipline in which to pursue my interests. I found it in the field of information science.

Tell us about a project you are currently working on or recently completed.

Recently, my colleagues and I have developed a full research tutorial, Introduction to Academic Research. It is listed under courses for all students in D2L. The teaching faculty might assign the course to their students for a grade or extra credit. The course teaches students what information sources are, how to find them, and how to evaluate and cite them.

Educational Background

• Supervisory Building Blocks Certificate, University of North Texas System Leadership Development Program, 2018
• M.S., Information Science, University of North Texas, 2017
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Certificate, Sussex Downs College, 2011
• B.A., English Language & Literature, Tarbiat Moallem University, Kharazmi, 1997

Professional Organizations

• American Library Association, 2015-present
• Association of College and Research Libraries, 2015-present
• Texas Library Association, 2015-present
• Library and Information Science Student Association, University of North Texas, 2015-present

Research Interests

• Information Communication
• Leadership
• Knowledge Management
• User behavior

Publications

• Company Research Guide
• Industry Research Guide
• Marketing & Consumer Research Guide
• Agriculture & Natural Resources Research Guide