About

Point Loma Nazarene University, established in 1902, is a Christian liberal arts institution. The university was founded by Phineas Bresee, primary founder of the Church of the Nazarene.

The PLNU Mission: PLNU exists to provide higher education in a vital Christian community where minds are engaged and challenged, character is modeled and formed, and service is an expression of faith. Being of Wesleyan heritage, we strive to be a learning community where grace is foundational, truth is pursued, and holiness is a way of life.

Ryan Library serves as the PLNU institutional library, providing print and digital resources, a welcoming facility with a variety of study seating options, and an expert library faculty with a heart for supporting students and scholars.

Visit http://pointloma.edu/library for resources, research help, and other information.

Our Staff

Denise Nelson, PhD

Director of Ryan Library

Dr. Nelson serves as Director of Ryan Library and has been a member of PLNU's Ryan Library faculty since 2004. She collaborates with course faculty and with her library colleagues to provide classroom-based information literacy and point-of-need research help. In her role as the library's liaison to several departments, she provides targeted research support to students in Biology, Kinesiology, and Psychology.

Dr. Nelson's scholarly interests include information literacy, student satisfaction with college, and student success in higher education. She is co-author/editor, with Laurie A. Schreiner and Michelle C. Louis, of Thriving in Transitions: A Research-Based Approach to College Student Success (National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience, 2012 and 2020).

Robin Lang, MLIS

Instructional Services Librarian, Associate Professor

Professor Lang has been a full-time tenure track librarian at PLNU since 2016. She has served as a librarian at Westmont College, taught as an adjunct at Santa Barbara City College, and worked as a librarian in San Diego at both Cuyamaca College and Coronado High School.

She provides information literacy instruction, point-of-need research help, and other research support. Her academic liaison areas include Art + Design, History & Political Science, Mathematical, Information & Computer Sciences, and the School of Theology and Christian Ministry. Her scholarly interests include diversity, equity, and inclusion in library practices and collections in additional to critical information literacy.

Julie Sweeney, MLIS

Instructional Services Librarian, Assistant Professor

Professor Sweeney joined the Library faculty as an Instructional Services Librarian in 2019 after serving on staff in Ryan Library since 2004. Her primary area of focus is Information Literacy taught through research skills in classroom sessions and individual guidance at the Research Help Desk.

She serves as the academic liaison librarian to Chemistry, the Department of Literature, Journalism, Writing, & Language, Music, and Women's Studies. Her scholarship includes publications and presentations on virtual reference modalities as well as service to unaffiliated (community) patrons.

Anne-Elizabeth Powell, PhD

Head of Technical Services/Systems Librarian, Associate Professor

Dr. Powell holds a PhD in Higher Education from Azusa Pacific University and is an alumna of Point Loma Nazarene College. She serves as the academic liaison librarian to several departments: Sociology, Social Work & Family Sciences, Physics, and Communication/Theatre.

Her primary research interest is racial identity development of transracial adoptees during college.

Phyllis Fox, MLS

Instructional Services Librarian for Graduate Studies, Assistant Professor

Professor Fox holds an MLS from UCLA and a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Point Loma College. She provides in-class and remote instruction in information literacy, research strategies, and bibliographic citation management. She serves as the academic liaison librarian to the Fermanian School of Business, the School of Nursing, and the School of Education.

Suzanne Thomas

Department Assistant

Suzanne has been using her administrative and organizational skills on behalf of PLNU for several years, having served in the department of Communication and Theatre prior to joining the library.

Erinn Mullaney, M.Ed.

Circulation & Reserve Supervisor

Erinn hires, trains, and supervises a wonderful team of library student assistants. She manages all aspects of circulation and library public services in addition to overseeing the Reserve collection housed at the Circulation Desk.

Jeremy Buenviaje

Library Cataloging & Serials Associate

Jeremy is the newest addition to the Ryan Library team! He is responsible for cataloging new materials, mending library items, processing serials, and facilitating the library's annual bindery project.