Information Tools

Specializations

  • Community-Based Research
  • Critical Digital & Media Literacy

Research Areas

Biography

Stacey Wedlake is a Senior Research Scientist with the Technology & Social Change Group at the University of Washington Information School. Her research focuses on the role of intermediaries (public libraries, community organizations, and governments) in digital equity efforts. She has a particular interest in how these groups can best support individual and community digital literacy goals. More recently, as part of a the NSF-funded, Co-designing for Trust, she has begun to explore how digital literacy resources can be better designed as community-oriented solutions to misinformation. Stacey works with a variety of community and academic partners and enjoys creating actionable outputs for practitioners. Before coming to the Information School, she taught basic computer skills with Peace Corps Mongolia, YWCA/WorkSource, and Seattle Central College. She holds degrees in Public Administration (MPA) and Library and Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Washington.

Education

  • MPA, University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, 2014
  • MLIS, University of Washington Information School, 2014
  • BA, Communication, Trinity University, 2005

Publications and Contributions

Presentations

  • “Yes, let's do this!” and “Ugh, no. Do I have to?”: Creating GenAI Literacy Programs for Your Community (2026)
    WLA 2026 - Yakima, WA, U.S.A.
  • “Yes, let's do this!” and “Ugh, no. Do I have to?”: Creating GenAI Literacy Programs for Your Community. (2026)
    Washington Library Association (WLA) Conference - Yakima, WA
  • Digital Literacy for Equity: Preparing Kids and Communities to Thrive in Our AI World (2026)
    National Digital Inclusion Alliance - Chicago, IL
  • How To Empower and Inform Communities Using Media and Information Literacy (2026)
    Public Library Association (PLA) Conference - Minneapolis, MN
  • From AI to Financial Scams: Preparing Rural Seniors for Emerging Technologies (2025)
    Association of Small and Rural Libraries (ARSL) Conference - Albuquerque, NM
  • Inclusive Practices Through Engaging Rural Communities (2025)
    Association of Small and Rural Libraries (ARSL) Conference - Albuquerque, NM.
  • Lights, Camera, Community! Using Video to Support Community Storytelling (2025)
    NEXT Annual Library Festival - Aarhus, Denmark
  • Beyond Super Searchers: Public Libraries in the Age of Misinformation. (2023)
    Public Library Association - Online
  • Countering Misinformation, Strengthening Democracy (2023)
    NEXT Library Festival - Aarhus, DK
  • Digital literacy & Internet for All. (2022)
    Walla Walla Community Council - Online
  • Connected learning: The essential mindset to serve rural youth in America (2022)
    Connected Learning Summit - Virtual
  • How Does Adult Digital Literacy Curricula Address Problematic Information? (2022)
    2022 ASIS&T Annual Meeting - Pittsburgh, PA
  • “Help is really necessary”: Case study of a technology distribution program for unemployed workers (2021)
    DIPRC2021: Digital Inclusion Policy And Research - Virtual
  • Creating a Digital Bridge: Lessons and Policy Implications from a Technology Access and Distribution Program for Low-income Job Seekers (2021)
    TPRC2021: The Research Conference on Communications, Information, and Internet Policy. - Virtual
  • Data Care During Crisis: A Comparative analysis of COVID data infrastructure builders in India and the USA (2021)
    Society for Social Studies of Science - virtual
  • Digital Inclusion During COVID-19 (2021)
    Center for Digital Inclusion: Tech and Social Justice Workshop - Virtual
  • Digital skills framework for supporting adult education practitioners (2021)
    EdTech Center: Distance Learning Strategy Session - online
  • Accelerating action through digital technologies: strengthening digital skills and capacities for human wellbeing (2020)
    2020 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DESA/DSDG) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) - Virtual
  • Adult Literacy and Education: Strategies to Alleviate the Literacy Gap (2019)
    Office of Family Assistance - Seattle, WA
  • Building Digital Workforce Skills at the Local Level (2019)
    BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversations Webinar - Online
  • Digital Equity and Inclusion in Seattle (2019)
    Seattle Public University Information Studies Program - Seattle, WA
  • Digital Skill Sets for Diverse Users (2019)
    BroadbandUSA: Digital Inclusion - Local and State Governments - Webinar
  • Digital Skill Sets for Diverse Users (2019)
    Seattle Digital Equity Network - Seattle, WA
  • Digital Skills for Digital Equity: Identifying Skills Covered in Digital Literacy Frameworks and Curricula (2019)
    Information School Research Fair, University of Washington - Seattle, Washington
  • Kenyan public librarians’ role in mobile-centric information access (2018)
    CHANGE Seminar - Seattle
  • Measuring City of Seattle’s Progress on Digital Equity (2018)
    2018 Community Indicators Consortium Impact Summit: Community Indicators in Action - Minneapolis, MN
  • Mobile Information Literacy: Adaptable curriculum for smartphone users in Myanmar and Kenya (2018)
    Mobile Learning Week - Paris, France
  • Inclusive Data Practices: Strengthening connections with rural communities
    online