Dawn Behrend


  • MLS, Library Science, North Carolina Central University
  • MBA, Business Administration, University of North Carolina, Wilmington
  • M.A., Clinical Psychology, Appalachian State University
  • B.A., Psychology, University of North Carolina, Wilmington

Dawn Behrend is an instruction and outreach librarian at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Behrend serves as the library's liaison to the academic programs of business and economics, mathematics, computer science, human services, psychology and counseling. In this role, she provides instruction, research assistance and collection development to support these areas. In addition, she manages the Carl A. Rudisill Library's social media platforms and coordinates outreach events at the library. Prior to becoming an academic librarian, Behrend worked as a clinical psychologist and continues to work part-time in private practice providing psychological evaluations. 

Behrend is active in professional library organizations at the state and national levels, including serving as chair of several Association of College and Research Libraries committees and chair of the ACRL-North Carolina Chapter from 2019-2021. Behrend will serve as the vice president/president-elect of the North Carolina Library Association for the 2021-2023 term. In addition, Behrend enjoys writing and is a regular contributor of database reviews for the peer-reviewed publication The Charleston Advisor and several internet reviews for College and Research Libraries News. Behrend's primary professional interest is in working with librarians to improve their awareness of the needs of patrons with a mental illness or neurodevelopmental disorder, namely Autism Spectrum Disorder, in order to provide equitable and inclusive access to library resources and services for this population. She offers online professional development trainings on these issues for Library Juice Academy and Amigos Library Services. Behrend has presented at several regional, state and national library conferences on these topics.