Antonio Barrera Selected for 2025 Association of Research Libraries Intensive Learning Program

Antonio Barrera, associate director of information technology for Rutgers University Libraries, has been chosen as a fellow for the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Intensive Learning Program. This highly competitive program accepts 20 fellows per year from research libraries and archives in major public and private universities, federal government agencies, and large public institutions in the United States and Canada.

The ARL Intensive Learning Program is an eight-month hybrid experience that explores operational aspects of senior leader portfolios in research libraries and archives as well as responsibilities related to managing those portfolios. The program strengthens strategic thinking and decision-making skills to ensure effective leadership of research libraries in a time of rapid, continuous change. Participants experience opportunities to enhance leadership qualities—including integrity, compassion, and collegiality—as they develop their leadership skills. Fellows engage in a variety of experiences during the program, including: attending the Learning Summit and ARL Association Meeting, participating in an ARL library site visit, joining monthly educational sessions, and completing self-assessments and career-coaching sessions.

Barrera is an experienced IT professional and leader with over two decades of experience spanning web development, operations, and library technologies. At Rutgers University Libraries, he oversees a dynamic development team responsible for maintaining the integrated library system, institutional repositories, and digital transformation projects that support teaching, learning, and research across Rutgers campuses.

As technical lead for the development team, Barrera has overseen the implementation of critical applications and services that have enhanced user experiences and improved operational efficiency. In 2024, the team redesigned the infrastructure, content, and findability for booking study spaces throughout the Libraries, improving and streamlining the experience for students. In 2022, the team led efforts to make Rutgers the first North American university to release the Library Mobile app developed by Clarivate. The app provides direct access to patron course reading lists and user accounts, campus library maps, building hours, and event information. In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team implemented Alma Digital to provide a platform for rapidly transitioning in-person student exhibits into digital presentations.

“I am honored to have been chosen for this program,” said Barrera. “I look forward to the opportunity to learn from other participants and mentors, while also sharing my own experiences as an IT leader. I intend to return from the experience with increased understanding and capabilities to help Rutgers University Libraries thrive and impact the aspirations of the university.”

The ARL is a nonprofit organization of 125 research libraries in Canada and the U.S. whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. More information about the Intensive Learning Program and the 2025 fellows is available on the ARL website.