John Mack Freeman
Biosketch
John Mack Freeman (he/him) is the Assistant Dean for Interdisciplinary Initiatives and Director of Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons. He has a M.L.I.S. from Valdosta State University and a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Theatre from Shorter College. Freeman is charged with providing academic leadership to the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons. He also directs the Library's affordable education initiatives. Additionally, Freeman provides leadership for the 24/7 Public Services team which is charged with assisting users throughout the Georgia Tech community with their needs through the libraries many service points.
Freeman was a 2015 American Library Association Emerging Leader, the 2021 recipient of the Georgia Library Association’s McJenkin-Rheay Award, and a 2023 recipient of a Georgia Library Association Presidential Commendation. He is a current board member of the Georgia Library Association and the Georgia First Amendment Foundation. His research interests include library services to traditionally under-served populations, privacy and surveillance in library spaces, the intersection of libraries and public policy, and equipment lending in libraries.
Research Interests
John Mack Freeman examines how politics reshapes public institutions and the people who lead them: their research centers on the politicization of U.S. libraries since 2018, retention and turnover, and organizational responses. Methodologically they favor grounded theory and qualitative interviewing, with mixed methods when space-use or operational data can clarify practice. Additional work addresses student experience in learning-commons environments, open government and records access, intellectual freedom, and practical services improvements for libraries operating in high volume environments.
Teaching Interests
Freeman instructs GT1000, ensuring that students have a good foundation for their undergraduate experience.
Education
D.P.A. - December, 2025
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia
M.L.I.S. - December, 2013
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia
B. A. in Theatre - May, 2009
Shorter College, Rome, Georgia
B. A. in English - May, 2009
Shorter College, Rome Georgia
Recent Scholarly Output
- Freeman, J. M. and Holdsworth, E. (forthcoming). “’Listening to Shakira is an important part of the process’: On the importance of ‘non-productive’ labor in the university library” in Library Jackassery
- Freeman, J. M. (forthcoming). You work for the public; your thoughts aren’t sacred: Responding to Antelman’s false crisis in the privacy of thought. The Political Librarian Journal.
- Freeman, J. M. and Ellis, J. (2025). The expert behind the desk: Collaborative cross-training in unlocking potential in frontline academic library staff. Journal of Library Administration. 65(5). https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2025.2518007
- Freeman, J. M. and Nagel, G. (2024). Curricular support, equipment lending, and a defense of evolving extant library services. The Journal of Academic Librarianship. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2024.102985