Scout Bell (they/them) — Also known as Emilia C. Bell (pronounced emi-lee-ah). Hear my name
I’m a board director, NFP co-founder, and library leader working at the intersection of governance, libraries, open knowledge, and disability inclusion. I bring a systems lens to my work, leading organisations, shaping strategy, and facilitating open and inclusive knowledge practices across academic and not-for-profit contexts. [Read more via my academic CV].
Currently, I serve as Manager, Research and Digital Services at Murdoch University, where I am part of the Library Executive team and deputise for the University Librarian. I lead the strategic development of library research services, the institutional repository, and digital experience (digital systems, social media, and communications). In previous roles, I led the development of Australia’s first Open Textbook data dashboard in universities, transitioning static reporting into an interactive dashboard suite for library and open education practitioners and academic authors. [Read more on my professional experience].
I’ve built and led organisations, including co-founding ANDPA, a national association and ACNC-registered charity for neurodivergent and disabled professionals in the GLAMR sector, with over 200 professional and institutional members. My work in this space has involved oversight of both governance and operations, national advocacy, community-building, and initiatives, such as a national co-design project and the production of an edited open book collection.
My research spans knowledge production, evidence based practice, and libraries. I led the development of the OPEN framework (Objective, Purpose, Evidence and Narrative), a practical and novel contribution to asking better questions and turning evidence into public value for libraries and open education.
My doctoral research at Curtin University examines open knowledge diplomacy and how Australian university libraries contribute to open and collaborative knowledge governance on global challenges such as climate change. This includes drawing on critical disability studies to understand how principles, like interdependence and collective access, might reshape how knowledge is produced and shared. [Read more on my research projects].