Janice Rice MA’75 has devoted her life’s work to strengthening libraries and expanding information access for Indigenous communities across Wisconsin and the nation. An Elder and member of the Ho‑Chunk Nation, Rice’s commitment to inclusive librarianship traces back to her upbringing in Tomah, WI, as a teenager working in the local public library. “The doors were open to everyone, and everyone came in,” she recalled.
As a graduate student in Library & Information Studies at UW–Madison, Rice found mentors, like former directors Margaret Monroe and Louise Robbins, and a campus community that made space for her interests and identity. “It was enjoyable and important to have that support and that feeling of a place to go, a place to call home,” she said. Those years set the stage for a career defined by service, partnership, and the critical work of advocating for Indigenous communities through the inclusive power of libraries.
For a career dedicated to those impactful causes, Janice Rice is a worthy recipient of the 2026 CDIS Distinguished Achievement Award.
Finding community in Madison
Rice arrived at UW–Madison in the early 1970s to pursue her master’s degree, as well as a specialist degree in American Indian librarianship under Professor and Director Emerita Margaret Monroe. She was pleasantly surprised by the level of personalized support and outreach provided at such a large, public research institution.
“They recruited me and continued to follow through and be supportive all the way along,” she said. Resources came not just from the iSchool, but from the American Indian Studies program and fellow students at Witte Hall, which at the time was the graduate student residence hall. But the sense of community fostered by the iSchool was undeniable. “The iSchool provided lockers for us; a place to put your things, faculty to connect with,” she reflected. Beyond the mentorship of Monroe, other faculty left their mark as well, including Professor Emeritus John Boll, whose dry humor made Government Documents class unexpectedly joyful.
“The iSchool combined all their resources to make a student’s path inviting and to keep you there,” she explained. It’s a tradition she would carry forward into an influential career on campus and off.
A champion for tribal libraries
Rice’s path into tribal librarianship began before she moved to Madison. As an undergraduate at UW–Milwaukee, she served as a student representative to the Great Lakes Inter‑Tribal Council, Education Committee, an early experience that connected her to statewide library and education networks she would build on in the decades ahead.
After her formative years as a graduate student, she took on a role as a librarian at Helen C. White Hall on the UW–Madison campus. By that time, her circle had widened to include people like former iSchool Director Louise Robbins, with whom she served on a statewide committee. Both shared a passion for tribal libraries and communities, and they began to collaborate on new outreach efforts. Working with Robbins “felt complementary and productive,” Rice said.
Their work laid the foundation for the Tribal Libraries, Archives & Museums (TLAM) program, which continues to thrive at the iSchool today. During the first TLAM student lead course, Rice remembered taking breaks from her job at College Library to attend the program and support the instructor. She answered questions, helped connect students to the communities they’d be visiting, and joined early service‑learning trips. “It was really exciting,” she said. TLAM’s work has expanded in recent years, including a collaboration with the Ho‑Chunk Nation, supporting the opening of their first tribal library.
This work has always been bigger than one library, Rice said: It’s all about “including Indigenous people in the pathway forward.”
Inclusive leadership
Rice’s impact stretches well outside of Wisconsin. She served as president of the American Indian Library Association (AILA) and later as co‑chair of the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color, roles that connected her with colleagues across the country and amplified her advocacy on a national scale. Additionally, in 2009, Rice received the UW System Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award, recognizing her contributions to fostering diversity, cultural understanding, and community engagement.
Rice’s view of the purpose of libraries is clear. “We’re the hub of the community,” she said. When she travels — for conferences or leisure — she always finds the local library, to orient herself. “I go to whatever library is in that city or town and I just begin to feel like a part of the community.”
For students considering careers in library and information science, Rice sees more possibility today than when she started. The iSchool’s interdisciplinary approach now opens paths she couldn’t have imagined. “There are many more options now that I didn’t see as a student,” she said, including growing fields from cybersecurity and data privacy to information ethics. “That broader picture is something incoming graduate students can benefit from.”
Rice has spent her career helping libraries fulfill the role she first saw in her hometown of Tomah: welcoming community hubs where everyone feels they belong. For her immeasurable impact on campus and beyond, Janice Rice is a truly deserving recipient of the 2026 CDIS Distinguished Achievement Award.
Meet all eight of the 2026 CDIS Distinguished Achievement Award winners.
Learn more about the TLAM program on its website or read about how TLAM helped open the Ho-Chunk Nation’s first library.