Near to the Brokenhearted. ©KMPeople
Kelly Miller, Director of the Libraries’ Mindfulness and Well-Being Programs, Certified Mindfulness Teacher and Mentor, and Associate Dean for Learning and Research Services in the University of Miami Libraries. Kelly serves as the lead facilitator for the virtual mindfulness program on Wednesdays and also offers online and in-person workshops, retreats, and curricular support.
Professor Scott Rogers, Director of the University of Miami School of Law’s Mindfulness in Law Program, is a co-founder of the Programs and an ongoing adviser and occasional facilitator.
Gisele Rocha, a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT® 500) and Assistant Director in the Libraries’ Creative department, leads online and in-person mindful movement and yoga sessions.
Barbara M. Sorondo, Head of Learning, Research, and Clinical Information Services at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Louis Calder Memorial Library. Barbara is certified as a Chief Well-Being Officer by the World Happiness Academy and serves on the Miller School of Medicine Wellness Task Force.
In addition, the members of the Libraries’ Well-Being Collective contribute to developing and supporting our programs.
History of the Program
2015 – Planning for the University of Miami Libraries’ Learning Commons begins. In a participatory planning process facilitated by brightspot, students express a need for learning stress management skills and interest in meditation.
2016 – Together with Vera Spika, the former Librarian for Nursing and Health Sciences, Kelly Miller and Scott Rogers established the Libraries’ initial mindfulness meditation offerings. Weekly sessions are held in person in Richter Library’s Conference Room (Third Floor).
2019 – Enrolled in the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP), Kelly Miller joins Scott as a lead facilitator in the program.
2020 – Richter Library opens its Meditation Room in Richter Library (Second Floor). Policies to manage the room are developed in consultation with Student Government and the Chaplains Association.
2020 – Weekly sessions move to a virtual format as the COVID-19 pandemic begins and a collection of e-resources on mindfulness is developed.
2021 – Gisele Rocha, a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT® 500) and Assistant Director in the Libraries’ Creative department, begins to offer “mindful movement” sessions as well as yoga sessions.
2022 – The Libraries’ launch a library employee group called the “Well-Being Collective.”
2023 – Nyabi Benjamin, Peer Research and Learning Coordinator, develops a Libraries’ Mindfulness Resources Guide.
2024 – The Mindfulness & Well-Being Programs are formalized and are named as part of the Learning Commons service suite. Dean Eckman announces that Kelly Miller will serve as the inaugural Director.
2024 – In February, the Well-Being Collective launches its first “Day of Service” in February at Everglades National Park, and, in May, the Collective sponsors a day-long nature-based mindfulness retreat at Patch of Heaven Sanctuary.
2025 – Jose Rodriguez, Director of Access Services and the Learning Commons, announces that the Counseling Center has become a new partner in the Learning Commons.
2025 – Donn Tilson and his wife Maria donate a collection of books on spirituality and related topics. Adrian Legaspi, Librarian for History, Religious Studies, Political Science, International Studies, and Modern Languages & Literatures, receives the gift of books and curates its inclusion in the Meditation Room.
Related Publications and Presentations
Kelly Miller, Keynote, “Pivoting to the Heart: Mindfulness Practices for Library Leaders in Times of Change,” IATUL (International Association of University Libraries) Special Interest Group for Leadership (SIG-L) Speaker Series, online, August 2025.
Kelly Miller, Invited guest on The Connected College Podcast with Elliot Felix, Episode 55, “Kelly Miller on the Role of Libraries in Wellbeing, Mental Health, and Student Success.” November 2024. See also Chapter 6, “Academic Libraries for Student Success,” in Elliot Felix’s book, The Connected College (Itasca Books, 2025).
Kelly Miller, Invited Panelist, “Reflection and Sensory Rooms,” Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) Fall Meeting, online.
Kelly Miller, Keynote, “At the Heart of the Whirlwind: The Library’s Role in Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being,” AMICAL Consortium Conference 2024, online, May 2024. Illustration of talk by Verity.ink.
Kelly Miller with Guayana Paez-Acosta, “The Library’s Role in Building Community Well-Being and Resilience in an Era of Climate Crisis,” Hemispheric University Consortium (HUC) Library Network, webinar, March 2024.
Kelly Miller, panelist, “Supporting Learning, Student Success, and Wellbeing,” Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) webinar (online). February 2023.
Kelly Miller. “Fostering Community Health and Well-Being: Developing a Mindfulness Program, Meditation Space, and Employee Collective at the University of Miami Libraries” and “Experiential Mindfulness Practices for Library Leaders,” Association of Research Libraries Fall Forum, Washington, D.C., October 2022.
Kelly Miller with Scott Rogers and Vera Spika, “Fostering Community Health and Well-Being through the Development of a Mindfulness Program and Meditation Space at the University of Miami Libraries.” 42nd Annual IATUL (International Association of University Libraries) Conference, Miami, FL, June 2022.
Kelly Miller. “On Being in Libraries.” EDUCAUSE Review 53, no. 5. September/October 2018: 50-51.
Sorondo, B. M., Jimenez, C. M., & Hammill, S. J. (2022, June). Zoomed out? How burnout was associated with affect, personality, and job satisfaction among library employees during the pandemic. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Association of University Libraries, Miami, FL.
Hammill, S. J., & Sorondo, B. M. (2021, May). We love to laugh: Mindfulness and laughter yoga for stress reduction among library employees. Lecture presented at the annual meeting of the Florida Library Association, Daytona, FL.
Sorondo, B.M. (2017). Associations between affect, personality, and job satisfaction among library employees: Efficient and ethical assessment of library staff. In S. S. Hines & M. Matteson (Eds.), Emotion in the library workplace (pp. 35-56). Bingley, UK: Emerald.
Collaborative Partners on Campus and in the Community
The Libraries’ Mindfulness programs involve collaboration with partners at the University, including the University of Miami School of Law’s Mindfulness in Law Program, Chaplains Association, and community organizations.
Mindfulness Offerings Available through Campus Partners
The Lowe Art Museum offers monthly free “Slow Looking” virtual programs that provide participants with a 30-minute guided mindful exploration of selected artworks from the Lowe’s collection. Check out the Lowe Art Museum’s Events Calendar for more information about dates and times.
Questions
For questions, please contact Kelly Miller (kelly.miller@miami.edu), Director of Mindfulness and Well-Being Programs for the University of Miami Libraries and a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher (MMTCP) and Mentor (MMT).
Images courtesy of ©Kelly Miller. All rights reserved.
A Librarian