Shepherd University Professor’s Book Earns National Recognition on 2026 Outstanding Reference Sources List

ISSUED: 11 February 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - A reference work by Shepherd University faculty member Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, professor of English and coordinator of rhetoric and composition,has been named to the 2026 Outstanding Reference Sources List. Hanrahan's book, American Women Writers of the 19th Century, published by McFarland & Company, was one of only ten reference titles selected this year.

American Women Writers of the 19th Centuryoffers readers accessible, authoritative entries on 78 authors, including Louisa May Alcott, Emma Lazarus, and Zitkala-Ša, along with key texts, literary movements, and historical contexts that shaped women's writing in the 1800s. Each entry includes cross-references and suggested readings, supported by a comprehensive bibliography and detailed chronologies.

The annual Outstanding Reference Sources List is compiled by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association, and recognizes the most significant reference publications of the previous year. Hanrahan's book was selected by RUSA's Outstanding Reference Sources Committee, which evaluates titles based on depth, usability, and value to public and academic library collections.

The Outstanding Reference Sources List highlights reference books that provide coverage, organization, and usefulness for library services. Titles chosen for the list are considered essential additions to reference collections in libraries nationwide. 

For more information about Shepherd University's Department of English, History, and Modern Languages, visit https://www.shepherd.edu/ehml.

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