WICHITA, KS, September 16, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Samuel Kent Willis has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Currently serving as Associate Professor and Technology Development Librarian at Wichita State University, Mr. Willis has led a distinguished career in academia and librarianship. In these roles for more than a decade, he maintains the institution's library research guide platform and discovery system, manages its catalog system along with approximately a dozen library systems, troubleshoots access issues, coordinates with other departments on campus and provides consultations and instruction to graduate students and faculty. He is further recognized for his expertise in systems integration and providing accessibility for individuals with disabilities, areas in which he has made significant contributions.

Though Mr. Willis' career counts many milestones, one of his proudest achievements is leading the migration to a new integrated library system at Wichita State University. As chair of the migration group, he worked closely with vendors and the consortium to oversee an extensive process that began with an initial request for proposals three to four years prior. Although the first attempt was canceled due to cost-prohibitive systems, he guided the successful migration once the software matured. The transition was completed in approximately nine months, a rapid timeline achieved through meticulous preparation and devoted teamwork.

Before starting his tenure at Wichita State, Mr. Willis gained valuable foundational experience as an adjunct mathematics instructor at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas.

Throughout his career, Mr. Willis has been actively involved in professional organizations that advance librarianship and information science. He is a board member and webmaster of the Wichita Area Library Association and has participated in the Summon/360 Working Group, and currently, in the MOBIUS Enhancements Committee which advocates for libraries and other vital institutions throughout academic and public spaces.

Hailing from an equally accomplished academic background, Mr. Willis earned a master's degree in library science from Emporia State University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics with a minor in history from Benedictine College. Also known for his dedication to scholarly research, he has authored and co-authored several written works and projects regarding systems librarianship education, and library vendor accessibility, with his works appearing in influential publications like the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science as well as Information Technology and Libraries.

Reflecting on his storied journey to date, Mr. Willis attributes much of his success to unwavering encouragement from family members — particularly his father's guidance during key moments — and having a strong network of personal and professional support throughout every stage of his career. His grandfather, Joseph Koch, predicted that Mr. Willis would one day be included in Who's Who in America — a forecast now realized through his outstanding accomplishments and tireless dedication to enhancing accessibility to both information and education.

Born and raised in the Wichita area, Mr. Willis comes from a family deeply rooted in education and librarianship; his grandmother was a librarian and his mother worked as a sign language interpreter, which exposed him to the deaf community and fostered his passion for accessibility work from an early age.

Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. Willis enjoys creating games and is developing a Minecraft world that models ancient Mediterranean wonders. Happily married and a proud father of two children (one of them on the way), he finds great fulfillment both at home and within his working field.

Looking toward the future, Mr. Willis intends to seek promotion to the title of full professor at Wichita State University while continuing his research endeavors focused on systems librarianship and accessibility. He also hopes to make meaningful contributions to the FOLIO community by developing enhancements to application programming interfaces and related tools, furthering his legacy of innovation and helping others through all he does within the library technology sector and beyond.

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