Jordan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Information and Library Studies degree from the University of Michigan. She later received a master's degree in sociology from Columbia University, completing the degree in 2010. Her academic preparation combined professional training in librarianship with sociological study relevant to her later interests in social policy, urban sociology, and organizational leadership.
Jordan began her professional library career in the early 1990s and completed a library residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1997–1998. During the residency she taught undergraduates, developed research guides, coordinated library participation in orientation sessions for approximately 1,500 freshmen, and revised a library skills workbook. Before joining Columbia University, she also worked at the University of Michigan. Jordan joined the Columbia University Libraries in 1999. She initially served as Social Sciences User Instruction Coordinator and Social Work Librarian, providing research instruction and developing online and print research resources. At Columbia's School of Social Work, she led workshops on research resources for social workers and supported students and faculty through subject-specialist library services. By 2012 she was Head of the Social Work Library and Acting Director of the Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary. Jordan subsequently moved into research-library leadership at the Council on Foreign Relations. She was listed as Director of Library and Research Services in 2016 and later became Managing Director of Library and Research Services. Her work at the Council has included leadership of library, archival, research, instructional, digital-resource, and knowledge-management services supporting the institution's research and policy activities.
Developed research guides and online instructional resources, coordinated Columbia University library participation in orientation sessions for approximately 1,500 freshmen, and revised a library skills workbook during her residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Authored the chapter “Interracial Dating and Marriage” for the reference work Multiracial America: A Resource Guide on the History and Literature of Interracial Issues.
(Chapter contributed by Alysse Jordan to Multiracial Ameri...)
2005Jordan served on the planning committee for Columbia University Libraries' 2009 Reference Services Symposium and participated in professional library symposia and instructional initiatives focused on reference services, user education, and research support.
