Todd Heldt is a Chicago-based academic librarian, writer, and lecturer. His work includes books, contributions to numerous literary journals, and teaching in information literacy and related fields.
He holds degrees from the University of North Texas, Texas Tech University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
He is the author of the poetry collections Card Tricks for the Starving (Ghost Road Press) and The Science of Broken People (Little Poem Press). His work has appeared widely in online and print literary journals, and his honors include the Rose Warner Prize for Poetry and the Abbie M. Copps Poetry Prize.
In addition to his creative work, Todd Heldt is a librarian and instructor whose work focuses on information literacy, research practices, and critical engagement with information. He develops open educational resources and teaches students how to evaluate and use information effectively.
At age eighteen, Todd Heldt survived a car accident that resulted in the loss of his closest friend. The experience of survival and loss continues to inform his writing, particularly themes of memory, grief, and survivor’s guilt. It also informs his approach as an instructor, shaping the patience and attentiveness he brings to his students.
Todd Heldt writes essays exploring literature, personal narrative, and cultural topics, as well as fiction. Selected essays are available through his site and external platforms. His latest project, The Forgotten Mage, is a branching, interactive narrative built using Twine (SugarCube) that explores memory, prophecy, and consequence.
Additional information about Todd Heldt’s work can be found in the following sections: