Janet Brennan Croft (born 1961)^[1] is an American librarian andTolkien scholar, known for her authored and edited books and journals onJ. R. R. Tolkien'sMiddle-earth fantasy. She won aMythopoeic Award in 2005.^[2]

Croft earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Classical Civilization (double major) fromIndiana University in 1982 and graduated as a Master of Library Science in 1983 at theIndiana University School of Library and Information. She has worked at theCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh and has been director and associate professor at Warden Memorial Library,Martin Methodist College. She became the Head of Access Services atBizzell Memorial Library, University of Oklahoma, in 2001 and was given associate professorship in 2007.^[3] In September 2014, she started as Head, Access and Delivery Services atRutgers University Libraries.^[4] and as of 1 July 2018, her title changed to Liaison to the School of Communication and Information and Librarian for Copyright and Disability Services. In August 2020, she became Associate University Librarian for Content Discovery at theUniversity of Northern Iowa.^[5] Her research interests focus on copyright laws concerning libraries and the work of J. R. R. Tolkien and other fantasy authors. This includes several academic lectures on Tolkien that she has held at University of Oklahoma.^[6]

Since 2006, she has been the editor ofMythlore, apeer-reviewed academic journal published by theMythopoeic Society.^[7] Among general publications onmythology andfantasy, it focuses on the three most prominent members of theInklings:J. R. R. Tolkien,C. S. Lewis, andCharles Williams. She is credited as "Tolkien Scholar" inPeter Jackson'sThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

• Croft, Janet Brennan (2004).Legal Solutions in Electronic Reserves and the Electronic Delivery of Interlibrary Loan.Haworth Information Press.ISBN 0-7890-2558-2. The book has been reviewed as valuable guide for academic libraries.^[8]
• — (2005). "Interlibrary Loan and Licensing: Tools for Proactive Contract Management". In Rupp-Serrano, Karen (ed.).Licensing in Libraries: Practical And Ethical Aspects.Haworth Press. pp. 41–53.ISBN 978-0789028792.

• Croft, Janet Brennan (2004).War and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN 978-0313325922. In this book, Croft draws parallels between Tolkien's traumatic experiences as a soldier inWorld War I and the events and characters of hislegendarium.^[9]
• —, ed. (2005).Tolkien on Film: Essays on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings.Mythopoeic Press.ISBN 978-1887726092. In a 2006 review, film theoristKristin Thompson was critical of the undertaking of film studies by literary researchers and the frequent denigration ofJackson's work in the collected essays.^[10]
• —, ed. (2006).Tolkien and Shakespeare: Essays on Shared Themes and Language.McFarland & Company.ISBN 978-0786428274.
• — (2007). "Three Rings for Hollywood: Scripts for The Lord of the Rings". In Stratyner, Leslie; Keller, James R. (eds.).Fantasy Fiction into Film.McFarland & Company. pp. 21–35.ISBN 9780786430574. An essay on the various pre-Peter Jackson scripts forThe Lord of the Rings.^[11]
• —; Donovan, Leslie A., eds. (2015).Perilous and Fair: Women in the Works and Life of J. R. R. Tolkien.Mythopoeic Press.ISBN 978-1-887726-01-6.

• American legal writers
• Library science scholars
• Tolkien scholars
• 1961 births
• Living people
• American librarians

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