I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis and earned a Master of Science degree in Library Science at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.
My current responsibilities involve directing the Learning Commons on the Cumming Campus. I manage a graduate assistant and student workers during the fall and spring semesters, promote the library to the campus constituents, participate in Library Leadership meetings, teach library instruction sessions and workshops, assist students and faculty with their research questions, host library programs and events, and coordinate library services. I am also active in university wide committees, present at professional conferences, and write for scholarly publications.
Academic Librarianship offers many opportunities to pursue scholarly projects and activities that make a difference in the lives of students and faculty. Connecting students and faculty to library resources and promoting information literacy is the ultimate thrill in my job. Students become empowered to find, evaluate, and critique information, which is a skill they will use not only in their classes, but for the rest of their lives. I also thoroughly enjoy collaboration with all UNG stakeholders including faculty. One of my favorite activities is working with faculty to identify appropriate course assignments and research activities that promote using library resources.
My involvement in the Academy of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) is inspiring my research and writing. The leaders of the Academy, Drs. Laura Ng and Mary Carney, have done a wonderful job in encouraging and motivating our group to write about our successes in the classroom with the ultimate goal of publishing articles. All of us are currently in the process of measuring student learning as a result of using innovative teaching techniques.
On the service side, my involvement on departmental and university wide committees to establish policies for our new university is exciting and fulfilling.
I arrived at UNG in December of 2012 just as the Cumming campus completed its first semester. Watching the Learning Commons grow and become the central gathering space of the campus has been very gratifying for me.
When I first came here, I realized that my approach to drawing in students and faculty would be a challenge because of the non-traditional library setting, i.e. no print books lining the shelves. My response was to make the space as inviting as possible. The furniture was rearranged so the Math and Writing tutors can accommodate more students and be more visible. The comfortable café style seating now frames the windows overlooking the Sawnee Mountain. The computer workstations are situated outside my door which is always open so that I can easily see when students need assistance.
The Learning Commons has been beautified with donations of art by Win Crannell and photography by Jack Anthony, both alumni of North GA. We have also sponsored programs for the students including an art show with QR code cross stitch samplers and an artist talk. I was very gratified when Dr. Day, the former president of NGC&SU and first director of the Cumming Campus, came by my office after his retirement and congratulated me after seeing the Learning Commons bustling and vibrant with student activity!
As mentioned earlier, I want students empowered with an enlightened approach to make sense of the world and to think analytically when seeking information. I also want them to feel comfortable in approaching me with questions and to not settle on digital site engines, such as Google, to locate information. I work very hard to promote our electronic resources, such as e-books and databases, all of which can be accessed 24/7. Most of all, I want students to become excited about research by discovering all of the available possibilities with UNG library resources.
