If you are new to the site, please see the About page to see what we were up to, and page through all the great profiles of the 2009 Shovers and Makers.

Since 2003, I’ve been the e-resources librarian at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

I received my MLS from Indiana University with concentrations in library instruction, electronic resources, and intellectual freedom. Additionally, I completed a masters in Educational Technology/Instructional Design from San Diego State University in December 2007.

The work that excite me the most, and coincidentally, appears to be the most Shover & Maker worthy, includes the collaborative creation of an open source ERM with my colleague, William Doering, and, becoming an embedded librarian so that I could “know thy user” and better teach information literacy. Perhaps just as exciting as being an embedded librarian is seeing a colleague and friend get excited about it too!

I also initiated and again worked with William Doering to create a price-sharing project that enables University of Wisconsin librarians to share e-resource subscription information so that we can more effectively negotiate subscriptions and form buying groups.

Recent professional development participation includes FB, FF, and Twitter.

I’m generally responsible for all of the library’s tech needs. Among other things, I provide support for all library computers – staff and public. I serve on the FL State University Libraries OPAC subcommittee. I also act as liaison for Circulation, ILL, and Technical Services staff in the use of Ex Libris’ Aleph system. I’ve also spent several semesters staffing the reference desk.

I’m currently collaborating with a team of people from diverse departments at the College in the creation of a new digital image database for Art History faculty – and perhaps someday Archeology and other disciplines Faculty as well – to use for teaching their classes. This exciting new project means new skills – cataloging cultural objects and database management – and new technologies – MDID and imaging.

I love using the new social networking tools available to keep abreast of what other LSW members are doing in their respective fields! It’s amazing how much I’ve learned from others over the past year or so, and I look forward to someday having something relevant to share that may help others as well.

I can be found as nspaid in various places around the web: FF, FB, twitter, gmail, flickr, delicious, etc.

PS – Go Rays!

I also like to shove resources around at work, which most recently was as an Electronic Resource Librarian at the University of Connecticut. I am currently shoving my way south where I will direct the Park Library at the University of North Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (starting June 1). I look forward to rejoining my NewsLib colleagues after a 10-year absence; hopefully there will be some cross-pollination between my favorite f2f group and my favorite online group, the Library Society of the World.

My talents include assessing and pontificating about web usability, shoving resources into my patrons’ faces, serving as a dental hygienist to my feline companions, and making “best of the year” mix CDs for my friends. I’m very good at ordering clothing and shoes online, and I’m a pretty good teacher and librarian-maker. I’m relatively consistent at blogging, too, about matters relating to cognitive science, librarianship, and related topics; take a peek at CogSciLibrarian.

I would like to thank the LSW Academy for the award, and I congratulate all of my S&M colleagues!

I got my MLIS from Florida State University last year and got my first professional position in October as the Digital Collections Archivist at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. I’m currently setting up our digital collections and implementing some outreach sites on Flickr and Facebook, as well as redesigning the website and starting a departmental blog.

In my copious spare time I’m hoping to grow tomatoes in my backyard this summer and to begin the MSIS program at KSU in the fall.

The following summer she found herself shoving her way into library politics by writing a letter to the neighboring town’s public library regarding their policy to only employ resident teenagers, rather than the most qualified person for the job. That successful foray into library politics earned her the next open page position with that library. Needless to say, her parents were thrilled. (Sadly, her father is still waiting for Jennifer to become a full chapter.)

So her shoving and making started early and hasn’t stopped. Most recently, as Head of Technical Services at The College at Brockport, she has had success shoving thoughts back and forth with colleagues. Locally, that has resulted in the creation and implementation of a Banner-based library material ordering module that automates the movement of requests through a two-step approval process. State-wide she’s been an active member of the group making progress in cooperative collection development projects across the SUNY comprehensive colleges sector. (Let’s go C4D!)

• Participating in Radical Reference, supporting activists and independent journalists “online and in the street”
• Curating the zine collection at Barnard College
• Making my own zine Lower East Side Librarian
  (available in Winter Solstice Shout-out and Reading Log editions)
• Blogging about Library of Congress Subject Headings (what would Sandy do?), reviewing books and zines, and commenting on whatever all else strikes me at a moment when I have a moment to write it down
• Writing and talking
• Feeling guilty about not doing all the other stuff I stuff I feel should be doing
• Worshiping my cats
  

So anyway, thanks for this award. I’m proud to be in such fine company.

Shovers and Makers are fierce.

-Steve