Dear RUSA Members,
The following biographies are for the three candidates standing for election for RUSA President-Elect. This special election opens on Monday, August 17, 2015. All current members eligible to vote may cast their vote at that time until Tuesday, September 8, 2015, 6:00pm CT. A message with voting instructions will be sent on Monday. The candidates are:
1. Alesia McManus
2. Aaron W. Dobbs
3. Mary Parker
Here are the biographies:
RUSA Special Election, Summer 2015
Candidate Biographies
1. Name: Alesia McManus
Current Position: Director of the Library
Institution/Organization, City, State: Howard Community College, Columbia, MD
Type of Library: Academic
Previous Positions:
Head of Research and Instructional Services, Binghamton University, 2006-2010
Head of Science Library, Binghamton University, 2004-2006
Team Leader, Science & Technology Team, University of Maryland, 1999-2004
Degrees and Certificates: UCLA, MLS, 1991; University of California, Davis, BSc, Anthropology; University of Maryland, University College, Certificate in Copyright Management and Leadership, 2012; Binghamton University, Leadership Certificate, 2010.
Division Affiliation(s) (check all that apply): ACRL, RUSA
To which Round Tables do you belong? Library Instruction Round Table
ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities:
ALA, 1991 – present; Committee on Legislation Copyright Subcommittee, 2014 -2016; World Book Night Committee, 2012; Loleta D. Fyan Grant Award Jury, 2000-01; RUSA, 1993-present; RUSA Access to Information Committee, 2014-2016; RUSA Representative to the ALA Legislation Assembly, 2011-2016; RUSA Leadership Development Committee, 2014-2015; RUSA Ad-Hoc Task Force on Legislative Issues, Co-Chair, 2013-14; RUSA Resource Development Committee (Ad-hoc), 2012-13; RUSA Board of Directors, 2009-2012; ALCTS/LITA/RUSA MARBI, RUSA 2007-2009, Chair, 2008-09; RUSA Membership Committee, 1993-97; RSS, 2010-present; Management of Reference Committee, 2010-2012; MARS, 1998-present; MARS Nominating Committee, 2008-10; Planning Committee, 2005-2009; MARS/RSS Pre-conference Planning Committee, Co-chair, 2007-2008; Task Force to Review the MARS Web Site, Chair, 2005-06; Member, Executive Committee, 2002-2005; Achievement Recognition Certificate Committee, 2002-2005, Chair, 2004-2005; Program Planning Committee, 2000-2001, Chair, 2003-04; Web Coordinator, 1998-2002; Publications Committee, 1998-2002; Education, Training and Support Committee, 1995 – 1999, Chair, 1998-1999;
New Members Round Table, 1992-2000; Conference Arrangements, Director, 1998-1999; Self-Study/Resource Allocation Committee, Chair, 1996-1998, 1999-2000; President’s Program Committee Chair, 1995-96; Library School Outreach Committee, 1993-95; Resources Committee, 1993-94; Membership Meeting and Program Committee, 1992-93
Association of College and Research Libraries, 1996 –present; Leadership Council, 2015-16; Section Membership Committee, 2013-17; Vice-chair, Section Membership Committee, 2015-16; Copyright Committee, 2009-2011.
ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS), 2011-present; Executive Committee, 2013-16; Membership/Communications Committee, 2012-2016, Chair, 2013-2015, Co-chair 2015-16; Library Assistant Technical Education Committee, 2012-2014
ACRL/Science and Technology Section (STS), Legislation Committee, 1997-1998
Offices held in state/regional library associations, and other associations:
Howard County Book Connection, Co-chair, 2011-; a partnership of Howard Community College, Howard County Library System, and the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society to organize an annual community book read including programming and events.
Maryland Community College Library Consortium (MCCLC), Treasurer, 2014-15; Maryland Digital Library Management Group, 2013-15.
AgNIC (Agriculture Network Information Center) Executive Board, 2001-2004; United States Agricultural Information Network (USAIN), Executive Council, 2002-2004.
Major Accomplishments: For 20+ years, I have enthusiastically provided direction and leadership, through team-building, strategic planning and effective budget management, for all library services. I am proud to state that in a variety of library environments, I have always striven to create user-centered services that focused on life-long learning opportunities for our users. Because of my focused leadership on serving library users, my current library, Howard Community College Library is recognized as one of the top five student services on campus and has been rated number one by the student body for the past two years running. We have reconfigured the library space and services to promote collaborative and individual learning while increasing actual seating capacity. In addition, we’re continually seeking innovative ways to expand our ability to reach out to users and partner with colleagues across departments to design and provide Learning Commons services. I am also proud that proactive collaboration with campus administration has resulted in information literacy being moved to the fore-front one of our College’s general education goals. As a result, we’re working with faculty to promote, teach and assess information literacy competency. Throughout my career I have endeavored to provide excellent service and to help diverse populations learn about, evaluate and use the full range of information resources available to them. Highlights of my professional service include serving on the RUSA Board as a Director-at-Large, serving as RUSA representative to the ALA Legislation Assembly and chairing the Task Force on Legislative Issues, as well as serving in multiple roles within MARS including Member-at-Large, web coordinator and co-chair of the MARS/RSS Pre-conference Planning Committee.
Publications:
McManus, Alesia. “Guiding Learners: Information Literacy” in Reimagining Reference in the 21st Century edited by David A. Tyckoson and John G. Dove, Purdue University Press, 2014.
McManus, Alesia, Elizabeth Brown, Debbie Hulbert, Sarah Maximiek, and Erin Rushton. “Implementing E-reserves using the new Blackboard Content System” Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve, 16(4), 2006.
Foudy, Gerri and McManus, Alesia. “Using a Decision-Grid to Build Consensus in Electronic Resources Cancellation Decisions” Journal of Academic Librarianship, November 2005.
Links to further information:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alesiamcmanus
https://howardcc.academia.edu/AlesiaMcManus
Statement of Professional Concerns/Aspirations if Elected:
RUSA has been my professional home since 1993, providing me opportunities to grow, learn and lead reference and user services locally, regionally and nationally. As a student library assistant during my undergraduate work, I recognized the value of equitable and open access of information to every library user and connecting them to the information they sought as life longer learners. My passion for reference and user services has guided my career choices and driven my professional service.
My record of ALA/RUSA participation and leadership which currently include membership on the Access to Information Committee and serving at our representative to the ALA Legislative Assembly is testimony to my commitment to RUSA. It was my passion that compelled me to initiate a grassroots effort to save the Statistical Abstracts of the United States when the U.S. Census Bureau decided to cut this publication and to work closely with the Community and Junior Library Section of ACRL to increase its membership and interactions with its Facebook page. In the future, I’d like to lead RUSA in continuing to build on our efforts in legislative advocacy for our communities as we seek to implement the expanded charge of the Access of Information Committee.
If elected RUSA President, I would lead Association members in efforts to reach out to non-members to actively articulate and demonstrate RUSA’s value to the profession, and most importantly, to our library users. I would further our strategic goals including facilitating your engagement in RUSA activities, growing our membership through cutting-edge marketing and outreach strategies, providing you with rich opportunities for professional development, and ensuring we are effective as an organization in excelling in reaching our goals. I ask for your vote so I can give back to others what has been given me for over 20+ years -a rich, vibrant, forwarding thinking professional home.
Member of ALA since: 1991
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Name: Aaron W. Dobbs
Current Position: Scholarly Communication & Electronic Resource Development Librarian
Institution/Organization, City, State: Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg, PA
Type of Library: Academic
Previous Positions: Network Services Librarian, Austin Peay State University, 2000-2006
Information Resources Manager, Investment Banking Group, SunTrust Equitable Securities Corporation, 1999-2000
Librarian, Ooltewah/Collegedale Branch Library, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, 1995-1997;
Degrees and Certificates:
Austin Peay State University, MS Management, 2005;
University of Tennessee, MS Library Science, 1994;
Wagner College, BA Psychology, 1990.
Division Affiliation(s) (check all that apply): RUSA [BRASS & ETS (MARS)], LLAMA, LITA, ACRL [ULS & CLS]
To which Round Tables do you belong? NMRT, LHRT, GODORT
ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities:
ALA Council: Councilor at Large, 2008-2013 & LITA Councilor, 2013-2016;
ALA National Surveillance Resolution Working Group: Member, 2015-2016;
ALA Advocacy Coordination Group: OITP Representative, 2014-2016;
ALA Conference Committee: Division Leadership Representative, 2014-2016;
ALA Office for Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee: Member, 2014-2016, 2006-10 & Intern, 2004-06;
ALA Membership Committee: Member, 2013-2017 & Virtual Member, 2004-06;
ALA Website Advisory Committee: Chair, 2010-2013 & Member, 2009-2013;
ALA Committee on Committees: Member, 2011-2012;
ALA Policy Manual Revision Task Force: Member, 2010-2011;
ALA Presidential Task Force on the Graduated Dues Study: Reactor Panel Member, 2006-07;
ACRL Legislative Advocates Committee: Legislative Advocate, 2008-2013;
LITA Board: LITA Councilor, 2013-2016, Director at Large, 2009-2012 & Interest Groups Coordinator, 2009-2010;
LITA Online Programming Task Force: Chair, 2009 – 2010;
LITA Web Coordinating Committee: Web Coordinator for Committees, 2006-08 & Member, 2004-08;
NMRT Leadership Development Committee: Chair, 2003-04, Co-chair, 2002-03 & Member, 2002;
NMRT Web Steering Committee: Member, 2002.
Offices held in state/regional library associations, and other associations:
Pennsylvania Library Association Teaching & Learning Roundtable: Chair-elect/Chair, 2015-2016;
University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences Alumni Society: Vice-president/President/Past-president, 2012-2015;
LYRASIS Electronic Resources Advisory Group: Member, 2008-present;
Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania Governing Board: Member at Large, 2007-2010;
University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences Alumni Board: Member at Large, 2007-09;
ExLibris Users Group-MidAtlantic Region (EMA): EMA Conference Planning Committee, Local Arrangements Coordinator, 2008;
Tennessee Digital Freedom Network: Co-founder and Forum Administrator, 2003-06;
TENN-SHARE: TENN-SHARE Board, Academic Library Representative, 2003-05;
Tennessee Library Association: Annual Conference Planning Committee, Technology Coordinator, 2000-01, 2001-02, & 2004-05.
Honors and Awards:
Endeavor Information Systems, Bon Voyage Grant, 2007.
Major Accomplishments:
Many of “my” accomplishments result from successful collaboration with diverse, talented people. Efforts with which I am proud to have been involved include: improving usability and assessment at my library by implementing LibGuides, SerialsSolutions Resource Manager, and EBSCO Discovery Service; co-editing two LITA Guides on using LibGuides to enhance online library services; co-authoring book chapters on leadership, online credibility, and evaluating library services; editing the forthcoming Library Assessment Cookbook; and incorporating ideas developed by the ALA Policy Manual Revision Task Force to clarify the ALA Policy Manual. Outside the ALA umbrella, I am proud to have been involved in co-founding the Tennessee Digital Freedom Network (TNDF). TNDF successfully used direct citizen action and group lobbying to block the Tennessee version of the S-DMCA in 2002 and 2003 on behalf of consumers and library users.
Publications:
Dobbs, A., Sittler, R., & Cook, D. (Eds.) (2013). Using LibGuides to Enhance Online Library Services. LITA Guides Series. Chicago: ALA Techsource.
Knight, M., Knight, R., Goben, A., & Dobbs, A. (2013). “Theory and application: Using social networking to build online credibility.” In Apostel, S. & Folk, M. (Eds.) (2013) Online Credibility and Digital Ethos: Evaluating Computer-Mediated Communication. Hershey: IGI Global.
Dobbs, A. & Cook, D., “Using Rubrics to Qualitatively Assess Library Services.” in Cook, D. & Farmer, L. (Eds.). (2010). Qualitative Assessment for Librarians. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.
Links to further information:
Ridiculously complete CV: http://webspace.ship.edu/awdobbs/cv_full.pdf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awdobbs
Statement of Professional Concerns/Aspirations if Elected:
RUSA is where people who care about library users find their ALA Home. Whether our focus is in business, collections, emerging technologies, history, reference, sharing information and resources, or some combination yet undreamed of, RUSA has it covered. Like many divisions, and ALA itself, our membership numbers peaked in 2007 and have been slowly sliding ever since. In my decade-plus of ALA- and Division-level governance participation I have seen (and worked to minimize) the fallout from these membership declines. I feel it imperative that RUSA continue to lead the ALA Divisions by identifying additional logical (other small to mid-sized) divisional partners, as we have with ASCLA, to combine our efforts with good divisional partners and maintain our continuing excellent service for our members.
Member of ALA since: 2000
_________________________________________________________________________________
- Name: Mary Parker
Current Position: Associate Director, Minitex, Minneapolis, MN
Type of Library: Library Consortia
Previous Positions:
Assistant Director and Electronic Resources Officer, MINITEX Library Information Network, 1998 – 2001
Coordinator of Reference Services, MINITEX Library Information Network, 1989 – 1998
Library Manager, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Library, 1986-1989
Degrees and Certificates: University of Minnesota, M.A., Library Science; University of Minnesota, B.A., Geography
Division Affiliation(s): ACRL, RUSA
ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities:
RUSA Conference Program Coordinating Committee: Chair, 2009-2012; Member, 2015-present
RUSA Learning Opportunities & Knowledge Coordination (LOKCS) Task Force: Member, 2014 – present
RUSA CODES Nominating Committee: Chair, 2014–2015; Chair, 2013-2014
RUSA Nominating Committee: Chair, 2013-2014
RUSA CODES Sophie Brody Award Committee, Member, 2013 – present
RUSA CODES: Chair-elect/Chair/Past-Chair: 2011-2014
RUSA Budget & Finance Committee: CODES Representative, 2010-2012
RUSA Board of Directors: Director-at-Large, 2007-10
RUSA Standards & Guidelines: RUSAS Board liaison, Member, 2008-2012
AFL-CIO-ALA (RUSA): ALA RUSA Co-Chair, Library Service to Labor Groups Committee, 2006-2011; RUSA member, 2004-2006
RUSA CODES: Chair, Collection Development Policies and Assessment Committee, 2007-08
RUSA CODES: Member, Publications Committee, 2004-08
RUSA CODES: Member, Executive Committee, 2004-08
RUSA CODES: Co-Chair, Collection Development Policies and Assessment Committee, 2004-07
RUSA: Co-Chair, MARS Preconference Committee, 2005-06
RUSA: Member, MARS-RSS Preconference Committee, 2004-05
RUSA MARS: Member, Executive Committee, 2004-05
RUSA: Member, 2nd RUSA Institute Planning Committee, 1998-2000
RUSA: Member, Membership Committee, 1998-2000
RUSA MOUSS: Evaluation of Reference and Adult Services Committee, Member 1995-1997; Chair1997-2000
RUSA MOUSS: Member, Organization Committee, 1995-99
RUSA MOUSS: Chair, Nominating Committee, 1997-98
RASD MOPSS: Member, Nominating Committee, 1994-95
RASD: Member, Nominating Committee, 1994-95
RASD MOPSS: Chair, Member, Cooperative Reference Services Committee, 1990-94
Offices held in state/regional library associations, and other associations:
Minnesota Library Association, Chair, Nominating Committee, 2011-12
Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators (Minnesota), Member, Certification Committee, 2010-14
Minnesota State Library Services, Member, Continuing Education Committee, 2008-11
National Information Standards Organization (NISO), Member, Standards Committee, AZ-Networked Reference Services, 2001-05
Bell & Howell Information and Learning, Member, Consortia Advisory Board, 1999-2001
Minnesota Library Development and Services, Chair, Member, Continuing Library, Information and Media Education (CLIME), 1996-2001
Information Access Company, Member, Academic Advisory Board, 1997-99
Minnesota Library Association Foundation (MALF), Member, Treasurer, 1996-98
Minnesota Library Association, Secretary/Treasurer, Academic and Research Libraries Division Board, 1995-98
Minnesota Library Association, Treasurer, MLA Board, 1996-97
Minnesota Library Association, Chair, Scholarship Committee and Budget & Finance
Committee, 1996-97
Minnesota Library Association, Member, Personnel Committee and Annual Conference
Planning Committee, 1996-97
Special Libraries Association, Newsletter Business Manager, Environment and
Resources Management Division, 1989-96
Minnesota Library Association, Reference and Adult Services Section, Chair-elect/Chair, 1992-93; Nominating Committee, 1996
Minnesota Library Association, Reference and Adult Services Section, MORE (Minnesota Opportunities for Reference Excellence), Chair, 3rd edition Committee, 1999-2000
Major Accomplishments:
I have served RUSA and its sections in a number of capacities through the years. I have chaired a number of RUSA-level or RUSA section-level committees in addition to contributing as a committee member on many others. Notably, I was elected to serve as a Director-at-Large on the RUSA Board for the term 2007-2010. Subsequently, I was elected Chair-elect/Chair/Past Chair of the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES). These opportunities provided by RUSA have enriched my professional life and have given me a strong foundation on which to continue serving the library profession in new ways.
In my positions at Minitex, a multi-state library consortia serving all types of libraries, I have had the rewarding experiences of managing and building a statewide database program known as Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM); the Reference Outreach & Instruction service, which administers and staffs AskMN: The Librarian Is In!, Minnesota’s statewide virtual reference service; and a cooperative purchasing program for eresources and library products.
Publications:
Co-author, “A case study: planning a statewide information resource for health professionals: an evidence-based approach,” Journal of the Medical Library Association, 97(4), October 2009
Whitlatch, Jo Bell. Evaluating Reference Services: A Practical Guide. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. Part IV, Reference Assessment Annotated Bibliography, was sponsored and coordinated by the Evaluation of Reference and Adult Services Committee (ERASC), Management of User Services Section (MOUSS), Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), ALA. Chaired ERASC, led committee’s process, and contributed annotations.
“Cooperative Reference Services Policy Manual: A Model Outline.” RQ 35.2 (1995): 195-202. Chair and contributor, Cooperative Reference Services Committee, Management and Operation of Public Services Section (MOPSS), RASD.
Statement of Professional Concerns/Aspirations if Elected:
Library staff and our library users across all types of libraries face an onslaught of changes and challenges. More resources are offered and in more formats than ever before, new technologies are introduced with increasing regularity, and innovative services are created to address the diverse needs of diverse user populations. It requires ongoing creativity and work to reshape these services to best meet the needs of our users and to teach them to use new resources, learn new technologies, and adapt to new service models. RUSA provides a dynamic infrastructure through which we can positively shape reference and user services of the future. Through programming, meetings, online learning, publications, and more, members can reflect upon and address the issues facing libraries, staff, and our users and transform our services.
I welcome the opportunity to engage RUSA members in addressing these changes. If elected, I would work to expand RUSA’s organizational outreach to new and renewing members. Increased efforts to recruiting, actively involving, and retaining members is critical to the health of RUSA. We need to attract and engage those entering the profession through those retired from library employment — encouraging them to grow, develop, and contribute professionally through their membership in RUSA. To do so, we need to offer rich, vibrant development opportunities. I want those who are focused on how to best serve their users to see RUSA as their professional home. Just as RUSA contributes to the professional growth of its members, so too will a strong membership support a fiscally strong RUSA that can offer more to its members.
Member of ALA since: 1990