Portfolio
Resume & Teaching Philosophy
I have been blessed with a wide assortment of different academic and professional experiences. For that reason, I have specially formulated resumes and teaching philosophies for every job application I apply for. The below documents are mere samples of some of the work I have done and the philosophy behind it.
LIS 4000 - Libraries, Information, & Society
An introduction to information professions and the roles of libraries and other information and cultural heritage organizations in society, including professional ethics, principles, values, organizational structures, past developments and current trends, and the relevant socio-political and cultural context. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find an annotated bibliography exploring scholarship on fine-free academic libraries.
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LIS 4005 - Privilege and Equity
​This course is a reflection and discussion-guided exploration of various societal privileges and how they affect equity in library, archives, and other information professions. The topics of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status and education will be considered. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find an outreach plan for an imagined archive of queer musicology featured in much of the corpus of work on display.
LIS 4010 - Organization of Information
This course introduces basic concepts in the theoretical, practical and technological aspects of information organization. It provides an overview of the methodologies for organizing and representing information resources in library, archives and museum settings. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a research paper on bias in the Dewey Decimal System, alongside a sample of Dublin Core elements ascribed to a personal collection of vinyl records.
LIS 4011 - Information Access and Retrieval
Information retrieval is defined as the process of searching for and retrieving relevant information within a document collection. The document collection could be textual (bibliographic records, structured and unstructured data, library databased, web-based information resources, multimedia resources or numerical data. This course introduces students to important access and retrieval tools and technologies used to retrieve information that is relevant to a user’s information need. In addition to the underlying principles and processes revolving around access and retrieval, such as text operations, indexing, query languages and searching, the course covers topics such as library discovery systems, web-based information retrieval technologies and enterprise search systems. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a LibGuide created on the topic of Feminism in the United States, along with a Market Share report on the theme park industry in the United States.
LIS 4015 - User and Access Services
This course provides an overview of human information processing and user services in the changing information environment and the different communities of practice. The course introduces the concepts of user information needs, seeking and processing as a foundation for understanding users and designing user-centered information services. Students examine both traditional reference and current/emerging information services in different settings and populations. The course will also introduce them to the concepts of information literacy, user education and assessment of information services. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a sample lesson plan for a one-shot on the use of Musescore music notation software. In addition, you will find a proposal and plan for the implementation of a sensory room and resources for college students on the Autism Spectrum.
LIS 4040 - Management of Information Organizations
This course is an introduction to current theory and practice of management in information organizations. It examines the subject through the study of organizations, communications, decision-making, planning, leadership, human resources and budgeting. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find an IMLS sample grant proposal created for the Tellez Institute.
LIS 4043 - Advocacy and Marketing
An overview of advocacy and marketing foundations as they relate to libraries. The course examines practical tools and applications of both marketing and advocacy. It helps to distinguish the difference between the two disciplines and when the two should be used together. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
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Construct an advocacy pitch for a library by identifying audience characteristics and analyzing sociopolitical contextual factors.
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Compose an op-ed to advocate for a library and its offerings
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Propose a marketing plan to raise the profile of a library and its offerings
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Differentiate marketing from advocacy and describe areas of difference and overlap
As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a Marketing Plan created for an academic library.
LIS 4050 - Library and Information Technologies
This is a foundation course on the applications of information and communications technology in libraries and information agencies. Integrated library systems and the acquisition, evaluation and implementation of library automation solutions, including electronic resource management systems, are explored. The course also introduces database design, internet technology, web services, cloud computing, computer networks, telecommunications and computer security. Hardware, software and other productivity tools and utilities from organizations such as OCLC, Amazon and Google are discussed. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a group project information technology report created for WorldShare ILL.
LIS 4070 - Cataloging and Classification
This course covers theory and practice of bibliographic control. This includes the study of representative cataloging using Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2d ed., rev. with amendments and Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, machine-based representation using the USMARC formats and other standards, and subject analysis and classification using Library of Congress Subject Headings, Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification. The course will examine these with a principal focus on monographs, major media, sound recordings and serials. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find sample MARC Records created for three personal artifacts: a manuscript, a serial, and a video recording.
LIS 4321 - Collection Management
Topics addressed in this course include collection development and access policies, selection methods and practices, collection assessment, preservation and conservation, deselection, treatment of rare materials, manuscripts and archives, U.S. government publications, nonbook and digital formats management, and juvenile and other special materials. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a collection analysis project done on books of the labor movement in an Iowan public library.
LIS 4330 - Information Literacy Instruction
This course provides an introduction to the principles of library instruction and information literacy, including a historical overview of their place within the profession. The course focuses on instruction within an academic setting, but students will learn important educational theories that can be applied to a variety of settings. ACRL and AASL standards will be examined as well as types of instruction, instructional design, collaboration with faculty, various competencies, assessment and lifelong learning. The class strongly emphasizes public speaking, communication skills and the practical application of educational theory. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find lesson plan created for an academic archive along an Instructional video created jointly for this class and the culminating internship which took place remotely through Vanderbilt University.
LIS 4510 - Children's Materials and Services
This course is designed to prepare librarians to work with children (ages birth to 12 years) in libraries. Topics covered include children’s development, reading interested and needs, materials selection, collection development (including print and non-print materials), discussion of specific genres, reading motivation skills, designing a children’s area, and developing programming ideas. Students read/view/listen to and evaluate a wide variety of materials for and about this age group, prepare and present book talks and stories, become familiar with review sources, and design a one-year plan for youth services in a library setting. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find an escape room program plan designed for middle school along with a recorded storytime activity designed to engage kindergarten and early elementary students.
LIS 4520 - Young Adult Materials and Services
This course prepares librarians to work with young adults (ages 12-18) in libraries. Topics covered include young adult development, reading interests and needs, materials selection, collection development (including print and non-print materials) and discussions of specific genres, reading motivation skills, designing a YA area, programming, and intellectual freedom issues. Participants will read/view/listen to and evaluate a wide variety of materials for and about this age group, prepare and present book talks, become familiar with review sources, and design a one-year plan for a YA department in a library setting. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a Marvel Trivia program plan along with a weeding project completed at Notre Dame High School in Saint Louis, MO.
LIS 4800 - Introduction to Archives and Records Management
This course provides an introduction to the objectives and methods of the archival and records management profession, including an overview of terminology, issues and common practices. The systematic control of records throughout their life cycle – from creation through processing, distribution, organization, retrieval and archival disposition – will be covered. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a collection development policy created for the Tellez Institute.
LIS 4810 - Digital Libraries
This course provides a theoretical foundation for the study of digital libraries and discusses the technological, organizational, social and legal issues associated with the development and use of digital libraries. Through this course, students develop an understanding of digital library components and explore theoretical and practical approaches to constructing, maintaining, and evaluating digital libraries. Topics examined include digital library definitions, design and architecture of digital libraries, information access in the digital library environment, digital library users and user services, data repositories, digital curation, digital preservation, digital library evaluation and digital librarianship. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a poster presenting the group work done throughout the semester to create a special collection of scenic images on Omeka.
LIS 4820 - Digitization
This course offers an introduction to issues and trends in planning, developing, and managing digitization projects at libraries, archives and museums. The focus of the course is on the process of converting analog materials into the digital format, online delivery and preservation of master files. The course discusses collection development policy for digital projects; copyright; digital imaging technology, digitization delivery platforms; preservation; project management; sustainability; documentation; promotion; and the evaluation of digital projects. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a digitization proposal created for an academic archive.
RMS 4900 - Research Methods and
This course is intended for master’s degree students in the College of Education. Quantitative research designs, empirical methods of data collection and interpretation, and measurement issues in research are examined. As a sample of the work accomplished in this course, you will find a literature review done on the topic of librarianship in the state of Florida.