About

I’m an academic librarian at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Academic librarianship today is a blend of information systems, collections management, instruction, and technology.

 

I currently use instructional technologies to improve information literacy rates amoung students. Working amoung digital natives means that I must communicate with the same tools and speak the same language of a demographic accustomed to mice instead of pens and iPhones instead of cameras. I promote the use of screencasting software, webinars, and online learning spaces as tools to teach students to think critically and to research effectively.

My work experience and education lends itself to this interest in information literacy and digital technologies. I have worked for three years in reference services at two academic libraries and in information literacy for two of those years. Every day, I help students overcome problems they face in their research process or locate significant scholarly resources required to support their work. I also have five years of experience in student support services, including work as a personal writing tutor, as a lecturer on university-level research, and as an ESL tutor.

 

I freelance in web development consulting and in technical communications. I have been working with WordPress since 2007 and am therefore familiar with PHP, MySQL, and more importantly, with recommending solutions appropriate for client needs. I am a proponent with usability testing and audience analysis, but I balance the client’s desires with their needs and available resources; each solution is tailored to a unique experience. I have also worked as a technical communications instructor and teach students how to write persuasive messages for different audiences and different mediums, including print, PowerPoint, and the web. My professional and freelance experience combines constant interaction with students and stakeholders, with information resources and databases, all mediated through instructional and communicative technologies.

Outside of the office, I enjoy a good cup of coffee, a good glass of wine, and a good vacation to Iceland or California. I’ve recently taken up road-biking (but still have trouble fixing a flat tire) and will one day actually complete the great Canadian novel.

 

I’m an avid Twitter user and I blog about academic librarianship at thezeds.com. Sometimes I post photographs from my iphone to Flickr, as well.