Robin Ewing

ALA Divisions:

ALA Roundtables:

woman in glasses wearing a black polo shirt. she is standing in front of library bookshelves
Describe yourself in three words:

Funny, curious, collaborative.

What are you reading (or listening to on your mobile device)?

For book clubs, I’m reading The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety also by Hilary Mantel, and Be a Revolution by Ijeoma Oluo. I’m also reading Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud by Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman and XPD by Len Deighton. 

Describe ACRL in three words:

Opportunity, supportive, empowering.

What do you value about ACRL?

I value the professional development opportunities ACRL offer. With the ACRL Conference, ACRL courses, programming at ALA Annual, webinars, discussions, etc., there’s always an opportunity to learn what’s new in the field. I also value the opportunity to serve on ACRL committees. This service gives me a chance to do things I don’t do in my day-to-day work and to collaborate with colleagues from all over.

What do you as an academic librarian contribute to your campus?

In my work as the Collections Strategist Librarian, I contribute to student and faculty success by continually reviewing library resources to ensure we have the best mix to support their research needs. In addition to the usual assortment of library instruction, research consultations, and chat, librarians at SCSU also teach the three-credit course Critical Thinking in Academic Research. Seeing students improve their skills over the semester is an unbeatable thrill.

In your own words

In my previous life, I was retail supervisor/manager for 14 years. I enjoyed the chaos of the of the holiday season. You don’t know busy until you’ve worked in a Class VI (liquor) store on New Year’s Eve! While I enjoyed helping customers, there was always a tension in the interactions because we both knew I wanted them to buy merchandise. Being an academic librarian allows me to help people just because they need help. I’m not trying to sell them anything. I also like taking on new roles and responsibilities and learning best practices. Pretty much everyone I work with has heard me say, “I read an article ...”

Pronouns:She/Her/Hers

Title:Collections Strategist Librarian

Workplace:St. Cloud State University Library

Location:St. Cloud, MN