Statement
As an advocate for LITA (and ALA) members, libraries, and library users, I will continue to encourage grass-roots efforts to improve ALA. There are ongoing discussions about streamlining the Association to be more open and accessible to all members; I would like to continue to help make this happen. In addition to guiding and encouraging improvement of ALA services and underlying technologies, your ALA Councilor should be aware of national and international policy debates affecting libraries, and library users. Some relevant policies include: access to information, personal data protection, and preservation. ALA’s internal debate should be informed by people who are aware of how technologies in use today could be affected, depending on the resolution of these policy debates. I will be glad to continue to be a conduit for LITA members to inform Council debate on issues important to each of us.
Current Position
Scholarly Communication Librarian, 2006-present & Library Department Chair 2017-present
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
Previous Positions
- Network Services , Austin Peay State University, 2000-2006
- Information Resources Manager, SunTrust Equitable Securities, 1999-2000
- Librarian (Assistant Branch Manager), Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, 1996-1997
Major Accomplishments
As informal secretary for several ad hoc taskforces to generate successful adoption of unit- and member-initiated resolutions and organizational adjustments I built consensus and tracked document versions. Topics included ALA election process, gun violence, and surveillance among others. The surveillance resolution redevelopment required negotiating common ground from among various constituencies with differing priorities - the mentioned resoultions were approved.
Honors and Awards
- Outstanding Faculty Collaborator, Shippensburg University Office of Housing and Residence Life, Fall 2018
- Endeavor Information Systems Bon Voyage Travel Grant, March 2007.
Publications
- Dobbs, A. (Ed.) (2017). Library Assessment Cookbook. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-8866-4
- Dobbs, A. & Sittler, R. (Eds.) (2016). Integrating LibGuides in Library Websites. LITA Guides Series. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN-13: 978-1442270329
- Sittler, R. & Dobbs, A. (Eds.) (2016). Innovative LibGuides Applications: Real World Examples. LITA Guides Series. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN-13: 978-1442270534
Degrees and Certificates
- Austin Peay State University, Master of Science in Management, with honor – 2005
- The University of Tennessee, Master of Science in Library Science – 1994
- Wagner College, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology – 1990
Division Affiliations
- ACRL
- LITA
- LLAMA
- RUSA
Round Table Affiliations
- Library History (LHRT)
- Government Documents (GODORT)
- New Members Round Table (NMRT)
Were you a Spectrum Scholar?
No
Were you an Emerging Leader?
No
ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities
ALA
- ALA Council: LITA Councilor, 2013 – 2019; Councilor at Large, 2008 – 2013
- ALA Committees: Member, ALA Council Orientation Committee, 2016 – present
- RUSA Representative, ALA Advocacy Coordination Group (AGC), 2016 – present
- Member, Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) Advisory Committee, 2014 – 2018, 2006 – 2010, & Intern, 2004 – 2006
- OITP Representative, ALA Advocacy Coordination Group, 2014 – 2018
- Division Leadership Representative, ALA Conference Committee, 2014 – 2017
- Member, ALA Membership Committee, 2013 – 2017
- Member, ALA Election Process Task Force, 2015 – 2016
- Chair, ALA Website Advisory Committee, 2010 – 2013
- Member, ALA Website Advisory Committee, 2009 – 2013
- Member, ALA Committee on Committees, 2011 – 2012
- Member, ALA Policy Manual Revision Task Force, 2010 – 2012
- Member, Reactor Panel to the Presidential Task Force on the Graduated Dues Study, 2006 – 2007
- Virtual Member, ALA Membership Committee, 2004 – 2006
LITA
- LITA Councilor, 2013 – present
- Director at Large, 2009 – 2012
- Member, Executive Committee, 2013 – present
- Interest Groups Coordinator, 2009 – 2010
- Candidate for LITA President, 2012
- Chair, Online Programming Task Force, 2009 – 2010
- Web Coordinator for Committees, 2006 – 2008 & Member, Web Coordinating Committee, 2004 – 2008
Offices Held in State, Regional, and Other Library Associations
Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania (ACLCP)
- Member at Large, Governing Board, 2007 – 2010
Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty (APSCUF)
- Delegate, APSCUF Legislative Assembly, 2015 – present
Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA)
- Mentor, PaLA Archives and Digital Asset Management Project, PaLA Academy of Leadership Studies (PALS) – 2018 – 2019
- Member, Planning Committee, Teachihng, Learning, and Technology Roundtable, 2014 – 2019
- Vice Chair/Chair/Past Chair, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable, 2015 – 2017
State System of Higher Education Library Cooperative Organization (SSHELCO)
- Member, Archives SIG, 2013 – present
- Founding Member, Copyright SIG, 2011 – present
- Founding Member, Digital Assets Management SIG, 2014 – present
- Co-creator & Founding Member, LibApps SIG, 2015 – present
- Member, Reference & Instruction SIG, 2006 – present
- Member, Systems SIG, 2006 – present
TENN-SHARE: Academic Library Representative, TENN-SHARE Board, 2003 – 2005
- Member, Collection Development Committee, 2003 – 2005
- Member, Legislation Committee, 2003 – 2005
Tennessee Library Association
- Member, Restructuring Taskforce, 2015 – 2016
- Chair Technology Subcommittee, 2005
- Member, Conference Planning Committee, 2004 – 2005
- Technology Coordinator, College and University Libraries Conference, 2002 – 2002
- Technology Coordinator, Conference Planning Committee, 2001 – 2002
- Electronic Access Specialist, Conference Planning Committee, 2000 – 2001
Links to Further Information