As the new guy on the TechSource blog, I'm obliged to introduce myself to the readership, in order to try and give everyone some idea of what to expect over the next year from me. Since I don't really know what ideas will float to the surface in the upcoming year, I think the best way to introduce myself is to show you what I've been involved in in the past.
I'm the Head of Library Information Technology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and have been at UTC for the last 3 years. My research interests include copyright, especially digital issues surrounding copyright law in the U.S.; open source software and its use in libraries; and how technology is changing the educational process in higher education. As you can tell, I tend to focus on technology in one way or another, and I expect that my columns here at Techsource probably will follow that general trend.
A large part of my energy in my place of work is centered right now on building our new library; we were funded for a completely new building by the State of Tennessee, and are in the very early planning stages of that project now. The opportunity to build a brand new academic library only comes around once a career, and it's a pretty exciting place to be.
I'm one of the founders and administrators of LITABlog, and have been involved in the production of the LITABlog podcasts series. I am also currently a co-chair for the LITA Blogging and Wiki Interest Group (BIGWIG) and am involved planning and running the ongoing BIGWIG Social Software Showcase at ALA Annual.
My personal and professional blog, Pattern Recognition, has been around since 2003, and has been featured on BoingBoing and Digg.com.
I have a book, along with Karen Coombs, coming out in late spring called Library Blogging that is focused on how libraries are using blogs, how they can use blogs more effectively, and what tools are available for libraries for setting up and managing blogs. It's being published by Linworth Press, and will hopefully be useful to many libraries still struggling with how to use blogs to reach their patrons.
In my non-library related life, I'm a new father. My daughter, Eliza Griffey, was born Dec 15th and is potentially the most photographed child, per day, in the world. She also has her own blog at elizagriffey.com, although her mother and I do most of the writing these days. I'm sure she'll catch on.
I am very excited have this opportunity, and hope that everyone reading enjoys what I bring to the Techsource mix.