About

“An academic librarian’s stories and perspectives on libraries and the profession.”

In a nut shell

I use this blog to share the sorts of things I’m up to in hopes of facilitating conversations with others. We can all learn from each other and I strongly believe that collaborating across different institutions is what will keep us relevant as the profession moves forward.

I have a passion for librarianship and its values, particularly teaching information literacy, promoting equity of access & freedom of information, and encouraging continuous learning.

A word about me

About me, I obtained my MLS from the School of Information Resources & Library Science (SIRLS) at the University of Arizona (UA) in December 2007. I was active as the President of the Library Student Organization, our ALA Student Chapter, and co-chair of our 3rd Annual Graduate Student Symposium.

I was a full-time staff member of the Materials Access Team (access services) at the UA Library from 2005-2007. Prior to becoming staff I was a student worker (shelving, paging, maps, newspapers, circ desk, scanning, photocopy, you name it) for two years. In January 2008 I landed a temporary librarian position with the Undergraduate Services Team; later that year I was hired on permanently. I am currently an Assistant Librarian with what is now called the Instructional Services Team.

And now

Half of my current job relates to instructional support and instructional design. I regularly consult with faculty on the research components of their courses; I develop research assignments and exercises, create course guides, and teach face-to-face classes. I create tutorials using Captivate, Articulate, Adobe Presenter, and Lectora.

The other half of my job (since June 2010) has been the role of Website Product Manager. I develop and implement the road map for the library website and chair our Website Steering Group. My focus is on the  user experience, and I’ve been working on such initiatives as developing a content strategy and conducting ongoing usability testing.

Other work I’m involved in includes being a member of the library’s strategic planning team, staffing the reference desk, and organizing campus engagement activities.

I’m active in the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL); I currently chair the ACRL Committee on Ethics and am a member of the ULS Technology Committee and the IS Local Arrangements Committee. See my Academia profile for information on my research interests, publications, and presentations.

I hope you enjoy the blog. Thanks for visiting!

Rebecca Blakiston

See my profile on the ACRL Insider as ACRL Member of the Week (2008)

E-mail me