SUMMARY
As a bilingual information specialist (English/German) with over five years of experience in information- and analysis-driven environments, I have been functioning as a change agent advocating for librarians to expand their analytic and visualization skills. I am striving to obtain an analyst position that allows me to utilize my analytic and interpersonal skills and to support the mission of my employer.
- Specialties: Information retrieval, content analysis, data mining, open-source intelligence, disaster preparedness and response.
- Accurate and detail-oriented: Ability to analyze an organization’s mission and strategies, conduct analyses involving complex variables and interpret the results to suggest improvement and implementation of policies and procedures. Work well under tight deadlines and bring innovative ideas to the table.
- Effective Communicator: Work well with staff at all levels, either as part of a team or individually. Equally comfortable dealing with a variety of customers. Proven leader with the ability to delegate and keep teams on track (2013 Chair of the Government Information Division, Special Library Association).
- Computer-Literate: Proficient in Excel, Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Word. Familiar with Drupal, HTML, PHP. Expert user of a variety of databases. Proven ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies.
EDUCATION
University of South Carolina
School of Library and Information Science, Columbia, SC
Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) | GPA: 4.0/4.0
Focus: Competitive/business intelligence, data mining, emerging issues/trends analysis
Westfaelische Wilhelms-University, Muenster, Germany
Master of English Linguistics (MA)
Minors: Political Science, Comparative Literature
EXPERIENCE
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library (NAL)
Web Developer/Reference Librarian (through LAC Group)
- Support the research, information distribution and technical activities of several programs and research efforts within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- As part of a team effort, use technical expertise to analyze the library’s virtual presence and re-design the core web site using content strategies, plain language and responsive design to achieve a service-oriented architecture.
- Use content management skills to evaluate content suggestions for the program’s general and bureau specific web portals such as the education and outreach efforts of the library.
- Create, manage and publish new content, and refine policies along the way as necessary.
- Produce concise monthly briefings for the reference team leader and division leader to ensure that the desired outcome of each task has been achieved.
- Analyze the information needs of USDA employees and other patrons and execute database checks to retrieve data and information relevant to their requests (AGRICOLA, AGRIS, BIOSIS, and MEDLINE, among others).
- As part of the restructuring of the library, analyze customer satisfaction with the web site. Analyze internal and external resources to develop new policies and standards.
- Developed a policy for answering letters that reach the library from correctional facilities nationwide.
U.S. Department of Transportation, National Transportation Library (NTL)
Information Specialist (through HeiTech Services, Inc.)
- Identified, evaluated and synthesized data to support a variety of U.S. DOT programs and agencies, including the FAA.
- Developed learning materials and documents for internal and external events (webinars, presentations).
- Served as liaison between the Office of Airline Information, providing research support for aviation traffic and financial data using the DOT’s database TRANSTATS.
- Contributed to the library’s online repertoire of technical documents.
- Using internal knowledge sharing networks to improve intra-agency communication (SharePoint).
- Diplomatically interacted with a wide range of customers (public, for-profit, local, state and federal government agencies as well as Congress and the White House). Also assisted the Congressional Research Service by providing them with aviation data.
- Assisted with the re-design of the Bureau of Transportation Statistic’s website, using HTML, XML, PHP and CSS.
- Made recommendations to improve the user-interface and the overall web site design.
- Increased the weekly page views of the library’s Facebook page by 107% from January to August 2012.
- Served as liaison between the library and the Climate Change Core Team at the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), select web site content according to the team’s specifications. Worked with Oracle database administrator to publish resources according to various standards.
- Served as liaison between the library and the Western Transportation Knowledge Network.
Central Rappahannock Regional Library
Law Librarian
- Developed and maintained the law collection of about 10,000 volumes.
- Created and distributed legal research guides.
- Provided law reference and research services for the public and Fredericksburg bar attorneys.
- Maintained law wiki/blog and social media, contributed to staff/public wiki.
- Served as an instructor for classes teaching research skills classes using digital resources (LexisNexis, Westlaw, THOMAS) as well as print resources.
- Responsible for providing reference services to incarcerated people within the library’s service area.
- Trained patrons and staff in MS Office.
Library of Congress, Business Reference Section
Summer Intern
- Revised and annotated the Entrepreneur’s Guide to Small Business Information.
- Served as instructor for research strategies.
- Provided on-site and virtual reference and research services to users of the business collection.
- Provided reference and research services for remote national and international customers.
- Instructed patrons in the use of the library’s physical and digital resources.
Peumansend Creek Regional Jail
Librarian
- Solo librarian, responsible for acquisitions, collection development, cataloging, and circulation.
- Maintained and developed the library collection of approximately 3,000 books, including legal materials, to provide a balanced collection within a correctional setting.
- Increased inmate library participation & book check-out by 30% and overall satisfaction with the library by 60%.
- Reduced the average number of overdue books by 50%. Improved and developed library services.
- Trained inmates in the use of legal print publications as well as the use of Westlaw.
- Trained and supervised inmate library assistants.
- Served as instructional resource consultant for teachers and other jail staff.