Statement
As an ALA Life Member and as an advocate for LITA members, library technologists, libraries, library users, and the public good, I will move forward efforts re-thinking and improving how LITA disseminates our information savvy and technology prowess. In addition to guiding and encouraging improvement of ALA services, LITA should be aware of and actively participate in national and international policy debates affecting libraries, library services and library users. Some relevant policies include: personal data (privacy, protection, aggregation, and use thereof), preservation (physical, electronic, locked, obsolete technologies), orphaned works, and wiretapping. I will continue to inform LITA's (and ALA's) internal debate by keeping the Association aware of how technologies in use today could be affected, depending on the resolution of these policy debates. I will be a conduit for LITA members to inform LITA & ALA discussions on these and other issues.
May I please have your vote?
Current Position
Scholarly Communication & Electronic Resources Librarian, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg, PA
Previous Positions
Systems & Electronic Resources Librarian, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, 2006-2014
Network Services Librarian, Austin Peay State University, 2000-2006
Information Resources Manager, Investment Banking Group, SunTrust Equitable Securities Corporation, 1999-2000
Degrees and Certificates
Austin Peay State University, MS Management, 2005
University of Tennessee, MS Library Science, 1994
Wagner College, BA Psychology, 1990
Division Affiliations
ACRL, LITA, LLAMA, RUSA
Round Table Affiliations
Government Documents (GODORT), Library History (LHRT), New Members Round Table (NMRT)
Offices Held in the ALA/APA, State, & Regional Library Associations, and Other Associations
ALA Council: LITA Councilor, 2013-present; Councilor at Large, 2008-2013
ALA Election Process Task Force: Member 2015-present
ALA Advocacy Coordination Group: OITP Representative, 2014-present
ALA Conference Committee: Division Leadership Representative, 2014-present
ALA Office for Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee: Member, 2014-present; 2006-2010 & Intern, 2004-2006
ALA Membership Committee: Member, 2013-present; Virtual Member, 2004-2006;
ALA Committee on Committees: Member, 2011-2012
ALA Website Advisory Committee: Chair, 2010-2013 & Member, 2009-2013
ALA Policy Manual Revision Task Force: Member, 2010-2011
ALA Presidential Task Force on the Graduated Dues Study: Reactor Panel Member, 2006-2007
ACRL Legislative Advocates Committee: Legislative Advocate, 2008-present
LITA Board: LITA Councilor, 2013-present; Director at Large, 2009-2012
LITA Executive Committee: LITA Councilor, 2013-present
LITA Web Coordinating Committee: Web Coordinator for Committees, 2006-2008 & Member, 2004-2008
NMRT Leadership Development Committee: Chair, 2003-2004 & Co-chair, 2002-2003 & Member, 2002
NMRT Web Steering Committee: Member, 2002
University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences Alumni Society: VP/President/Past President, 2012-2015
OCLC Global Council: Alternate Delegate, 2011-present
LYRASIS Electronic Resources Advisory Group: Member, 2008-present
Associated College Libraries of Central Pennsylvania Governing Board: Member at Large, 2007-2010
University of Tennessee School of Information Sciences Alumni Board: Member at Large, 2007-2009
ExLibris Users Group-MidAtlantic Region Conference planning Committee: Local Arrangements Coordinator, 2008
TENN-SHARE Board: Academic Library Representative, 2003-2005
Tennessee Digital Freedom Network: Co-founder and Forum Administrator, 2003-2006
Tennessee Library Association: Annual Conference Planning Committee, Technology Coordinator, 2000-2001, 2001-2002, & 2004-2005
Honors and Awards
Endeavor Information Systems, Bon Voyage Grant, 2007
Major Accomplishments
"My" major accomplishments are hard to quantify - pretty much everything I've succeeded in accomplishing in LITA, ALA, and libraries has come about through collaboration. Collaboration with like-minded people and also with differently-minded people. As the ALA Parliamentarian reminds us, assume everyone is working with the best intentions for improving the Association. I was part of efforts (though our now Executive Director did the real work of it then!) which brought forward the previous, ALA Connect-based, conference scheduler (a great improvement!); I've been part of efforts which have brought together disparate parts of ALA with differing ideas about how to best move ALA priorities forward and produced resolutions and actions which were approved of by all parties. We are at our best when we work together, especially when we put our differences together and build on each others' strengths.
Publications
Dobbs, A. Sittler, R. & Cook, D. (Eds.) (2013). Using LibGuides to Enhance Online Library Services. LITA Guides Series. Chicago: ALA Techsource. ISBN-13: 978-1555708801
Knight, M. Knight, R. Goben, A. & Dobbs, A. (2013). "Theory and application: Using social networking to build online credibility." In Apostel, S. & Folk, M. (Eds.) (2013) Online Credibility and Digital Ethos: Evaluating Computer-Mediated Communication. Hershey: IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-2663-8.ch016
Dobbs, A. & Cook, D. (2011). "Performance-based Self-assessment of a Library Liaison Program Using a Rubric." In Cook, D. & Farmer, L. (Eds.). (2011). Using Qualitative Methods in Action Research: How Librarians Can Get to the Why of Data. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. ISBN-13: 978-0838985762
Links to Further Information
See my ridiculously complete (all the way back to my 4th grade paper route!) Curriculum Vitae: http://webspace.ship.edu/awdobbs/cv_full.pdf
Member of ALA Since
2000