Statement
LITA’s members are community partners, educational leaders, and opportunity-builders. That’s because technology underpins virtually everything that happens in libraries. These roles create opportunities for leadership, and standards-setting and requires enthusiasm, flexibility, and trust. LITA is not alone in its exploration of significant possible changes. As we engage in this work, we must strive for transparency, collegiality, and shared ownership in decisions. Because library technology crosses functional and structural boundaries, people from all facets of library work must be welcomed here. That work isn't always easy, but is always vital, and LITA must make sure that diverse voices always have room at the table. LITA's greatest strength is in its members. LITA, in any form, should stand as the professional home for all library technologists, at all levels, in all types of libraries. We’re all in this together.
Current Position
Instructional Technology & Assessment Librarian
Georgetown University Library
Previous Positions
- Data Visualization Specialist. Westat, Inc. 2016-2017
- Librarian for Sciences & Research Data Support. Old Dominion University, 2014-2016
- Substitute Librarian, Nassau Free Library, Nassau, NY, 2014
Major Accomplishments
I've been fortunate to spend my library career working in liminal spaces, from back-end technology support and creation to front-end user-focused activities. It’s in these border-crossing roles that I've worked on the projects that make me most proud.
At Old Dominion University, I was local coordinator and convener for the Virginia Data Management Bootcamp, a program training Virginia researchers in data management best practices with colleagues across the state university system. During a brief stint in the corporate world, I improved my drupal chops by running a federal website for grant-recipient public schools and honed my data-science sensibilities in big-data visualization.
Most recently, I founded the Instructional Technology program at Georgetown University Libraries, allowing me to assist colleagues in using technology to improve their teaching and learning environment. Additionally, I am a member of the Continuing Education Steering Committee and Chair the Instruction Forum, both professional-development focused teams.
Nationally, I've been proud to serve as the chair of a number of LITA committees, particularly Assessment & Research, and was elected to the board in 2016.
Honors and Awards
- ODU Libraries Superstar (March 2015, April 2015)
- Syracuse University "Librarianship Into the Future" scholarship recipient (2011-2013)
Publications
- Topher Lawton: "Unlocking Awesome: Libraries, deliberate practice, and instructional technologies." Conference Presentation, LITA Forum (2018)
- Lawton, Christopher: Intentional Synergy: The Librarian as Co-Learner. Book Chapter. 2015. The 21st Century Librarian (Brad Eden, series ed.)
- The Hack Library School Team: "The HLS Guide to Library School." 2013
Degrees and Certificates
- Syracuse University, Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Data Science, 2014
- Syracuse University, M.S. Library & Information Science, 2013
- Franklin Pierce University, B.A. Music, 2010
Division Affiliations
- LITA
Round Table Affiliations
- Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT)
- Library Research (LRRT)
Were you a Spectrum Scholar?
No
Were you an Emerging Leader?
No
ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities
- LITA Director-at-Large, 2016-2019
- LITA / Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship Committee, Chair, 2018-2019
- LITA Assessment & Research Committee, Chair, 2015-2016
- LITA / Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship Committee, Member, 2017-2018
- LITA Assessment & Research Committee, Member, 2013-2015
- LITA / Ex Libris Student Writing Award Committee, Member, 2013-2014
Offices Held in State, Regional, and Other Library Associations
- Virginia Data Management Bootcamp: Convener, 2016
- Virginia Data Management Bootcamp: Local Coordinator, 2015
Links to Further Information