• Email me at hbraum (at) mac (dot) com for personal contact information.
• Email me at hbraum (at) nekls (dot) org for professional contact information or check the NEKLS Website.
• “Heather’s Tech Tips” blog

Education

Emporia State University

Dec. 2008, M.L.S., School of Library and Information Management. University Website.

University of Oklahoma

2005-2006, Political Science graduate program, Department of Political Science. University Website.

Oklahoma Baptist University

2005, B.A., Political Science and English, summa cum laude. University Website.

Employment

Technology Librarian

• 2009-
• Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS)
• Provide phone, chat, email, and on-site technology support to small- to medium-sized public libraries in the NEKLS service area (14 counties), including hardware, network, and software
• Co-author the NEKLS Technology Blog and the NEKLS Techology Knowledgebase, as well assist in maintaining the NEKLS Website
• Manage the NEKLS Facebook page
• Provide technology support in the NEKLS office
• Part of NExpress project team
• Present at NEKLS workshops and conferences
• Assist in troubleshooting integrated library systems, including Follett, Winnebago, and Koha
• Provide purchasing guidance for software and hardware

Technology Support Specialist

• 2007-2008
• Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS)
• Provide phone, chat, email, and on-site technology support to small- to medium-sized public libraries in the NEKLS service area (14 counties), including hardware, network, and software
• Co-author the NEKLS Technology Blog and the NEKLS Techology Knowledgebase, as well assist in maintaining the NEKLS Website
• Manage the NEKLS Facebook page
• Provide technology support in the NEKLS office
• Present at NEKLS workshops and conferences
• Assist in troubleshooting integrated library systems, including Follett, Winnebago, and Koha
• Provide purchasing guidance for software and hardware

Network Analyst I

• 2006-2007
• Shawnee Mission School District, USD #512.
• Support computer equipment at three elementary schools (Tomahawk, Briarwood, and Diemer) and Broadmoor Technical Center
• Install software, diagnose and resolve problems with stations and printers, install printers, maintain wireless laptop carts, and work with the Windows XP and Mac OS X operating systems
• Utilize department ticket-tracking system (HEAT), software-tracking system (SIRPS), and inventory system (CHAIR)
• Answer technical questions from administrators, teachers, and staff

Graduate Teaching Assistant

• 2005-2006
• University of Oklahoma, Department of Political Science
• Assistant to two professors (one was the President of the Univ. of Oklahoma)
• Assist with American Government survey courses, including classroom presentations; classroom computer; attendance; and H-ITT classroom remote system data for quizzes
• Meet with students during regular office hours; grade assignments and exams

Student Computer Technician

• 2003-2005
• Oklahoma Baptist University, Computer Services
• Repair faculty and staff computers campus wide
• Maintain records of repair work with TrackIt HelpDesk software
• Assist students with dorm network connections and virus problems

Presentations

Presentations

• 2007 ESU Summer School Librarian Institute, “Blogs and Wikis Session ”
  • Summer Institute Website
  • Presentation
• 2007 NEKLS Tech Day, “Introducing Office 2007 and Microsoft Windows Vista ”
  • Resources Website
  • Handout
• 2007 N.E.S.T., “Gadget Garage”
• 2007 Olathe Staff Day, “Introducing Office 2007 ”
  • Resources Website
  • Handout
  • Presentation
• 2008 Atchison Public Library Teen Technology Week, “Gadget Garage”
• 2008 NEKLS School Librarian Workshop, “Free and Fun! (Mostly) Web-Based Tools for Your Library”
  • Handout
• 2008 NEKLS Tech Day, “Maintenance Musts”
  • Handout
• 2008 N.E.S.T., “Casting the Net”, co-presented with NEKLS Technology Consultant, Sharon Moreland
  • Presentation Website
• 2008 N.E.S.T., “Create your own Mini-READ Posters” station

Future Presentations

• 2009 Computers in Libraries Conference, “Tiny Libraries, Tiny Tech, Innovative Services“, co-presented with Brenda Hough and Jessamyn West
• 2009 KLA/MPLA Conference, “Living in the Cloud”, co-presenters, Liz Rea and Sharon Moreland, NEKLS
• 2009 KLA/MPLA Conference, “Keeping Up with Big Daddy: Meeting 2.0 User Expectations on a 1.0 Budget”, co-presenters Alysia Starkey and Heidi Blackburn, Kansas State University at Salina

Professional Affiliations

• Kansas Library Association
• Kansas Library Information Technology Rountable (KLIRT)
• American Library Association
• Library Information Technology Association

I am in my final semester of the MLS program at Emporia State University’s School of Library and Information Management (SLIM). This portfolio is a showcase of my time at SLIM and will reflect my education, coursework, work experience, professional activities, and technology skills, as I begin my career as a systems librarian.

What is a systems librarian? According to Mark Jordan (2003), “A systems librarian is a librarian who is responsible for managing the information technology used in a library.” Listed below are a few more brief articles defining a systems librarian. I have tried to focus my courses and projects on technology aspects of librarianship during my time at SLIM, to achieve this career goal of a systems librarian. It is a fun, challenging, and rewarding profession to be in!

• “The Accidental Systems Librarian” book website (R.S. Gordon, 2003)
• “Ping, touch, head, tail: or, how to become a systems librarian” (J. Tarrant, 2002)
• “Accidental Systems Librarian” (S. Nesbitt, 2000)
• “On being a systems librarian” (S. Nesbitt, 1996)
• “WebJunction’s Focus on Systems Librarianship” (WebJunction, 2004)

Almanac of American Politics, 2006

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Barone, M. and R. E. Cohen. (2005). Almanac of American Politics, 2006. Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group.

PURPOSE

This almanac was published as a guide to governors and members of Congress, a description of each state and congressional district, and includes maps, voting records, campaign expenditures, and census data for each district and state. This material is published biannually and is a reference resource for students of government, statistics, public policy, whether they are at the college, graduate, or professorial level.

AUTHORITY

The two authors are not academics; however, both are reporters and can provide an objective summary of political data, giving the book authority, rather than a political bias. The publisher, National Journal, was referred to as “the nation’s most respected, nonpartisan source of information about how Washington’s policy-making machinery really works” (Barone, 2005, 1907) by Newsweek. As the work was published in 2005, it is current for research dealing with the 108th Congress, as well as providing summaries of 2000 Census Data. But the almanac is not chronological. Each separate edition deals with a different session of Congress.

SCOPE

The almanac is obviously limited to American politics. Its design makes it easy to use; however, with the extensive use of data and long biographies and descriptions, the book is probably good for use at a college or university library and possibly a metropolitan public library.

FORMAT

At the very beginning of the almanac, after the contents, the author includes a guide to usage of the almanac and what each section refers to. The guide also tells where the data comes from. It provides an abbreviations list for all of the various acts, groups, and parties that are included and referred to within the almanac. The guide also identifies the key votes of the 108th Congress. Each state summarized is organized in the same way, providing a familiar layout as one uses the almanac more and more.

ARRANGEMENT

The almanac is arranged alphabetically by state and an index is included in the back of the book.

ENTRIES

Within each state “chapter”, the following components can be found: an overview of the state, a map that breaks the state down into counties, as well as the congressional district(s), demographics of the state, how the state voted in the last presidential election, a breakdown of the congressional districts, and biographies of the Governor, Senators, and U.S. Representatives. Election results are included for all three groups. Voting records, group ratings, and key votes are included for the congressmen and women. For each congressional district as a part of each representative’s biography, demographics are provided for the congressional district.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Special features include the photographs available of each Governor, Senator, and U.S. Representative. The almanac also includes statistical breakdowns of each Congressional district and each state, including voting behaviors, providing a quick resource for a librarian needing fast information about past elections.

USE

The almanac can be used for gathering statistical data about a state, maps of a state or congressional district, biographies of elected officials (Governors, Senators, and Representatives), voting behaviors of the legislators, ratings of the legislators, and background of the state, especially from a political perspective.

CRITIQUE

According to Amazon.com, this almanac is available for $44.07. The book jacket shows the list price when it was published as $89.95. Regardless, the repackaging of the data available in this one volume makes the book an invaluable tool for use in a college or university library. Students needing information about states, elected officials, and demographics can turn to this “ready reference” resource and quickly be able to use it without much training or guidance. The only problem with it is that once the library starts buying it each two years, it will probably want to continue to do so, which can add up book buying costs. Even so, the information contained within this volume and how easy to use it is, makes it an important addition to a college library’s reference collection.

REFERENCES

• Barone, M. and R. E. Cohen. (2005). Almanac of American Politics, 2006. Washington, D.C.: National Journal Group.
• Information originally posted on LI813 Spring 2007 Class Wiki; information last updated there, May 7, 2007.

Indexes and Abstracts 2 | Reference Reviews Project Home | Outcome 1

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