Dossier For Continuing Contract and Promotion
Dossier for Promotion and Continuing Contract - DRAFT
Susan J. Hurst
Business Librarian / Assistant Librarian
Miami University Libraries
Start Date: 8/19/1998
Table of Contents
Summary of Education and Professional Experience......
Professional Statement......
Part I Performance of Primary Professional Responsibilities......
Reference and Related Public Services......
Collection Development & Management......
Liaison and Outreach......
Instruction Services......
Part II - Service to the Miami University Libraries, the University, the Profession of Academic Librarianship and the Community
Service to the Libraries......
Service To The University......
Service To Academic Librarianship......
Service To The Community......
Part III Scholarship/ Creative Activity......
Grants......
Professional Presentations......
Publications......
Appendices......
Appendix 1-Primary Professional Responsibilities (Current)......
Appendix 2-Primary Professional Responsibilities Supplemental Materials......
Appendix 3 - Service Supplemental Materials......
Appendix 4- Scholarship/Creative Activities Supplemental Materials......
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Miami University Libraries Page
/ Susan HurstDossier For Continuing Contract and Promotion
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Summary of Education and Professional Experience
Academic Degrees
Master of Library Science (1998)
School of Library and Information Science
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Master of Science (1986)
Agricultural Economics,
Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Bachelor of Science (1984)
Family & Consumer Sciences
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
Academic Positions
Business Librarian
Information Services Department, Miami University Libraries, Oxford, Ohio
August 1998 -Present.
Provide general and specialized information services; including reference desk assistance, consultation, virtual reference, and technology assistance.
Develop and maintain the Libraries collections in the areas of Accountancy, Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing.
Provide research and library use instruction for the above subject areas, including individual research assistance for faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students, teaching classes on specific research topics and methods, and developing online and print instructional materials and guides.
Chair of a team charged with coordinating reference purchases for King Library. Maintain general reference collections by selecting new titles and databases, and by removing dated materials.
Library Technician
King Library, Miami University Libraries, Oxford, Ohio
Dec 1992- Aug 1997
Assisted with conservation and collection development and management in Special Collections.
Processed periodicals for binding, shelved materials, and trained student workers in the Stack Maintenance Department.
Processed book orders in Technical Services Department and followed up on problem orders.
Received and processed ordered books and materials in Technical Services Department.
Trained staff and studentemployees in ordering and receivinglibrary materials.
Professional Statement
I have always loved libraries. As a girl growing up on a farm, that was my favorite place to be, I could never get enough to read. Now as a librarian surrounded by books, I have the opposite problem; too much to read. What a great problem to have! However, while my passion for reading remains unabated, much else has changed in the field of librarianship since those days in the library as a child. Now e-books are overtaking print in many fields, and online databases and computerized library catalogs have made searching a huge number of resources fast and easy. It is only fast and easy though if you know what you’re doing. That is where my over 15 years of library experience continues to pay off. From my beginnings at King Library in 1992 working as a staff member in the technical services and stack maintenance departments, to my current position as the sole librarian for the Farmer School of Business, I have continued to learn and leverage that knowledge into improved service and resources for library patrons.
Besides my work as a reference librarian, I have a major role in instruction. Since 1998, I have taught over 500 credit and non-credit library instruction sessions, reaching over 14,300 students, total. I have also taken an increasingly active role in the collection development of the King Library reference collection, and now head the group that purchases reference materials. This in turn has led to my ability to negotiate for large- ticket print and online resources. Through skillful bargaining with library vendors, I have been able to save the library (and the University) over $200,000 in one-time and on-going fees, just in the last few years.
In addition to these professional responsibilities, I have continued to broaden my scope through service to the University and the library profession as well. My increasing levels of responsibility and expertise can be seen in areas such as my hosting the annual meeting of the Ohio Business Librarians group in 2007, my successful chairing of three recent search committees, and my involvement with the Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) of the American Library Association (ALA) through my service on the Publications Committee. In addition to these service activities, I have continued to add to the body of library scholarship by publishing journal articles and presenting at conferences. I am also the principle investigator of a current research project concerning electronic books (“User Attitudes’ Toward E-Books: A Q Methodology Study”), which was awarded a $5,000 Ingenta Research Grant from ALA in 2007.
These varied activities all come back to one place, however, my on-going interest and dedication to serving patrons as well as the profession of librarianship. As I have continued to become more known as a person who can answer questions and deal with problems, I appreciate the increasing trust and responsibility placed with me. Students, faculty, and staff, from departments across the University, come to me to locate answers to questions, help them in accessing resources, and assist with solving library-related problems. While not always one hundred percent successful, the hundreds of kudos and thank-you letters I have received over my years of service attest to my abilities to assist those throughout the university, as well as the larger local and state communities. Now, if I could just find some time to read!
Part I Performance of Primary Professional Responsibilities
Reference and Related Public Services
Part I Performance of Primary Professional Responsibilities
As an Information Services Librarian, I staff the Research Help Desk, as well as provide virtual reference services (chat, instant messaging, email), for approximately 10-12 hours per week. While my area of expertise is business, I respond to queries in all areas of the social sciences and humanities, and also the occasional science, art, and music questions that come our way. Reference is a core service of the library and I take my reference duties very seriously. I pride myself on providing consistent and high quality service and enjoy being able to assist patrons and answer their questions. As a result of this, students and faculty will ask for me by name, contact me for appointments, or just stop by my office whenever they are in the library. Whenever I see patrons in the library (or in other locations) that look as if they need help, I approach them and see if I can be of assistance. My years of experience pay off in that I am able to locate items in all the various locations, navigate through ourmyriad databases, and know who to direct people to if I cannot answer their questions myself.
In my 10 years as the Business Librarian, I have had approximately 5,000 hours of experience staffing in-person and virtual reference services, and it is one of my strongest areas. I am adept at providing in-person reference service, as well as answering real-time online questions.
In addition to my weekly shifts at the general reference desk and providing online reference service, Ialso averageover 150 individual reference interactions with business students annually, both in-person and through email. These typically require detailed in-depth responses to assist the students in locating the information needed for their assignments and research projects. Once I have assisted students, they often return to me throughout their Miami careers (and beyond), as new research questions arise.
I continue to seek out new ways to provide reference services. I was part of the original group of librarians providing virtual reference through our Chat service, which began in Fall 2001. In 2006 we added Instant Messaging (IM) as another form of reference service. I have been a part of the IM reference service since the beginning as well. Online reference allows us to provide immediate responses to patrons who are not physically in the library or who prefer to contact us online.
Since 2005, I have also been a member of the group which answers the general email reference queue. This entails approximately 1 month per year (2 2-week shifts) where I am responsible for responding to all email queries sent to the Miami Library’s general email account. This includes answering all types of questions, as well as forwarding questions onto appropriate subject specialists or staff members as appropriate.
In addition, for the last 5 years (2003), I have staffedweekly shifts in the Center for Information Management (CIM), a multimedia production facility in the libraries, assisting students with their research and technology needs. By assisting students in the CIM lab, I see the types of projects they are working on, and can contribute both research and technical assistance.
These reference activities also have a synergistic effect on my collection development skills, as I have a much better idea of the types of materials we should buy for both the general reference collection and also in my specific business areas by responding to the various reference questions I am asked daily.
Collection Development & Management
Part I Performance of Primary Professional Responsibilities
Collection development is the heart of a library. Regardless of format or technologies, our collections of materials define the type of facility we are and can either be a boon to our users or a hindrance. As Business Librarian, I am charged with developing and maintaining the Library’s collections in the areas of Accountancy, Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing.
My educationalbackground andexperiences with faculty and students greatly contribute to my collection development skills. By working closely with my departments and observing current assignments and reference questions, I remain aware of the types of materials and collection areas that are needed, and those that are being phased out. As more resources become available online, I make decisions about which print materials to cancel and which to retain in print. Each campus department is allocated a discretionary book fund by the library. I carefully select materials for my six departments, making my decisions based on reviews from professional sources, independent judgment, and inputsolicited from the faculty. I gather this input by maintaining good relations with the library liaisons in each of my departmentsandencouragingthe faculty to contact me directly about any materials they would like the library to purchase. This process allows me to spend my discretionary book funds in a timely and fiscally responsible mannerand meetquarterlyspending goals. On large ticket items, I make a point to negotiate with vendors and seek out discounts whenever possible, thus maximizing the available funds for each of my areas. I also maintain lists of desired items, including periodicals, so if additional monies become available at the end of the fiscal year, I am able to take full advantage and make the best use of the funds.
Collection Development Policies
Collection development policies are the basis upon which we build the collection. As faculty and students’ needs change, so do our collections. We also must be responsive to changing formats and technologies, with print materials being replaced by online resources, particularly for periodicals. To this end,I consistently update and revise the collection development polices for my departments. One of my first duties in 1998 was to revise the policies currently in place. I revised them again in 2003 and another revision is planned for the summer of 2008. See Appendix 2 -Primary Professional Responsibilities Supplemental Materials for the latest copies of my collection development policies.
Management of Discretionary Book Funds
My discretionary book funds for my six departments (Accountancy, Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing) for fiscal year 2007 totaled almost $50,000. I pride myself on my stewardship of these funds and my ability to work together with the departments. My knowledge of thecurrent classes and research interests of the faculty allow me to select the most useful and relevant materials. My extensive reference assistance is also a huge boon to me in collection development, as I see firsthand the assignments and the types of materials for which students and faculty are searching.
New Business Databases
I have contributed substantially by adding to the number of the Library’s online business resources. Theseadditional resources greatly benefit both the students and faculty in the business school, as well as faculty and students and staff across the University as a whole. Here are some which I have added, along with their primary users.
Year / Database Title / Primary Users of the Database2006 / Global Market Information Database (GMID) / International business & marketing classes
2006 / Factiva / All faculty, students, and staff
2006 / Business and Industry database / International business & marketing classes
2005 / Country Commerce / International business & marketing classes
2005 / Hoover’s / Business students, as well anyone seeking company information.
2004 / Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ) (later cut to pay for Factiva, which contains the WSJ) / Business school faculty, students and staff
2004 / Daily Labor report / Management and Human Resources faculty
2005 / Country Profiles / Anyone needing detailed country information
2003 / Datamonitor (now Marketline) / Businessstudents
2003 / Mediamark / Marketing students and faculty
2003 / Mergent Online / Finance and accounting classes
2001 / Sports Business Database / Marketing students and Physical Education, Health and Sport Studies students
2001 / Market Research Monitor (now a part of GMID) / International business & marketing classes
2000 / Research Insight (Now a part of WRDS) / Finance faculty and classes.
1999 / Disclosure Global Access & Compact Disclosure (since cancelled to pay for other resources) / Business students.
Negotiation Skills
Throughout my career I have become increasingly skillful at negotiating with vendors for reduced prices and educational discounts, thus stretching the library’s funds to cover more resources. Many of the databases listed above were only purchased due to the steep discounts I was able to negotiate. In recent years, I have even been asked to negotiate for packages in areas outside of my departments. Here are some examples of the deals I have been able to make.
Year / Database / We Paid / List price / Amount saved2007 / Proquest Periodical Archives / $114,744 / $275,000 / $160,256
2007 / Science Direct Backfiles / $140,000 / $168,270 / $28,270
2007 / Web of Science Backfiles / $48,017 / $55,220 / $7,203
2006 / Accounting and Tax Database / $7,500 / $19,960 / $12,460 (per year)
2006 / Consumer Market Size section of Euromonitor's GMID database / $2,000 / $7,000 / $5,000 (per year)
2005 / Country Commerce / $200 / $8,000 / $7,800 (per year)
2003 / Mergent Online / $9,000 / $29,000 / $20,000 (per year)
Collection Size Maintenance (Zero Growth)
Space constraints in King Library continue to be an issue. To this end, I have been an active participant in the libraries’ zero growth initiative throughout my career. I have weeded my collection areas in both the circulating and reference collections many times over the last 10 years, freeing up much needed shelf space for new materials. The weeding process requires taking into account a variety of information; including the number of times the item has circulated or been used internally, if the item been superseded by a newer edition, or if it is now available online. Also to be considered is the likelihood that it will be used by undergraduates for assignments and should therefore remain immediately available, versus being required for more long-term research needs by grad students and faculty, where remote storage of the item may be appropriate. Finally, the historical value of the item for future research must be taken into account. If the item can be safely withdrawn from the collection entirely, it saves space in the Southwest Ohio Regional Depository (SWORD) as well as opening up space in King, which is an even greater benefit.
Collection Development Projects
Collection development includes large projects as well as the day to day management of the collection. Here are some projects to which I have contributed.
2007 / Extensive weeding of reference collection2006 / Serials project (some titles were cut, other new titles were added)
2003 / Revisingcollection development policies
1999 / New approval profiles for Yankee Book Peddler (YBP)
1998 / Periodical review project
1998 / Revisingcollection development policies
Liaison and Outreach
Part I Performance of Primary Professional Responsibilities
My assigned departments include the following; Accountancy, Decision Science/ManagementInformation Systems, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing. This covers the entire Farmer School of Business, which includes over 170 faculty members and approximately 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. My role as sole business librarian is to serve this population as effectively as possible. This includes notifying faculty about new databases in their areas, assisting faculty and students with research projects, answering questions about locating and using library resources, assisting with the design of assignments, providing library instruction sessions, speaking at faculty meetings, purchasing books requested by faculty, and much more.
Assistance to Departments
My responsibilities in this area have grown considerably over time. In 1998 when I began my career as Business Librarian, I was originally responsible for Accountancy, Finance, Management, and Marketing. In 1999, I took on the additional responsibility of the Economics department. In 2006, I was asked to add Decision Science/ManagementInformation Systems. Both times, I skillfully balanced the increased workload and level of responsibility, contactingthe faculty and department chairs to introduce myself, speaking at faculty meetings, meeting with library liaisons in each department to update them about new library resources, keeping them apprised of their discretionary books funds, sending them book slips for selection purposes, and encouraging them to contact me about ordering books, all while continuing to serve my other departments in each of those ways as well.