CE Buzz

The CE Buzz Blogging Team

Max Anderson: I earned my MLIS in 1999 from Florida State University, where I was named Graduate Student of the Year and was President of the Library School ALA Chapter. Shortly after graduating, I worked as a Public Access Computer Trainer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, delivering training and installing computers in rural libraries across the country. While working with the Gates Foundation, I became involved with the creation of what became WebJunction, an online portal for libraries. Currently I moderate discussion boards about funding and advocacy & teach two courses via Distance Education about the portal.

Since 2003, I have worked at SOLINET as an Educational Services Instructor. I write and teach classes on various OCLC services, web design, and general technology to librarians around the Southeast. I never thought I would be a trainer, considering I was terrified of speaking in front of groups, so I have learned a lot in the past 10 years and hopefully will have some useful tidbits to share. Recently I had the great opportunity to travel “down under” to teach classes on Web 2.0 technologies to librarians in Australia and New Zealand. I have also spoken at various conferences, including Computers in Libraries, SOLINET Users Groups, and state library conferences. Some of my interests include RFID, HTML, Internet Filtering, cataloging, and advocacy and support for libraries.

Peter Bromberg, Managing Editor. Peter is the Assistant Director of the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative (SJRLC), a multi-type library cooperative in Southern New Jersey. In addition to working on exciting initiatives such as QandANJ.org and the “Trading Spaces” project, he provides continuing education and staff development opportunities to the staff of over 630 libraries in South Jersey. Peter has previously served on the CLENE Board as Secretary, and is currently the webmaster and membership chair. He also blogs with a great group of librarians over at Library Garden. He can be reached at peterbromberg[at]gmail.com.

Steve Garwood (aka librarsteve) is an Instructor at Rutgers U. in the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies. Steve is widely known as a skilled, entertaining and effective presenter on a variety of topics ranging from technology to web design to his much loved “Cybercheats” class on plagiarism prevention. Learn more about Steve at http://www.stevegarwood.com/bio.htm.

Betha Gutsche has been a virtual librarian ever since receiving her MLIS from the University of Washington. Starting at WebJunction as the Community Associate, she facilitated discussion forums, hosted live online events, and collected stories about the library community. Now, as a Curriculum Developer for e-learning initiatives, she is involved in needs assessment, e-learning design, webinars, and all things connected to online learning. Betha is the editor-in-chief of the recently published Competencies for Sustaining Public Access Computing Programs. Just to keep her feet on the ground, she volunteers weekly with the ESL department of her central library, where she teaches basic computer skills.

Gail McGovern: I grew up in Milton, Massachusetts and spent many happy hours using and working in libraries. My first experience was as a user of a branch of the Milton Public Library seven houses away from my home.

I have a B.A. in religion and M.S. in Library Science from Syracuse University. I worked as a student assistant at Syracuse University, library trainee at a county law library in Syracuse, bookmobile librarian, children’s librarian and city librarian with the Timberland Regional Library System (WA). I moved to California in 1973 as the project director for the Lake County Library Project. From 1974-1995, I administered grant programs, provided consulting services and conducted training programs for the Library Development Services Bureau of the California State Library.

I have been a full time independent consultant since 1996 and gave myself the titled of Planning and Training Wizard. My recent projects include grantwriting for and coordination of three LSTA funded conferences for the clioinstitute: Imagine it, Explore it, Create it Conference, Get Real! Helping Libraries Survive and Thrive in Turbulent Times Conference and Better Together: Creating Partnerships for Community Learning Conference.

I recruit instructors, do research and teach courses for Infopeople and am the editor of the CLENExchange and can be reached at calibrarian[at]gmail.com.
Photo credit to Susan Heggstad (http://www.susanportraitscom)

Jay Turner, Staff Development Manager at Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia, is responsible for all aspects of staff development for a staff of 287 employees. He considers himself a lifelong student, and delights in sharing his passion for learning with anyone willing to listen (much to their chagrin!)

Jay looks to serve his internal customers with the same alacrity that he has demonstrated to his external customers over the years. His vision for staff development centers on training at the time need, performance support, and ongoing evaluation of training initiatives. He counts among his professional interests mobile learning, video games for learning, and tapping into the wisdom of groups. Jay can be reached at:
jturner[at]gwinnettpl.org.

Mary Ross: Training consultant Mary Ross has over 25 years of experience working in public libraries and managed the staff training and development program at the Seattle Public Library for eight years. In addition to an MLIS, she has certificates in online learning design and in online classroom facilitation. Under contract to the Washington State Library, she designed Anytime, Anywhere Answers and The Virtual Reference Adventure, online training programs for virtual reference providers. She has also designed courses for Infopeople, WebJunction and LibraryU. She is co-author of Virtual Reference Training: The Complete Guide to Providing Anytime, Anywhere Answers, published by ALA Editions in 2004. Currently continuing education coordinator for the Washington Library Association, she is also on the CLENERT board of directors and was a delegate to ALA’s 2nd and 3rd Congresses on Professional Education. She is a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and has done presentations on staff training and development at PLA, PNLA, NJLA, AzLA, ILA, VRD, ASIST and WLA Conferences. She can be contacted via email, mbucherross[at]earthlink.net.

Paul Signorelli is a writer, trainer, and consultant for libraries and nonprofit organizations, has more than 20 years of experience working with libraries, nonprofits, and educational organizations in the United States and abroad. He served as Director of Volunteer Services and Staff Training for the San Francisco Public Library system; has written for a variety of newspapers and magazines; and has been contributing articles about staff training and Web 2.0 to Infopeople’s Infoblog since October 2007. He serves as Content Liaison for Infopeople’s webcast and webinar presenters, and is an active member of CLENE, ASTD (at the national and local–San Francisco Bay Area—level), IFLA, PEN, PLA, and almost any other organization that uses acronyms indecipherable to those unfamiliar with them. He can be reached via e-mail at paul [at] paulsignorelli.com or through Paul Signorelli & Associates in San Francisco (http://paulsignorelli.com).