Josh Petrusa is Head of Digital Initiatives at the Kreitzberg Library of Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. Josh has been an ACRL member since 2007 and is your ACRL member of the week.
1. Describe yourself in three words: Inquisitive. Bespectacled. Productive.
2. What are you reading right now (or listening to on your Droid)? With two little kids, I don’t get to read much on my own anymore, but my 3 year old and I go through Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go just about every night these days (she’s got the Goldbug search down). My Droid playlist currently contains new albums from Beach House, The Clientele, and The Twilight Sad, but 80’s/90’s favorites like The Cure are always in the mix as well.
3. Describe ACRL in three words: Inquisitive. Bespectacled (mostly). Productive (hey, we’re a great match!).
4. Why did you join ACRL? I attended the ACRL National Conference in 2007 as a library school student soon to graduate and on the job hunt. It was my first library conference and the program and welcoming colleagues sent me home inspired and energized. As soon as I got a job I joined ACRL and would recommend it to all new grads; though I definitely find I’m learning how to get more from my membership with each year.
5. What do you value about academic or research librarianship? Academic libraries certainly have their share of challenges, but I’m glad to be on this side of the profession. Our job is simply to connect people with what they need to accomplish their goals, and if we accomplish our own goals, we’re making it easier and more thorough for them all the time. I can’t imagine many professions with a more warm and fuzzy calling than that. And I like feeling warm and fuzzy.
6. In your own words: I’m terribly excited by all the new opportunities developing technologies are presenting us in order to facilitate getting information in the hands of our patrons. Academic library users are expecting more of us and I believe that’s a good thing — we should be taking on those challenges and saying “yes” as much as possible (personally, I’ll say that includes Karaoke in the library).
Editor’s Note: Are you an ACRL member? Would you like to be featured as ACRL Member of the Week? Nominate a colleague? Contact Mary Jane Petrowski at mpetrowski@ala.org for more information.