Lauren Pressley is Instructional Design Librarian at the Wake Forest University Z. Smith Reynolds Library (winners of a 2011 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award) in Winston-Salem, NC. Lauren has been an ACRL member since 2004 and is your ACRL member of the week.
1. Describe yourself in three words: Curious. Motivated. Engaged.
2. What are you reading right now (or listening to on your iPhone)? I’m currently reading a lot about contemplative education, both books and articles. I’m interested in how to incorporate more reflection into information literacy instruction and I’m finding some relevant lines of thought in these sources. On my iPhone? I’m listening to many past episodes of This American Life. 🙂
3. Describe ACRL in three words: Friendly. Connections. Education.
4. Why did you join ACRL? I joined ACRL when in library school, as a way to get to know others working in an environment which I’d like to work. I immediately joined the Women’s Studies Section Instruction Committee where I found enthusiastic and supportive colleagues. ACRL was the gateway to ALA for me, and I still keep up with the people I met at that first meeting. I continue to find ACRL to be a fantastic organization focused on librarianship in higher education. The publications, Webinars, and conferences are all targeted to information that helps me in my day-to-day job.
5. What do you value about academic or research librarianship? I love academia. I love research and using research to improve our services. I love teaching. I love working with colleagues in different departments. I work in a fantastic library. Academic librarians are integral to the work of a college or university and it’s meaningful to be part of that work.
6. In your own words: It’s an amazing thing to be part of an institution focused on creating new knowledge and education. I also find it exciting to be part of the field dealing with all kinds of interesting issues: how technology will change education, open access, new ways of approaching digital collections… it’s a very exciting time to be an academic librarian! I know that every day I’ll learn something new or a new way of approaching things and that we’re all thinking about how the field should approach new challenges on a daily basis.
Photo of Lauren Pressley by Ken Bennett © Wake Forest University
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.