Tag Archives: Alumni Feature

February 27, 2019 By SIS Staff

Alum Ari Baker Finds Fulfillment in Public Librarianship

When Ari Baker (’15) first got the career assessment results back that said he’d be an ideal librarian, he was skeptical. After all, he’d spent some time volunteering to shelve books at the Blount County Public Library, and it hadn’t been all that exciting.

Now, three years after he graduated with his master’s degree in information sciences and 10 years into working at the Blount County Public Library, he chuckles at his previous notion of what a librarian does. After all, he spends his days as the learning commons coordinator, overseeing a broad array of programs for adults, including English … Read more “Alum Ari Baker Finds Fulfillment in Public Librarianship”

Student Spotlight

November 30, 2018 By SIS Staff

‘That All May Read’ – Maria Sochor’s Quest to Make Reading Accessible to the Disabled

Imagine wanting to read a great classic, but being unable to see the words. Or knowing that your favorite author released a new book, but your hands shake too much due to a medical condition, and you can’t hold a book still enough to consume it. Or consider a quadraplegic, who hopes to read the next book in their favorite series, but is unable to turn the pages.

Well, there’s a library for that: The Tennessee Library for Accessible Books and Media. Its mission statement is, “That all may read.” It’s a beautiful sentiment, and all-encompassing. It’s not just … Read more “‘That All May Read’ – Maria Sochor’s Quest to Make Reading Accessible to the Disabled”

Announcements

November 20, 2018 By SIS Staff

Meet SIS Alumni Alan Sims, the Creative Force Behind the ‘Knoxville Urban Guy’

If you’ve ever wondered what to do in downtown Knoxville – enough to do a quick internet search about it – then you’ve likely stumbled across “Inside of Knoxville,” a blog by the mysteriously named “Knoxville Urban Guy.” It’s the place to get the inside scoop on businesses downtown and in nearby areas, and the writer of the blog seems to know things before anyone else in town does.

These days, it’s fairly well-known that the man behind the Knoxville Urban Guy is Alan Sims. What the citizens of Knoxville may not know about Sims is that he … Read more “Meet SIS Alumni Alan Sims, the Creative Force Behind the ‘Knoxville Urban Guy’”

Announcements

November 15, 2018 By SIS Staff

Alumni Mark Dickey on His Three Decades at ORNL

Thirty years as a reference librarian at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has afforded Mark Dickey a unique vantage point of the facility that few have experienced.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes here, that’s for sure, it’s been incredible,” he said, He was present when all three of the Oak Ridge facilities – ORNL, Y12 and the K-25 plant – were managed by one contractor. In fact, he precedes his own personal story with a bit of trivia about the national labs, and their evolution to the present-day.

ORNL, once known as the X10 plant during its days of operation … Read more “Alumni Mark Dickey on His Three Decades at ORNL”

Announcements

October 16, 2018 By SIS Staff

Alumni Natalie Hansen Switches from Medieval Art to Nuclear Archiving

What do medieval stained-glass pieces have in common with old film from the Y12 National Security Complex? Both should be archived properly, according to Natalie Hansen (‘12), an SIS alumni. Hansen started her academic career studying art history, and moved into medieval art as she attained her master’s degree in medieval studies at the University of York in the United Kingdom. After that, she went to the University of Illinois to pursue a doctorate in art history.

As she studied and researched her subject, Natalie kept running into an issue she believed could be resolved if she got a degree … Read more “Alumni Natalie Hansen Switches from Medieval Art to Nuclear Archiving”

Announcements

October 2, 2018 By SIS Staff

Alumni Q&A: Laura Frizzell, from Coca-Cola Archives to the CDC

October is National Archives Month, and we’ll be running a series of articles celebrating the importance of this area of information sciences. “National Archives Month is an opportunity for us all to think about the importance of archives and archival collecting in our world of information. Archivists collect, arrange, describe, and preserve documents that reflect every aspect of our lives, from our work time to our recreation time, our families, friends, and neighborhoods. For me, being an archivist means looking deeply into the experience of human life and finding what stories need to be kept, nurtured, and shared with future generations. … Read more “Alumni Q&A: Laura Frizzell, from Coca-Cola Archives to the CDC”

Announcements

September 25, 2018 By SIS Staff

Alumni Q&A: Taylor Hixson, a librarian in the Middle East

Alumni: Taylor Hixson (’14)

Position: Librarian for Geospatial Services at New York University Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates

What does your current job entail? As the Librarian for Geospatial Services at NYUAD, my primary focus is to make sure library patrons and the campus community are able to access and use the geospatial software, data, and resources they need to do coursework or research. I work with faculty to incorporate geographic information–from desktop and web GIS (geographic information system) to physical maps and spatial datasets–into courses. I assist students who are using GIS in courses and capstone research. … Read more “Alumni Q&A: Taylor Hixson, a librarian in the Middle East”

Announcements

September 20, 2018 By SIS Staff

SIS Alum Shares on the Value of a Practicum

There’s no better way to get hands-on experience in your field while earning a master’s in Information Sciences than by completing a practicum. Practicums are multi-beneficial in providing you with relevant work experience, an opportunity to give a specific job a test run, and you receive three hours of academic credit upon completion. You’ll get first-hand direction from shadowing professionals, and it will expand your professional network.

We know many of our students are Distance Education, but you can do a practicum no matter where you live! We will work with you to find a suitable location in your … Read more “SIS Alum Shares on the Value of a Practicum”

Announcements

September 13, 2018 By SIS Staff

Library Oasis: SIS Alum Martha Earl Recounts Journey to Dream Job

Martha Earl distinctly remembers the first time she ever heard a librarian describe her job as “fun.” She was working a full-time library staff support job while simultaneously getting her master’s degree in library science – both at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. A supervisor knew Earl’s interest in being a science librarian, but suggested she talk to the director of the Preston Medical Library at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and ask what it’s like to be a medical librarian.

“I called the director, and she said, ‘I love my job! Doctors ask us for information, and we … Read more “Library Oasis: SIS Alum Martha Earl Recounts Journey to Dream Job”

Announcements

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