David is the Director of the Library & Associate Professor at Friends University in Wichita, KS (1295 FTE). David joined ACL as a new member earlier this year.
Describe yourself using a book title: Boy from Nebraska
What’s the best thing about being a librarian? Having opportunities to serve a variety of groups with different information needs and utilizing an array of tools and resources in the library to respond to those needs.
What are you currently reading? I have been reading Christian fiction by local Kansas authors. I recently finished Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen and The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold, which were both excellent.
Describe ACL in three words: Relevant. Encouraging. Community.
How do you (or How have you), as an academic librarian, contribute to your campus? The Library has many excellent tools and resources available to students, faculty, staff, and the community. My librarian colleagues and I seek to contribute to our campus by raising awareness of these tools and resources in as many ways and settings as we can and by connecting them to classes, speakers, conferences, or other events happening on campus whenever possible. Integrating the Library’s print and digital resources, research instruction, and other resources into campus events enhances the events, highlights how relevant the resources are, and demonstrates the value of Library resources to the life and mission of the university.
I began my career as a librarian…as a Faculty Services Librarian at the Wiener-Rogers Law Library at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. During the 12.5 years I was at UNLV, I also served as Head of Research & Curriculum Services and ultimately as the Associate Director before leaving to become the Director of the Library at Friends University in December 2021.
What do you value about ACL? Being connected to librarians who not only share similar day-to-day work experiences but also faith is a great blessing on both a personal and professional level.
How were you introduced to ACL? Previous library directors at Friends University were active ACL members, so I learned about ACL through them. Max Burson, in particular, encouraged me to join.
How are you or have you been involved in ACL? I attended this year’s ACL Conference at Newman University. It was my first ACL Conference, and it was a great experience. Everyone was welcoming, and I enjoyed meeting librarians from across the country. The sessions were timely and relevant. I left the conference thankful for many new ideas and connections with my new ACL colleagues. I look forward to continuing my involvement in ACL in the years to come.
Do you have any specific interests in the library world? I am interested in the intersections and relationships among research tools and methods, technology, and libraries. I enjoy learning new things and have appreciated opportunities to collaborate with faculty members and other librarians on research and published works.