The Team
From GSLIS IA Project
[edit] Meet the GSLIS IA Team, the folks who are overseeing, managing, and conducting the multiple phases of the GSLIS IA project.
To contact a member of the GSLIS IA Team, please send an email to gslisia@simmons.edu [[1]].
Margaret Adams, User Persona Phase Co-Leader: Margaret is in her third semester of the GSLIS program and will graduate in May. She studied Rhetoric at the University of Wisconsin (Go Badgers!) and Indiana University. Margaret currently works in the Children's Department of the Franklin Public Library where she tells stories and helps youngsters find all sorts of interesting books to read.
Caryn Anderson, Doctoral Studies Program Manager and Information Architecture Advisor: Caryn received her master's degree from GSLIS in 2004, focusing informally in technology and digital libraries. Prior to her work in the doctoral studies program, Caryn worked as a research assistant on the Open Video Digital Library Toolkit project with Dr. Gary Geisler, which included many information architecture development methodologies including stakeholder interviews, user persona development, card sorting and usability testing. She was invited by Jen Doyle to consult on this project and help guide the processes.
Jennifer Andrews, Card Sorting Phase Co-Leader; Jennifer will finish the GSLIS program in May. She has worked for several large New England corporations as a data analyst and SAS programmer. Currently, she is enjoying very much and learning lots about library technology from her work with the Simmons College systems librarian.
Alison Cody, GSLIS IA Project Manager: Alison enrolled at GSLIS in Fall 2005 and will finish the program this semester. Since coming to GSLIS, she has been working for Jennifer Doyle updating the GSLIS websites; she is probably the only person alive who can access pages on the sites directly by typing in the URL. You may also know Alison from such roles as Lead TRA at the GSLIS Tech Lab, chair of ASIS&T@Simmons, and founding coordinator of the GSLIS Emerging Technologies Workshop Series. When not at GSLIS, Alison is collapsed on the couch of her apartment in Davis Square, wishing that the new cupcake place offered delivery.
Jen Doyle, Director of GSLIS Curriculum and Communications: Jen is a 1998 GSLIS grad who, while a student, majored in Candy courses (the prof., not the food, although if the food had been available, she's sorry to say it might have been a toss-up). After graduating, she worked as a librarian at the EPA Region I library, the Institute for Business and Home Safety, and then the Insurance Library Association of Boston. She returned to Simmons in 2001 as the GSLIS Website Manager. She worked as the project manager for the GSLIS Re-Accreditation Program Presentation in 2003 and added Curriculum duties to her realm of responsibility in 2006.
Yvonne Fraser, Usability Testing Phase Co-Leader: Yvonne is a current GSLIS student who works in the Registrar's Office at Simmons College and for Credo Reference. Her undergraduate studies in literature formed the natural foundation to pursuing her advanced studies in the GSLIS program. She is in the early stages of her degree, but plans to focus on the use of technology in the field of Library Sciences.
Linnea Johnson Assistant Manager of Information Technology for GSLIS. She is a double Simmons alum, graduating first in 2001 with a BA in Communications and a minor in Graphic Design. She is also a 2004 GSLIS graduate where she focused on the technology side of librarianship. She has been part of the GSLIS staff since November of 2001. For the past 2 and a half years, she has worked at Apple as a Mac Specialist.
Jen Langley, Usability Testing Phase Co-Leader : Jen is in her third semester at GSLIS. After completing her BA in English from Boston University she worked at various software start-ups and dot-coms until that bubble burst in 2001. Since then she has been the web manager at YouthBuild USA, a youth development non-profit in Somerville.
Melissa LaPlante, Go-To Girl: Melissa is a second-semester GSLIS student. Beore entering the GSLIS community she worked at her local library and fell in love with public librarianship. She currently holds a couple of jobs in the Boston area, and is always looking for the time to get away on a hiking trip.
Alisa Libby, GSLIS Assistant for Student Administrative Services. Alisa works in the GSLIS Administrative Suite and supports the GSLIS IA project in administrative matters. She is also a young adult author whose first novel, The Blood Confession, was published by Dutton last year.
Jennifer Parker, Project Wiki Page & Marketing Liaison: Jennifer Parker is in her second year at GSLIS. After graduating from Vassar College, Jennifer started an accessories design and manufacturing business. She went on to work as a Sr. Production Manager at the MFA catalogue in Boston and then to Mast Industries, a division of the Limited Inc., overseeing the production and manufacturing of a multi-million dollar department for the Victoria's Secret division. In 2000 she worked at a dotcom as a Merchandising Director, and then worked in the post-production department for an ABC Family daily series produced in Boston. Most recently, while attending Simmons, she worked for Northern Light, a Boston-based business search engine company.
George Peckham-Rooney, Data / Metrics Coordinator: George is in his second year at GSLIS. He works part-time as a library assistant during the day and looks for new ways to organize his bookshelf at night.
Terry Plum, Assistant Dean of Technology, Director of GSLIS at Mt. Holyoke, Faculty Supervisor: Terry is supervising the academic/theoretical activity of the six students completing independent studies for course credit as part of this project.
Karen Stern, Card Sorting Phase Co-Leader Karen has four classes to go in the GSLIS program. Originally a violin performance major, she eventually obtained a B.A. in English from Indiana University (cheers Margaret!) and, later, an MA in English from University College London. Her career has involved teaching English and writing/editing more English learners' dictionaries than she cares to count, mostly for British educational publishers such as Pearson, MacMillan, Oxford, and Cambridge.
Whitney Wilson, User Persona Phase Co-Leader: Whitney is in her final semester at GSLIS. Her background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in English. She has worked in reference and user instruction at Emerson College since 2005 and, as part of an ARL fellowship, completed an internship in educational technology at Brown University in 2006.
Elisabeth Zimmer, Editorial Fellow Elisabeth is about halfway through GSLIS' School Library Teacher Program. Her background is in writing, editing, and instructional design. In her capacity as Editorial Fellow, she edits manuscripts for Library & Information Science Research, writes for InfoLink, and generally does whatever Jen tells her (including helping with the content inventory, environmental scan, and other aspects of the IA Project). She is also the co-chair of MSLA-SIG. When she's not at GSLIS, you'll often find Elisabeth on the Charles River coxing for Community Rowing, Inc.
