Presenter Profile Series: The Presidents Steve & Dave
#IamHawaii Presenter Profile Series, the final edition. Some may say we saved the best for last, but we’ll leave that up to you to decide! In this final #IamHawaii presenter feature, we bring to you our presidents: Steve Watkins current 2017 President of IAMSLIC and David Baca, our President-elect for 2018 will open proceedings with a panel discussion, along with Mathew Vis-Dunbar and Alisa Lazear on Aquatic and Marine Science Librarian Responsibilities: Current and Evolving Roles.
Steve Watkins
The photo is of Dave Baca sitting in the Frey House in Palm Springs, California. The house is one of the greatest mid mod houses in Palm Springs, which is itself a mid mod mecca
A little bit about Steve…
Steve Watkins is Science Librarian and Coordinator of Technology Development at California State University, Monterey Bay. Steve was one of the three founding librarians when the university was opened in 1995 on the site of the closed Fort Ord army base and was the original Co-Director for Library Resources. Prior to coming to CSU Monterey Bay, he was Science Bibliographer and Assistant Head of the Science Library at the University of California, Santa Cruz for eleven years. He also served as Life Sciences Bibliographer at the State University of New York at Albany and as Reference Librarian at the Stanford University Libraries. Steve has had the opportunity to participate in the design two major library facilities during his career, in addition to a long history of innovative applications of technology to library services. He has had responsibility for collection development and instruction in the marine sciences for the past 37 years.
Steve got his undergraduate degree in Biology from Stanford University, with an emphasis on marine invertebrates and subtidal ecology. He received his MLS from the University of California, Berkeley. Steve has been a member of IAMSLIC since 1986 and attended his first conference in Seattle in 1990. He is finishing his second and final term as IAMSLIC President and expects to remain active in the Association following his full retirement in May 2018. IAMSLIC has been one of the most rewarding experiences of Steve’s career and he cherishes the lifelong friendships and connections that have been established over the years.
Talk to Steve in Honolulu about…
The future (and past) of IAMSLIC; library technology; the joys of volunteer docent work; travel; and retirement plans.
A little bit about Dave…
Dave is the Director of the Jack K. Williams Library and Learning Commons at Texas A&M University at Galveston in Galveston, Texas USA. He oversees Library operations in addition to academic support operations, including tutoring, the writing center, the math lab, media lab, the honors program and undergraduate research. Dave came to the Galveston campus of Texas A&M from heading up a community college library system in Texas and, previous to that, as Director of the Science and Engineering Library at the University of Arizona. His library career started at the main campus of Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. Dave was a mechanical engineer right out of college for a few years before returning to school and earning an MLIS from The University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Educational Administration from Texas A&M.
As the title of this year’s conference might indicate, Dave has an interest in understanding how creativity and inspiration informs us in our daily lives and at work and helps us make crazy connections. He has long been involved with arts organizations including a stint as president of a local community choir. Dave regularly gets up the courage to tell stories in front of about 500 people at the monthly Moth storytelling events in Houston, Texas. It is the most terrifying thing he has ever done. But it’s pretty cool, too.
Dave has been involved with IAMSLIC since the Dania Beach conference in Florida after years of hearing Natalie Wiest tell of how much fun it was. He’s been involved with the Treasury Task Force and the Aquatic Commons Board and, as incoming President, is the conference convener for Hawaii. Which is the second most terrifying thing he’s ever done.
Talk to Dave in Honolulu about…
The middle of the last century. Dave is nuts about everything Mid Century Modern. Architecture, art, designers, furniture, appliances. You name it. If you can’t find him he will probably be wandering the streets looking for brise soliel, stone fireplaces, flat roofs and glass walls.
Steve and Dave will present…
Title:Â Aquatic and Marine Science Librarian Responsibilities: Current and Evolving Roles (Panel)
Abstract: The IAMSLIC membership encompasses a wide range of types of libraries and information centers, from one-person operations to large multidisciplinary libraries, serving government agencies, universities, specialized research centers and more. At the 2016 IAMSLIC conference in Merida, we held initial discussions on the evolving roles of librarians and information professionals in aquatic and marine science institutions. In order to test some of the assumptions that were made regarding the current mix of librarian responsibilities, a survey was distributed to the membership to gather data on the degree to which members are engaged in specific areas of service and and practice. Respondents were also asked to identify responsibilities that have been decreasing in emphasis and areas where they anticipate future growth. The survey findings will be presented along with an opportunity to continue the discussion based on this new information.
Connect with them through…
Steve Library website:Â https://csumb.edu/library; Library on Google+Â https://plus.google.com/103074036419980843637
Dave Twitter:@DocBaca; Library twitter: @TAMUGLib; Library Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUGLib/; Library website: http://www.tamug.edu/library/
