NPC provides services on nine sites (4 campus libraries) for approximately 6000 students. We updated our library policies and procedures, built subject guides for all programs, redesignedthe library website, and developed virtual events to assist our students during the pandemic.
I was the head of the Archive Committee, on the Learning Technology, SSA, Ensuring Student Success, DEI, Spring Operating Group, and several other committees. I was also a Key Personnel for the Rural Community College eTextbook Project and an Institutional Representative for Arizona Women in Higher Education. I presented "Seeing through the Fog" on disinformation.
ILCC provided services on five campuses and for approximately 2000 students, with two physical libraries. We conducted library-wide weeding project, and developed an online Procedures Manual for staff, Circulation Guidelines, Collection Development Guidelines, and Library User Guidelines. We conducted a major cataloging project . Our library catalog did not provide elements that college students require and therefore we have chosen to use OCLC to re-catalog our materials. This is the final step in the creation of a one-stop shop for our students, regardless of their campus of origin and those that are solely online. We used Koha Open Source to hand build the catalog.
I was a part of the following Committees: Assessment, Diversity, Core Book, and Convocation.
I developed all of these guides at ILCC: Subject Guides. This process covered a little over one year, and included over 53 guides (some are hidden and used for staff, testing, or related activities).
I was the Reference and Instructional Librarian at the Dona Ana Community College from 2015-2017 (part of New Mexico State University). Also for NMSU, I was a Reference Librarian at Zuhl Library. And I taught College 101 for DACC.
I presented at two campus events while at NMSU.
PRESENTATIONS:
Motter, S. "Leading Through the Fog: Arizona Women in Higher Education 2021 Conference. Motter, S. “Facilitating Successful Learning Environments: Best Practices to Guide Your Students in Research.” New Mexico State University and Doña Ana Community College Professional Development Evening: “Sharing the Wealth of Knowledge”. February 5, 2015.
Motter, S, Y Li. “What the Library Can Do For You: Brainfuse Free Online Tutoring, Classroom Research Instruction, and Subject Guides.” New Mexico State University and Doña Ana Community College:.Celebrating Achievement: Best Practices at Doña Ana Community College Annual Professional Development Day September 25, 2015.
And I was on three committees: Assessment Committee, Teaching and Learning Committee (as Secretary) and the Freshman Orientation Committee. As the Secretary of the Teaching and Learning Committee (TALC), I created a page (using LibGuides) to catalog their meeting notes and the research that I completed for the group.
I was also a Library Specialist at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville from 2013-2015. I completed my Master's in Library Science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania in May of 2013.
Information Literacy and Research Education As a librarian, especially as of late, I have spent much of my time teaching people how to be good media consumers, and lifelong learners. We hear that phrase so much nowadays, but what does it mean?
For me, it means taking the time with each student to not only explain how to find the information that they need in a library, but also how to apply this to finding information at a later date. How? When I present a library instruction class, I not only teach my students how to find sources through the catalog and databases at our institution, but how they might access similar materials elsewhere. For example, I would demonstrate how to access the state provided databases at El Portal (free to New Mexico residents), or use the trick of site:www.nytimes.com to search just a single site (search term followed by this trick--with any website in place of www.nytimes.com--will search an entire website and its archive). I use real life examples, explaining that they should use the databases now, as they are first learning them, instead of waiting until they need them for a big paper. I suggest that they look up their grandmother's glaucoma, their uncle's warts, or their friend's STD (garnering a small laugh from some in the crowd), reinforcing the fact to them that the library staff will have no idea what they search for and really would not care anyways. I delve into keyword searches, demonstrating how to access the databases using the right words (pushing the difference between general databases such as Academic Search Premier that utilize basic words and more technical databases that require the technical terms). And I bring this home with silly antidotes that hopefully help them to remember what I taught them when they return in the days, weeks, months or years later. I usually tell the story of ordering a Coke in Pennsylvania versus North Carolina versus New Mexico (soda, pop, Coke) and how the wrong term will get them the wrong drink depending on where they order it. Usually I see the lightbulb burst on as I compare the databases to the regions. In this way I hope that I can connect what I am teaching them to what they already know.
We discuss the differences between websites, databases, and other resources. When they come to me, they see no difference and are usually willing to use whatever they find. We talk about the validity of the source, the currency, and the authority. When I demonstrate their database searches, we use the search limiters to limit to only the last few years (depending on the type of research) and I encourage them to use "scholarly and peer-reviewed" explaining what those terms mean. I give the example of a researcher studying a cancer drug publishing their study's results and other experts reviewing the data to be sure that it follows standard practices.
My students often come to me from a disadvantage. I've had students that were first generation college students, and sometimes first generation Americans. They are immigrants themselves, and sometimes crossing the border just to attend classes. I've had students they were facing their first time on a computer, and others that are fleeing abusive families. But all of my students come to me at their own individual place and I must find a way to reach them and draw them towards where they need to be in order to be successful students, and eventually successful citizens. What they learn from me may only benefit them in their current classes, but it is my aim that it will benefit them for much longer.
Education I completed my Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1999. Also from Edinboro, I have my Teaching Certification in Library Media Specialist (K-12) and English 7-12 (2006), as well as my Master's of Education in Middle and Secondary Instruction (2009). You can view my credentials here. For this degree I completed a thesis on Male Adolescent Attitudes Regarding Education. You can view my abstract, and also my entire thesis if you so desire, here. At the time, I was a substitute teacher in 3 area districts and I encountered the same phenomena over and over. The boys were largely disengaged in their schooling. They ridiculed one another for studying or doing well on projects. This peer pressure was sabotaging their entire futures and I wanted to know why. Why did they not see a connection between school and success later in life? From where did this disconnect arise? With permission from the local school district, I surveyed 67 boys to find out if their peers were the biggest factor. Guess what? The boys by and large said that their parents were their biggest influence. It was amazing. It did not solve the entire issue, they were still disengaged, but at least I knew where to focus my attention when trying to remedy it. And it gave me a better idea of what I wanted to do with my own life--research.
Previously I was the Teen and Children's Librarian in a public library. This meant that I regularly presented story time (planning, organizing, scheduling, reading, disciplining, and completing creative and age-appropriate crafts for a variety of ages). I was also responsible for the collection development of the entire Junior Room and Young Adult section (serving primarily ages 18 and under, but also families and adults in a small town of about eight thousand people). Collection development entails selecting appropriate material, discarding no longer necessary material, cataloging and maintaining the collection (books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, computer games, reference materials, and VHS tapes). And this must all be accomplished while maintaining a limited budget. I also regularly assisted patrons (and staff) with the OPAC system (online card catalog), material selection, and technology. You can view more information on Children's Services.
Technology is a major element of working in any library (and my days). Librarians are the experts in e-readers and e-books (Overdrive for my libraries), the library website, databases, Word documents, email, and any electronic device. We fax, scan, email, and print everything from airline tickets to tax forms. The public expects this of us, and I for one do not want to let them down.
I was a Graduate Assistant to the Dean of a public university in Pennsylvania (Clarion University--while I completed Master's in Library Science). My primary role was research. But I also created PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, and webpages. I created a webmap for the College of Education and Human Services (see here) and I regularly update and corrected (addressing user issues of) the college's webpages. I have helped with presentations (assisting with presentations, and creating visuals beforehand), prepared Literature Reviews and Annotations on various topics, and generally assisted staff with the demands of running a college. I edited and organized materials and I teach what I know to those that ask. A great deal of my work has been with the Office of Field Services. I created checklists and links; removed unnecessary, redundant, or outdated information; and added new pages that addressed missing information.
All of this requires a great deal of technological knowledge. I am adept with Excel, Publisher, Acrobat (particularly for making PDFs ADA compliant), Word Office Suite (PC and Mac), as well as: SurveyMonkey, Google Drive and Hangout (great for Virtual References), SpringShare's LibWizard, LibGuides, etc.
Learning Management Systems:
Canvas,
D2L,
Blackboard.
Library Management Systems:
Follett,
Destiny,
Voyager,
Beacon (TLC),
KOHA, among others.
Video Capturing and Edit:
Captivate,
Camtasia,
Canvas's Studio (formerly called ARC).
Web Design:
HTML
CSS
(somewhat) Javascript
(somewhat) JQuery
MORE ABOUT ME
I grew up on a small dairy farm in rural Northwestern Pennsylvania (40 head of cattle plus a few odds and ends). People often refer to this area as part of the Rust Belt or the Bible Belt, but it is certainly the upper end of Appalachia. We also have large Amish and Mennonite populations. One of my family's favorite collective memories is visiting Amish friends and watching them work, cut ice for their ice house, and prepare large meals for their families. I have worked on this farm my entire life, even running it myself for two years. Wow, talk about hard working and organization! I also have a large extended family and spent most of formative years with my 9 cousins on my father's side. I was the third generation to live and work on our farm. My father is what you might call a "Jack of all trades" and this has definitely rubbed off on me. We fix our own vehicles and tractors (I personally own a beautiful red one), grow some of our own food, treat our cows for some illnesses--including administering IVs, and bake or cook the most amazing foods. We all have a strong independent streak. Need a bridge across the stream? We can build that. New tile floor? Absolutely. Plant a flower bed? Why not (I was trained as a Master Gardener through Penn State University). Bake a beautiful birthday cake? Sure (I am a certified Cake Decorator). If it's electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cooking, growing, organizing, building, one or all of us can do it. I've laid tile, used power tools, milked cows, drilled holes in cement, laid cement, and built walls, bookshelves, even whole buildings. I have cut hair, refinished hardwood floors, plowed fields, made hay, baked turkeys, and fixed a toilet. I refuse to believe that there is anything that I cannot do.
From 2008-2010 I was the Operational Manager of my family's farm, completing all elements of budget, finance, supervision of contractors (vets, delivery persons, workers and so forth). You can read how I connect my experiences managing a farm with managing a library here.
HOBBIES
I am rather enamored with reading. I actually love reading research, particularly on education, culture, socio-economic conditions, history, and science. I also read fiction, but primarily adolescent fiction. I write short stories and other fiction as well. I love the written word. I also love when fiction comes to life--I watch a fantastic mix of films. My favorite genres are Horror (especially anything supernatural), Classic (Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman are two of my most watched actors), Foreign or Independent, Action (spies or superheroes are great), and documentaries. I also listen to music obsessively. My favorites are everything except Country or Bluegrass. But I particularly enjoy the Dave Matthew's Band, American Authors, Imagine Dragons, Counting Crows, One Republic, Tracy Chapman, Linkin Park, U2, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Bob Marley, Charles Tomlinson Griffes,Verdi, and Joan Jet. I do not have a favorite song, band, book, or movie. I love too many!
I love to bake breads, noodles, soups, and a range of other goodies. My specialties are (Chicken) Noodle Soup (with homemade noodles of course), Coconut Quinoa Curry, Tofu Makhani, Alfredo pasta, Cinnamon Rolls, Hot Sausage Soup, Creamy Potato Soup, Naan, curry, and Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread. I make most everything from scratch. I have even taken a Cake Decorating Class through the local vocational school. We've grown some of our own food and always canned our own tomatoes. I spent many summers with my grandmother canning the foods out of her garden. She makes (with a little help from us) the best Elderberry Jelly, anywhere. We love to grow what we can--peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, apples, pears, lettuce, broccoli and so forth. I've even taken Penn State's Master Gardner Program. My family's favorite is squash--which we fry into the most delicious fried squash you will ever taste. Hungry yet?
For fear of anyone mistaking me with a different Shannon Motter's online presence, here is a list of my actual sites:
* * * "To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch . . . to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" Ralph Waldo Emerson