VCU Libraries Faculty Vita
Mary Ellen Spencer
Social & Behavioral Sciences Collections Librarian
(Assistant Professor)
Collection Analysis and Investment
Room 201, James Branch Cabell Library
(804) 828-2729
mespencer@vcu.edu
Education
M.L.S. Library Science. Indiana University, Bloomington, 1993.
B.A. English. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1987.
Previous Professional Experience
Head, Research and Instructional Services, 2002 - 2012
Interim Government Documents Librarian, 2009 - 2012
Interim Assistant Head for Instructional Services, 2007 - 2012
VCU Libraries
Public Documents Coordinator, 1998-2002
Collection Manager for the Social Sciences, 2001-2002
Interim Assistant Department Head, 1998-1999
Government Documents/Social Sciences Librarian, 1995-1998
North Carolina State University Libraries
Assistant Director for Information Technology, 1994-1995
Indiana University School of Library and Information Science
Publications
Reference Services Review, Editorial Advisory Board. 2008 -
Spencer. "The State of the Art: NCSU Libraries Learning Commons." Reference Services Review 35/2 (2007).
Spencer. "Evolving a New Model: The Information Commons." Reference Services Review 34/2 (2006).
Spencer. "Federal Government Statistics on the Web: Where to Start?" The Docket: Newsletter of the Documents Section of the North Carolina Library Association Spring (2000).
Spencer and Susan Dils. "Internet Tools: An Introduction for K-12 Educator." Indiana Media Journal (1995).
Spencer and Sandra Leach. "The Perfectly Organized Search Service." Online (1993).
Presentations
"Creating an Undergraduate Advisory Committee at Virginia Commonwealth University". Studying Students: Inviting a Fresh Perspective on Your Library. Virginia Library Association, College and Research Libraries Section Spring Program. 2008
"The Job Search: Getting It Right". Guest Lecturer, Information Science 590: The Professional Issues, School of Information Sciences. Taught via Live Classroom from Richmond, VA. 2006
"Do you Trust your IT Staff? Do They Trust You? Whose Computers Are These Anyway?". MARS User Access to Services Program. ALA Annual Conference. Chicago, IL. 2005
"How Do the Helping Professions Know Which Questions to Ask?". Quest Seminar, University of Richmond. 2005
"Government Documents in the Catalog". North Carolina Library Association, Documents Section, Spring Workshop. 2003
"The Academic Job Search -- Or, What They Don't Tell You in Library School". ALA Student Chapter Meeting, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2001
"Government Statistics on the Web: Where to Start?". Imagine the Future : North Carolina Library Association Biennial Conference. 1999
Teaching Experience
Electronic Information Literacy for Teachers: A Hands-On Introduction to Finding Educational Resources on the Internet, Indiana University Summer Reading Conference. 1994
University Committee Work
Boren Scholarship Review Panelist; Honors College. 2011
Fulbright Scholarship Review Panelist; Honors College. 2010
Faculty Advisory Board; Center for Teaching Excellence. 2009 -
Instructional Technology Advisory Group; Center for Teaching Excellence. 2009 - 2012
Information Retrieval Committee; University College. 2008 - 2009
University Honor Council; Judicial Affairs and Academic Integrity. 2008 -
VCU Starbucks Art Commission. 2007
Summer Activities Task Force. 2004
Summer School Task Force. 2003
University Grievance Panel. 2002-2005
VCU Libraries Committee Work
Peer Review Committee. 2011 -
Discovery Tools Task Force; Chair. 2011
Faculty Organization; Chair. 2006-2007.
Strategic Planning Committee. 2005-2007.
Faculty Organization; Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect. 2005-2006.
Mission, Vision, Values Work Group. 2003.
ALEPH Coordination Task Force. 2001-2005.
Online Catalog Work Group; Chair. 2001-2005.
Collection Management Team. 2002 -
Management Council. 2001 - 2012; Chair, 2011-2012.
Collection Management Subject Areas
Education, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Social Work, Women's Studies, Government Documents