ITART is pleased to have two great candidates running for office this year.

LOLA GILBERT

I am currently employed as a Research Services Associate at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Criss Library. Some of my responsibilities at UNO include serving as the coordinator for two of our library’s community outreach programs, creating and maintaining promotional and informational materials in both print and web formats, and developing technological applications and tutorials for instruction and reference services.

After the University of Missouri at Columbia awarded me my Master’s Degree in 2009, I began pursuing a Master’s Degree in Online Instructional System Design through Capella University. It is exciting taking classes to learn how to design instruction for an online environment, while actually using an online environment.

While I am a member of several professional organizations including the American Library Association (ALA), the Nebraska Library Association (NLA), and the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), I do not give back to those organizations and their members by serving in any official capacity. I would embrace the opportunity  to give back to any of these organizations by serving as one of its officers.                                                                                  

 AMY MATHER

Amy Mather started working for the Omaha Public Library in February of 2008 as their Technology Librarian. Prior to that, she lived in the Washington, DC area and worked for ProQuest as their Technology Product Manager. After nine years at ProQuest, it was time to explore other job opportunities and an affordable place to live. During that time she made a trip to Omaha to visit her friend who had recently moved to the area. After a fun filled week, and a great steak at Mister C’s, she was sold on Omaha! A short time later, a job opportunity became available at Omaha Public Library and in the middle of winter, made the big trek to the Midwest…sans the covered wagon.

As the Technology Librarian at Omaha Public Library, she manages the website, electronic collections, and works on several outreach programs. Some her accomplished projects included managing the rebrand of the Omaha Public Library and redesign of the website. Past and present outreach initiatives include business database training for Omaha employers, game night for adults, and a highly successful “Speed Dating at Your Library” program that generated local and national media attention. In 2010, she was recognized along with her colleague for
Library Journal’s “Mover & Shakers” award. Amy continues to study all the ingredients that drive people to the library, whether virtually or physically. A combination of marketing, usability testing, and community networking, both change to physically and virtually, has proven to be successful driving factors in increased library usage.  But most of all, Amy believes it takes championing how the library can connect with your life.