Samantha Schmehl Hines
91´«Ã½ Divisions:
Curious, tenacious, thoughtful
I’m currently halfway through Not Free, Not For All: Public Libraries in the Age of Jim Crow. On my phone I have a bunch of comedy podcasts for my walk to and from work: Jordan, Jesse, Go!, My Brother, My Brother and Me, and 2 Dope Queens are some of my favorites.
Advocating, collaborative, evaluative
How easy it makes it to connect with other librarians across the U.S., and how many opportunities there are to get involved in the profession from service to networking to education.
As the associate dean of instructional resources (a fairly fluffy term that encompasses directing the campus library), I help craft a welcoming place both on campus and online where students, staff and faculty can get what they need to get the work of the college done. This can take many forms such as collaborating with faculty to select materials for the library collection, advocating for funding to increase library hours, designing student workshops in partnership with our writing center, advising our campus chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, and heading up the campus’s peer-reviewed, online journal.
I had the serendipitous luck to fall into a profession that I do passably well at and that I enjoy thoroughly, and one that allows me to surround myself with smart, caring people working toward the common good. I’m grateful every day for the life I get to live and want to do what I can to uphold and improve libraries and higher education for the future.
Title:Associate Dean of Instructional Resources
Job Function:Associate Dean of Instructional Resources
Workplace:Peninsula College
Location:Port Angeles, WA