Alan Armstrong

1523 Rosewalk Lane S.E., Roanoke, VA 24014
Home phone: 540-427-4843
E-mail: alan@alan-armstrong.com

Objective:

Providing superlative indexes to clients in trade, technical and academic publishing

Qualifications:

• Thoughtfully constructed indexes tailored to the client’s specifications
• Qualified in general, academic, and technical subject areas
• Punctual delivery online or by courier
• Will work under demanding deadlines
• Member and certification, American Society of Indexers

Clients include:

Areas of competence:

21 years’ experience with mainframe and PC and Apple personal computers provide strong competence for:

• Computer publications and technical documentation
• Materials in computing education

University education in literature and history, overseas work experience, careers in teaching and libraries, web design experience, extensive experience in amateur music performance and composing and music history, and a lifelong passion for books, reading and research provide strong background in:

• English language and literature, literary criticism
• Religion and philosophy
• History and biography
• East Asian culture
• Education and Library and information science
• Humanities, Music, and other Performing Arts
• Web design, web sites and online databases

Employment history:

Education:

Certification for indexing by the American Society of Indexers

Master of Library and Information Science, including Endorsement of Specialization in User Services, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Bachelor of Arts in English, including secondary teaching certification, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Additional career details

Ascending Path Indexing

Owner/proprietor. Provides indexes in English language, literature, and literary criticism; religion and philosophy; history and biography; asian culture; education; library and information science; humanities, music, and other performing arts; web design, computer training and documentation; electronic publications and online databases

Electronic Reference Services Librarian

Assistant Professor, University Libraries, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 15 years. Selected responsibilities and activities:

• Consulted with staff of the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness on redesign and creation of their new web site (http://www.irpa.vt.edu/).
• Led the University Libraries Web Team, responsible for design, creation, oversight and maintenance of both the University Libraries public web site (http://www.lib.vt.edu/) and its internal site.
• Coordinated the Linking Group, responsible for OpenURL content linking and end-user access to full-text electronic journals. Prior to this, I created and maintained a web-based database of links to full-text e-journals.
• Developed and coordinated the Dynamic Subject Project (DSP) a web-based application that allows subject librarians to create dynamically generated pages of resource links for their subject specializations, including lists of links to library-supplied databases by subject and format.
• Assisted in the selection of Internet-based resources and act as liaison to resource vendors as needed.
• Acted as liaison with multiple library units regarding development of automation project proposals.
• Supervised library assistants and student workers.
• Provided basic, broad-based training and consulting to library staff and university faculty and students on the use of the Internet, electronic databases and microcomputer applications.
• Determined baseline specifications for department computer purchases and assist with power, Ethernet and equipment configurations for reference desks.
• Determined procedures for problem reporting and troubleshooting.
• Oversaw software and hardware maintenance of computers and applications.
• Taught classes and conducted tours for English department students as the English department liaison in 1994-1995.
• Developed both paper and computer-aided instructional materials.
• Provided service at reference desks.

Automation Services Librarian, Instructor, University Libraries, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 3 years. Selected responsibilities and activities:

• Conducted training and provided consulting for library staff on the use of mainframe and personal computers and software.
• Consulted with library staff, end users, and library systems personnel to articulate concerns related to the use and enhancement of the integrated library system.

Humanities/Social Sciences Research Associate II, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1 year.

Provided instruction, guidance and assistance to library school faculty and students on online searching and on use of mainframe and microcomputer systems for various applications. Prepared instructional materials. Developed classification and inventory systems for lab software and documentation.

Library Assistant, Stitt Library, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Austin, TX, 1 year.

Responsible for all library functions during evening hours, including reference, circulation, and building security, among other duties.

Library Assistant I and II, Aurora Public Library, Aurora, CO, 2 years.

Fulfilled reference and other public service functions.

Senior Instructor , English Language Services, Loretto Heights College, Denver, CO, 5 years

Developed and taught courses in communications skills to foreign students, including courses in library use.

Teacher/Workshop Coordinator, United States Peace Corps, various locations in South Korea, 3 years

Example Service Activities

Member, OPAC Team, on design and implementation of the new Innovative Interfaces Inc. Millennium OPAC interface, 2005

Member, University Faculty Committee on Reconciliation, 2 years

Instructor, Faculty Development Institute, 12 years. Conducted courses for university faculty and graduate students on Web design using Dreamweaver and on subject-oriented resources available on the Internet

Vice Chair, Commission on University Support, 1 year

Member, Faculty Ethics Committee, 2 years

Member, Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies, 2 years

Faculty Senate, alternate senator, 1 year

Chair, Electronic Resources Group, 4 years

University Electronic Dissertation Committee, 3 years

Editor of various library publications, 5 years

Master Thesis Committee, for Roy E. Swain, candidate for Master of Science in Systems Engineering, including contact and resource service for Mr. Swain while he researched his thesis, Analysis and Redesign of a Library Electronic Reference Area

Library Faculty Association President, 1 year

Example Publications and Presentations

“Electronic Resources Access: Issues and Resolutions in Two Academic Libraries,” with V.F. Croft, V.T. Kok, and E.F. Lener, Fourth International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists, Budapest, Hungary, August 6-9, 2003. Paper presented by Vicki Kok. Available online at http://konyvtar.univet.hu/icahis/proceedings.htm

“Want to Chat? – Expanding Access to Reference Service,” presented at Virginia Library Association Annual Meeting, October 15, 2001

Book chapter on Internet English language and literature resources: “English,” in Every Student's Internet Resource Guide, ed. by Sara Amato (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995)

Book chapter: “A LANtastic CD-ROM Network with Remote Access through a Campus Digital Voice/Data Network,” with Harry M. Kriz and Nikhil Jain, in Library LANs: Case Studies in Practice and Application, ed. by Marshall Breeding (Westport: Meckler, 1992)

“An Environmental Approach to CD-ROM Networking Using Off-the-Shelf Components,” with Harry M. Kriz and Nikhil Jain, in CD-ROM Professional, vol. 4 no. 4 (July 1991)

“A Scenario Remotely to be Desired,” on remote access to library databases, in BiblioTech, vol. 2, no. 2 (Spring, 1991)

“Library Catalogs on the Internet,” in Spectrum, vol. 12, no.21 (February 15, 1990)

“Public Access and Staff Instruction,” presented at VTLS Eastern Regional Users’ Group Meeting, February 12-14, 1989, Blacksburg, VA

“Index to Volume 22,” in The Journal of Library History, vol. 22 no. 4 (Fall 1987)

“Sources of Information in the Social Sciences,” in International Journal of Reviews in Library and Information Science, vol. 3, no. 1 (June 1987)

Example Memberships and Participation in Professional Organizations

American Society of Indexers, 2007 to present

MSA/ASI (Mid- and South-Atlantic) Chapter

American Library Association – 18 years. ALA committee activity:

LITA

Reference and Adult Services Division, Machine Assisted Reference Section: Education, Training and Support Committee

Social Responsibility Roundtable: Task Force on the Environment

Association of College and Research Libraries – 6 years

Research Committee: Expert Systems Group – 2 years

Virginia Library Association – 6 years