Telephone: Voice, 508-793-7384; Fax, 508-793-8871
Email: garthur@clarku.edu
Gwen Arthur joined Goddard Library in August 1999 as University Librarian. Previously she served as Head of Public Services for three years at Trinity College Library where she oversaw a department which included Reference, Interlibrary Loan, Government Documents, Circulation, Reserves, and Music and Media Services. Gwen’s professional interests include library personnel issues (including continuing education and training), electronic reference and collection development, and social sciences librarianship. She has been active at both the national and regional levels, most recently serving as President of the national Reference and User Services Association.
MA, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania
MLS, Columbia University, Beta Phi Mu
BA, Wesleyan University
Head of Public Services, 1996-99 (Head of Reference and Instructional Services,
1995-96)
Trinity College Library, Hartford, CT
Head of Reference Services, 1991-95
Bowling Green State University, OH
Science Bibliographer, 1990-91
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Reference Desk Coordinator/Social Sciences Reference Librarian, 1985-1990
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Current:
Reference and User Services Quarterly Editorial Board
ALA Scholarship and Study Grants Committee
ACRL Leadership Committee
Past Service:
President, ALA/Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) 2004-2005
Chair, ALA/RUSA Management and Operation of Public Services Section
Chair, Connecticut Library Association's College and University Libraries Section
Chair, ALA/RUSA Management and Operation of Public Services Section, Management of Reference Services Committee
Capital Region Libraries Council Board of Directors
President's Special Council on Women, Trinity College
Chair, Central Connecticut Internet Round Table
Chair, ALA/RUSA Management and Operation of Public Services, Professional Development
Committee
ALA Standing Committee on Library Education, CE Subcommittee
ALA Library Administration and Management Association, Supervisory Skills Committee
ALA Library Instruction Round Table, PR/Membership Committee
Executive Committee of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Association of College and
Research Libraries
Speaker, “Time to Read the Research: Know Your Literacy Ps and Qs.” MA
Library Association 21st Century Literacies Conference, November 17, 2005.
Speaker, “Are Reference Librarians an Endangered Species?” Central Massachusetts
Regional Library System (CMRLS), Reference Services Round Table, March 17, 2005
2004 ALA Member Survey Gap Analysis
Speaker and panelist, "Rising Through the Ranks in Academia," Connecticut Library Association 110th Annual Conference, Waterbury, CT, April 3, 2001. Click here for PowerPoint Presentation.
Editor, Get Them Talking: Managing Change Through Case Studies and Case Study Discussion. Chicago: Reference and User Services Association, 2000.
"The 'Graying' of Librarianship: Implications for Academic Library Managers," Journal of Academic Librarianship 24 (July 1998): 320-324.
Panelist/presenter on "Managing Change in ILL" at the 16th Annual NELINET ILL Spring Meeting, Biddeford, ME, May 1996.
Moderator, ALA MOPSS Midwinter Discussion Forum on "Teaching Teachers to Teach: Current Strategies for the Education and Training of Library Instruction Librarians," Philadelphia, PA, January 1995.
"Customer Service Training in Academic Libraries," Journal of Academic Librarianship 20 (September 1994): 219-222.
"90's Alternatives for Library Staff Development," paper presented at the Academic Library Association of Ohio Annual Conference, Columbus, OH, November 19, 1993.
"Using Video for Reference Staff Training and Development: A Selective Bibliography." RSR: Reference Services Review 20 (Fall 1992): 63-68.
"Peer Coaching in a University Reference Department." College & Research Libraries 51 (July 1990): 367-373.
Customer Service Training for Public Services Staff at Temple University's Central Library System. Temple University, Central Library System, Philadelphia, PA, 1990. ERIC Document 335 042.
PROFESSIONAL AND RESOURCE SITES OF INTEREST
Associations:
Association of College and
Research Libraries
Association of Research Libraries
ACRL New England
Chapter
EDUCAUSE
AAHE TLT Group
Resource Pages:
Chronicle of Higher Education
Internet
Resources on Communication
Library and Information
Science Resources
Library of Congress
National Endowment for the Arts
SOSIG: Social
Sciences Information Gateway