News / Alums recognized as "Mover and Shakers, 2008" by Library Journal
4/23/2009
Three graduates – Alexia Hudson, Mark Vrabel, and Karen Brooks-Reese -- of the Library and Information Science program are honored in Library Journal. Each year, the magazine selects 50 individuals from the hundreds nominated who contribute greatly to transforming the library profession.
Alexia Hudson was a motivating force when she was a student in the FastTrack MLIS program (MLIS 2005) here at SIS. Now, she’s being recognized nationally as a "Mover and Shaker, 2008" by Library Journal magazine. Alexia was honored, as part of the "Marketer" category, for her efforts to help "students reenvision libraries as a place for continuous professional development with emerging technologies." As the Assistant Librarian/Reference Librarian at Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Alexia focuses on graduate student orientation, training, and developing the virtual campus in the Second Life Penn State Virtual Worlds project.
Mark Vrabel is a graduate of the MLIS degree program and has a Certificate of Advanced Study in Medical Librarianship/Informatics from the School. He serves as Information Resources Supervisor at the Oncology Nursing Society in Pittsburgh. Mark was selected as a "Mover and Shaker" in the "Problem Solver" category for his use of "ONS evidence-based practice initiatives by keeping nurses apprised of research on best practices in clinical treatment of cancer patients." Mark has also published in clinical practice journals.
Karen Brooks-Reese was included in this listing for her work in creating new programs for teens at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Karen, who graduated from the MLIS program in 2005, serves as the Coordinator of Teen Services, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Working with teens, she has created a number of programs including "Tell-a-Tale Theater" (teens bring popular children's books and activities to children at branch libraries); a video contest for teen-designed ads promoting the library; and "Behind the Book: Authors Talk to Teens." Karen is training teen specialists at 83 libraries and is fostering a leadership development program in the library system.
Congratulations to these outstanding alums, professionals who are shaping libraries of the future!