Carmen Cole of Sally W. Kalin Librarian for Learning Innovations, Penn State University, has been selected as the ETS Achievement Award for 2020. Carmen has been an integral member of RUSA and RUSA’s Emerging Technology Section (ETS) since 2016. As member and Chair of the popular ETS Hot Topics Committee Carmen facilitated sessions attended to capacity at ALA Midwinter and Annual. A sampling of these hot topics sessions include discussions surrounding GoPros, Pokemon Go, Oculus, Google Cardboard; issues around Fake News, Alternative Facts, and Clickbait; Artificial Intelligence and Reference Services; and Apps used in the library. Carmen also has played an important role in helping ETS to define what is unique about this section. A webinar proposed and developed by Carmen titled “Virtual Video Reference: Connecting with Patrons at a Distance,” attracted 55 participants.
On more than one occasion Carmen has stepped up to fill important roles in ETS. In the spring of 2019 ETS had an unexpected vacancy of for the Members at Large position of Membership Director. Carmen volunteered to fill this role for the remainder of the term. Included in this position was the oversight of the ETS member survey that was conducted in April 2019. Carmen has attended all ETS Executive Committee meetings in her roles of committee chair and member at large and has just been elected to the ETS Member At Large Professional Development Director position.
Carmen is an outstanding representative of ETS. Carmen is passionate about providing the ETS membership with quality, timely, and fun learning experiences, and looks forward to her time with section members at the ALA conferences. Carmen is a model member of RUSA and ALA and it is with great pleasure that ETS awards her with the 2020 ETS Achievement Award.
The Achievement Award selection committee: Geoffrey Morse, Chair; Shannon D. Jones; Jessica R. Cerny; Jason Matthew Coleman; and Chad J. Pearson
