Brian Mathews

Associate Dean for Learning and Outreach
Virginia Tech Libraries

The Planning Committee for the 2012 Annual VALE / NJLA CUS / NJ ACRL Users' Conference is pleased to announced that our Keynote Speaker for the conference will be Brian Mathews, Associate Dean for Learning and Outreach at the Virginia Tech Libraries.

Brian formerly served as Assistant University Librarian at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he oversaw the library’s assessment and marketing initiatives, as well web content development and learning space design. He previously served at the User Experience Librarian at Georgia Tech.

Brian has written a book titled Marketing Today’s Academic Library: A Bold New Approach to Communicating with Students published by ALA Editions in 2009.

He has written monthly column for American Libraries magazine titled Next Steps, focusing on the leadership strategies of inspiring libraries.

And he maintains the blog, The Ubiquitous Librarian, hosted by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Brian's Keynote Address for our Conference is titled "Startup Style: Elements of an Entrepreneurial Librarian," and he has provided this abstract: "Libraries are experiencing unprecedented and constant change. A new breed of librarian is necessary to address emerging challenges and to develop cooperative initiatives. Beyond technical skills or subject knowledge, it is an entrepreneurial outlook that will advance the profession. This talk will explore how librarians can develop their inner-entrepreneurs, deepen engagement with the scholarly community, and advance into leadership positions."

We look forward to welcoming Brian Mathews to the conference on January 5, 2012.

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Richard Kearney and Mark Thompson, Co-Chairs
Users' Conference Committee