CV

SUZANNE BERNSTEN

184 Maplewood Drive, East Lansing, Michigan

suzanne.bernsten@gmail.com

EDUCATION

M.S., Library Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, May 2004

M.A., Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, May 2002, Thesis: Using Conversation Analysis to Evaluate ESL Textbook Dialogues

B.A., English, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 1996

PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY EXPERIENCE

Web Services Librarian (2008-present) Lansing Community College

  • Lead web improvement team in continuous improvement of the library website informed by usability testing, website usage data, and other forms of user research.
  • Facilitate ongoing process for reviewing website content.
  • Teach an average of three information literacy sessions per week for courses such as writing, developmental education, science, nursing, and sociology.
  • Provide research help in-person, by phone, email, appointment, and chat.
  • Serve as Library liaison to Integrated English and Science faculty.
  • Created library box for college portal myLCC and D2L learning management system.
  • Worked with info lit librarian to set up online scheduling of library instruction and with user services supervisor to set up online booking of study rooms with LibCal.
  • Partnered with librarians from Michigan State University for an invited talk with Mike Caulfield online
  • Set up and maintain Library Staff Community Portal in D2L.
  • Created style guide for library website and train library staff in writing for the web.
  • Led two redesigns of the library website. Moved content to the OU Campus Content Management system. Streamlined website from over 100 to 40 pages.

Reference & Instruction Librarian (August 2006-April 2008) Lansing Community College

  • Provided research help to students and employees in-person, by email, chat, phone.
  • Taught information literacy skills to students in a wide range of classes.
  • Transformed paper handouts into an online citation guide for MLA and APA style.

Evening Reference Librarian (2005-2006) Hagerty Library, Drexel University, Philadelphia.

  • Provided research help for students and employees in-person, by phone, and email.

Reference Librarian (2004-2005) Camden Free Public Library, Camden, NJ

  • Provided research help to patrons from diverse backgrounds.
  • Trained and worked with a library assistant to create a website for the library.
  • Taught classes in basic computer skills, internet searching and word processing.

Graduate Assistant (2003-2004) Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Helped design and coordinate professional development for international librarians.
  • Worked with librarians to create professional web pages and promotional materials.
  • Taught international librarians tech skills including email, PowerPoint, web design.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Fellow (August 2020 – 2022) Lansing Community College

  • Co-facilitated 12-week course for faculty to share, explore, and reflect upon teaching and learning practices.
  • Consult with faculty and offer assistance creating open learning, WordPress websites for teaching projects. 
  • Designed a WordPress website to showcase student research, StarScapes, and a website to showcase WordPress sites created by LCC community members.
  • Work with OER faculty fellow to help faculty to identify and create open educational resources.
  • Work with CTE colleagues to plan and execute fall and spring faculty professional development days.

English Language & Culture Center (Fall 2006) Lansing Community College

  • Taught advanced writing and grammar classes to international students.

Writing Consultant (2001-2002) Writer’s Workshop, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Tutored undergraduate and graduate students on writing skills for 30-60 minute sessions.

ESL Instructor (Summer/Fall 2000) Intensive English Institute, University of Illinois,  Urbana-Champaign

  • Taught academic listening/speaking course to prepare international students for university.

Academic Writing Instructor (1999-2000) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Taught academic writing to international graduate students from a variety of disciplines.

Volunteers in Asia English Instructor (1997-1999) Bung Hatta University, Padang, Indonesia

  • Taught English writing, literature, poetry, American studies and speaking to undergraduates.

SUPERVISORY AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Japan Exchange Program Coordinator (August 2001/2002) Intensive English Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Planned and taught ESL classes for 25 students from Dokkyo University.
  • Supervised ESL instructors.
  • Designed and set up academic and social activities for exchange program.

America Reads Graduate Coordinator (2000-2002) Financial Aid Office, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Supervised undergraduate tutors an elementary school and adult education center.
  • Arranged orientation, set up tutor schedules, and monitored tutor performance.

COMPUTER SKILLS

  • Experience with content management systems such as WordPress, OU Campus, and LibGuides.
  • Experience with writing for the web, usability testing, and interface design.
  • Proficient with Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms; Word, PowerPoint, HTML, CSS; LibCal, LibWizard, LibInsight. Familiar with Camtasia, Publisher, Access, and Excel.
  • Advanced online searching experience with databases, as well as the Internet.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE & LANGUAGE SKILLS

  • Attended elementary and secondary schools in Indonesia, Australia, and Zimbabwe.
  • Taught English at Bung Hatta University in Indonesia, Volunteers in Asia, 1997-1999.
  • Advanced language skills in Portuguese and intermediate skills in Indonesian.

PRESENTATIONS

National

“Miscommunication in Library Chat: How Conversation Analysis Can Help You Understand and Fix Problems.” North American Virtual Reference Conference, February 2023. Presented with Sara Memmott.

“Trust Me: Chat Training for Uncertain Times.” North American Virtual Reference Conference, February 2021. Presented with Rachel Minkin.

“Simplifying Library Instruction Scheduling with LibCal.” Springshare Brunch and Learn, Online, December 2018. Presented with Ami Ewald.

“Spring Cleaning Year Round: Creating and Maintaining Web Content.” Roundtable Discussion, American College & Research Libraries Conference, Portland, OR, March 2015.

“What Makes Great Virtual Reference? A Madlibs Method of Discovery,” Association for College and Research Libraries Conference, CyberZedShed, April 2013. Presented with Rachel Minkin.

“Conversation Analysis and ESL Textbooks.” Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Annual Conference, San Antonio, April 2005. Panel: David Olsher, Jean Wong.

“Using Conversation Analysis to Evaluate ESL Textbook Dialogues.” American Association of Applied Linguistics Annual Conference, Arlington, VA. March 2003. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED469206

State

“Celebrating Our Successes, Improving for Our Future: Best Chat Transcript Awards.” MiALA Annual Conference, May 2021. Presented with Elizabeth Walker-Papke.

“Website Evaluation Beyond Google Analytics.” MiALA Web/UX Interest Group Webinar. March 2021.

“Community College Lightening Talks: Communicating & Promoting Library Value.” MiALA Annual Conference, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI. May 2019.

“Best Transcript Winners Panel.” Research Help Now Annual Meeting, Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, MI. April 2015. Organized and facilitated discussion.

“Gamestorming Virtual Reference.” Michigan Virtual Reference Conference, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI. April 2014.

“Active Reference Review: Using Virtual Reference Transcripts to Fine Tune Your Reference Skills.” MLA Annual Conference, Lansing. November 2013. Presented with Rachel Minkin.

“Qualitative Assessment in Library Instruction.” MLA Annual Conference, Detroit, MI. November 2012. Presented with Susan Murphy.

“Don’t Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater.” MIX Lightening Talk, U of M, Ann Arbor, MI. August 2012.

“Free (or Cheap) Tools You Can Use to Improve Your Website.” MLA Annual Conference, Lansing, MI. November 2011. Presented with Regina Gong.

“Integrating Library Resources in Course Management Systems.” MLA Annual Conference, Lansing, MI. November 2009. Presented with Kim Farley and Sara Miller.

Lansing Community College

“Experiences with A.I. in the Classroom.” CTE Workshop, November 2023. Facilitated discussion with Julie Ruark and Nadia El Anani.

“OERs: Publishing is Easier Than You Think.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2023. Presented with Denise Warner and Amanda Estacio.

“Lessons from Teaching During the Pandemic.” CTE Workshop, November 2022. Facilitated discussion with Jeff Janowick and Jill Reglin.

“Open Learning Lab Lightning Talks.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2022. Organized faculty panel with Leslie Johnson, Susan Murphy, Joe Esquibel, Benjamin Garrett, Jim Luke and Megan Lin. 

“A Less Is More Approach to Evaluating Information: A Chat with Mike Caulfield.” Organized a virtual chat between librarians and faculty from Lansing Community College and Michigan State University with digital literacy scholar, Mike Caulfield, sponsored by Project Information Literacy.

“Project Information Literacy’s Provocation Series: Let’s Talk about Lizard People in the Library.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, January 2022. Presented with Caitlyn Stypa.

“Teaching Media Literacy.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2021. Presented with Ami Ewald.

“Open Learning Lab Showcase, Open Educational Resources Showcase, LCC Online Resource Fair, and Resources for Teaching and Learning.” Asynchronous Content for Faculty Professional Activity Days, January 2021.

“StarScapes: Student Innovation and Creativity Showcase.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, January 2021. Presented with Jeff Janowick and Mindy Wilson.

“Teaching Media Literacy.” Center for Teaching Excellence, November 2020. Presented with Ami Ewald.

“Finding Open Access Resources.” Center for Teaching Excellence, October 2020. Presented with Amy Larson.

“Library Check-In: Services and Resources.” Center for Teaching Excellence, July 2020. Presented with Julie Ruark.

“Teaching Media Literacy.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2020. Recorded with Jordan McIntyre.

“Information Literacy Spotlight: News Literacy.” Center for Teaching Excellence, November 2019. Presented with Ami Ewald.

“Creative Research Assignments.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2019. Organized and facilitated faculty panel.

“One Book One LCC: Designing Effective Assignments.” Center for Teaching Excellence, February 2019. Facilitated faculty panel with Mindy Babarskis.

“Keeping Up with Your Professional Development.” Center for Teaching Excellence, April 2017. Presented with Meg Elias and Chris Richards.

“Beyond the Research Paper.” Center for Teaching Excellence, January 2017.

“Designing Effective Research Assignments.” Faculty Professional Activity Days, May 2017.

“Information Matters.” Professional Activity Days, May 2017. Presented with LCC librarians.

“Designing Effective Research Assignments.” Center for Teaching Excellence, Nov. 2016.

“Information Literacy at LCC.” Center for Teaching Excellence, September 2016. Presented with Chuck Page.

“Engaging Audiences Using Polling.” Tech Snippet Series. Library. April 2015.

“Survey Says: Student, Faculty, and Librarian Perspectives on Research Assignments.” Center for Teaching Excellence, March 2015. Presented with Barb Clauer, Susan Murphy, and  Jill Reglin.

“Online Tools for Better Writing.” Tech Snippet Series. Library. February 2015.“

Socrative and Poll Everywhere: Learner Response Systems Without Clickers.” Center for Teaching Excellence, October 2014.

“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Google: Using the Library’s New Search Tool.” Center for Teaching Excellence, February and October 2014. Presented with Ami Ewald and Suzanne Sawyer.

“Is the Right Word on the Tip of Your… Eye? It is in the Visual Thesaurus.” Center for Teaching Excellence, February 2014. Presented with Suzanne Sawyer, Megan Lin, and Susan Henderson.

“Embedding Library Resources in D2L.” Center for Teaching Excellence, August 2013/2014.

“Writing for the Web.” Student Services Conference. October 2012. Presented with Tori Meadows.

“Free Tools You Can Use to Improve Your Website.” Student Services Divisional Meeting, October 2011. Presented with Regina Gong.

“Integrating Library Resources into an ANGEL Course.” Professional Activity Days, January 2009 and 2010.

PUBLICATIONS

Editor of ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Newsletter, 2020-2023

Manager & writer for the ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Blog, 2021-2023

Bernsten, S. & La Vigne, M. (2009). Chewing over cultures: Learning about new languages and cultures. In R. Sittler & D. Cook (Eds.), The library instruction cookbook. (pp. 150-151). Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.

Bernsten, S. & Linares, R. (2016). “Polling tools.” ACRL instruction section: Instructional technologies tips and trends. http://bit.ly/tipsandtrendssp16

Bernsten, S. & Mallon, M. (2015). “Collaborative learning technologies.” ACRL instruction section: Instructional technologies tips and trends. http://bit.ly/tipsandtrendsw15

AWARDS & HONORS

Employee Development Fund Professional Development Grant from Lansing Community College

  • Accessible Practices in Pandemic Times, Library Juice Academy Course, 2021
  • Library Assessment Conference, 2016

Mid-Career Librarian Scholarship from Association of College and Research Libraries to attend ACRL Conference, 2016

Best Chat Transcript Honorable Mention from Research Help Now Virtual Reference Collaborative, 2019 and 2012

Member of Beta Phi Mu Honor Society, Graduate School of Library & Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2004-present

Emerging Leaders Professional Development Program, New Jersey Library Association, 2004

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • American Library Association, 2011 to present
  • Michigan Academic Library Association (MI-ALA), 2014 to present

SERVICE TO THE PROFESSION

Michigan Academic Library Association

  • Web/UX, Instruction and Information Literacy Interest Group and Michigan Community College Libraries Interest Groups – Member 2015 to present
  • Nominating Committee – Spring 2017 & Spring 2019

American Library Association/Association for College and Research Libraries

  • Community and Junior College Libraries Section Communications Committee – Chair 2020-2023, Member 2019-2023
  • Reference & User Services Section Technologies Website Task Force – Spring 2017
  • Instructional Technologies Committee – Chair 2015-2016, Vice-Chair 2014-2015, Member 2013-2014

Michigan Library Association

  • Awards Workgroup – 2013-2014
  • Applied Technologies & Trends Workgroup – 2012-2013
  • Leadership Development Workgroup – 2011-2012

Research Help Now Virtual Reference Collaborative

  • Best Chat Transcript Committee, 2015 and 2011

SERVICE AT LCC

Lansing Community College

  • Global Awareness Committee, Fall 2023-present
  • Accessibility Committee for Quality Assurance, Spring 2021-present
  • Academic Senate, Fall 2017-Spring 2020
  • StarScapes Steering Committee, 2019-present
  • Committee on the Assessment of Student Learning, 2015-2018
  • StarTalks, 2018 & 2019. Designed StarTalks webpage, created criteria for evaluating nominees, led selection committee, and facilitated talks.
  • Gateways to Completion Steering Committee, 2014-2016
  • Gateway to Completion Team for Writing 121, 2013-2014
  • eLearning Advisory Committee, 2011-2014
  • Member, Search Committee for Instructional Designer, 2014
  • Campuswide Writing Support Committee, 2013-2014
  • Portal Planning Workgroup, 2012-2014
  • Center for Teaching Excellence Leadership Team, 2008-2010

Lansing Community College Library

  • Web Improvement Team Leader, 2008-present
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Fall 2021-present
  • Department Improvement Team Member, 2008-present
  • Instruction Services Team Member, 2006-present
  • Reference Services Team Member, 2006-present
  • Chair, Search Committee for Library Communications Specialist, Spring 2017
  • Chair, Search Committee for Reference and Instruction Librarian, Fall 2016
  • Member, Search Committee for Reference and Instruction Librarian, 2011

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Creative Commons Certificate for Librarians, Creative Commons, Spring 2023.

Annual Forum on Open Learning and ePortfolios. AAC&U,  January 2022.

Digital Pedagogy Lab. Completed Data, Code, and Ethics course, July 2021.

Institute for New Educational Developers. Professional and Organizational Development Network, July 2021

Sabbatical Project. LCC, Spring 2016. Surveyed and interviewed LCC faculty and students, analyzed assignment handouts and developed a guide for designing assignments.

Assessment Immersion. Association of College and Research Libraries, November 2015.

Painless Research. Library Juice Academy, Spring 2015.

Certificate in User Experience. Library Juice Academy, 2014. Completed series of online courses: Designing a Usable Website, Information Architecture, Usability Testing, Beyond Usability Testing, Writing for the Web, Developing a Website Content Strategy, and Universal Design.

Transforming Learning through Teaching. Center for Teaching Excellence, Lansing Community College, Spring 2012. Completed 12-week course for faculty to share, explore, and reflect upon teaching and learning practices.

Teaching Online. Center for Teaching Excellence, Lansing Community College, Aug. 2011. Completed 12-week course about the fundamentals of teaching online including communication strategies, student engagement, course organization, and assessment.