Benjamin Cushing
Summary
Knowledgeable Research and Instruction Librarian with experience in librarian instruction and research help. Crafts instruction sessions that teach library skills and information literacy, tailoring the information to class content and assignments. Supports faculty and students' research through providing relevant sources to research inquires and showcasing useful library resources.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Research and Instruction Librarian
The Catholic University Of America
04.2022 - Current
- Teaches library skills and information literacy to undergraduate and graduate students in library instruction sessions.
- Provides 1-on-1 research consultations to faculty and students. This includes assisting with specific research projects, demonstrating how to access online library resources, and finding other information resources.
- Assists the Coordinator of Digital Scholarship at Mullen Library with online workshops for students and faculty.
- Manages collection development for anthropology, education, sociology, social work and modern history.
Access Service Specialist
Georgetown University
08.2021 - 03.2022
- Oversaw the day-to-day function and maintenance of Lauinger Library's print collections. Primary responsibilities were retrieving patrons' requested books, reshelving materials, keeping the collection in Library of Congress order, finding missing items, and answering patrons' requests over email and the phone.
- Managed the Print Collections unit's role in the Woodstock Project, which was shifting over 120,000 items from the Woodstock Theological Library to new locations in Lauinger Library and other off-campus sites.
- Assisted patrons at the circulation desk and answered patrons' questions in-person, email, phone and over chat.
Library Assistant
Pine Manor College
01.2020 - 07.2021
- Assisted the Reference and Instruction Librarian and faculty in developing research instruction sessions.
- Created and edited 50+ research guides for Pine Manor College courses and social justice issues.
- Monitored the circulation desk and answered reference inquiries in-person, over the phone, email, and through LibChat.
- Utilized databases and online resources to assist professors and students with their research needs.
- Supervised 5 student workers and collaborate with them to develop library programs.
- Performed copy cataloging and processing of books for Pine Manor College's collection.
Technology Reference Assistant
Simmons University
09.2019 - 03.2021
- Assisted the College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences (COCIS) students and staff with troubleshooting their technological issues, including editing XML and HTML.
- Presented a Libguides workshop for current Simmons students.
Education
Master of Science - Library And Information Science
Simmons University
Boston, MA05.2021
Bachelor of Science - Education
Miami University
Oxford, OH05.2018
Bachelor of Arts - History
Miami University
Oxford, OH05.2018
Skills
- Library Instruction
- Assisting Faculty and Student Research
- Collection Development
- Group Instruction
- Team Collaboration
- Approachable
Teaching Experience
Library Instruction | Catholic University of America 2022 - Present
In collaboration with faculty, library instruction sessions are created that teach undergraduate and graduate students library skills and information literacy. Sessions are tailored to meet the instructors' needs. Sessions have covered using the library's catalog and databases, source evaluation and use through the CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) and BEAM (Background, Exhibit, Argument, and Method) methods, writing literature reviews, and citation management software tutorials.
Library Instruction | Pine Manor College 2020-2021
As a Library Assistant, assisted the Research and Instruction Librarian in developing lesson plans with objectives that followed the Association of College and Research Libraries' Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Also assisted the Research and Instruction Librarian by answering students' questions when they were in small groups.
Student Teaching | Miami University 2016-2018
Observed and taught in different 7th - 12th grade social studies classrooms. Implemented lessons that followed state social studies education standards, and focused on lesson plans that incorporated group work, such as a poster making activity to teach the American revolution.
Tutor| Living Water Ministries 2015
Tutored elementary students on reading, social studies, and math. Helping students in these subject areas required scaffolding the skills needed to complete their assignments.
Timeline
Research and Instruction Librarian
The Catholic University Of America
04.2022 - Current
Access Service Specialist
Georgetown University
08.2021 - 03.2022
Library Assistant
Pine Manor College
01.2020 - 07.2021
Technology Reference Assistant
Simmons University
09.2019 - 03.2021
Master of Science - Library And Information Science
Simmons University
Bachelor of Science - Education
Miami University
Bachelor of Arts - History
Miami University
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