We’re pleased to announce that Kim Myers, Digital Repository Specialist at the College at Brockport, is our final 2014 IR All-Star! The success of the College at Brockport’s repository, DigitalCommons@Brockport, is truly an example of teamwork at its finest, and Kim heads that team with masterful finesse. Since its creation, DigitalCommons@Brockport has become instrumental in developing the library as a vibrant center for scholarly communications and research, and has helped establish “open access” as more than just a buzzword on the Brockport campus. Kim has achieved a great number of things during her time managing the IR, but it’s her highly effective approach to staffing and outreach that really stand out.
“One of the things that makes our repository work is the small efforts of many people” is a quote that Kim often includes in materials related to DigitalCommons@Brockport, and it couldn’t be more accurate. The Brockport staffing model is one of the most unique and efficient models we’ve seen in the Digital Commons community. Under the leadership of Kim, over two-thirds of Brockport’s library staff participate in projects that contribute to the IR’s collections, from the college archivist to the library events manager. So, how does Kim make this happen? She offered the following insight for gaining staff buy-in in one of several brochures about the library’s model: “Match interest with opportunity, approach during ‘quiet’ season, offer discrete projects, make it part of the culture, fit into existing workflow, [and] show appreciation!” Figuring out sustainable staffing models is frequently a huge challenge for new repositories, but Kim and the team at Brockport exemplify a unique yet replicable approach for any school.
Campus outreach has always been a main priority for DigitalCommons@Brockport, and Kim has led the charge with a wide variety of initiatives. In addition to promoting the IR and engaging with campus stakeholders online through social media, email, and other digital channels, Kim also makes sure to regularly hold one-on-one meetings and presentations on campus and in the library to keep interest and excitement strong. She’s organized a number of repository and scholarly communications events, including Promoting Scholarly Communication through Open Access Journals, a one-day conference “focused on raising awareness of issues in scholarly communication, and the sharing of best practices in faculty and student use of open access publishing, through speakers, panel discussions and a hands-on workshop.” Kim also knows that sharing stories and reporting success is an essential part of marketing the IR, and her numerous reports, posters, and presentations about DigitalCommons@Brockport have proved to be a huge boon for generating awareness.
Finally, on top of all this, Kim manages to remain incredibly active in the Digital Commons community and the scholarly communications community at large. If she’s not busy creating her own papers and presentations, she’s reading someone else’s, watching a webinar, doing a training, or participating in a conference—making her one of the most involved and informed IR admins around!
To see the full list of Kim’s scholarly work, visit her SelectedWorks page here. And stay tuned for a bepress community webinar presented by Kim and her colleagues coming up in November!