ATG Star of the Week: Connie Foster, Western Kentucky University

Name: Connie Foster
Title: Interim Dean, WKU Libraries
Organization: Western Kentucky University
Address 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green KY
Phone 270-745-2904
Fax 270-745-6422
Email connie.foster@wku.edu
Website www.wku.edu/Library

Born and Lived: born in Buffalo NY; have lived in Greensboro NC (through November of 9th grade) and Nashville TN (high school and college years)

Professional Career and Activities: English teacher in middle grades, Nashville for 2 years; English instructor, Radford College (before it became co-ed and a university); John Logan Community College, Carterville IL; and then to Bowling Green for English and eventually library staff and faculty employment. Began at WKU as English instructor and then found part-time temp work in the library system. Pursued library degree at Peabody/Vanderbilt which enabled me to join faculty in 1978.

Family: husband Tom, retired graphics designer WKU; one recently married (on Tybee Island) son Michael who took his own career path and is detective with Spring Hill TN police dept.; one 15-year old cat Maggie (Maine Coon hybrid not getting the hugeness factor)

In My Spare Time: Just love bicycling whenever I can. (done ride across Iowa twice –RAGBRAI).

Favorite Books: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and somehow I was absorbed by Stieg Larsson’s Girl Who…. Series (although I’d never want to see movies of the three)

Pet Peeves: people who end sentences with “Where ….. at”

Philosophy: In work be firm, fair, friendly; with family and friends realize that life is short and don’t delay experiences, travel, and visits with loved ones. And, when in doubt Shop

Most Memorable Career Achievement: besides being named Interim Dean, my other most memorable was being elected president of NASIG for 2001 term.

Goal I Hope to Achieve Five Years from Now: not be Interim Dean; return as a department head in the library

How/Where Do I See the Industry in Five Years: From what I am reading now, the library will increasingly use mobile applications to reach students. I think also the current search and discovery systems will continue to undergo transformations that will be more user friendly; and small presses and societies that have not yet moved to the online environment with IP and proxy access must do so; publishers must provide more back files with current subscriptions. JSTOR and Project Muse will continue to be major platforms for current and archival quality content.