Kyle is a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Library and Information Studies (LIS) doctoral program. His research, which focuses on personal learning networks (PLNs) and the openness (or lack thereof) of information exchange in learning management systems along with LIS education, is on track to be finished by 2015.
As an undergraduate at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, Kyle studied English literature and composition along with secondary education. It was during this time that his scholarly interest was piqued by the role of instructional technologies in learning environments. He graduated with several honors, of which included executive positions in several honor societies, membership in the honors program, and Cum Laude graduation status. His undergraduate work was completed in the spring of 2007.
Quickly thereafter Kyle began his masters program at Dominican University in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) with focuses in academic libraries and digital library technologies. It was at this time that Kyle published his first article in Library Journal entitled “The Start-up Librarian,” a piece that paralleled the success and innovation found in technology entrepreneurs and librarians new to the field. Along with Dr. Michael Stephens, for whom Kyle was a graduate assistant, he developed innovative course websites with WordPress, an open-source content management system, essentially turning the platform into a social learning management system for Dr. Stephens’ graduate students. With this experience, Kyle’s scholarly interest in personal learning networks evolved. In 2009, he graduated at the top of his class, was inducted into the Beta Phi Mu honor society, and was presented with the Helen B. Cohen Outstanding Student Award as conferred by the GSLIS faculty.
Kyle is self-employed as an instructional consultant teaching digital literacy courses to area public libraries in addition to his teaching assistantship at UW-Madison. He continues to present and write on topics of interest and is currently writing a Library Technology Report on WordPress for libraries to be published in April of 2011.
Upcoming Presentations:
Internet Librarian, Monterey, CA (October 2010)
“WordPress for Libraries: Blog, CMS, Social Network,” workshop, co-teacher
Internet@Schools West, Monterey, CA (October 2010)
“WordPress Websites: They’re not just for blogging!,” panel presentation
Past Invited Presentations:
Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Advanced Web Design course, River Forest, IL (2010)
“Face-Off: Choosing your CMS & WordPress as CMS,” oral presentation
Chicagoland Area Drupal Group, Skokie Library, Skokie, IL (2009)
“WordPress as CMS,” oral presentation
Building Stronger Collaborative Relationships Across NITLE Institutions: An IT and Library Staff Collaboration, Centre College, Danville, KY (2009)
“Tools to Support the Mobile User,” oral presentation, co-presenter
Past Presentations:
WordCamp Chicago, Chicago, IL (June 2010)
“Open System, Open Learning: WordPress and BuddyPress in Education,” oral presentation - more info
IACRL 2010 – Thriving while Surviving, Springfield, IL (2010)
“Low Cost, High Yield: Going Mobile with what You’ve Got,” panel presentation
LIBRAS Emerging Technologies Special Interest Group, North Central College, Naperville, IL (2009)
“The Mobile User: Using Twitter, Text Reference, and Creating Mobile-optimized Websites for Library Users,” oral presentation, co-presenter
ALA TechSource Gaming Symposium, Oak Brook, IL (2008)
“Gaming Night Extravaganza: Freedom to Learn,” panel presentation
The 6th annual Student Research and Performance Showcase at Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL (2008)
“’Casting Call: Implementing Podcasting as a Pedagogical Tool,” poster session, co-presenter
LOEX 2008 – Librarian as Architect: Planning, Building, and Renewing, Oak Brook, IL (2008)
“Library as Widget: Passive instruction through nontechnical applications,” poster presentation
Emerging Reference: IM Reference at the Metropolitan Library System, Burr Ridge, IL (2008)
“History of Synchronicity: IM Reference at Elmhurst College,” oral presentation, co-presenter
Articles:
“The Start-up Librarian,” Library Journal, February 2009.
- Accessible online at http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6630793.html
Book Chapters:
Jones, K. M. L. & Stephens, M. “Friended, Tweeted, Posted:
Social Sharing for Project and Knowledge Management,” Managing Knowledge in Projects, edited by Suliman Hawamdeh, Mike Koenig, and Taverekere Srikantaiah, in press 2010. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press.
Books:
Alida-Farrington, P. & Jones, K. M. L. Library Technology Reports: WordPress for Libraries, 2011, American Library Association [in pre-publication].
