|
FROM WESTERN TO EASTERN WASHINGTON
Amanda Cain, the new User Ed/Reference Librarian at Holland Library, is already a familiar face. For a year and a half prior to her new appointment she worked as a temporary Reference Librarian in Holland. She works closely with the English Department, introducing both lower and upper division students to search strategies and information resources. In addition, she teaches the for-credit General ED 300 information literacy course. Amanda really enjoys getting to know her students, both their challenges and successes as they proceed through their college career. She finds her work extremely satisfying and energizing.
Amanda acquired her MLS in 1996 from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her first professional job was at Seattle Public Library. Next, she spent some time doing reference work for Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston before coming to WSU. At first, it was hard to get used to the drier environment of Eastern Washington, but she has grown to love the wide, open feeling of the Palouse and the small population base.
CHRISTMAS INJURY
With her husband Jeff, and their two small boys, Magnus 3, and Erland, 1, Amanda enjoys living in the small community of Uniontown, Washington. Her husband is finishing up his PHD in English at WSU. Like toddlers everywhere, Magnus and Erland keep their parents very busy. On Christmas Day, while Amanda was carrying Erland downstairs, she slipped and broke five bones in her right leg. Erland is fine, but Mom will be wearing a cast through the end of March.
OH, NO!! NOT AGAIN!!
The day after this interview was completed, Amanda stepped on a Lego and re-broke her leg! Broken leg or not, Amanda still manages to get around to help all her students. Today's students have grown up comfortable with computers, databases and the internet and this in turn influences how she teaches. She has found that hands on materials and activities really motivate her students and she is constantly trying out different approaches to help WSU students become even more efficient researchers.
Along these lines, she is currently reading Electric Language: A Philosophical Study of Word Processing by Michael Heim. She is finding it very interesting as Heim states that although we think of the computer as just a tool, we, as a society our adapting our lives because of it. Amanda sees this in her work with students.
Leisure time is important to Amanda and someday she would like to visit Iceland. However, for right now she is excited to be in a tenure environment surrounded by her professional peers while she continues to read, learn and work.
hs 02/00
|
