Meet a librarian: Denise Dimsdale, Education Librarian
Who is Denise?
I am the Education Librarian working primarily with the College of Education and Human Development. In this role, I teach users how to locate, use, and evaluate information. I also cover topics such as reference management software, scholarly metrics, and much more. My main service oriented projects revolve around support for open educational practices. My work in this area addresses concerns such as college affordability through openly licensed course materials, equitable access to information, and innovative and effective pedagogies through the use of open content and technologies.
What kind of education do you need for that?
Denise has a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from GSU and a Master of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University.
Did you always want to be a librarian? What got you started in libraries?
As a young person, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, librarian did not come to mind. My young answers to that question were more along the lines of artist, gymnast, poet, and ninja warrior. I started working full time in the GSU library when I was working on my Master’s degree in music, and I just never left. I enjoyed working in the library so much that I eventually got my Master’s in Library Science so that I could move from opera singer to librarian. I enjoy working with people, so as a librarian, I have always worked in public services.
Tell us about your choir singing.
I sang in the Atlanta Opera chorus for many years. I also sang lead roles with smaller companies in the Atlanta area during much of that time. I don’t sing opera anymore, but I still hold a staff singing position at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church here in Atlanta.
Who’s your favorite author?
My favorite author at the moment is Haruki Murakami.