Campus and Community Relations (CCR) hosted the school year’s first InfoForum this week. Held in the Jones Room of the Woodruff Library, the InfoForum was attended by nearly 50 LITS employees from across the division.

Using the same format as last year, which featured three speakers representing library, IT, and Emory campus interests, this week’s InfoForum showcased the talents of Kathy Dixson, Paul Petersen, and John Bence.

The MLKJr Exhibitions Team (L to R): Pellom McDaniel, Mr. Lester, Johnnie Ford, Grady Clickscales, Caroline Corbitt, John Klingler, Kathy Dixson, Leslie Wingate, and Barbara Coble.

As manager of Emory Libraries’ Exhibitions Team, Kathy Dixson discussed how her team is doing community outreach with traveling exhibits. This past year, they successfully mounted a customized version of Pellom McDaniel’s Billops-Hatch exhibit at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. The installation included close collaboration with the school to build a curriculum of study around the displays. The team has plans to do a similar exhibit at Drew Charter School this fall.

Paul Petersen discussed the cloud revolution that Emory is currently undergoing. He cleverly made the complex concept of cloud computing more simple by describing LITS’ dual cloud efforts as being like the difference between owning a plane or being a passenger on one. Paul told the audience that his work as Emory’s cloud architect has transformed his life in exciting ways and he encouraged anyone interested in exploring how cloud computing could revolutionize their work (and possibly their career) to join the new LITS Cloud Community of Practice.

Bence’s vision for the 2020 Employee Council.

John Bence, who works in the Rose Library as the University Archivist, spoke to the audience in his capacity as current president of Emory’s Employee Council. John laid out his vision for the council in 2020 and discussed the political mechanisms that enable employee concerns to be heard all the way to President Sterk’s office. He also encouraged his fellow employees to get involved on the council.

Next month’s InfoForum will be on October 22 from 2-3 pm, and will feature presentations from Jen Doty, Jymbellyn Carthon, and Rob Renner. For more information about the InfoForums, or to sign up to present, contact Wade Moricle or Dawn Francis-Chewning.

Click this link to watch the presentations and hear the September InfoForum in its entirety.

To learn more about the LITS Cloud Community of Practice, email Paul Petersen.