Let’s shine the member spotlight on Vanessa Earp from Kent State University!

What is/are your role(s) in academic libraries?

In 2003 I started in my first professional library job as the Education Materials Center Librarian at Texas A&M Kingsville. In August of 2005 I moved back to Ohio and began work at Kent State as the Education Subject Librarian. Over time, as that college was reorganized and librarians retired, I took over as the subject librarian for the entire college of Education, Health, and Human Services. My role includes teaching one-shot library instruction sessions for undergraduate and graduate students. I also serve as an embedded librarian in graduate level classes in the college. In addition to instruction, I also conduct individual research consultations with students. In 2010, our library started offering Plagiarism School, which is a remediation program for students who have been sanctioned for plagiarism. Over the last decade my interest in academic integrity has led to an expansion of the library’s outreach in academic integrity. Due to the increase in my work on academic integrity initiatives, both for the library and the university, in 2022 my job title was updated to include Academic Integrity Librarian.

What do you like most about academic library work?

I had a professor in library school who said “if you don’t like change, you should not become a librarian.” I enjoy that the library and my work are constantly evolving.  Forming connections with students and watching them grow over their time at Kent State is very rewarding.

What are some interesting projects you’ve been involved with lately?

I am currently on a university task force that is working to revise our student cheating and plagiarism policy. This project is very important because we are shifting to a more student-first policy. While there are still consequences, some severe, for students, there are more educational remediation opportunities. This semester I am also teaching a section of Flashes 101, our orientation class for first-year students. Teaching this class every week gives me the chance to get to know the students on a more personal level.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

I enjoy baking and often bring in cookies, cakes, and cupcakes for my coworkers and students. I even bake for my husband’s students at a different school and they call me “the cookie lady”.

Why did you join ALAO? 

I wanted to connect with librarians that are local to Ohio. I know that we have fantastic librarians at our institutions and am looking forward to learning from everyone in ALAO.

–Laura Birkenhauer, Membership Chair, Miami University