Maryam Fakouri, Intellectual Property Librarian at Columbia College in Chicago, has been named the ACRL Member of the Week for the week of May 16. She has been a member of ACRL since 2003. In an interview with ACRL, she discusses her role in teaching faculty and students at an arts and media college about the latest intellectual-property developments, including Creative Commons, copyright, and best practices. Fakouri mentions that one of the special challenges in educating members of the Columbia College community about these issues is that they are not just consumers, but also producers, of creative works. She also reflects on the current state of academic librarianship, including the importance of different departments in the library (reference, cataloging, archives, etc.) working together and sharing information, since changes in one area affect other parts of the library and information science field. Fakouri notes that it is vital for librarians to keep non-librarians, also, informed of these changes. When asked what she values most about ACRL, she responds that it is the dedication of the organization’s members, regardless of library type or level of experience, particularly to staying aware of issues affecting librarianship and informing colleagues of the latest developments.
To read the full announcement, including the interview, go here. Congratulations, Maryam!