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The Library Technology Innovation Profile Series spotlights academic librarians who promote technological innovation in their community

IGI Global Profiles McGill University Research Commons Director, Sara Holder

By IGI Global on Nov 16, 2015

In effort to support the advancement of library technologies and services, IGI Global has implemented the Librarian Profile Series as part of our Library Technology Innovation Program. This series features the profiles of today's leaders and specialists in knowledge management advancement and technologies. For this edition, we are proud to spotlight Ms. Sara Holder, McGill University Research Commons Director.

Ms. Holder demonstrating remote accessName: Sara Holder
Position: Research Commons Director
Library: McGill University, Montreal, Québec

How do you consider yourself a technological innovator?

I would not say that I am a technological innovator per-se; however, in the work I am doing in my current position I am helping to establish a suite of spaces and services in the library that will encourage and support innovation on our campus.

What programs are you currently involved in?

I am heading up the effort to create a Research Commons at McGill. The Commons will be a new technology-enhanced, collaborative space that brings together services and resources to support research and innovation.

What areas of technological innovation do you consider the most exciting?

The potential for innovation that is being fostered by the open data and open source movements is very exciting. You see it not only on university campuses but also in public libraries and the open innovation hubs that are popping up everywhere. Anyone with an idea can find a community of support and collaboration to help develop it.

What technology-related projects do you see librarians implementing in the future?

I think we will see more and more homegrown systems built by librarians and library staff. We already know what we need and what our users need, and we are steadily gaining the technological skills to create the tools that meet those needs.

What advice would you share with a librarian looking to become a leader in supporting technology advancements?

Be proactive and dig deeply into the areas where you have interest. In order to make a convincing case for your organization to support something new, you need to be well-versed in it yourself. Find like-minded people in your organization. Showing potential benefits and cooperative efforts across units can make a project easier to support even if it is outside the normal comfort zone of the decision makers.

About Ms. Sara Holder: Sara Holder is Director of the Research Commons at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She began her work at the McGill Library in 2005 as a Data Specialist in the Electronic Data Resources Service. Prior to arriving at McGill, she worked as a Reference Librarian and as the Interim Project Manager/Associate Director of the Cultural Policy and the Arts National Data Archive at Princeton University. Sara received her MLIS from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, and her BA from Vassar College. She is active in numerous professional organizations, and she serves as a manuscript referee for several publications. Sara's publications have appeared both in monographs and in open access journals and she is a frequent reviewer for Library Journal. Her research interests include the changing role of librarians, library assessment strategies, information literacy, and collection development.

Sara Holder is Editor of the IGI Global title Library Collection Development for Professional Programs: Trends and Best Practices, a comprehensive reference source that addresses the challenging task of collection development in modern academic libraries, which is largely learned on the job. This publication contains practical advice and innovative strategies essential for current collection development librarians and future librarians seeking guidance in this complex position.

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