What do we mean when we talk about “emerging technology” in libraries?  How can emerging technologies be integrated effectively into academic libraries, and how do they benefit scholars, professors and students?  What does it mean to be a “technology catalyst” in libraries and in higher education?  Join us to discuss these issues, and to hear about an innovative grant project by San José State University, ACRL, and OCLC, among other partners, to promote the effective integration of emerging technologies in libraries through professional training and staff development.

Dr. Sandra Hirsh is Professor and Director of the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University. She has leveraged her knowledge as an information professional to pursue career opportunities with leading global companies. Prior to joining the School as Director, she worked in the Silicon Valley for more than a decade at major technology companies: Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, and LinkedIn. As an industry user experience researcher, leader, and manager, she contributed to R&D research projects and influenced the user experience of web, mobile, and TV consumer products resulting in 5 U.S. patents. She now heads up the world’s largest accredited graduate program in the field, ensuring that its curriculum continues to be responsive to emerging trends in the field. Dr. Hirsh’s research focuses on information-seeking behavior and understanding the information needs of a broad spectrum of users in the United States and around the world; this work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has appeared in international conference proceedings. She speaks at and participates actively in several professional associations, including IFLA, American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIST), and the American Library Association (ALA).