Karen Holt
I'm a librarian living in Doha, Qatar. I love helping people, coming up with outside the box solutions, and drinking good coffee.
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Info
- Summary
I am a trained librarian who loves organizing information, making things easy to find, and creating relationships between data. I am as excited by knowing that a customer can find what they need quickly as I am by developing broader and narrower terms. I enjoy taking on problems that call for an imaginative, original solution and I bring a contagious enthusiasm for new ideas, people and activities to the workplace.
Specialties: Digital asset management, industry research, metadata implementation, taxonomy, user training, social media, Web 2.0 technologies, and customer relations. Knowledge of the metadata schemas: Dublin Core, EAD, PB Core, and VRA Core 4.0.
Experience- 2012 - PresentTechnical Services Librarian / Northwestern University in Qatar
At this small library I manage technical services, oversee interlibrary loans, assist with allocating a $500,000 collections budget, and teach specialized workshops on researching companies and finding images.
- Feb 2012 - Oct 2012Communication Librarian / University of Texas at Austin
At this large academic library I supported the research needs of over 5,000 faculty and students in the advertising, journalism, radio/television/film and communication studies departments.
- Feb 2010 - Feb 2012Digital Assets, Instruction, and Outreach Librarian / University of Texas at Austin
I established and oversaw the Visual Resources Collection at the Fine Arts Library. The collection, the second largest of its kind in the United States, consisted of over 550,000 images. I created cataloging, taxonomy, and metadata policies and led initiatives to implement emerging technologies.
- Jan 2009 - Jan 2010Digital Archivist / Advanced Micro Devices
When I began, no one on the design team could find any of the assets they archived in the digital repository. I met with each designer to learn how they search. Based on this knowledge, I designed and implemented file naming conventions, a cataloging workflow in SharePoint and Artesia, a metadata schema, and a taxonomy for describing image and video content. This system led to 20% increase in department efficiency, saving the company thousands of dollars of staff time, and allowed the 40-person Interactive team to locate assets in the digital asset management system consistently for the first time.
- Jun 2008 - Aug 2008Intern, Film Archive / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The highlight of my internship was inventorying the David and Albert Maysles collection, including footage from Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter.
- Sept 2006 - May 2008Graduate Research Assistant / Visual Resources Collection, School of Architecture, University of Texas
I performed original cataloging and applied taxonomies to image assets. My accomplishments include writing a marketing plan focused on implementing Web 2.0 technologies to market collection resources and creating a customized search engine for this project. I also wrote the collection's first disaster plan, a 74-page document on disaster recovery and prevention.
- Jun 2007 - Aug 2007Summer Intern, Library Image Collections / National Gallery of Art
I utilized my German language skills to do original cataloging of 110 images of nineteenth and twentieth century Berlin architecture in MARC and research and write detailed histories of 35 German buildings for the online image catalog. Additionally, I assigned Library of Congress Subject Headings and call numbers to records and created authority records for architects, firms, and artists based on the Library of Congress Authorities, the Getty’s Union List of Artist Names, and independent research.
- Sept 2002 - Feb 2005Art Consultant and Fine Art Appraiser / MKG Art Management
Education-
2006 - 2008The University of Texas at AustinMSIS in Information Studies
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1998 - 1999University of EssexMA in Modern Art and Theory
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1997 - 1998Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnStudy Abroad in Art History and German Literature
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1993 - 1998Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeBA in German, English
Activities: Phi Beta Kappa -
1995 - 1996University of ExeterStudy Abroad in English Literature
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1991 - 1993Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts
Additional Information-
Honors:ACRL Immersion 2011 Scholarship recipient Phi Beta Kappa Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar
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Tweets
- Feeling sad to leave Doha. Being here was great and I'm going to miss it!
- @catladylib Love your #cyc4lib homework idea! Sounds like a really cool project. I can't wait to talk to you about it at #cyc4lib!May 10, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Just finished my last day of work at NU-Q in Doha. Time for new adventures! :)May 09, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- The 20 most ‘well-read’ cities in America http://t.co/2XxE51bbtb
- @punchj @bizologie Hi Punch! Just saw that you included our #cyc4lib fundraiser in your latest paper.li. Thank you! http://t.co/QJ1W0R2DfHMay 07, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @tinycakevillage I'm not sure yet...I'm doing #cyc4lib in June and I won't be back from Amsterdam until June 29. Really wish I could do ALA!
- @tinycakevillage Thanks, Alexis! How are you? Hope you're enjoying married life! :)
- I'm resurrecting Librarian Lifestyle and I'm so #excited! Interested in writing about libraries, fashion, or travel? http://t.co/PBEy5rUWiH
- @shoptrinaturk Thank you! Your clothes always make me feel fabulous!
- @AlGallaRetail Thanks for the invite! I look forward to joining you. Are you going to send out info about the opening?
- RT @AlGallaRetail: @karenholt We invite you to the Luxe footwear brand #FFCNewYork store launch at #EzdanMall. RT to join us.May 05, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Because I am irrevocably changing the course of my life today, I put on my favorite @shoptrinaturk dress! http://t.co/r8kpbGw97rMay 05, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- OMG! Saw Richard Gere tonight in the Business Class Lounge at the Kathmandu Airport! http://t.co/oETMUVpMau
- I have fallen in love with Nepal. http://t.co/RXsCjfk49n
- @MANNAKCosmetics Thanks for the MT!
- Had a great time at the Abu Dhabi Book Fair yesterday! Met some wonderful Jordanian authors and publishers! Being a librarian rocks!Apr 25, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- We're over half-way there! Please consider helping 3 Texas librarians get to Cycling for Libraries http://t.co/bGNKJkUuhi @lancearmstrongApr 22, 13 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- @profshusher @merrymoler I agree! :)
- @xmacex Thanks for the RT! Looking forward to seeing you soon! :)
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Map
- Moving to Doha2012-10-22 - 2012-10-23
- Cycling for Libraries2012-07-24 - 2012-07-24
- ALA2012-06-21 - 2012-07-24
- Anaheim, CA, June 20122012-06-21 - 2012-07-24
- Minneapolis, MN, February 20122012-02-03 - 2012-02-06
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Reading
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Checkins
- Qatar Airways Premium TerminalDoha International Airport
- Kantipur Temple HouseChusyabahal
- Typical Nepali KitchenJyatha, Thamel
- Kantipur Temple HouseChusyabahal
- NUQ LibraryNorthwestern
- Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) त्रिभुवन विमानस्थलत्रिभुवन विमानस्थल
- Hyatt Regency Kathmandu9609 Taragaon, Boudha,
- Raniban RetreatRaniban
- World Peace PagodaSiddhartha Rajmarg
- Raniban RetreatRaniban
- Kathmandu Garden HousePaknajol Rd
- Kathmandu Garden HousePaknajol Rd
- New Orleans CafeThamel
