Maria Ruelas | Curriculum Vitae
Education
M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction – Present The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX
M.S. Library and Information Science – 2022 San Jose State University, CA
B.A. English – 2018 Texas State University, TX
A.A. English – 2016 Austin Community College, TX
Experience
Austin Community College Library Services
Faculty Librarian, Assistant Professor January 2023–Present
-Provide reference assistance to ACC students, faculty, staff, and community members
-Teach library instruction classes and consult with classroom faculty to create relevant collections and library presentations
-Design curriculum for information literacy classes
-Maintain collection materials and manage the purchasing for Composition & Literary Studies, Creative Writing, Integrated Reading & Writing, Drama, and Journalism
-Develop and maintain research guides and other instructional material to support students and faculty
-Sustain professional development by staying current on academic library issues and trends through literature, training, and webinars
Library Assistant February 2015 – January 2023
-Assisted college students, faculty, staff, and local community with directional questions, equipment use, and updating patron records
-Processed and maintained periodicals, fines and fees, and daily library statistics; tracked library hold request statistics
-Circulated print resources, laptops, and tablets
-Created virtual displays for the library website
-Participated in stack maintenance
-Troubleshoot computer workstations, scanners, and printers
-Participated in circulation staff training for new hire onboarding
-Experienced working across the ACC District; Elgin, Pinnacle, Highland, Eastview, and Riverside Campus Libraries
Brazosport College Library Services and Learning Center
Librarian Intern August–December 2022
-Provided reference services and research assistance to students and college community
-Observed and delivered information literacy instruction; developed a flexible and inclusive design of curriculum
-Participated in collection development efforts by selecting and deselecting library materials that support the Areas of Study
-Assisted with the maintenance and creation of research guides
-Integrated assessment practices into the culture of the BC library with guidance from the Director that enables the continuous review, evaluation, and improvement of services with a focus on user needs
-Monitored emerging issues, practices, trends, and technologies that support inclusive services in an academic library
San Francisco Public Library
Reference Librarian Intern June–August 2022
-Responded to written information requests from incarcerated individuals; determined information needs without a reference interview
-Selected and evaluated reference resources including databases, books, government sources, periodicals, and Internet search engines
Austin Public Library Cepeda Branch
Library Assistant October 2018 – November 2019
-Performed circulation duties and procedures using ILS Workflows
-Served the Spanish-speaking population with directional and reference inquiries
-Provided 1-to-1 support to patrons needing tech support on computers, printers, and other devices
-Collaborated with the Managing Librarian on inspecting collection as part of the duplicates project
-Participated in outreach activities at local senior centers and charter schools
-Engaged in the efforts of library programming; led Crafterday program and hosted Talk Time
The University of Texas at Austin Life Science Library
Hourly Library Assistant August 2015 – June 2016
-Assisted students, faculty, and staff with checking out library materials using ILS Sierra
-Provided directional support regarding university services
-Processed interlibrary loan items
-Participated in stack maintenance; shelf-reading; shifting and lost items search
Scholarships
2023 Recipient of the UTRGV Graduate Select Scholarship
2023 Recipient of the ACC Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning Lilly Scholarship for the conference on College and University Teaching & Learning
Other Experience
Journal of New Librarianship
Editorial Board Member September 2023 – Present
-Attend monthly board meetings
-Review monthly submissions and provide feedback
-Participate in outreach opportunities for the journal
Diverse BookFinder
Metadata Coder September 2023 – Present
-Code and enter advanced review copies of youth literature into the DBF unique database
-Enhance my skill set for coding and adding nuance to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work
-Expand cultural competencies and increase knowledge of diverse youth literature
-Create a professional network in equitable collections and diverse programming
El Buen Samaritano
ESL Instructor March – December 2022
-Designed and facilitated ESL lessons aimed to address the needs of the Austin Spanish-speaking community
-Incorporated information and digital literacy into the curriculum
-Implemented different instructional strategies; maintaining a safe, respectful, and online engaging environment for students
Professional Service
ACRL Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee July 2022–Present
Lifelong Information Literacy (LILi) Advisory Board September 2022–Present