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Library Instruction, Outreach, and Support

 

We are a team of librarians who support the Berklee community through teaching, consultation, and outreach. We offer reference and instruction services in person, by appointment, and via Zoom or Google Hangouts. Our services include one-on-one research support, leading and designing instructional sessions, and creating online tools that support research and learning. We engage with the Berklee community through outreach by participating in campus events and serving on committees in order to learn how we can enhance The Library’s collections and services.

 

Instruction Services

Our Instruction Team is comprised of librarians who provide a suite of services to help with your classes. We stay informed of the latest pedagogy and teaching methodologies. Reach out to us and we can make a plan tailored to support your students' with using the library. Some of the services we provide for class support include:

  • Visit online classes and lead workshops on how to use the library and learning how to navigate information and use the library effectively.
  • Create instructional objects that can be shared individually and/or embedded into courses.
  • Create study guides, tutorials, modules, videos, and other learning objects that can be integrated into courses
  • Collaboration in designing research assignments and integrating information literacy skills into your course

 

Research Help

Reach out to our librarians for help with your research projects, our services include:

  • Live chat support during operating hours via "Ask Us Live!" button
  • One-on-one consultations, by appointment
  • Help with literature searching or reviews
  • Training on advanced research skills
  • Help with special research projects
  • Find items in the Berklee Archives, including materials that document the history, activities, and contributions of Berklee and Boston Conservatory’s academic and administrative departments, faculty, students, and alumni, with additional special collections in jazz and popular music. Physical archival collections are accessible by appointment (archives@berklee.edu) during regular operations.

 

Ways to Get Help

You can request our services in a variety of ways:

 

Meet the Team

 

brendanBrendan Higgins (bhiggins@berklee.edu) Faculty Liaison and Outreach Librarian

Brendan facilitates faculty engagement with the libraries for both the College and Conservatory. Previously, he served as the Public Services Librarian at Albert Alphin Library, working closely with faculty and students in reference and instruction. Brendan is a graduate of Berklee (Music Education, ’04), as well as Tufts University (MM, ’10) and Simmons University (MLIS, ‘14). While he’s always enjoyed wearing many hats as a librarian, his passion is in reference and research assistance, and providing instruction in information literacy. As a musician, he often performs on upright and electric bass, although he will still take the occasional saxophone gig (his primary instrument at Berklee) or lend his voice to a choir. As a scholar, his interests are at the intersections of musical genres and styles, musical borrowing and adapting, and gender and LGBTQ+ studies. 

 

stacyStacey Snyder (ssnyder3@berklee.edu) Instructional Design & Liaison Librarian

Stacey is the newest team member of the Berklee Libraries. Most recently at MIT, Stacey has been teaching research and information literacy skills online and in-person since 2012. Stacey believes in a student-driven approach to instruction, engaging classes in active learning and critical thinking whenever possible. She leverages the use of technology with thoughtful intention, creating minimalist and pithy learning objects for reference outside the classroom. A native Midwesterner, Stacey is a graduate of Drake University (BSBA & WGS Concentration, ‘07) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MLIS, ‘12).  In her spare time, Stacey is an improviser, director, and writer in the Boston comedy community, and she is delighted to be working professionally among fellow artists.

 

judyJudith S. Pinnolis (jpinnolis@berklee.edu) Associate Director, Instruction and Engagement

Most recently helping with special projects and merging the collections, Judith now leads the Libraries’ Instruction team. Judith’s experience spans over 25 years as a research, instruction and outreach librarian, as well as over ten years teaching college musicology courses. As a librarian, she has served at the national level as Chair of the Chapters Council and on the National Leadership Council of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). She’s also been President of ACRL’s New England Chapter as well as Chair of the Jewish Music Roundtable of the Music Library Association. She has contributed to major reference works such as Basic Music Library, 4th edition, and Women and Music in America Since 1900: An Encyclopedia in addition to publishing many book and music reviews. Pinnolis has been editor for over twenty years of the scholarly website, The Jewish Music WebCenter (www.jmwc.org). She received her B.A. from Newcomb College (Tulane University), her M.M. at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and M.S. in Library Science at Simmons College. Judy has sung with the Kol Arev chorus, plays viola and, occasionally, strikes a tsimbl.