Submitted by Ann Snowman

We welcome Rita Buhite (left) to the University Libraries staff. Rita is our new – and very first – user services training coordinator. The user services training coordinator is responsible for developing, directing, and coordinating training activities for the University Libraries to ensure the delivery of excellent customer service. She will help us build a curriculum of core competencies and learn to deliver training to faculty and staff in a variety of settings including face-to-face, online, groups of all sizes, libraries-wide.

Rita comes to us from Ridgway Area School District where she was a computer and mathematics teacher. In addition she trained other teachers to provide instruction for the district’s virtual academy. She was also an adjunct professor at Gannon University where she created and facilitated the Advanced Educational Computing course that introduces current technology and its application in the classroom to teachers.

Rita has a B.S. in education from Mansfield University, an M. Ed. from Gannon University and holds graduate certificates in educational technology and online learning from Antioch University and technology integration from Boise State.

Rita began her introductory training with University Libraries in October under the guidance of Stephanie Movahedi-Lankarani at the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library where she was introduced to library services and gained direct experience with our users. In February, she integrated into the Knowledge Commons rotation and will continue to work at both locations through the spring semester.

When she is not providing user services, she is busy researching and developing training modules to help us meet the goals of the strategic plan by “emphasizing continued employee development and training programs to improve skills and knowledge to better serve patrons.” You can expect to see the training modules begin to roll out after spring break. Say hello to Rita at Discovery Day where she is working on the program planning subcommittee.