Interview with John Steven Bowers, July 17, 2013

Partial Transcript: The idea of putting support people in the colleges was not something that took off right away.

Segment Synopsis: John discusses how he came to WKU to become Director of Academic Technology; growth of this division.

Keywords: 50-50's; Academic technology; Dr. Richard Kirchmeyer, former VP for Information Technology; Gordon Ford College of Business; Honors College; Information technology consultants; Odgen College; Potter College; WKU Regional campuses

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: Dr. Robert Owen had some interesting thoughts with regard to that report, and it seemed that a lot of people thought that what the report was trying to promote was the idea that the library would become a part of division of Information Technology.

Segment Synopsis: Development of the Library Systems Office, a joint project with IT and WKU Libraries.

Keywords: "The Future of WKU"; BePress; Bob Owen - Vice President for Information Technology; College Heights Herald article; Connie Foster; Connie Foster - Dean of WKU Libraries; Digital research repositories; Gordon Baylis - Vice President for Research; Gordon Emslie - WKU Provost; Kentucky Museum; Library Systems Office; Michael Binder, former Dean of WKU L

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: So in addition to the idea of building a Library Systems Office, the idea of the Commons also went hand in hand with that; they were the two main thrusts where we saw an opportunity to do something really exciting and solve problems make the library a better place to work and a better place to study.

Segment Synopsis: Discusses Dr. Owen's plan to create a technologically-friendly learning commons in the library.

Keywords: 50-50 Model; Bob Owen; Computer replacement schedule; Connie Foster; Daniel Pawley; David Runner; Eric Fisher; Information Commons; Library Systems Office; Library Technology Consultant; Robin Taylor; Shaden Atz; University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: We have a set of images now that we just call the kiosk images and they are only used for the five computers that are on the 5th through 9th floor of Cravens, because we want them to be as locked down as possible; we don't want people messing around on them or looking up porn on them, or whatever.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about creation and maintenance of computer labs in the the libraries.

Keywords: Computer lab budgets; Computer maintenance; David Runner; Infolab; Replacing library computers; Student Technology Center; VPAL

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: That report was very important on how we went forward with the museum becoming a separate entity and the Library Systems Office, and probably other areas too that aren't as visible to me.

Segment Synopsis: Relates the process of external consultants visits and the library's self study.

Keywords: Department of Special Collections; External consultants visits; Gordon Baylis; Gordon Emslie; Kentucky Museum; Library self study; Listening Tour; SWOT Analysis

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: When you use the Selectric on a catalog card it's not that easy to use the erase mechanism, so we had these little mechanical erasers where you would very carefully put the card on the table and run the eraser to erase the character that you needed to retype.

Segment Synopsis: John talks about his educational background and former positions.

Keywords: Catalog Clerk Typist; Dropping the cards; IBM Selectric typewriter; MLS; National Health Information Clearinghouse; Northwestern Online Total Integrated System (NOTIS); Shelf list; Typing catalog cards; University of Iowa

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: Here the Academic Technology department, mainly its focuses are the open labs, supporting departmental labs and classrooms, supporting the Blackboard system that is our learning management system, providing technology training to the whole campus, and then these shared positions, the 50-50 positions and library support.

Segment Synopsis: John talks about his jobs in the federal government and other universities.

Keywords: Database management; Environmental Protection Agency; George Washington University; Iowa City, Iowa; National Health Information Clearinghouse; National Library of Medicine; University of Minnesota, Morris; Washington, D. C.

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries

Partial Transcript: WKU has an extremely strong distance learning program; we are extremely successful in distance learning, and part of the reason why is because we are very generous with technology support, and actually with all kinds of support, financial support just works really well here.

Segment Synopsis: Talks about unusual requests for technology from faculty members, and technology innovations in distance learning.

Keywords: Academic Affairs; Adobe Connect; Americans with Disabilities Act; Assistive Technologies; DELO; Distance Learning; Educational Resources Center; Haiwang Yuan; Innovation in teaching; iPads; Library databases; Nelda Sims; Operating systems; Practice tests; Problem Solving; Provost's office; Shaden Atz; Student Government Association; TopCat

Subjects: Academic Libraries Academic Technology Division at Western Kentucky University Information Technology John Steven Bowers, 1957- Library Science - Technological Innovations Oral History Western Kentucky University Libraries