Research and Instruction Librarians Join Faculty
Two new research and instruction librarians, Frank Conserette and Kelly Banyas, have joined the faculty of the Weinberg Memorial Library. Conserette moved from his position as library metadata specialist to the position of research and instruction librarian for business on Aug. 14.
Conserette is a graduate of Gettysburg College, where he completed his B.A. in history and minor in Civil War Era Studies, concentrating on American history from the colonial period through the American Civil War and Reconstruction. In addition, Conserette also pursued a minor in East Asian Studies with a primary focus on Chinese language, history, and culture. After graduation, he decided to enroll in Drexel University’s online Master of Library and Information Science. After graduation, he found a job as a digitization specialist in the oil and gas industry. His experience digitizing courthouse documents sparked an interest in archives and led him to pursue a master of library and information science. In June 2011, Conserette graduated with his MLIS and archives concentration from Drexel University.
While attending Drexel’s iSchool, Conserette started a career as title analyst in the oil and gas Industry. His six-year career as an analyst began with conducting extensive research on surface and mineral ownership and advanced to leading multiple teams of researchers and managing all land-title work for numerous drilling units throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In summer 2016 while contemplating a career change, Conserette stumbled upon the job posting for a library metadata specialist at The University of Scranton’s Helen Gallagher McHugh Special Collections and University Archives. This was a prime opportunity to transition into librarianship and move back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, where he had grown up. In September 2016, Conserette joined the Weinberg Memorial Library as the library metadata specialist and adjunct reference librarian. Conserette is extremely excited about his appointment to research and instruction librarian and having the opportunity to apply his considerable experience in business as the business liaison to the Kania School of Management.
While remaining in his part-time positions over the summer, Conserette also began to pursue an MBA degree from The University of Scranton.
Kelly Banyas is originally from Mountain Top. She graduated from Boston University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and classical civilization. She had spent her time as a student at the University working in the law library on campus, and when she graduated she took a full-time position there. After a few years as the evening library supervisor and earning a certificate in computer science from Boston University, she decided to pursue a Master of Library and Information Science degree.Banyas attended the University of Maryland and served as the Graduate Assistant at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Library at the university. She also interned at the Federal Judicial Center Library in Washington, D.C., and was a research and teaching fellow for the University of Maryland Libraries. Her fellowship involved teaching information literacy sessions for undergraduates, and the experience inspired her to look for an instruction librarian position upon graduation.
Banyas started at The University of Scranton in June as a research and instruction librarian. She is the liaison to the Nursing, Counseling and Human Services, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Exercise Science, and Computing Sciences departments. In mid-June, Banyas presented a poster and a paper with her former colleagues from the University of Maryland about new spaces and technologies in libraries at the International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) in Bolzano, Italy.
Read more from Information Update, the Weinberg Memorial Library publication, here.
Read more about new faculty here.