CV

Eric D. M. Johnson

Head, Creative Technologies and Scholarship
Associate Professor
Creative Technologies and Scholarship department, Scholarly Communication & Publishing division
Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries

Education

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, MADISON, WISCONSIN
Master of Science, Cartography and Geographic Information Systems, expected May 2025

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
Post-baccalaureate graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems, May 2020

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
Master of Science, Library and Information Studies, April 2008
Information Needs & Services concentration; Reference & Instruction specialization.

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA
Master of Arts, U.S. History, August 1997
Thesis: “‘These must have help soon or die:’ two New York relief organizations in the South, 1866-1867”

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY, WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
Bachelor of Arts, History, May 1993

Professional Experience

Head, Creative Technologies and Scholarship and Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, June 2013 – present

Responsible for shaping and equipping a state-of-the-art innovative media studio at the library on Virginia Commonwealth University’s Monroe Park Campus. Establish strategic relationships with other appropriate units at VCU and design services and instructional programs to support members of the VCU community’s scholarly and extracurricular requirements in creating, disseminating, and using all forms of media. Ensure that VCU’s library system is at the center of new and evolving uses of media for course-related and research needs. Work collaboratively with faculty colleagues in the VCU Libraries and throughout the university on media creation and maker-related initiatives and projects. Participate in local, state, and national initiatives related to library-based creativity. Chair a number of VCU Library task forces and other committees dedicated to service enhancement. Developing consultation services for visual communication, data visualization, and photogrammetry. Managed a $500,000 departmental start-up budget and responsible for ongoing annual expenditures.

Head, Outreach and Public Services, Department of Digital Research and Scholarship (Scholars’ Lab), University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Virginia, July 2011 – May 2013

Responsible for developing and managing the public services program, philosophy, and policies of the U.Va. Library’s Scholars’ Lab, including supervision and evaluation of four full-time professional employees and seven student desk staff, purchasing hardware and software, and managing budget. Strengthen community of digital scholars through outreach to departmental faculty and students, planning instructional workshops and speaker series, coordinating faculty and graduate student digital project consultation, supervision of graduate fellowship programs, and oversight of communication through newsletters, website, podcasts, video, and other social media. Regularly and formally assess the effectiveness of Scholars’ Lab’s public services and outreach efforts. Partnered with director of humanities & social sciences library to equip and furnish library’s electronic classroom (including media and computer technology). Represent the Scholars’ Lab on Library Operations and other library committees. Contribute to development of Praxis Program of graduate education in digital humanities techniques.

New Media Specialist, Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello), Charlottesville, Virginia, August 2009 – July 2011

Responsible for managing social media efforts of the Foundation including Facebook, Twitter, and Monticello.org’s online community. Developed staff-wide social media policies. Guided cultural shift at institution from single “centralized voice” to one of staff-wide participation in online communities. Instrumental in developing new Monticello.org, helping to manage personnel and resources. Facilitated the growth of Facebook community from 800 fans to more than 7300 and Twitter from 300 to more than 1900. Served as instructional and informational resource for staff desiring to participate in online community. Created and distributed HTML-based e-mail communications to constituents. Key member of Marketing & Communications team, participating in marketing/communication planning for events and news announcements large and small. Co-hosted 2010 THATCamp Virginia with staff of Scholars’ Lab and University of Mary Washington.

Web Services Librarian, Jefferson Library, Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello), Charlottesville, Virginia, January 2009 – August 2009

Assisted in the development of digital initiatives including the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia (wiki) and the Thomas Jefferson’s Libraries project. Took lead on development of user interfaces of digital projects and create library-related web pages using HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript. Served as reference resource, assisting with print, web- and database-based historical research for Foundation staff, research fellows, and the general public. Fulfilled interlibrary loan requests for Foundation staff and visiting research fellows. Served as public services lead and coordinated the use of the library facilities. Focused on building scholarly community of library users and researchers, including graduate fellows, faculty, and research staff. Developed intake and formalized other policies and procedures.

Library Services Coordinator, Jefferson Library, Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello), Charlottesville, Virginia, February 2006 – January 2009

Served as initial public contact and coordinated the use of the library facilities. Fulfilled interlibrary loan requests for Foundation staff and visiting research fellows. Assisted in the development of digital initiatives ranging from the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia to online exhibitions. Served as reference resource for staff, research fellows, and the general public. Provided logistical support and hospitality for various speakers’ series from set-up to marketing to hosting. Contributed to scholarly community of library users and researchers, including graduate fellows, faculty, and research staff.

Owner/Proprietor, The Cybernetick Inkwell Web Design and Development, Richmond, Virginia, March 2002 – April 2008

Developed and maintained web sites for churches, schools, political candidates, and non-profits.

Resource Manager, Career Development Center, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, November 1998 – February 2006

Exercised sole responsibility for the collection development, management, and public use of a 600-volume career library and 200-page career-services website. Managed annual resource budget. Provided career-related reference services for undergraduates and office counseling staff. Developed integrated check-in and student record system using Filemaker Pro and web interface. Directed annual assessment process for office. Coordinated SACS accreditation effort for Student Development division of the university. Supervised student employees.

Owner/Proprietor, The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting, Richmond, Virginia, April 1998 – December 2007

Researched and wrote historical reports for museums, private landowners, filmmakers, and others using primary and secondary print sources and databases.

Government Documents Assistant, Boatwright Memorial Library, University of Richmond, Virginia, December 1996 – November 1998

Cataloged and processed government publications for federal depository collection in main university library. Took part in regular biweekly rotation at busy general reference desk. Supervised student employees. Served on and chaired Library Staff Advisory Council.

Library Assistant (Archives Public Services), Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, December 1994 – November 1996

Acted as public services assistant in the Archives Division of the State Library, assisting genealogists and wide range of other researchers with seventeenth- to nineteenth-century primary source documents. Served at circulation desk. Helped familiarize patrons with library technologies.

Other Related Positions

Archives Intern, Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, September 1995 – August 1996

Guest Services Associate, Valentine Riverside historical park, Richmond, Virginia, August 1994 – May 1995

Intern, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC, Summer 1992

Education and Information Assistant, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC, Summers 1990 & 1991

Publications

Keyes, Oscar and Eric D. M. Johnson. “Accessibility and the Makerspace.” In The Makerspace Librarian’s Sourcebook 2, edited by Ellyssa Kroski, forthcoming.

Tolbert, Jeffrey A. and Eric D. M. Johnson. “Digital Folkloristics Text, Ethnography, and Interdisciplinarity.” Western Folklore 78, no. 4 (Fall 2019): 327-356.

Johnson, Eric D. M. “A Future for Academic Library Makerspaces: As the Core of a ‘Center for Public Scholarship.’” Conference Papers – International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (2017 meeting). https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4ZIatyugWjJNXlxVW9iR0ZFVjQ (peer-reviewed).

Johnson, Eric D. M. “In the Library or Of the Library: the Why of Makerspaces in Academic Libraries.” Conference Papers – International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (2017 meeting). https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4ZIatyugWjJNXlxVW9iR0ZFVjQ (peer-reviewed).

Johnson, Eric. “The Future of Library Makerspaces.” In The Makerspace Librarian’s Sourcebook, edited by Ellyssa Kroski, 345-367. Chicago: American Library Association, 2017.

Johnson, Eric D. M. “The Right Place at the Right Time: Creative Spaces in Libraries.” In The Future of Library Space, Advances in Library Administration and Organization 36, edited by Samantha Schmehl Hines and Kathryn Moore Crowe, 1-35. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2017. Winner of publisher’s Award for Excellence – 2017 Outstanding Author Contribution.

Johnson, Eric D. M. “Seeing and Hearing the World in New Ways: VCU’s Collection of Scopes and Other Instruments.” In Audio Recorders to Zucchini Seeds: Building a Library of Things, edited by Mark Robison and Lindley Shedd, 187-197. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2017.

Gilbert, Joseph, Wayne Graham, and Eric D. M. Johnson. “The Practitioner’s Art: the Master’s Degree in the Digital Humanities.” In #alt-ac: Alternative Academic Careers for Humanities Scholars, edited by Bethany Nowviskie. MediaCommons, 2011. http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/alt-ac/

Johnson, Eric D. M. and Michelle M. Kazmer. “Library Hospitality: Some Preliminary Considerations.” Library Quarterly 81, no. 4 (2011): 383-403.

Allen-Greil, Dana, Susan Edwards, Eric Johnson, and Jack Ludden. “Social Media and Organizational Change,” in Museums and the Web 2011: Proceedings, edited by Jennifer Trant and David Bearman. Denver: Archives & Museum Informatics, 2011.

Johnson, Eric D. M. Sections on medieval agriculture. In 1381: The Peel Affinity: An English Knight’s Household in the Fourteenth Century, by La Belle Compagnie. Harrisburg, PA: Schumacher Publishing LLC, 2007.

“Westham Foundry” and “Thomas Jefferson,” articles for publication of 220th anniversary of English invasion of Chesterfield County, 2001.

“Seven Persecuted Baptist Preachers,” article for publication of Chesterfield County’s 250th Anniversary, 1999.

Ahladas, John J., John M. Coski, and Eric D. M. Johnson. “Suggestions for Further Research.” In A Woman’s War: Southern Women, Civil War, and the Confederate Legacy, edited by Edward D.C. Campbell and Kym S. Rice, 237-247. Richmond: The Museum of the Confederacy and the University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1996.

Public Presentations

“Data Visualization for Social Justice: Collaboration among Stakeholders” panel with Melanie Buffington et al., American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, April 2020 (canceled due to COVID-19)

“How Much will this Place Cost? Creating and Maintaining Digital Scholarship Centers” panel with Jeff Tolbert et al., Bucknell University Digital Scholarship Conference 2017, Lewisburg, PA, October 2017

“In the Library or Of the Library: the Why of Makerspaces in Academic Libraries” paper, International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces 2017, Cleveland, OH, September 2017

“A Future for Library Makerspaces: As the Core of a ‘Center for Public Scholarship’” paper, International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces 2017, Cleveland, OH, September 2017

“Making Digital and Data Literacy More Inclusive” invited panel with Elizabeth Bollwerk et al., Museum Computer Network Conference, New Orleans, LA, November 2016

“Digital Scholarship Centres” invited panel with Christie Hurrell et al., Designing Libraries Conference, Calgary, Alberta, September 2016

“Mentoring throughout Your Career: Lighting the Path to Success” panel with Jennifer Knievel et al., Virginia Library Association-College and Research Libraries Chapter (VLACRL) summer program, July 2016

“Starting from Scratch” panel with Steven Bell et al., American Libraries Association Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, June 2016

“Realigning Digital Humanities Training: the Praxis Program at the Scholars’ Lab,” poster presentation with Jeremy Boggs et al., Digital Humanities 2012, Hamburg, Germany, July 2012

“History Museums Are Not Art Museums: Discuss!” panel with Sheila Brennan et al., Museum Computer Network Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 2011

“What’s the Point of a Museum Website?” panel with Koven Smith et al., Museum Computer Network Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 2011

“Where Is the ‘Commons’ in Learning Commons?” panel with Anne Houston et al., Virginia Library Association conference, Portsmouth, VA, October 2011

“Social Media and Organizational Change,” Museums & the Web 2011, Philadelphia, PA, April 2011

“Jumpstarting Your Digital Media Projects: Teaching, Connecting, and Publishing” workshop with Jeremy Boggs and Jeffrey McClurken, Virginia Forum, Lexington, VA, March 2011

“Context management systems” unconference session chair, THATCamp 2009, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, June 2009

“Digital Archives and the Power of the Internet” session chair, Virginia Forum, Farmville, VA, April 2009

“Creative Library Portals,” Virginia Library Association Annual Conference, Williamsburg, VA, October 2008

“Sailing the Seven C’s: Web Design Basics,” National Conference of Governor’s Schools Biennial Conference, New Orleans, October 2006

Grant

Virginia Commonwealth University

Visualizing Digital Scholarship in Libraries and Learning Spaces (subaward), North Carolina State University (Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), 2018–2020

“A Common Framework for Planning Visualization Environments” https://osf.io/wft2h/

Selected Service

VCU Libraries Service

  • VCU Libraries Faculty Organization: member, 2013-present; vice chair, 2017-2018; chair, 2018-2019
  •  Management Council, VCU Libraries: member, 2013-present; chair, 2016-2017
    • Strategic Framework 2020 Task Force, 2018-2019, member
    • Library privacy policy guidelines committee, 2017-present, convener
    • Review of Management Council (“MC Conversations”), 2017
    • Interfaith Prayer Room Task Force, 2015-2016, member
    • Audiovisual Management Task Force, 2014-2015, chair
    • Scholarly Communication Task Force, 2014, chair
  • THATCamp New Souths, organizer, 2014, 2016, 2018
  • Digital Pragmata, organization and support, 2013-2017
  • Public Services Statistics Review Committee, VCU Libraries, 2013, chair

University Service, Virginia Commonwealth University

  • Virginia Commonwealth University Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Policy Committee member, 2016-present
  • Makerspace organizer, ALTFest 2015 (put on by VCU’s ALTLab), May 12-14, 2015
  • Fulbright Student Scholarship Review Panel, National Scholarship Office, The Honors College, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014
  • Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Online Education staff search committee, 2013-2014

University Service, University of Virginia

  • Board of Visitors Composition Task Force, U.Va. Faculty Senate
  • Library Operations Committee, U.Va. Library
  • Library Technology Planning Committee (ETF resources), U.Va. Library
  • Scholarly Communication Committee, U.Va. Library
  • Copyright Team, U.Va. Library
  • U.Va. Library staff search committees

Non-university Professional Service

  • Grant reviewer, Institute of Museum and Library Services (library and museum grants), multiple years
  • Grant reviewer, National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Start-up Grants, multiple years
  • Grant reviewer, Pew Charitable Trusts, 2011

Professional Organizations

  • American Library Association
  • Association of College and Research Libraries
  • Beta Phi Mu Library and Information Science Honor Society

Community Service

  • The Judy Project: Unearthing African American Stories at Richmond Hill, webmaster, 2020-present
  • Central Virginia Masterworks Chorale, Ashland, VA: member, 2016-present; webmaster and board member, 2018-present
  • Ginter Park Baptist Church, Richmond, VA: Board of Managers chair, 2020-present
  • RVA MakerFest, Richmond, VA: board member, 2018
  • River Road Church, Richmond, VA: Chancel Choir (past president), Board of Deacons (past chair), Minister of Music Search Committee, Music Committee (past chair), History Committee, Web Committee, Publicity Committee
  • Virginia Master Naturalists, Riverine Chapter member, 2013-present; Riverine Chapter board member, 2015-2017; Rivanna Chapter (Charlottesville, VA) webmaster and board member, 2010-2013
  • Richmond Torch Club: historian and board member, 2011-2016
  • Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center, Charlottesville, VA: Board of Directors, 2009-2015; webmaster
  • Friends of Natural Bridge webmaster, 2013-2015