Get to Know the Avalon Team: Brianna Marshall

In our series Get to Know the Avalon Team, we're providing a closer look at the individuals who are working each day to develop the Avalon Media System.

Brianna Marshall

Brianna manages marketing and communication activities for Avalon. She is a graduate student at the Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing, pursuing her Master of Library Science and Master of Information Science with a specialization in digital libraries. She is currently applying for academic library technology jobs prior to her graduation in the spring of 2014.

Can you talk a bit about your role in the project?

I help out with anything that needs attention, from creating blog content, promoting Avalon through Facebook and Twitter, and helping out at meetings and webinars. I collaborate with Product Owners and Project Directors to create marketing materials like flyers and conference posters.

What is a typical work week like for you?

I work a total of 15 hours per week on the project, with my hours split from Monday-Thursday. I also have two other student jobs and classes, so I am often coming and going from my fifth floor cubicle. Unfortunately, I no longer attend the Avalon bi-weekly sprint planning meetings since one of my classes occurs at the same time.

What apps/software/gadgets can't you live without?

The sad thing is that the first thing that comes to mind is Candy Crush! I admit it; I'm an addict. I also appreciate the DoubleMap app that lets me see where the bus that I take to and from IU is in real time. I use WaveAlarm to wake me up in the morning. I have a lot of other fancy apps on my phone that I never use. This is a good reminder to try them out!

Beyond that, I'm not really too addicted to any technology. I enjoy Pinterest (check out my librariana board!) and frequent a few favorite blogs, including Hack Library School, where I'm Managing Editor. Because I'm on the computer all day for work, I like to craft or read when I come home. Staring at a screen day and night can make you crazy.

When you’re not working, what can you be found doing?

Over the past few years I haven't spent a lot of time on non-professional endeavors but this year I have finally had the time to dig back into hobbies. I was sad when I realized I didn't have photo albums the way my parents do. I'm pretty nostalgic, and looking at Facebook albums is NOT the same. I also know how easy it is to lose digital copies of things and am paranoid despite multiple backups, so I wanted physical copies just in case. This led to my summer project: collecting and printing all existing photos related to my life. Yes, that included tracking down historical photos of my ancestors, my parents, my childhood--everything through the present. There's nothing I love more than a massive project, so this was just perfect! It has been extremely satisfying so far. I hope to be completely caught up by summer 2014.

Beyond this project, I enjoy quilting, hanging out with my cat, Francine, and collecting things, including floral print sheets, Wisconsin milk bottles, pulp fiction novels, and YA detective novels (Nancy Drew, Dana Girls, etc.).