Valerie Prilop

EDUCATION
Master of Library Science
University of North Texas, Denton
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Master of Science, Anthropology
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
With Distinction

Bachelor of Arts, Communication
University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas
Summa Cum Laude

CERTIFICATES
Digital Archives Specialist, Society of American Archivists
Texas Educator Certification, Secondary Journalism (Grades 6-12)

EXPERIENCE
Digital Collections Librarian, Special Collections
University of Houston Libraries
June 2011-present
Manage the departments digital projects workflow, including working with Digital
Services and Web Services to plan and implement projects. Lead the departments
yearly project prioritization process. Participate in all aspects of projects to maintain
consistency and quality. Make planning decisions related to specific projects and
support curators in decision-making for individual projects. Serve as a liaison between
Special Collections, Digital Services and Web Services in making decisions and dealing
with issues on a programmatic level
Develop expertise and participate in planning for preservation and access to audiovisual
and born-digital materials. Collaborate with a team of librarians to apply best practices
for preservation and access to these materials
Develop content for the departments Web site and online presence, including the
department blog and social media avenues
Supervise staff member responsible for patron reproduction requests, exhibit
preparation, department social media presence, departmental statistics, and Reading
Room reference
Serve as department liaison to Contextual Connections for the purpose of licensing
unique materials for commercial products
Assist patrons with individual reference requests and provide reference desk service


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Program Coordinator II, Special Collections
University of Houston Libraries
May 2010-May 2011
Identified materials for digital collections and worked with the Digital Services
Department to plan and implement projects, including researching and reviewing
metadata for digital collections
Managed entry of finding aids into Archon, including maintaining subject standards,
assisting authors of finding aids, training staff and students, and supervising data entry
Assisted with class instruction, including supervising classes and co-creating Teaching
Outline for Liaison Librarians
Maintained parts of department Web sites
Processed collections and directed student processing work
Assisted patrons with individual reference requests and provided daily reference desk
service

Director of Student Publications, Office of Student Media
Rice University
August 2007-April 2010
Advised the newspaper and yearbook staffs, which involved mentoring the editor in
chief, training the editorial and business staffs, overseeing the budget, and keeping up
to date with current issues in college journalism
Oversaw the production of four campus publications, which involved coordinating input
from multiple departments
Supervised a number of student workers, including the Summer Publications Intern
Served as a resource for students interested in media and related careers
Maintained the department Web site and blog

Journalism Teacher/Adviser, Lamar High School
Houston Independent School District
July 2006-June 2007
Taught three sections of beginning journalism, grades 9-12
Advised the yearbook and newspaper staffs, which included teaching related skills,
monitoring student progress and deadlines, organizing staff, and managing the budgets

Journalism Teacher/Adviser, Brazosport High School
Brazosport Independent School District
August 2001-May 2006
Taught journalism, photojournalism and advanced photojournalism, grades 9-12
Advised the yearbook and newspaper staffs, which included teaching related skills,
monitoring student progress and deadlines, organizing staff, and managing the budgets
Served on the Campus Improvement Team and as an adviser to the districts online
student literary magazine

Library Assistant, Clark Field Archives and Library
University of New Mexico
August 1999-May 2001
Performed general library duties, including assisting students and faculty, filing
documents and publications, and managing patron files
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SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
Publications
Prilop, Valerie, R. Niccole Westbrook, and Elizabeth M. German. Collaborative Project
Development in the Creation of an Interdepartmental Digitization Workflow, Collaborative
Librarianship, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2012

Westbrook, R. Niccole, Valerie Prilop, and Elizabeth M. German. Nerd Thrill Your Users:
Collaborating with Reference Librarians to Create an Appealing Gateway to Digital Collections,
Reference Services Review, Volume 40, Issue 3, 2012

Prilop, Valerie. Houston Negro Hospital History Unfolds Online, Center for Community
Outreach & Engagement Newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 1, February, 2012

Prilop, Valerie and R. Niccole Westbrook. UH Libraries Houston Negro Hospital Digitization
Project, Archives and Archivists of Color Newsletter, Volume 26, Number 2, Summer 2011

Prilop, Valerie. Students need access to technology and we need to teach them how to use it
wisely, Quill & Scroll, March, 2006

Prilop, Valerie. New technology helps adviser pass on a lesson, Perspective, South Carolina
Scholastic Press Association, February/March, 2006

Presentations & Posters
Prilop, Valerie. Rusty Reels & Fragile Floppies: Surveying Audiovisual and Digital Materials in
Special Collections (poster), American Library Association Annual Conference, July, 2014

Prilop, Valerie and R. Niccole Westbrook. The Development and Implementation of an
Interdepartmental Digitization Workflow (poster), Digital Library Federation Forum, October
2013

Prilop, Valerie and R. Niccole Westbrook. The Development and Implementation of an
Interdepartmental Digitization Workflow (poster), Texas Conference on Digital Libraries, May
2013

German, Elizabeth M., Valerie Prilop, and R. Niccole Westbrook. Reframing the Digital Library:
Making Digital Collections More Relatable to Users (poster), Texas Conference on Digital
Libraries, May 2012

Prilop, Valerie and R. Niccole Westbrook. Archives Digitization Roundtable (presentation and
panel), Archivists of the Houston Area, April 24, 2012

Prilop, Valerie. Digital Projects in Special Collections (presentation). UNT SLIS 5290 class,
February 2012

Prilop, Valerie, Veronica Garza, Mikha Mitchell, and Lisa Tafoya. Using Non-traditional Libraries
as Teaching Tools (presentation). Innovations in Teaching and Learning Technology Conference,
November 2010
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Prilop, Valerie and Julie Grob. Making the Most of Archon (presentation), Association of
Houston Archivists, October 2010

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Selected Training & Coursework
Project Management, Maureen Sullivan, January 9-10, 2014, UH Libraries

Digital Preservation: Whats Now, Whats Next, Amigos Library Services, August 12, 2012,
Online Conference

Excellence in Library Leadership, March May 2012, UH Libraries

Impact of Emotional Intelligence & Organizational Culture, DeEtta Jones, February 27, 2012,
UH Libraries

Book History Workshop, Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University, May
23-28, 2010, College Station

Conference Attendance
Digital Library Federation Forum 2013
Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting 2013
American Library Association Annual Conference 2012-2014
Texas Conference on Digital Libraries 2012, 2013
American Library Association Midwinter Meetings 2012, 2014
Rare Books and Manuscript Section Preconference (ACRL/ALA) 2011, 2012
Preconference Scholarship Recipient 2011
Texas Library Association Annual Conference 2010-2012, 2014
Southwestern CONTENTdm User Group Annual Meeting 2010, 2011
Museum Computer Network Annual Conference 2010

Professional Memberships
American Library Association (ALA) 2009-present
Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Rare Books and Manuscript Section
University Libraries Section
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Round Table
Texas Library Association (TLA) 2009present
College and University Libraries Division
Digital Libraries Round Table
New Members Round Table
Society of American Archivists 2010-2011
Museum Computer Network 2010-2011


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PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Rare Books and Manuscript Section (ACRL/ALA)
Assistant Web Editor 2014-2015
Publications and Communications Committee 2011-2015
Web Team, Executive Committee Liaison 2012-present
Resolutions Reformatting Team, Team Lead 2012
University Libraries Section (ACRL/ALA)
Communications Committee 2013-2015
Texas Library Association
Panelist, My First Librarian Position: Lessons
Learned for a Great Career 2012
Annual Conference Volunteer 2012
New Members Round Table (TLA)
Conference Booth Committee Member 2012
Conference Booth Volunteer 2010-2012, 2014
Bylaws Committee Chair 2012
Southwestern CONTENTdm Users Group Annual Meeting
Head of Local Arrangements 2011
Digital Libraries Round Table (TLA)
Bylaws Committee 2011
Scholarly Communications Forum
Volunteer 2011

LIBRARY & UNIVERSITY SERVICE
DAMS Implementation Task Force 2014-2015
Microgrant Committee 2013-2015
Chair 2014-2015
Vice Chair 2013-2014
University Hearing Board 2013-2015
Librarian Grievance Committee 2012-2014
New Student Orientation 2013, 2014
IA3 (Its All About Access) Committee 2010-2013
Chair 2012-2013
Vice Chair 2012
Cougar First Impressions Volunteer 2013
Staff Awards Selection Committee 2012-2013
Instruction Management Committee
Research Guides Chair 2011-2012
Travel Committee
Chair 2012-2013
Vice Chair 2011-2012
Staff Awards Planning Committee 2011
Research Guides & Tutorials Committee 2010-2011