ALBERTA DAVIS COMER portrait
  • Librarian, Marriott Library
801-585-6887
http://lib.utah.edu/

Research/Scholarship Projects

  • Preparing STEM Librarians. PI: Alberta Comer. Co-PI(s): Jennifer Paustenbaugh. 02/19/2019 - 08/01/2019.
  • Landscape, Land Art, and the American West: A Joint Research and Engagement Initiative for the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and the J. Willard Marriott Library. PI: Alberta Comer. Co-PI(s): Gretchen Dietrich. 12/2017 - present.

Project/Innovation Highlights

Family Reading Room                                                                                                                2014

            Purpose: to support students with children; first of its kind on campus

Library Reorganization                                                                                                               2015

Purpose: to meet rapidly changing role of libraries and expanding needs of the campus

Digital Matters Lab                                                                                                                     2016

Purpose: a collaborative venture with College of Humanities, College of Architecture and Planning, and the College of Fine Arts to provide space, tools, and expertise for computationally-enhanced research and teaching

Salary Reprioritization                                                                                                      2014-2017

Significantly increased salaries through reorganization and reassigning salary lines

Utah Asia Campus Librarian                                                                                             2016-2017

              Assigned a librarian to the Utah Asia Campus

Presentations

  • Gritten, T. & Comer, A. “Venturing across Borders: Collaborating on a New Discovery System between Academic and Public Libraries.” International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Annual Conference. Warsaw, Poland. August 2017. Presentation, Presented, 08/2017.
  • Comer, A. “Moving up the Ladder in Librarianship.” Innovative Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover USA (ILEAD USA). Utah State Library. October 28, 2015. Presentation, Presented, 10/28/2015.
  • Comer, A. “Marriott Library.” Park Lane Senior Living. Salt Lake City, Utah. September 30, 2015. Presentation, Presented, 09/30/2015.
  • Comer, A. “Academic Libraries: Your Ticket to Success.” American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Joint Regions 1 and 3, Conference, March 6, 2015. Presentation, Presented, 03/06/2015.
  • Comer, A. “The Importance of Access to Books for Different Communities. Freedom to Read Foundation Reception. January 17, 2015. Presentation, Presented, 01/17/2015.
  • Comer, A. “Hitting the Right Notes.” Utah Library Association. Snow College, UT, August 4, 2014. Presentation, Presented, 08/04/2014.
  • Comer, A. “Learning isn’t a four year prospect.” Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Initiation Ceremony. University of Utah, April 17, 2014. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 04/17/2014.
  • Comer, A. “Redefining relevancy in the electronic age: The library as a real place.” Brick and Click Academic Library Symposium, Maryville, MO, November 4, 2011. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/04/2011.
  • Comer, A. “Trends in library science and services in higher education.” Rajabhat Mahasarakham University, Muang, Maha Sarakham, Thailand, July 22, 2011. Presentation, Presented, 07/22/2011.
  • Comer, A. “Trends in library science and services in higher education.” Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Bangkok, Thailand, July 21, 2011. Presentation, Presented, 07/21/2011.
  • Gritten, T. and Comer, A. “All that jazz: The rhythms of creating an academic-public library ILS consortium.” ACRL sponsored program, American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, June 27, 2011. Presentation, Presented, 06/27/2011.
  • Comer, A. “Leadership roles: Lessons I have learned.” Indiana’s Librarians Leading in Diversity, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, March 21, 2011. Presentation, Presented, 03/21/2011.
  • Gritten, T. and Comer, A. “Gneiss libraries: Finding consortial partners for an ILS." Indiana Library Federation Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, November 17, 2010. Presentation, Presented, 11/17/2010.
  • Comer, A. “The library is the place to go.” Indiana Academic Library Association (IALA) Conference, Terre Haute, IN, April 2008. Presentation, Presented, 04/2008.
  • Kerico, J. and Comer, A. “Searching for clarity among many voices: Collection development as a collaborative endeavor.” Charleston Conference, Charleston, SC, November 2006. Presentation, Presented, 11/2006.
  • Lorenzen, E. and Comer, A. “Moving toward a patron-centered collection model: A purchase-on-demand project at Indiana State University.” Ohio Valley Group of Technical Services Librarians, Bloomington, IN, May 2006. Presentation, Presented, 05/2006.
  • Comer, A. and Lorenzen, E. “Is purchase-on-demand a worthy model? Do patrons really know what they want?” Charleston Conference, Charleston, SC, November 2005. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/2005.
  • Comer, A. and Lorenzen, E. “Is purchase-on-demand a worthy model? Do patrons really know what they want?” ILLiad Users Group, Purdue University (presented via teleconference), November 2005. Presentation, Presented, 11/2005.
  • Comer, A., Okada, E., Stinnett, R., Swinson, B., and Watkins, N. “Supervising student employees.” Pre-conference, Indiana Library Federation Conference, Indianapolis, IN, April 2004. Conference Paper, Presented, 04/2004.
  • Comer, A., Stinnett, R., and Watkins, N. “Supervising student assistants: Planning for success.” Bricks and Clicks Symposium, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, MO, October 2003. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/2003.

Publications

  • Anderson, R., Comer, A., Maringanti, H., Soehner, C. & Thompson, G. (2018). Strategic Planning for Academic Libraries: A Step by Step Guide. ALA Editions. Accepted, 03/2018.
  • Gritten, T. & Comer, A. (2017). Venturing across Borders: Collaborating on a New Discovery System between Academic and Public Libraries. IFLA Annual Pre-Conference Proceedings. IFLA Annual Pre-Conference Proceedings. Warsaw, Poland. Published, 08/2017.
  • Whitchurch, J. & Comer, A. (2016). Creating a culture of philanthropy. The Bottom Line. Vol. 29, pp. 114-122. Published, 02/2016.
    https://doi.org/10.1108/BL-02-2016-0012
  • Wilkinson, B. & Comer, A. (2012). Unstable shelves put the shake in Shakespeare. Structure Magazine. pp. 23-25. Published, 01/2012.
    https://www.structuremag.org/wp-content/uploads/20...
  • Comer, A. (2011). Redefining relevancy in the electronic age: The Library as a real place. (pp. 1-5). In F. Baudino (Ed.), Brick and click libraries: Proceedings of an academic library symposium, Maryville, MO: Northwest Missouri State University. Published, 11/04/2011.
    https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED526899.pdf
  • Comer, A. & Lorenzen, E. (2006). Is Purchase-on-demand a Worthy Model? Do Patrons Really Know What They Want?. (pp. 171-179). In B. R. Bernhardt, T. Daniels, K. Steinle (Eds.), 26th Annual Charleston Conference Proceedings. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Published, 11/2006.
  • Kerico, J. & Comer, A. (2006). Searching for clarity among many voices: Collection development as a collaborative endeavor. (pp. 3-8). In B. R. Bernhardt, T. Daniels, K. Steinle (Eds.), 26th Annual Charleston Conference Proceedings. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Published, 11/2006.
  • Comer, A. (2006). In step with Indiana authors…this month featuring an interview with Michael Koryta. Indiana Libraries. Vol. 25(1), 5-6. Published, 01/01/2006.
  • Comer, A. (2005). The Fonz’ thrills at closing session. American Library Association, Cognotes. Published, 07/2005.
    https://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annu...
  • Comer, A. (2005). Authors share stories at FOLUSA tea. American Library Association, Cognotes. Published, 07/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). ALA President’s program: Coming full circle. American Library Association, Cognotes. Published, 06/28/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Fundraising in libraries. Cognotes. 11. Published, 06/28/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Swap and shop. Cognotes. 8. Published, 06/27/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Print or Electronic? How to Decide. Cognotes. 11. Published, 06/27/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Studying Indiana public libraries: Usage of Internet filters. Computers in Libraries. Vol. 25, 10-15. Published, 06/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Gladwell discusses social epidemics, advocacy during president’s program. Cognotes. 2. Published, 01/17/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Update on patron-focused services. Cognotes. 8. Published, 01/16/2005.
  • Comer, A. , Okada, E., Stinnett, R., Swinson, B. & Watkins, N. (2005). Managing student employees. Indiana Libraries. Vol. 24(1), 47-51. Published, 01/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2005). Gladwell speaks at president’s program. American Library Association, Cognotes. Published, 01/2005.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Innovative plans for serving boomers. Cognotes. 4. Published, 06/29/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Collaborating with other libraries in your community. Cognotes. 8. Published, 06/28/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Clarke asks librarians to defend constitution. Cognotes. 1, 4. Published, 06/28/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Grijalva champions libraries, domestic investment. Cognotes. 3. Published, 06/27/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Issues in electronic reserves. Cognotes. 11. Published, 06/12/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Journal costs still a concern in libraries. Cognotes. 12. Published, 06/12/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Planning and evaluation of library services. Cognotes. 10. Published, 06/11/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Annual Conference Highlights. Libraries still fighting censorship. American Library Association, Cognotes. 10. Published, 06/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Gloria Steinem and the power of books. Indiana Libraries. Vol. 23, 45-46. Published, 02/2004.
  • Comer, A. (2004). Docutek: Past and future. Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, & Electronic Reserve. Vol. 15(1). Published, 01/2004.
    https://doi.org/10.1300/J474v15n01_02
  • Comer, A. , Stinnett, R. & Watkins, N. (2003). Supervising student assistants: Planning for success. In Brick and Click Libraries: The Shape of Tomorrow. Maryville, MO. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED489983 [Peer reviewed]. 41-46. Published, 10/10/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Using persistence to provide persistent URLs. Cognotes. 3. Published, 06/24/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Nader emphasizes importance of libraries. Cognotes. 1. Published, 06/24/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Managing libraries in the age of terrorism. Cognotes. 3. Published, 06/23/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Steinem speaks on feminism, libraries, and politics. Cognotes (Annual Conference Highlights). 1. Published, 06/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Globalization and humor highlight closing session. Cognotes (Annual Conference Highlights). 1. Published, 06/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Campaign aims to promote the profession. Cognotes. 8. Published, 01/27/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). ACRL discusses intellectual freedom. Cognotes. 4. Published, 01/26/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Feminist task force plans June program. Cognotes (Midwinter Meeting Highlights). 12. Published, 01/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Electronic reserves mean accessibility for all. Cognotes (Midwinter Meeting Highlights). 8. Published, 01/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Budget constraints become hot topic. Cognotes (Midwinter Meeting Highlights). 12. Published, 01/2003.
  • Comer, A. (2003). Searching for solutions: Supervising student employees. Journal of Access Services [Peer reviewed]. Vol. 1(4), 103-113. Published, 01/2003.