Currently in her second year of LIRT committee participation, Dr. Marie Hayden brings us ideas gathered from over 20 years of professional involvement in library and information science. After receiving her MLS from Louisiana State University, Marie began working in the University Library at Sam Houston State University. From teaching the Library Orientation program as a new librarian to becoming a Professor of Library Science at Sam Houston State University, she has been involved in many different library units. During the 1980s, she progressively moved from being an Acquisitions Librarian, over to Reference, then becoming the Assistant to Director for Special Projects, and finally serving as the Head of Access Services before becoming a teacher of other librarians. Along the way, she obtained a Ph.D. in Education Administration from Texas A&M University.

Today, Marie is busy teaching Information Access Services and serving as Chair of the Faculty Senate. Up until the past May, she had been serving on the University presidential search committee. Now she is learning about the behind-the-scenes work and planning necessary for a formal investiture ceremony. As the presidential appointment left a Vice President for Academic Affairs position open, she is also serving on that search committee as well. During the summer months, Marie teaches classes in Reference, Instructional Media and Design, and Research Writing in the graduate program. She also participated in a special Lower Rio Grande Valley teaching program that required her to fly 800 miles round-trip from Huntsville to Edinburgh every week during the second summer session and teach two sections of Instructional Media and Design to south Texas residents. She left each Sunday and returned home on Thursday nights, giving new meaning to the idea of distance education.

In the past, Marie was involved in the Texas Library Association and the Texas Association of College Teachers. She has served on numerous committees and was the Regional Vice-President of the Texas Association of College Teachers, 1989 to 1990. This is a lady who does NOT shy away from participatory involvement in professional organizations. Most recently in LIRT, she organized the San Antonio Midwinter Bites with LIRT event. Then for the Annual Conference in New York, she lined up the volunteers to staff the LIRT exhibit hall booth. Her selfless level of dedication to her commitments and professional peers was revealed when Marie mentioned that during the New York conference, her pet of 14 years was in a hospital back in Texas. As tempting as it was to stay in Texas, her conscience demanded that she not let her fellow LIRT members down by leaving them with unmanned booths or unprepared volunteers.

Asked about what she perceives to be the challenges of the future in the profession, Marie believes there are two areas that must be addressed. "We must teach the Faculty how to use technology and how they can make meaningful assignments using these resources. Also, we have to teach the students how to access information." If these two areas are successfully resolved, then "we are well on the way to making research easier."

On the personal side, Marie is a widow of many years with two adult children. She loves to travel and specifically mentioned having been to most European countries, China, Japan, Canada, Africa, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and North, Central, and South America. She credits her wanderlust to National Geographic magazines which her parents subscribed to during her childhood and still keeps in touch with the friends that she has made around the world. LIRT is very fortunate to have such a member with this experience and giving nature.

Pixey Anne Mosley is Coordinator of Instructional Services at Texas A&M University.