Layne Nordgren

What I Do

I work in Information Resources at Pacific Lutheran University as Director of Instructional Technologies/Library Systems. I like to think of my job as helping and enabling students, faculty, and staff to access and use appropriate technology... sort of an information technology/multimedia advocate. I enjoy working with people to identify their needs or problems and to enable them to harness technology to make their tasks easier, more efficient, and more productive. 

Digital Media Center

I manage the Digital Media Center where we consider our staff and their customer service focus as the most important resource our department has to offer. We support the eCourse (Blackboard) learning management system. Some of the services and resources we provide include:

• Web production services
• Non-linear video editing
• The Digital Media Center technology lab
• Scanning and image manipulation
• Multimedia and web production services
• Course-integrated technology workshops
• LuteCast streaming services and archives
• Workshops on integrating technology into teaching

I manage the technical part of the Web Development Team to develop and maintain the PLU web site and provide Web Development Services to the campus. We also develop web-based applications and services (like student and faculty online voting, driver’s training, search and directory services) using php and MySQL.

Library Systems Administration

In the Library Systems area, I work as System Administrator for our Endeavor Voyager automated libary system including modules for the Public Access Catalog, Circulation, Acquisitions, Cataloging, Reserves, and Media Scheduling.

Over the past year we served as a beta test site and Early Release Partner for the Unicode release of the Voyager software. One of my long-term focuses in this area is to improve access to information both in the library and over the campus network.

We have collaboratively developed Journals at PLU to comprehensively search all our print and online journals and provide authenticated access to licensed resources.

• Creating audio-visual design and specification documents for the Morken Center for Learning and Technology
• Developing a wireless inventory program for library inventory and collection development
• Creation of the Digital Collection Manager, a digital asset management system based on Dublin core standards
• Developing RSS newsfeeds and management interface for PLU Web site