David Beales

I am an engineering subject librarian at the Robert E. Kennedy Library at Cal Poly in sunny California, I mention the sunshine a lot because it’s still a novelty to me. If ever I need cheering up, I look at the weather forecast back home in the UK.

In the past ten years my career has progressed in a slightly unorthodox way. I’ve spent time as a cataloguer; acquisitions librarian; circulation librarian; subject librarian for hair & beauty, engineering & physical sciences; teaching & learning senior information specialist; engineering team leader. In 2011 I decided to give up a very comfortable management job at Imperial College London to live in California and go back to the job I have had the most fun with. It seems to be working out for me.

All of the above means that I have professional interests in information literacy, supporting faculty in community building and demonstrating research impact, library impact assessment, eresource metrics, project management and organizational management.