APRIL P AKINS
E: aprilakins78@gmail.com W: www.aprilakins.wordpress.com
1524 19th Street NE * Roanoke, VA 24012
T: (540) 397-2206
EDUCATION
M.S.I.S. Information Sciences, May 2014
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Virginia Room – Roanoke Public Library (Internship)
IMLS Geographic Information Librarianship Project Recipient
M.S.W. Social Work, 2000
Radford University, Radford, Virginia
Women’s Center at Virginia Tech Volunteer Coordinator (Internship)
B.S.W. Social Work, 1999
Ferrum College, Ferrum, Virginia
Minors: Psychology and Sociology
Council of Community Services (Internship)
Honors: Cum Laude
RESEARCH INTERESTS





Digital Scholarship and Communications
Digital Institutional Repositories
Digital Collections and Archives
Geographic Information Librarianship
Geographic Information Systems integration in Archival Settings
EXPERIENCE
Seasonal Librarian (Reference and Instruction Librarian)
Ferrum College, 2014 – Present




Providing instructional services to students through one on one and
classroom opportunities.
Assisting students, faculty, staff and community members with virtual
and in person reference services.
Creating and implementing subject based Libguides.
Performing administrative duties related to the virtual reference chat
service.

Supervising student workers at the circulation desk.
Archivist and Special Collections Librarian (Volunteer/Intern)
Roanoke Public Library – Virginia Room, 2013 – Present



Searching through printed materials, electronic databases, and microfilm
collection to aid patrons in their genealogical and historical research quest.
Researching local history to produce digital collections to preserve and
publicize the unique antiquities found within the Virginia Room
Collection.
Creating ways for patrons to access the collection through digitizing
photographs for digital collection, creating finding aids, preserving and
organizing collections.
Archivist (Volunteer)
O. Winston Link Museum, 2012 – 2013


Worked in a small museum’s archives cataloging and accessioning a local
newspaper’s photographic negatives collection in PastPerfect (The
Roanoke Times).
Processed the negatives for preservation.
Circulation (Volunteer)
Roanoke County Public Library, 2012


Organized, sorted, and shelved materials.
Provided computer assistance to patrons.
Communications Officer III and Accreditation Manager
Roanoke County Emergency Communications Center, 2004 – 2012




Combined communications and technology to provide assistance to
citizens of Roanoke County and the Town of Vinton through answering
911/administrative lines and dispatching of police, fire and rescue.
Created, implemented and revised policies and maintained records to met
the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies
accreditation guidelines. (2008 – 2010)
Provided classroom (General Instructor) and on the job training for new
hires and current employees. (2005 – 2012)
Supervised a shift of 5-8 personnel and maintained the Center’s
workflows by reporting technological issues to appropriate personnel.

Maintained required certifications including Department of Criminal
Justice Services, Emergency Medical Dispatch, Communication Training
Officer, Hostage and Crisis Negotiation, CPR/AED Training, and
VCIN/NCIC Criminal Networks.
Communications Officer
Vinton Police Department, 2009 – 2010

Combined communications and technology to provide assistance to the
Town of Vinton’s citizens through answering 911/administrative lines
and dispatching of police, fire and rescue.
PUBLICATIONS
Akins, A. P. (2013). “Reflection article on ‘Dear Mary Jane’ by John A. Fleckner.”
Accessible from http://www2.archivists.org/node/17654.
Akins, A. P. (2013). “Student Column: Archives, you and the Society of
Tennessee Archivists: where do I fit in?” Tennessee Archivists, 36 (3).
Accessible from http://www.tenesseearchivists.org/Fall2013.pdf.
PRESENTATIONS
“Putting Place in History.” University of Tennessee Geography Research
Symposium. Knoxville, Tennessee. February 2014.
SERVICE
Society of American Archivists Student Chapter President
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2013 – 2014





Oversaw all aspects of the organization.
Promoted the chapter and recruited new members.
Coordinated and lead student chapter meetings.
Spoke to the incoming class orientation for the School of Information
Sciences.
Reached out to the archival profession to provide speakers and events for
the chapter.



Provided chapter members and the School of Information Sciences
students with archival news and opportunities through listservs.
Attended all officer and chapter meetings.
Maintained the UTK GO site and the SIS Drupal page.
Dean’s Graduate Student Council
University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
College of Communications and Information, 2013 – 2014



Attended meetings.
Advocated for graduate student issues by providing input to the Dean of
the College of Communication and Information.
Assisted in graduate student outreach in the College of Communication
and Information.
Distance Education Student Liaison
University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
School of Information Sciences, 2013 – 2014



Attended Student Affairs meetings.
Provided student feedback to the faculty and the advisory board.
Planned and organized with the Chair of the Student Affairs on matters
concerning students.
Student Representative
University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
School of Information Sciences, 2013



Attended the Society of American Archivists’ Annual Meeting, August
2013.
Represented the School of Information Sciences in the exhibition hall.
Networked with alumni, prospective and current students, and other
archival professionals during the Annual Meeting.
AWARDS



Roanoke Valley Library Association Scholarship Recipient, University of
Tennessee
IMLS Geographic Information Librarianship Project Recipient, University
of Tennessee
o https://scholar.cci.utk.edu/gil/home
Communications Officer of the Year 2007, Roanoke County Communications
Center




Arthur S. Owen Leadership Award Recipient, Ferrum College
Dean’s List, Ferrum College
Psi Chi Honor Society, Ferrum College
Alpha Delta Mu Honor Society, Ferrum College
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS






American Library Association
o University of Tennessee Student Chapter
Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference
Roanoke Valley Library Association
Society of American Archivists
o University of Tennessee Student Chapter
Tennessee Library Association
Virginia Library Association