ANGELA M.VANDEN ELZEN, MLIS
Reference & Learning Technologies Librarian and Associate Professor, Makerspace Coordinator
Lawrence University Seeley G. Mudd Library 113 S. Lawe St., Appleton, WI 54911
920-832-6700 | angela.vandenelzen@lawrence.edu

PUBLICATIONS

Altshuler, Joshua and Angela M. Vanden Elzen, “AI Amuse Bouche: Enriching the Early Research Process with Large Language Models.” ACRL AI and Library Instruction Cookbook. Forthcoming.

Vanden Elzen, Angela M., Adam L. Vanden Elzen, and Dexter R. Vanden Elzen. “Life Lessons with Atreus and Chloe: Mature Video Games as Opportunity Spaces for Family Conversations.” Well Played Special Issue on Intergenerational Play, 8.2 (2019): 160-189. Web. Full Issue available at the Well Played journal site.

Vanden Elzen, Angela M. “Profile: Lawrence University Makerspace.” in Burke, John J., Revised by Kroski, Ellyssa, Makerspaces: A Practical Guide for Librarians, second edition, Rowman & Littlefield, 2018.

Vanden Elzen, Angela M. “Library Stories: 3D Printing Across Disciplines.” Ultimaker Blog, 27 July 2017, https://ultimaker.com/en/blog/50485-library-stories-3d-printing-across-disciplines (Now available at https://amtekcompany.com/doc/Ultimaker_Library-Stories-Case-Study.pdf )

Vanden Elzen, Angela M. and Jacob Roush (student). “Brawling in the Library: Gaming Programs for Impactful Outreach and Instruction at an Academic Library.” The Impact of Gaming on Libraries. Spec. issue of Library Trends, 61.4 (2013 Spring): 802-813. Print.

Buchanan, Kym and Angela M. Vanden Elzen. “Beyond a Fad: Why Video Games Should be Part of 21st Century Libraries.” Education Libraries, 35.1/2(2012): 15-33. Web.

COURSES CREATED & TAUGHT AT LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

• DECM 129: History of Video Games 1977-1996 Link to syllabus
• FIST 290: Introduction to Game Studies (co-taught with José Lozano from Winter 2021-Winter 2024, taught independently beginning in Fall 2024)
• FIST 404/GEST 404: Gender and Intersectional Identities in Video Games
• FIST/MUSI 441: Music and Video Games (with Professor Julie McQuinn)

Selected Independent Studies & Tutorials:

• ART 390: 3D Printing and Design Tutorial
• ART 399: Independent Study in Advanced 3D Design
• ART 599: Experimental Additive Manufacturing Independent Study
• FIST 391: Game Design in Unity
• FIST 590: Dungeons & Dragons: Roleplaying & History
• THAR 390: Fabric in the Makerspace
• UNIC 390: Library Collections: Children’s Illustrated Books Tutorial

PRESENTATIONS & INVITATIONS

2025

• “Gender and Role-Playing Games,” Guest lecture for the course, Role Playing and Improvisational Play, Professor Aaron Trammell, UC-Irvine, February 19, 2025.

2024

• “A Plethora of Possibilities: Applications of AI,” Co-presented with Colette Lunday Brautigam, Mudd Summer Coffeehouse Series, Lawrence University, July 2024.
• First-Gen Senior Celebration, Invited Keynote Speaker, Lawrence University, May 2024.
• “Creating the Next Generation of Feminist Makers: Integrating Makerspace Activities into Your Feminist Classroom,” Presentation and Workshop with Dr. Marcy Quaison at the Women’s and Gender Studies Consortium Conference at UW-Madison, April 11, 2024.
• Maker Literacies Mini-Immersion Program (accepted application required for attendance), University of Texas-Arlington, February 23, 2024.

2023

•  “Humanities in the Makerspace: Examples from Gender Studies and Religious Studies,” Poster presented at Play Make Learn at UW-Madison, July 2023.

2022

• Invited panelist for “Role of Libraries and Universities,” Video Game Music Symposium, University of North Texas College of Music, March 2022.

2020

• “Multifaceted Makerspace Training: Our Experiences and Methods” 10 minute presentation, Presented with Kelvin Maestre (student) at Play Make Learn, virtual, August 2020
• “Multifaceted Makerspace Training: Our Experiences and Methods” 20 minute presentation, Presented with Kelvin Maestre (student) at MIRA: Makerspaces for Innovation and Research in Academics, virtual, July 2020
• Invited to speak at Teaching & Learning with Objects workshop at Oberlin College, March 2020- cancelled due to COVID.

2019

• “Making and Gaming in the Liberal Arts” Poster presented at PLAY MAKE LEARN at UW-Madison, August 2019.
• “Doing More with Less: VR & 3D Printing on a Budget” Presented with Andrew McSorley and Kelvin Maestre (student) at the workshop, Building ACM-wide Partnerships for developing virtual/augmented reality tools for pedagogy workshop, on the Grinnell College Campus, July 2019.
• “Sustaining an Academic Makerspace” LibTech at Macalester College, March 2019
• “Life Lessons with Atreus & Chloe: Mature Video Games as Opportunity Spaces for Family Conversations” PechaKucha 2019: Passion. Purpose. Possibilities, Fundraiser for the Valley New School, Fox Cities Timber Rattlers Stadium, March 2019

2018

• “Makerspaces- You Built One, Now What?” Presentation at WiLS World 2018 along with Josh Cowles, Technology Coordinator at the Fond du Lac Public Library

2017

• “An Academic Makerspace: One Year Later” Lightning Talk at the at the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians Conference, April 2017
• “We Taught How to Fact-Check Internet News and You’ll Never Believe What Happened Next!!,” Poster co-presented with Gretchen Revie at the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians Conference, April 2017
• “What Happens After You’ve Set Up an Academic Makerspace?” LibTech at Macalester College, March 2017

2016

• “Setting Up an Academic Makerspace” Presentation at the ACM Makers Conference Lawrence University Campus, August 2016
• “Setting Up an Academic Makerspace” Poster presented at the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians Conference April 2016

2015

• “Sharing the Love: Working with the Campus Community to Create Engaging Social Media Content”
  • March 2015 LibTech: Library Technology Conference at Macalester College
  • July 2015 WiLS World  (co-presented with Holly Tuyls at this date)
• WiLS World Technology in Libraries Panel Member – July 2015
• Panel Discussion, Women and Identity in Gaming Symposium May 2015

2014

• “Video Games and Relationships: An Introduction” Presented at Women and Identity in Gaming Symposium May 2014

2013

• “The Patron-Centered Academic Library” Presented for Reference & Web Services Librarian Interview, June 2013
• “Identity in Avatar Creation” presentation and discussion, Session at Women and Identity in Gaming Symposium April 2013

2011

• “From Arcades to Academics, the Scholarly Study of Video Games” November 2011
  Presentation for Lawrence University Gaming Club

GRANTS RECEIVED

• Maker Literacies Immersion Workshop and $2,000 grant for tools, materials, and supplies. Through the University of Texas Arlington Libraries, February 2024
• Collaborating Partner on the ACM FaCE Grant proposal, 2018- Building ACM-wide Partnerships for Developing Virtual/Augmented-Reality Tools for Pedagogy. Grant proposal awarded $37,598 for an ACM-wide workshop and ongoing activities
• Lead on ACM FaCE Grant proposal A Model for Maker Pedagogy in the Liberal Arts, and establishments of the Lawrence University Interdisciplinary Makerspace for Engaged Learning, 2014-2016. Grant proposal awarded $23,000 for equipment and workshop.

PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS & INVOLVEMENT

• Analog Game Studies journal: Librarian- Member of the team migrating journal content from WordPress to UC eScholarship- 2024 to present
• National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research, Small Business Technology Transfer Ad Hoc & Panelist Reviewer, 2023 to present
• Unity Professional Development Course: Teach Unity & Game Developer Certification Prep, September 2023-January 2024.
• Lead for the Makerspace Advisory Group of Lawrence University faculty, 2022 to present
• Collaborative Team member in the NEH Connections planning grant for a program in Digital Technology Criticism, submitted September 2021 with a team of Lawrence University faculty
• Participating institution on IMLS Maker Competencies grant project, led by the University of Texas Arlington 2019-2020. Maker Immersion: Developing Curriculum Design and Assessment Skills for Academic Makerspace Course Integration (See participating Lawrence courses: PHYS330 & RLST 215)
• Symposium on Civil Liberties, Economic Growth, and Corruption at Lawrence University, Discussant for the Panel on Inequity in Culture, November 2019
• Women & Identities in Gaming Symposium 2013-2020 – Organizing committee member, faculty advisor, and presenter
• Lead on planning committee for the ACM Makers Conference 2016
• BLAISE Collaborative Advisory Board Member and Secretary 2013- ongoing Collaborative group of six Midwestern liberal arts colleges and universities with the goal of exploring ways to integrate technology into liberal arts teaching and learning.
• Alternate Reality Gaming Toolkit- January 2013-March 2014 Participant in creation of an alternate reality gaming library instruction and orientation toolkit with Professor Scott Nicholson (Syracuse University) and a group of public, academic, and school librarians.

WEBSITES & SERVICES MANAGED

• Lawrence University Seeley G. Mudd Library website content manager
• Lawrence University Seeley G. Mudd Library Social Media
• Frequent contributor to News from the Mudd blog
• Lawrence University OneSearch– Part of the team to edit and customize our Primo/Alma instance 2015-2016
• Lawrence University Makerspace for Engaged Learning

SELECT LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT

Committees & Advising:

• General Education Task Force (appointed by the provost) 2023-2025
• Gender Studies Advisory Board 2017-2019, 2020-present
• Faculty Advisor Lawrence University Gaming Club 2012-Present
• Faculty Advisor Lawrence University Gaming House 2011-Present
• Faculty Advisor to The Great Midwest Trivia Contest 2024-Present
• Faculty Advisor Lawrence Makerspace Club 2016-2021
• Sustainability Steering Committee 2020-2021
• LUCC General Council Faculty Representative – Fall Term 2014, Winter & Spring Terms 2016, Fall & Winter Terms 2017-2018, All year 2019-2020
• Assessment Committee- 2016-2017
• Honors Council – Spring Term 2015

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Girl Scouts of America: Troop Leader 2021-2022, 2024-present, Assistant Troop Leader 2022-2024, Cookie Volunteer 2022-present

Appleton Area School District Library Media Materials Review Committee, 4K-6 parent representative 2013-2015

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

• ACTAL: The Association of Creative Technologies in Academic Libraries, Member 2024-present
• CLAC Makerspace Affinity Group: 2023 to present
• American Library Association 2008, 2013
• Wisconsin Library Association 2013, 2014, 2018

EDUCATION