Hurst Associates

Jill Hurst-Wahl wears many hats including instructor, information consultant, speaker and author/blogger. She is an Assistant Professor of Practice in Syracuse University's School of Information Studies and the President of Hurst Associates, Ltd.

As a digitizaton consultant, Jill works with organizations that desire to have their paper-based and analog material more accessible to their internal and external users. She has consulted with many cultural heritage organizations on their digitization plans and assisted them in locating resources that would bring their plans to life. Jill has given presentations and workshops on digitization in the U.S., Canada and Switzerland.

A baby boomer who acts like a millennial, Jill frequently gives presentations and workshops at regional and international events on methods individuals and organizations can use to make themselves and their content more accessible through the use of social media such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, podcasts, and blogs. This part of her consulting practice grew out of her own use of social media and the recognition that others could learn from her efforts.

Jill currently serves on two statewide committees in New York: the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries and the Technology Policy and Practices Council. She is a member of the Rochester Professional Consultants Network and the Special Libraries Association. Jill is currently a candidate for the SLA's Board of Directors (2011-2013).

Interviews: Besides interviews on digitization and social media, Jill has been interviewed on aspects of her career. In June 2005, she was interviewed by Lip-Sticking for its Smart Women Online series. In September 2006, Information Outlook published an article on Jill and her career as an information professional. In 2009, Ruth Kneale included an interview with her in the book You Don't Look Like a Librarian.

Honors: In 2008 SLA Presidential Citation from Stephen Abram "for leading the development of the SLA's Second Life presence and programs. Jill's dedication to innovation, and her patience with a largely inexperienced membership, has helped to find a new 'place' for future initiatives that is fuzzy, fun, and functional." She was honored as the 2007 "Minority Small Business" Champion by the Syracuse office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Syracuse SBA office covers 34 counties in Upstate New York. In 1993, Jill received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the South Central Research Library Council for work with the corporate librarians in the Southern Tier.