SLIS News Feed

National Library of Medicine

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SLIS alumnus Sheldon Kotzin (MLS ’68), will retire from his position as the Associate Director of Library Operations at the National Library of Medicine (Bethesda, Maryland) in June 2012.

The following excerpt provided by Melanie Modlin, Deputy Director, NLM/NIH Office of Communications, outlines his career and many accomplishments:

“Sheldon Kotzin, FMLA, Associate Director for Library Operations at the National Library of Medicine, will retire on June 29, 2012 after more than 43 years at NLM. Kotzin earned a Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University in 1968 and, following graduation, came to the NLM as a Library Associate.

He subsequently served as Head, Catalog Maintenance Unit in the Technical Services Division, Head of the Collection Access Section (then Loan and Stack) in the Public Services Division, and Coordinator of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (then the Regional Medical Library Network).

Kotzin became Chief of the Bibliographic Services Division in 1981 and was appointed to his current position in 2006. Since 1998, Kotzin has served as Executive Editor of MEDLINE and Administrator of the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee, the body that reviews and recommends journals for indexing in MEDLINE. He has also served as NLM's representative to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, a group of 14 clinical journal editors who establish standards for submission of journal articles and comment on ethical principles related to publication in biomedical journals. Kotzin has chaired the Janet Doe Lecture Jury and the Joseph Leiter Lectureship Committee for the Medical Library Association (MLA), which elected him a fellow in 2007. Kotzin will miss his many colleagues at NLM, MLA, libraries and library schools, and in the publishing field, but looks forward to spending time traveling with his wife of nearly 44 years, Loretta, and spending time with his four grandchildren.”

Adult Services Librarian: Pullman, Washington

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SLIS alumna Sarah Morrison (MLS'08) has a new position as the Adult Services Librarian, Neill Public Library in Pullman, Washington. In an email interview, we asked her about her position. Her responses are included below.

Main Job Duties:
Everything that falls under Adult Services makes its way to me. I have a staff of 3 part-time employees (with 2 positions currently vacant) and together, we staff the Reference desk every hour the library is open and respond to incoming patron questions via email. I order all adult print and AV materials, including our periodicals, databases, and OverDrive selections, and organize and deliver programming. I also make any needed changes to the website, write articles and press releases for the local newspaper, and fulfill management responsibilities, such as making schedules for my staff, creating and conducting trainings, and attending management team meetings.

Favorite Aspects:
Like my previous position, this job gives me so much variation every day. If I'm tired of ordering, I can work on a handout for a public computer class or research speakers to come give a presentation. Above and beyond my previous position, I have more tasks that challenge me to learn new skills (such as updating the website), and, as a member of the management team, I have more responsibility, so I feel more integral to the organization.

Tips for SLIS students:
There are fairly recent library grads who are unemployed or underemployed. Your first professional position-maybe even your first couple positions-may have to be ones you don't really love or in an area you don't really love. Making the sacrifice of being away from family or working with a different age group or focus that you wanted will benefit you in the long run by giving you experience you can use to get yourself into a better position.

Once inside a library, you aren't necessarily limited to your written job description. Ask for extra tasks that reflect and will give you experience in areas you hope to focus more on in your next position. Work on interlibrary committees, such as region-wide or state-wide library committees, to get out and get your name out.

New SLIS Student Chapter: Society of Art Librarianship Students

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Students interested in art librarianship now have the option to join the newly established SLIS student group named the Society of Art Librarianship Students (SALS).

The following excerpt summarizing the group’s mission can be found on the group's My INvolvement page (through Indiana University Student Organization's Office).

“The Society of Art Librarianship Students is a group for graduate students interested in the field of art librarianship. The society plans to promote professional development, facilitate networking among members and art librarians, organize informational talks by professionals, and visit fine arts libraries.”

The faculty co-advisors for SALS are both IU Librarians, and SLIS graduates. Erika Dowell is a SLIS adjunct faculty member and a Public Services Librarian at the Lilly Library. Emilee Mathews is the Head of the Fine Arts Library.

The student chapter’s officers are:
President: Valerie Lazalier
Vice-President: Amanda Qualls
Secretary: Esther Roth-Katz
Treasurer: Lauren McKeen
Webmaster: Lindsay Skaggs

While this SLIS group is independent from the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA), many students pursuing careers in art librarianship are also active with this national association.

SLIS 2012 Trustees Teaching Award

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The following announcement was sent by Pnina Fichman (Chairperson, SLIS Faculty Policy Council) and Howard Rosenbaum (SLIS Associate Dean) on April 2, 2012:

Assistant Professor Staša Milojević will receive the 2012 Trustees Teaching Award from the School of Library and Information Science in recognition of her excellence in teaching this past year.

This past year, Dr. Milojević taught core courses in the MLS (Organization and Representation) and MIS programs (Information Architecture), to uniformly positive reviews. She also taught a new course that she designed, Information Networks, that was cross listed as a doctoral seminar and was very well received by her students. Dr. Milojević has been teaching core classes since she joined the faculty and she has worked hard make her classes engaging and challenging for her students. She has experimented with pedagogical strategies that have focused her classes on student-centered learning such as the use of a blog and just-in-time teaching techniques. Dr. Milojević is a reflective practitioner, using anonymous mid-semester class evaluations to make mid course adjustments based on student responses.

Student comments indicate that Dr. Milojević's approach has been successful.

"I really thought that the blog helped me to understand the readings. By having to read what others thought and then write something on my own, I felt that I had a better idea of what the readings were trying to convey."
"The projects were likely the most valuable part of the class because they involved the most work, and also because for a subject such as indexing and classification, 'doing' is the best learning."
"Group work and presenting in class were very helpful in trying to understand complex concepts."
"Dr. Milojević is perhaps the most approachable professor in the department. She is willing to give her time to help students individually if they choose to seek help."

Dr. Milojević's contributions extend well beyond teaching core courses. She served on seven research and advisory committees in SLIS and in the School of Education in 2011. She is an active participant in the University's Women in Science Program, working this past year on a project proposal to develop a residential program for first year female students interested in STEM disciplines. She also served on the Bloomington Faculty Council's Ad Hoc Item Committee of the Task Force on Online Course Evaluation.

For her commitment to teaching in the core of both Master's programs, her dedication to her students and her involvement in school and campus activities intended to improve the educational experience of students at Indiana University, we are pleased to give her this award.

SLIS Archive Internship Projects: Herman B Wells Book Launch

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Indiana University Libraries hosted a reception in honor of a new biography about Herman B Wells. The reception was held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Herman B Wells Library. The event featured remarks by IU President Michael A. McRobbie, IU Libraries Dean Brenda L. Johnson, and the book's author James H. Capshew (IU faculty member, History and Philosophy of Science Department). The biography, titled Herman B Wells: The Promise of the American University, was published by Indiana University Press.

• Excerpt from the IU Libraries Press Release:
Herman B Wells Biography Launch Event at Wells Library April 18

"In researching the biography, Capshew relied primarily on the IU Archives, a department of IU Libraries that maintains the university’s historic records. Wells’s papers and other professional and personal items are part of these extensive collections, which document IU’s origins and development. Selected items from the IU Archives will be on display during the event."

SLIS students Whitney Olthoff and Tony Barger are currently doing internships with the IU Archives. One of their supervisors is Dina Kellams, Associate Archivist. She wrote that "Whitney Olthoff and Tony Barger have helped with our exhibits. Whitney was most heavily involved with selection and design, and Tony helped with mounting. We had exhibits in both display cases, tent cards on the tables with pictures and trivia questions - plus posters on each pillar in the library (content from us, and design from the IU Libraries Development Office). We also had a looping powerpoint of the photos on one of the new flat screens in the library lobby (set up by Whitney)."

Congratulations SLIS 2012 Graduates!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Indiana University Spring Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 4, 2012. The Ceremony is a nice event - and a fun way to celebrate graduation. There is plenty of room for guests. No tickets are required - and parking is free.

1:00 p.m.	Assembly Hall doors open
1:30 p.m.	Candidates line up in the adjoining Gladstein Fieldhouse — (look for the SLIS Banner)
2:15 p.m.	Procession of Graduates into Assembly Hall
3:00 p.m.	Ceremony begins
4:30 p.m.	Ceremony concludes

Accessibility Needs: Guests who use wheelchairs and who contact (812) 855-9260 or (ceassist@indiana.edu) in advance will be issued a special IU parking pass. This contact number can also assist with other needs.

The ceremony has wonderful music and speakers. SLIS graduates will process in together following the SLIS Banner. SLIS master degree graduates are easily identified by the yellow trim on their hoods. The trim color of yellow represents the field of Library and Information Science. SLIS Ph.D. graduates have royal blue trim (for the Doctor of Philosophy degree - regardless of academic field.) The inside of the hoods are red and white to represent Indiana University.

To help celebrate:

1. Stop by the SLIS Office any day from Monday, April 23 to Friday, May 4. In recognition of your achievement, SLIS has a keepsake gift for those graduating. Plan to stop by the SLIS Office to pick it up.

2. Also, stop by the SLIS Information Commons any time Wednesday, April 25 to Friday, April 27. We will set up a table in the SLIS Information Commons with candy and other items to help celebrate both the end of the semester - and your graduation.

• SLIS Preparing to Graduate Tips

Associate Dean, Cunningham Memorial Library, Indiana State University

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Greg Youngen (MLS'83) is the Associate Dean of Library Services at the Cunningham Memorial Library, Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. We asked him about his job and tips for students in a recent email interview. His responses are below:

Main Job Duties:

I serve and support the Dean, faculty librarians and staff of the Cunningham Memorial Library at Indiana State University. I'm involved in hiring and search committees, overseeing the orientation program, and serving as library liaison with other campus administrative programs. My job also includes preparing library reports and making sure policy and procedure manuals are accurate and up-to-date. I work with library faculty in seeking grant opportunities, mentoring programs, and other projects that support the mission of ISU. I am also responsible for monitoring and recommending solutions for issues involving the library building, its physical facilities, and security.

Favorite Aspects

I'm really enjoying being part of a large, consolidated work unit. For most of my career I've been working in specialized sci/tech/medical departmental libraries. The decision to come to ISU was a daunting one, especially this late in my career, but it was a chance I wanted to take. I'm looking forward to growing in the administrative role I've accepted here. Also, the idea of "coming home" appealed to me. I graduated from ISU 30 years ago - knowing that IU SLIS would be my next step, but not really sure where my career was headed. Now that I've figured it out, it's nice to give something back to the school that helped get me started.

Tips for SLIS students

Don't let technology pass you by. I started out in the days of mediated searching using a 300 baud acoustical coupler and have witnessed the entire digital revolution unfold. It's only going to get better as more of our older content is digitized. Keeping it organized and accessible is going to be critical for future generations. I'm confident in the future of the profession and in its continued evolution - just be flexible, remain curious, and keep the service aspects of our calling

Newly Appointed Editor: College & Research Libraries

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Scott Walter (MLS ’98) was recently selected as the new College & Research Libraries editor by the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). Scott will work with current editor Joseph J. Branin as editor designate from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013 - and then begin his three-year term as editor in July 2013. As editor, his responsibilities also include chairing the C&RL Editorial Board.

The following are excerpts from the ALA News (March 6, 2012) announcement:

“Scott brings excellent credentials to the position of editing College & Research Libraries,” says 2011-12 ACRL President Joyce L. Ogburn of the University of Utah. “Under his guidance the journal will continue to be a leading publication in our field and will likely experiment with new models of engaging its readers.”
“Scott Walter’s extensive experience in the academic research and scholarly communication processes make him the ideal person to lead C&RL further into the 21st century,” noted Christopher Millson-Martula, chair of the ACRL Publications Coordinating Committee.
In Scott’s own words: “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that College & Research Libraries remains at the heart of the ACRL research enterprise, maintains its reputation as the premier journal in academic librarianship and continues to promote scholarly practice in our field.”

See related SLIS News story:
•University Librarian: DePaul University, Chicago

Lindley Shedd - University of Alabama Libraries

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SLIS alumna Lindley Shedd (MIS ’08) recently published an article, “iTunes U: Experiences from Two Universities” in College and University Media Review.

Lindley is also the Media Services Coordinator for the University of Alabama Libraries. In a recent email interview, she shared information about the position as well as advice for current students.

Here is what she said:

Basic job duties:
I am the administrator of the Sanford Media Center (SMC), which is a student media production center that is part of the University of Alabama Libraries. Being part of the library system, the SMC is open to all +30,000 students. My role as administrator of this unit is to select all hardware, software and equipment for our unit, manage all staff and market and evaluate SMC services and programs. Faculty and instructors can come to me to assist them in designing multimedia projects. I also spend a lot of my time providing software instruction and multimedia project planning lectures in classes that have incorporated multimedia assignments into the curriculum. I provide both group and individual instruction session in all forms of digital media, including video, audio, graphic and web design using software such as Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Garageband and HTML/CSS to name a few.

My favorite aspect of the job:
I enjoy my interaction with so many different colleges and departments across campus. One day I’m teaching in the English Department and the next in the School of Social Work. I also really enjoy the planning and administrative elements of my job. The long term planning and adjusting to changing needs is an element of my job that I really enjoy.

Tips for fellow students:
Be Flexible. For me, I had to be flexible about the kind of position I would take since I was not willing to be flexible about my general geographic location (i.e. the South). I wanted to be a behind-the-scenes person, not working with the public. Now, I teach around 500 students a semester in their classrooms and interact with thousands of students in the SMC throughout the semester. It’s not at all what I had planned, but I truly enjoy it.

Be Willing to Change.
Libraries are looking for people who are willing to move into many different positions over the course of a career. Make yourself learn something new every year. Learn something about a different department or new piece of technology. It will make you more marketable over your career.

Find Accomplishment in Every Day.
It can be hard to see accomplishment when it seems like you are always need to get more done than you are humanly capable of doing. Enjoy the little, every day victories. Every little thing that gets done adds to the whole.

SLIS Alumna Named a 2012 “Mover and Shaker” by Library Journal

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Emily Ellis (MLS ’07), a graduate from the IUPUI campus, joins an ever-growing group of SLIS alumni named “Movers and Shakers” by Library Journal. Since 2001, the journal has created a list of library and information professionals worthy of being recognized for their contributions to the field. Fifteen SLIS alumni have been named “Movers & Shakers” in previous years.

On the 2012 Movers & Shakers announcement page, Francine Fialkoff, Editor-in-Chief, Library Journal wrote:

“For 11 years now, LJ’s Movers & Shakers has been spotlighting librarians and others in the library field who are doing extraordinary work to serve their users and to move libraries of all types and library services forward. They hail from all corners of the library world. They’ve been nominated by their colleagues, friends, bosses, and just plain admirers. We know there are many more Movers out there, making libraries better and taking them into the future. This year’s group of 53 brings the Movers cohort to over 550. We’re proud to recognize their achievements–and to encourage you to be inspired by their vision and optimism and turn their ideas into fodder for your own innovative work.”

The Movers & Shakers are divided into six categories: community builders, innovators, advocates, recession busters, change agents, and tech leaders. Emily was placed into the community builders category, for her work as Head of Reference and Teen Services at Greenwood Public Library in Greenwood, IN.

From Library Journal (March 13, 2012):

"When it comes to teen services, Emily Ellis thinks big. In just three years at Greenwood Public Library, she increased program attendance by more than 133 percent, anchored by successes like the teen film festival, a collaborative effort with the local high school media specialist. Now in its third year and having spread countywide, the event is the culmination of a program that includes storyboarding and video-editing classes, plus access to cameras and other equipment. Big indeed, as 373 people attended in 2009– and 768 in 2010."

“Her relational, goofy style and excellent programs are what keeps them coming back,” says assistant director Cheryl Dobbs. “She relates very well to teens who never seem to want to leave her office.”

Interactive Multimodal Platforms: A Research Prospectus

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SLIS Professor Susan Herring gave a talk in the College of Communication and Information at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. The talk was titled: "Interactive Multimodal Platforms: A Research Prospectus." Below is the Florida State announcement.

Guest Lecture, “Interactive Multimodal Platforms,” Susan C. Herring, March 21

by BBranciforte on March 14, 2012

Interactive multimodal platforms (IMPs) allow Internet users to comment on content in multiple modes, for example:

YouTube. Users may respond either via text or video to YouTube videos.
World of Warcraft. Players may engage in real-time chat via text or voice.
VoiceThread.com. Participants may comment on multimedia slide shows via text, audio, or video.
Google+ social network site. Allows video chat in addition to text chat, private email, and text comments on one’s ‘profile.’
Facebook added video chat to its suite of textual communication options.

Multimodal commenting environments raise questions about:

Why and to what effect people communicate in a given mode, and
Whether platforms can and should be engineered to optimize mode use that produces specific outcomes.

Dr. Herring will outline a research agenda for a systematic study of communication in IMPs that provide multiple communication modes.

Presented by the School of Library & Information Studies, College of Communication & Information:

Wednesday, March 21, 2012
2:00 PM
Goldstein Library, Shores Building

About Susan C. Herring:

Susan C. Herring is Professor of Information Science and Adjunct Professor of Linguistics at Indiana University Bloomington, where she directs the doctoral program in the School of Library & Information Science. Trained in linguistics, she was one of the first scholars to apply discourse analysis methods to computer-mediated communication (CMC), initially with a focus on gender issues. She has published numerous works on CMC and is editor of the online journal Language@Internet and a past editor of the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Her current research interests include multilingual and multimodal CMC.

Photo Credit: Sunrise Lake Jackson - Tallahassee, FL - Sept. 25 2010 by SteveNakatani

SLIS Student Curates Tattoo Themed Exhibit for Internship

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Amy Tims, a current SLIS Master of Library Science student, curated an exhibit as a part of her internship at the Kinsey Institute during the Fall 2011 semester. The exhibit is entitled “Ephemeral Ink: Selections of Tattoo Art from The Kinsey Institute.”

The exhibit was on display at Marian University in Indianapolis from February 20 until March 23, 2012. Amy spoke at a lecture about the exhibit on February 24 - along with SLIS alumna Catherine Johnson-Roehr (Curator of Art, Artifacts and Photographs at The Kinsey Institute).

The exhibit press release gives details:

“Ephemeral Ink features images of tattoos and tattooing from the beginning of the twentieth century through the twenty-first. Drawing from the art collection of The Kinsey Institute, the exhibit gives viewers a glimpse into the evolution of tattooing style and technique over the course of a hundred years.

People from many walks of life and of all ages have had their bodies marked with needle and ink, for both personal and professional reasons. These marks change through time as bodies age, inks change, and tattoos are added to, covered up, or otherwise altered. Vintage and contemporary photographs in Ephemeral Ink allow us to see people’s tattoos at a particular moment in their lives. Materials in the show include flash art, images of tattoos by notable artists Les Skuse and Bert Grimm, and photographs by anonymous and known fine art photographers, including Michael Grecco, Jess T. Dugan, Chas Ray Krider, and George Platt Lynes.”

Nuvo, an independent alternative news organization in Indiana, wrote a review of the exhibit (issue 02.29.12-03.07.12, page 22), giving it a four star rating. However, the exhibit has not been without its critics, as documented in an article by Brendan Dugan featured in the Marian University student newspaper, The Knight Times on February 27, 2012. There were concerns that the exhibit contains lewd images. Gallery Director Jenny Pauckner responded to these critics, saying “"The whole purpose of the exhibit is to give people insight...a different perspective. I think it's important to challenge our preconceptions of life, art, ideas. That's where learning takes place."

The exhibit will be on display at The Kinsey Institute Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington beginning July 9 and continuing through September 21, 2012.

Finding Repositories of Research Data with Databib

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

SLIS graduate Michael Witt (MLS’ 06) is the Interdisciplinary Research Librarian at Purdue University. He is currently supervising two Master of Library Science interns from the SLIS Indianapolis program: Marcy Wilhelm and Rachel Newbury. Together, Witt, Wilhelm and Newbury developed a poster titled "Finding Repositories of Research Data with Datalib" that has been accepted for the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference to be held June 2012 in Anaheim, California. They will present the poster in Session I: Saturday, June 23, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Table 12.

According to the ALA Website, poster sessions “are an effective forum for the exchange of information and a means to communicate ideas, research, and programs” and may include “a description of an innovative library program, an analysis of a practical problem-solving effort, or a report of a research study.” This year, the Poster Sessions Committee received 259 proposals and accepted approximately 46% - (per the email notification the contributors received from ALA).

SLIS faculty member Marilyn Irwin submitted this story to SLIS News with a particular pride in Witt's development as a professional in the field. She was the mentor for the ALA Emerging Leader Program's Team X in 2008. Witt was selected as one of the ALA Emerging Leaders that year - and was on Team X. The team's project was to assist ASCLA in "planning and promoting the release of an 'accessibility toolkit' of fifteen pamphlets that provide information on different aspects of accessibility as well as an Electronic Accessibility Checklist. The subjects of the pamphlets included developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, service animals, vision, mental illness, physical disabilities, and more."

Witt was also featured in an earlier SLIS News story about his selection as a Fulbright Scholar to Alexandria, Egypt in 2011.

Miniatures and Murals: Portraits of a Discipline and Its Adherents

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

On March 14-16, 2012, SLIS Professor Blaise Cronin was at Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland to give an invited presentation titled:

• Miniatures and Murals: Portraits of a Discipline and Its Adherents

The abstract is included below. Dr. Cronin is also an Honorary Visiting Professor at Edinburgh Napier University.

Abstract:

Bibliometric techniques are widely used to evaluate research performance, analyze patterns of intellectual interaction and map the evolution of disciplines. The resultant high-level statistical distributions and citation maps can be very revealing about the dynamics of scholarly communication, but they don’t always tell us a great deal about what is happening on the ground or the epistemic significance of place.

In this talk I make a case for combining large-scale citation analysis with close-up description of local practice. I argue for a tighter coupling of bibliometrics with biography (“biobibliometrics”) and show, using information science as a case study, how we can develop a richer understanding of a discipline by combining traditional indicators of scholarly productivity (publications, citations) with carefully crafted profiles of scholars’ careers as authors, collaborators and mentors.

In the upcoming Fall 2012 semester, Dr. Cronin will teach Strategic Intelligence (S555) at SLIS.

Katy Börner Featured in Research Trends

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The January 2012 issue of Research Trends featured an interview with SLIS faculty member Dr. Katy Börner. The article is by Gali Halevi, and is titled "The Power of Scientific Mapping and Visualization: an interview with Prof. Katy Börner."

"Research Trends is a bi-monthly publication providing objective, up-to-the-minute insights into scientific trends based on bibliometric analysis. Worldwide, there has been increasing demand for quality research performance measurement and trend-related information by deans, faculty heads, researchers, funding bodies and ranking agencies." [About]

In the interview, Dr. Börner discussed her work as curator in the exhibit Places and Spaces: Mapping Science. Halevi wrote of the display: “The exhibit is a collaborative work between Börner and researchers in diverse disciplines including scientometrics, network science, geography, education, and information visualization. Together, they design maps of science which introduce unique visualization tools that capture knowledge and enable deeper understanding of global scientific, environmental and economic trends to name a few.” Excerpts from the interview can be found below.

From Dr. Katy Börner:

On the collaborative effort and process of Places and Spaces:
On the 8th Iteration:

Initial Report of RAILS Findings

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

On Wednesday, February 29, 2012, Brian Winterman and colleague Megan Oakleaf (Assistant Professor, Syracuse University) presented initial results of the Rubric Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (RAILS) project. RAILS is a national study designed to test information literacy in higher education. Winterman is the Information Fluency and Assessment Librarian in the Teaching and Learning Department of the Indiana University Libraries. He is also a SLIS alumnus (MLS'03), a SLIS adjunct faculty member, and the faculty sponsor to the Special Libraries Association Student Group at SLIS.

Oakleaf, who is directing the three-year project, opened the presentation with a discussion of findings from the five institutions that have been analyzed and other issues that will be covered over the remaining duration of the study. She also demonstrated the importance of information literacy skills “in the context of overall academic library impact and value.”

Winterman concluded the talk by reporting findings at Indiana University specifically, in addition to suggesting “possible future directions for application of authentic rubric-based approaches to assessment at IU.”

The talk was sponsored by the SOTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) program at Indiana University. Power-point slides from the presentation are included in the SOTL talk announcement. The event was held in the Dogwood Room, Indiana Memorial Union, IU Bloomington.

See Related SLIS News Story:
• Rubric Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (RAILS)

Esteemed Music Cataloger and Teacher Lives on in New Book and Scholarship

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

SLIS lost a valuable member of its community in 2010 with the death of music cataloger and long-time adjunct faculty member Arsen Ralph Papakhian. Mr. Papakhian mentored many SLIS students in the Music Librarianship Specialization and/or dual MLS/Musicology or Music programs.

Shortly after Ralph’s death, the Midwest Chapter of the Music Library Association posted a remembrance on its website. The posting included a statement by Ruthann McTyre, former MLA President, which gives a glimpse into his many contributions to the field:

"Ralph was best known for his work as a music cataloger. He was a model practitioner and teacher. Beginning in the late 1970s, he taught classes and supervised internships for library students enrolled in the music specialization offered by IU's School of Library and Information Science. In the mid-1990s, he and Sue Stancu instituted a summer cataloging workshop, and each year the roster for the workshop filled within days and names were added to a waiting list. Over the years, he trained innumerable music catalogers--dozens, if not hundreds--and he instilled in each the importance of accuracy, curiosity, and intellectual rigor."

Ralph’s former students also wrote of their memorable experiences. Jenn Riley (MLS ’03), now the head of the Carolina Digital Library and Archives at the University of North Carolina, wrote that her “music cataloging internship and subsequent discussions about library metadata with Ralph Papakhian have profoundly influenced her thinking in this area. Words cannot express my gratitude and respect for Ralph and his legacy.”

Jenn’s tribute is excerpted from a new book, Directions in Music Cataloging, which was dedicated to Ralph Papakhian. Edited by Peter H. Lisius (MLS'00) and Richard Griscom (MLS/MM Musicology'81), the book contains ten articles from different contributors addressing issues in music cataloging. The epilogue, entitled “Ralph: A Remembrance,” is by Sue Stancu, who has worked in the Technical Services Division of the William and Gayle Cook Music Library at Indiana University since 1979. She recalled (on page 164):

"Ralph always looked for the best in everyone. He was a man without a trace of pretense or guile. He had a brilliant intellect and was friendly, kind and caring, generous, resourceful, down-to-earth, persistent, and patient. Ever the teacher and mentor, his door was always open; he always had time to answer a question. Ralph had a wonderful sense of humor.”

At the February 2012 Music Library Association conference, SLIS announced the A. Ralph Papakhian Graduate Scholarship in Music. Several music librarians who want to ensure the continuation of Ralph’s legacy participated in the launch of the fundraising effort. This is the first scholarship at SLIS specifically for support of students in music librarianship. Ralph made a difference in the lives and the careers of many people; his friends and colleagues have been pleased to offer this well deserved honor and recognition. Questions about the scholarship can be directed to Sarah Burton, SLIS (burtonsp@indiana.edu).

Photo Credit: Rachel Papakhian

University Librarian: DePaul University, Chicago

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

SLIS alumnus Scott Walter (MLS ’98) will join DePaul University (Chicago, Illinois) as the University Librarian in April 2012. He is currently the Associate University Librarian for Services and Associate Dean of Libraries at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. According to the DePaul News Release, Walter “will oversee the libraries’ collection of more than 800,000 volumes housed in the John T. Richardson Library on the Lincoln Park Campus and DePaul’s Loop Campus Library.”

Of this new position, Walter remarks, “I welcome the opportunity to join the DePaul community at a unique time in its history and to lead its libraries in building a vision of library and information services that meets the needs of a 21st century academic community dedicated to teaching, learning, scholarship and service.”

In addition to this new professional endeavor, Walter has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Education and Behavioral Sciences Section (EBSS) Distinguished Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian Award. The award “honors a distinguished academic librarian who has made an outstanding contribution as an education and/or behavioral sciences librarian through accomplishments and service to the profession.” Walter will receive the award in June at the 2012 ALA Conference in Anaheim, California during the EBSS program.

According to the award chair Cynthia Crosser, “Scott Walter has provided service and leadership to EBSS, ACRL, ALA, and AERA…He has not only published extensively, but he has served as the editor of Education Libraries and served on the editorial boards of ACRL Publications in Librarianship, College & Research Libraries, and Behavioral and Social Sciences Librarian. Scott also participated in presenting a series of pre-conference workshops on information literacy at ALA, ACRL and LOEX conferences. EBSS wants to recognize Scott for his many contributions to our field.” [ALA Press Release - February 2, 2012]

SLIS Class Project Implemented on the IU Black Film Center/Archive Website

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Four SLIS master degree students have had a class project implemented for real world use. Stacey Doyle, Asik Pradhan, Rebecca Reed, and Jane Shin completed their class project (a database) for Dr. Ying Ding's class (SLIS S511: Database Design) during the Spring 2011 session. Dr. Ding recently emailed: "Just got great news from our last year database design class - their group project is now being used on the Black Film Center/Archive’s website."

Database Design is a course concerned with teaching students how to use various database models, understanding theory surrounding databases, as well as creating a database of their own. Dr. Ding is currently teaching the class again this semester (Spring 2012).

A part of the assignment description states:

What is the purpose of the database? Why is it needed? What should it do?
Who are the users and what are their information needs?
What are the problems that the system should solve?
What input data is available to the database?
What kind of information should be stored in the database?

Included here is an excerpt from the description of the students' project:

Database Environment

The Black Film Center/Archive was founded by Dr. Phyllis Klotman in 1981 and was the first repository for the collection and preservation of African American film and film-related materials in the United States. Dr. Klotman served as professor emerita of Afro-American Studies and Film Studies for many years and was a driving force behind the department and the film archive and center. Dr. Klotman started the collection and served as the director of the Black Film Center and Archive for eighteen years, until she passed her duties over to Audrey McCluskey (1998-2006), who then passed her duties over to the current director Michael Martin. Since the creation of the archive and center, the BFC/A has broadened the scope of materials and genres that it collects and now includes films, filmmakers, producers, actors, directors, musicians, and others included in film production from not only the United States but from all over the world. The BFC/A is a non-circulating collection that consists of over 2,000 individual film titles on various formats (VHS, 16mm, DVD, ¾” U-Matic, 35mm, 8mm, and Laserdiscs) dating from the 1890s to present day. Besides films, the collection features director and actor interviews, press kits, posters, lobby cards, photographs, audio materials, articles, event materials, and other film related papers. Mary Huelsbeck, the current archivist, has just taken over the archive within the last few years. Her goal is to make the BFC/A collections more accessible to users. Currently, the website has lists of the films, actors, musicians, and events available online; however, the BFC/A lacks a searchable database. They are in especial need of one for their photograph collection. Currently, there is a word document that has a searchable table for the photograph collection, which consists of about 1,500 individual items.

Goals and Objectives

The clients seek a database that allows them to successfully search and cross-reference their photograph collection, one that they can add data to and that has the potential to include their scanned digital copies of the photographs. Currently, the website only contains a list of individual actors and films without cross-references. The archivist and staff at the Black Film Center/Archive would be among the primary users, but the user base would also include researchers, scholars, production companies, students, and members of the general public, so the database needs to be also accessible to someone outside of the archive. Reference queries will be done by both the archivist and the patrons themselves, so in many ways their needs are similar. In addition to requiring something that is easy to search, both the clients and users require the database to include all the information that is in the current Word catalog, as well as the descriptions that are attached to the physical copies of the photographs themselves. The database will not only support the instructional and research needs of the patrons, but it will also encourage personal interests in the history, meaning, and aesthetics of black film via the photograph collection. The purpose of the database is to create something that will streamline the clients’ photograph acquisition and retrieval process and make it easier for them to cross reference. Also, it is intended to allow access to all photograph information in one place instead of having the users to browse it through the Word-based catalog. Ultimately, the clients would like a framework that would make it easy for them to transfer it to the web. The database will fulfill clients’ goals and user requirements through a more efficient and uniform method of entering, storing, accessing, and updating photograph information. The main objectives of the archive and center are to preserve and promote the scholarly resources. Users of the archive, whether they are the archivists and staff, scholars, researchers, students, faculty members, or the general public will have to come to the BFC/A to access materials, either by coming in person or by asking reference questions remotely.

Susan Gibbons: University Librarian - Yale University

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

SLIS alumna Susan Gibbons (MLS’95) is the University Librarian at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Her appointment began on July 1, 2011, and was featured in Yale’s Newsletter - Yale News (March 21, 2011). An excerpt is included here:

"Susan brings to Yale both a keen intelligence and an infectious enthusiasm for the work of libraries," wrote [Yale President] Richard C. Levin in a message to the campus community. "She is greatly admired by faculty and staff colleagues at Rochester, as well as by librarians around the country, for her effective and highly collaborative style of leadership. She fully understands the challenges facing a great research library: that we must continue to maintain and augment our extraordinary print collections, and, at the same time, embrace the exciting possibilities of greater and more efficient use of scholarly materials through digital technology."
Gibbons received a B.A. in history from the University of Delaware in 1992, and in 1995 master's degrees in both history and library science from Indiana University-Bloomington. More recently, she returned to school while working full-time to earn both a M.B.A. in 2002 from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an Ed.D. in higher education administration from the University of Rochester in 2009.

In an email interview, Susan gave us details on her new job as well as some tips for future librarians.

Main Job Duties: I am responsible for the third largest academic library in the U.S., which has more than 12.8 million volumes, a staff of over 500, and 18 library facilities on the Yale campus.

Favorite Aspects: I enjoy working at the senior level of the university to ensure that we can support and enhance research, teaching and learning at Yale. We work in service to the academic mission of Yale University and the service orientation of my job is very rewarding.

Tips for Students: I attended IU SLIS assuming that someday I would be a history bibliographer. If I had held fast to that plan, I would not have the job satisfaction that I have today and likely would be unemployed. My advice to students is to say "yes" to whatever opportunity arises, even if seems to be aiming you down a different path. Seek experiences that force you to stretch, but stay true to your moral compass. A bad experience is still a learning experience and you will be stronger for it. It is really a lot of clichés, many of which I heard from my parents growing up, but, as much as I hate to admit it, they were right.