The iSchool Alumni Association (ISAA) honored its 2018 award recipients at the ISAA Annual Meeting and reception, which was held on June 24 during the annual meeting of the American Library Association in New Orleans.
Anne Gilliland (MS '84, CAS '85) is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Each year this award is given to an alum who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of library and information science.
Gilliland is a professor and director of the Archival Studies specialization in the Department of Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. She also serves as director of the Archival Education and Research Initiative, a global collaborative effort among institutions that seeks to promote scholarship and innovation in archival and recordkeeping education, as well as director of UCLA's Center for Information as Evidence, a forum that addresses the ways in which information objects and systems are created, used, and preserved as legal, administrative, scientific, social, cultural and historical evidence. Gilliland's work on recordkeeping and archival practices in support of human rights and daily life in post-conflict settings has been recognized internationally. In addition, through mentoring students and faculty, she has made a significant impact in her field.
Chera Kowalski (MS '09) is the recipient of the Leadership Award, which is given to an alum who has graduated in the past ten years and shown leadership in the field.
Kowalski is an adult/teen librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia’s McPherson Square Branch, which is located in a neighborhood notorious for its high rates of poverty, crime, and opioid addiction. It is not hyperbole to say that Kowalski is a lifesaver. After seeing a patron almost overdose in her branch of the library, she sought out training for the staff to deal with overdoses. In 2017, she helped save six people from overdosing. She has also brought attention to the problem and helped shape the discussion around saving lives. In his letter of nomination, Professor Michael Twidale noted of Kowalski, "She reminds us all that libraries can and should be centers of innovation in communities, trying out new ideas of social activism, economic regeneration or community support."
Diana Stroud is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Each year this award is given to an individual who has served ISAA or the School in an exceptional way.
Stroud served the School of Information Sciences as assistant dean for advancement and alumni affairs from December 2005 until her retirement in April 2017. As the School's chief development officer, she coordinated the School's involvement in the Brilliant Futures campaign and laid the groundwork for the current campaign, With Illinois. "Diana was a welcoming presence at conference booths, receptions, and events across the country," said Professor and Executive Associate Dean Linda C. Smith, who nominated Stroud. "She connected donor interests with the School's needs and was responsible for several major gifts, such as the Anna Mae Koval Scholarship Fund."
Eva Johnson (MS '18) is the recipient of the Student Award, which recognizes a student who "caught the spirit" of the library and information science profession while employed in a library setting and so chose to enter the master’s program. This student must have a strong commitment to return to a professional position in a library setting.
Johnson spent several years working in libraries before deciding to pursue her master's degree in LIS. She had already developed a great deal of knowledge as a family genealogist. During her time at the iSchool she worked full time at the Wilmette Public Library and continued to receive training in genealogy as well as public librarianship and archives. Johnson was one of only a few MS/LIS students to have a poster accepted in the 2017 iSchool Research Showcase, and she also presented her work at the 2018 Newberry Graduate Student Conference. In addition to her research accomplishments, Johnson distinguished herself as a family genealogist with her popular blog. Her love of libraries and the LIS profession will influence others to "catch the spirit."