New appointment for Smith

Linda C. Smith
Linda C. Smith, Professor Emerita, Interim Executive Associate Dean

Professor Emerita Linda C. Smith has returned to the iSchool on a part-time basis as interim executive associate dean for faculty affairs. In this role, she will provide leadership for iSchool faculty affairs and administrative oversight for the work of the School's associate deans.

Smith retired as professor and executive associate dean in 2019. During her 42-year career at the iSchool, she taught courses concerning information organization and access, reference and information services, and information sources and services in the sciences; advised many doctoral students; and served for 20 years as associate dean for academic programs including Leep online.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the iSchool in this new role with a focus on support for faculty development during a period of rapid growth and change under the leadership of Dean Santos," Smith said.

Smith is the recipient of numerous honors, including ALISE awards for her teaching, service, and contributions to LIS education; the Award of Merit and Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award from ASIS&T; the Beta Phi Mu Award for distinguished service; selection as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; and recognition as an Illinois Library Luminary. She is a prolific writer who has authored books, journal articles, chapters, reports, and conference papers. Routinely named to the University's List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent, she was selected as a University Distinguished Teacher-Scholar in 1999.

Smith received her MS/LIS from Illinois, MS in information and computer science from Georgia Institute of Technology, and PhD in information transfer from Syracuse University.

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Student says ‘thank you’ with a helicopter ride

Last month, Michael Ferrer showed his appreciation for one of his MSIM instructors in a unique way—by inviting him for an insider’s look at his work as a reservist in the Illinois Army National Guard. For the ILARNG BOSS Lift, which took place on June 18 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, Ferrer selected Michael Wonderlich, iSchool adjunct lecturer and senior associate director of business intelligence and enterprise architecture for Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS) at the University of Illinois.

Michael Wonderlich and Michael Ferrer hold a U of I flag in front of a military helicopter

Project helps librarians use data storytelling to advocate for public libraries

A toolkit for public librarians can help them use data to communicate the value of their services and justify their funding needs. The Data Storytelling for Librarians Toolkit helps librarians present data in story form using narrative strategies. It was developed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign information sciences professors.

Kate McDowell

Chan to deliver keynote at SIGCIS 2024

Associate Professor Anita Say Chan will deliver the keynote at the 15th annual conference of the SHOT (Society for the History of Technology) Special Interest Group for Computing, Information, and Society (SIGCIS), which will be held on July 14 in Viña del Mar, Chile. SIGCIS is the leading international group for historians with an interest in the history of information technology and its applications. The theme for SIGCIS 2024 is "System Update: Patches, Tactics, Responses."

Anita Say Chan

Mattson receives ISTE Making It Happen Award

Adjunct Lecturer Kristen Mattson has received the 2024 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Making It Happen Award. The award honors educators and leaders who demonstrate outstanding commitment, leadership, courage, and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students.

Kristen Mattson

NISO publishes Recommended Practice on retracted science

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) has announced the publication of the Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern (CREC) Recommended Practice (NISO RP-45-2024), which is the product of a working group made up of cross-industry stakeholders, including Associate Professor Jodi Schneider. 

Jodi Schneider