Alea Perez is passionate about reading and librarianship, especially when it comes to teen services. On top of completing her master's studies this August, she manages her own YA lit website and recently started a new job as the head of youth services at the Westmont (IL) Public Library. Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree? As a child, I was constantly surrounded by books thanks to…

Susan Kumar (MS ’05) and husband Parameswaran Kumar have made a gift of $25,000 to establish the Taylor Willingham Lecture in Change Management.

Colin Rhinesmith (PhD '14) has been named the new Benton Faculty Research Fellow by the Benton Foundation, a private foundation working to ensure that media and telecommunications serve the public interest and enhance democracy. In this role, Rhinesmith will conduct original research as well as advise the foundation on new research opportunities. In his first project for Benton, Rhinesmith is…

GSLIS alumna Gail Bush (MS ’77) has been named an Illinois Library Luminary by the Illinois Library Association. Bush’s passionate career in Illinois libraries spans five decades of service in academic, corporate, and school librarianship, as well as public library trusteeship. After earning a doctorate in educational psychology, Bush’s tenure as a library practitioner was followed by moving…

Thanks to a generous pledge from Lionelle Elsesser (AB '66, MS '67) and husband James Elsesser (BS '66, MS '67), GSLIS is one step closer to realizing its first faculty chair, the Endowed Chair in the History of Libraries and the Information Professions. Gifts of any size will be matched on a one-to-one basis up to a total contribution of $225,000 by the Elsessers, and the resulting $450,000…

Two members of the GSLIS faculty have been elected to national officer positions of Beta Phi Mu, the international library and information studies honor society. Linda Smith (MS '72), professor and associate dean for academic programs, has been elected vice president and president-elect. She will serve one year as vice president, one as president, and a third year as past president.…

Jason Driver is looking out for the little guys—literally. As an early literacy specialist for Chicago Public Library’s seventy-nine branches, he works with fellow children’s librarians to create programs that support young readers and their families. For more about his professional insights and interests, check out Jason's blog.

Lisa Hinchliffe (MS ’94), GSLIS alumna and affiliated faculty member, is one of two candidates nominated for the 2017-18 American Library Association (ALA) presidency. She is professor and coordinator for information literacy services and instruction at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library. In accepting the nomination, Hinchilffe expressed gratitude for the…

The GSLIS Library School Alumni Association (LSAA) has announced the 2015 recipients of its annual awards. The recipients were recognized on June 28 at the LSAA Annual Meeting and reception held at the annual meeting of the American Library Association in San Francisco. Merinda Hensley (MS '06) is the recipient of the Leadership Award, which is given to an alum who has graduated in the past…

It’s no surprise that MS student Flannery Crump chose GSLIS when she decided to pursue a career in LIS. The program was recommended to her by a reliable source—her mother, Amy Crump. She’s following in her mother’s footsteps toward a career in public librarianship. Flannery Crump Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree? All throughout my childhood, my parents would take me to the…