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…
Three GSLIS alumni have been chosen to participate in the highly competitive American Library Association Leadership Institute: Jenna Mayotte (MS ’07), business resource center coordinator at the Simsbury (CT) Public Library; Michele Paladines (MS ’11), collections coordinator at Oak Park (IL) Public Library; and Janet Vogel (MS ’08), youth services coordinator for Frederick County (MD) Public…
Throughout her career at the Illinois State Library, alumna Gwen Harrison has embraced leadership roles that have allowed her to make a difference in the working lives of librarians across the state and in the lives of their patrons. She was recognized for her contributions to the state in 2013, when she received the Secretary of State’s Employee of the Year award.
Where do you work and what…
GSLIS alumnus Connell Gallagher (MS '78) was honored earlier this month with a Lifetime Achievement Award given by the University of Vermont (UVM) Center for Research on Vermont. Gallagher worked at UVM from 1970 until he retired in 2006. During his career there he served as manuscripts librarian, university archivist and curator of manuscripts, and director of research collections. Gallagher…
Mark W. Sorensen (MS ’98), official Macon County historian, received the Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, April 25, in a ceremony in the House of Representatives’ Chamber of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. The award was presented during the annual ISHS awards presentation to the state’s best history teachers, authors, and museum…
The GSLIS Office of Advancement is happy to announce that the School's first G. Edward Evans Minority Student Scholarship will be awarded for the Fall 2015 semester. Dr. Evans's (PhD '69) goal in making this gift was to facilitate increased enrollment of underrepresented groups in LIS education and the information professions.
In addition to making a substantial personal gift to the School,…
Look beyond the classroom walls, says Eric Phetteplace, and you’ll find there are lots of ways to expand your educational experience (and you might even get a job while you’re at it). Practicum and work experiences, attending conferences, networking, and getting involved in professional organizations are all great ways to do that. For more tips on working in LIS tech, look for posts by…
Becky Hodson (MS '13) recently returned to her alma mater, joining the GSLIS staff as visiting career services coordinator. In this new role, Hodson works with students to explore potential career paths in LIS, manages the GSLIS Job Board (I-Link), and assists students with navigating experiential learning opportunities such as practicum.
Her previous experience includes academic reference…
Ruth Riley "instinctively knew" that she was meant to work in medical librarianship. She's built a successful career in academic medical libraries and is now an administrator looking ahead to the changing information needs of medical students and practitioners.
Where do you work and what is your role?
I work at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, South Carolina…
Katharine C. Chandler (MS ’06), reference librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia Rare Book Department, has been selected to receive the 2015 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Western European Studies Section (WESS) / Slavic and East European Section (SEES) De Gruyter European Librarianship Study Grant for her project “Whimsical Penwork: The Carthusian Graduals of the…
The American Library Association (ALA) has announced Sidney E. Berger (MS ’87) as winner of the 2015 ABC-CLIO Award for the Best Book in Library Literature for Rare Books and Special Collections, published by Neal-Schuman Publishers. This award recognizes books that assist library professionals or information specialists in areas of management, technique, and education.
In addition to his…
Six GSLIS alumni are among thirty Illinois librarians selected to participate in the tenth year of "Synergy: the Illinois Library Leadership Initiative.” The unique yearlong program sponsored by the Illinois State Library (ISL) is designed to develop future leaders in the library profession and Illinois community.
The group of librarians will attend three sessions over a six-month period and…
