The Library School Alumni Association (LSAA) is seeking nominations for three distinguished awards. The awards are given annually at the GSLIS alumni reception held at the American Library Association conference. The deadline for nomination is April 1, 2013. The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes an individual alumnus of GSLIS who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of…

GSLIS eUpdate Volume 12, Number 4: January 2013 The GSLIS eUpdate, published every other month, summarizes current news, events, alumni and advancement highlights, and continuing professional development opportunities. Other publications that may be of interest to alumni and friends are listed on the GSLIS Publications web page. ________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE 1. GSLIS…

Nicole Cooke, GSLIS assistant professor, will receive the 2013 Norman Horrocks Leadership Award given by the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE). Cooke is being honored for her leadership in a variety of professional ALISE activities including her service on multiple committees including the Doctoral Student special interests group, the Diversity Task Force, and…

Twenty-nine GSLIS master’s students traveled to Champaign this month for the School’s first spring LEEP (online) cohort since 2001. The new spring admissions cycle allowed them to begin their studies in January, rather than waiting until the summer.Students visited campus from January 3-9, 2013, traveling from as far away as Minnesota, New York, and Louisiana as well as from various…

Safiya Noble (MS ’09, PhD ’12), GSLIS alumna and assistant professor of African-American Studies at Illinois, has been named an affiliated faculty member of GSLIS. Noble’s research interests include the socio-cultural, economic, and ethical implications of information with a specific focus on the intersection of race, gender, and technology. Noble found her way to academia after a twelve…

Join GSLIS faculty, staff, and students for a number of presentations and activities during the 2013 ALISE Conference. Awards and RecognitionsGSLIS faculty, staff, and students will be recognized during the ALISE Awards Reception to be held Thursday, January 24, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Seattle Public Library:Nicole Cooke, GSLIS assistant professor, will receive the 2013 Norman Horrocks…

Librotraficante is the 2012 recipient of the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award given by the faculty of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Librotraficante, a movement led by Tony Diaz, is being recognized for its efforts to oppose the censorship of ethnic and cultural studies materials in Arizona. In…

The University of Illinois Library has appointed Daniel Tracy (MS ’12) to the position of interim library and information science (LIS) and research support services librarian, effective January 1. Tracy’s position will involve functions both within the University Library and at GSLIS in order to support the needs of faculty and students. “I'm most looking forward to working with the…

In December, Associate Professor Terry Weech visited Enssib, France’s national school for information and librarianship, to talk to students, staff, and faculty about an exchange program with GSLIS. The program, which was recently authorized by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, is the formalization of a nearly 20-year informal collaborative relationship with Enssib (École…

Seven GSLIS doctoral students received support this fall to participate in the iSchool Doctoral Student Exchange Program, an initiative led by the iSchools Consortium and funded by the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The program was developed as a way to facilitate relationships within the iSchools community, provide opportunities to present research, and…

The GSLIS eUpdate, published every other month, summarizes current news, events, alumni and advancement highlights, and continuing professional development opportunities. Other publications that may be of interest to alumni and friends are listed on the GSLIS Publications web page. _____________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE 1. GSLIS Spotlight – The Center for Digital…

News from GSLIS at IllinoisFaculty NewsEfron is principal investigator on NSF grant to improve search engine technologyGSLIS has received a grant from the National Science Foundation in the amount of $408,909 to investigate the role time plays in information retrieval, specifically in the use and functionality of search engines. Miles Efron, assistant professor, is the principal investigator on…

Four GSLIS alumni have been selected to participate in the American Library Association’s 2013 Emerging Leaders program. Tarida Anantachai (MS ’11), Amanda Binder (MS ’08), Margaret Heller (MS ’08), and Yasmeen Shorish (MS ’11) joined the 2013 class of Emerging Leaders, which includes a total of fifty-five individuals from across the country. Now in its seventh year, this leadership…

At the annual meeting of Alpha Chapter of Beta Phi Mu held on November 3, 2012, the following graduates of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign became members of Beta Phi Mu.Anthonia AhonsiBarbara A. AlvarezVictor M. BenitezLaura Anne BuchholzMeira ChefitzRobin C. DavisLinda Mary DiekmanDave J. EllenwoodKatherine C.…

Debra Wilcox Johnson passed away on October 30 at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, where she was surrounded by her family. Johnson served as assistant professor and associate director of the GSLIS Library Research Center (now CIRSS) from 1987 to 1989. From 1999 to 2010, she was an adjunct professor for the LEEP online master’s program, teaching courses such as Administration &…

GSLIS combed through files in the University Archives and relied on recollections of long-time faculty and staff to create a timeline of notable happenings in the history of our School. Since our establishment in 1893, GSLIS has been at the forefront of teaching and research in library and information science.We invite you to browse through our timeline and share your memories of your time at…

GSLIS faculty, students, and staff will participate in the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) 75th Annual Meeting this week in Baltimore, including a preconference anniversary event featuring Professor Emeritus Boyd Rayward as the keynote speaker. GSLIS also will host an alumni reception at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 29, at the Pier 5 Hotel Harbor Club to…

The GSLIS eUpdate, published every other month, summarizes current news, events, alumni and advancement highlights, and continuing professional development opportunities. Other publications that may be of interest to alumni and friends are listed on the GSLIS Publications web page._____________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE1. GSLIS Spotlight – New Spring LEEP…

Three GSLIS students have been selected as 2012 LAMP Scholars. LAMP (LIS Access Midwest Program) is a regional initiative that encourages students from historically and statistically underrepresented groups to pursue careers in library and information science. LAMP provides scholarships, mentoring, and opportunities for professional development to students and also hosts an annual summer…

Please join us in October for the second annual GSLIS Fall Reunion, a month-long series of on-campus and online events providing opportunities to connect with current faculty, staff, and students. The reunion offers an in-depth view of the GSLIS community as well as the opportunity to experience it—through classes, conversations, and activities that offer a variety of ideas and perspectives.…