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.…

GSLIS is enhancing its top-ranked program in youth services librarianship with a new certificate that will better prepare students for their careers. The Certificate in Youth Services is designed to fully meet the educational needs of GSLIS students who are interested in working with young people in a public library setting. The certificate also will provide a competitive edge to graduates…

Where did you grow up?Buffalo, NY for a few years and then Pittsburgh, PA. What year did you begin working for GSLIS?I began at GSLIS in June 2010. Where did you work prior to GSLIS?I coordinated the Information Specialist Internship Program (ISIP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison libraries. The ISIP is an experiential learning opportunity with the mission to recruit students from…

First-year GSLIS students Karen Barton and Tracy Drake participated in this year’s Summer Pre-doctoral Institute (SPI) at the University of Illinois. SPI is a campus-wide orientation program that accepts incoming graduate students from U.S. populations that are underrepresented in campus graduate programs. During the eight-week program, students enroll in an independent study, participate in…

GSLIS is opening a spring admissions cycle for our popular LEEP distance learning option. The new MS cohort will begin in January. The priority application deadline is November 15, 2012. Dates for the on-campus orientation are tentatively set for January 3-9, 2013. Since its beginning in 1996, LEEP has been an innovative hybrid program that combines web-based education with brief periods…

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 – GSLIS Fall…

Washington, DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Committee on Diversity and Leadership has selected 14 masters of library and information science (MLIS) students to participate in the 2012–2014 Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce (IRDW) as ARL Diversity Scholars. Among those named is GSLIS student Thomas Padilla.The ARL IRDW offers numerous financial benefits to program…

Where did you grow up? I grew up in southern New York state, but on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. I lived in a small town (at least at that time it was small) called Pearl River - a place with no rivers, and I never found any pearls. What year did you begin working for GSLIS? I started in August 2001, after having completed my master's degree at GSLIS in May of that year. Thank…

Rebecca King, Spectrum Scholar and GSLIS master's student, sent us this dispatch from her trip to the 2012 ALA Conference in Anaheim, California. Outgoing ALA President Molly Raphael was more than happy to announce at Opening Session that the Spectrum Presidential Initiative successfully raised more than $1 million to further enhance the recruitment and training efforts of…

Assistant Professor Kate McDowell has been named the 2012-2013 GSLIS Centennial Scholar in recognition and support of her accomplishments and promising scholarship in the field of library and information science. McDowell, a member of the youth services faculty at GSLIS, is an accomplished storyteller whose research focuses on the history of children as readers and of youth services…

The Library School Alumni Association (LSAA) at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has announced the recipients of its annual awards. Becky Lyon (MS ’72) has been selected to receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Each year this award is given to an alum who has made an outstanding contribution to the field…

Six GSLIS students have been named 2012 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA). Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program was created to promote diversity among graduate-level library school students. Each scholar receives $5,000 from the ALA as well as over $1,500 toward professional development opportunities. In addition, GSLIS provides each scholar with a…

Craig Evans has assumed the position of senior research programmer for GSLIS Research Services. Evans holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Wollongong and completed graduate-level coursework at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia) in the engineering program. His research interests include online environments and human computer interface…

GSLIS seeks nominations for the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2012. Given annually, the award acknowledges individuals or groups who have furthered the cause of intellectual freedom, particularly as it impacts libraries and information centers and the dissemination of ideas. Granted to those who have resisted censorship or efforts to…

We look forward to seeing you at ALA this week, where you can visit with us at booth #2731. Also tune in to Twitter where four GSLIS students and alumni will track their ALA experiences with our hashtag: #gslisui. Meet them this week, and be sure to join in the conversation. Ziba Zehdar (@iLuvLibraries) "I have a bachelor of science from the University of California in Irvine in biological…