SLAIS Students Receive Aboriginal Fellowships
Two current SLAIS students have been selected for competitive aboriginal student fellowships in support of their programs of study.
Jennifer Rempel, currently in her first year of the MLIS program, has received a 16-month fellowship, while Adam Gold, who is midway through the MAS program and is currently on an internship placement with the City of Vancouver Archives, has received a 12-month fellowship. Both students have received a Pacific Century Graduate Scholarship, the UBC Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship, and tuition funding.
In announcing the results, the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies noted the adjudication committee was “very impressed with the strength of this year's candidates.” All candidates put forward a proposal for their program of study. A total of 38 applications were received, including those from Adam and Jennifer, the only two SLAIS students to apply for this funding.
Congratulations to both Jennifer and Adam on this impressive achievement.
SLAIS Student Articles Published in Italian Archival Journals
Two new SLAIS graduates and a current student have had their work published in two Italian journals on archives.
Jennifer Borland published "Trusting Archivists" in the journal Archivi & Computer. Her article can be found in Issue 1, 2009 (a.XIX, no.1). See http://www.titivillus.it/periodico.php?id=15.
Elizabeth Walker is the author of “An Alliance for Appraisal: Recordkeepers and Archivists in the U.K. Grigg System,” while Cynthia McLellan wrote "Macro-appraisal Replaced: The Canadian Federal Government's New Record-Keeping Regime." Both were published in the January-June 2010 issue of Archivi (Vol 1, Gennaio-Giugno 2010).
Jennifer will be conferred the Dual MAS/MLIS degrees and Elizabeth will receive the MAS degree at the May 27 convocation ceremony. Cindy is continuing her studies in the Dual MAS/MLIS program. Congratulations to Jennifer, Elizabeth and Cindy for these publications during their programs of study at SLAIS.
Elaine Goh Wins SAA's Oliver Wendell Holmes Award
SLAIS Ph.D. student Elaine Goh has been chosen as the recipient of this year's Oliver Wendell Holmes Award from the Society of American Archivisits.
Established in 1979, the award is presented to an archivist from outside of the United States and who is already in North America, to support attendance at the SAA Annual Meeting. The last SLAIS student to receive the award was Bart Ballaux in 2004.
The award is in honor of Oliver Wendell Holmes. Holmes joined the National Archives staff in 1935 and served in many capacities, including that of executive director of the National Historical Publications Commission. He was President and a Fellow of SAA.
Elaine is a 2002 graduate of the Master of Archival Studies program, and worked in the National Archives of Singapore before returning to SLAIS in 2009 as a doctoral student. She is researching how organizational culture affects records creation and recordkeeping processes in a digital environment.
Elaine will be presented with the award August 13 at the SAA Annual Conference in Washington DC.
Congratulations to Elaine on winning this award.
SLAIS Alumna Is New BC Privacy Commissioner
Elizabeth Denham has been named the incoming Information & Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, a six-year appointment. She is an alumna of the very first group to be conferred with the Master of Archival Studies degree at SLAIS. Currently the Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada, she has also worked in similar roles with the government of Alberta as well as in the private sector. Since graduating from SLAIS, she also worked in city archives with the City of Calgary and the City of Richmond.
SLAIS is proud to congratulate Elizabeth Denham on her new position.
'Outstanding Student' Wins CALA Scholarship
SLAIS MLIS student Qinqin Zhang has been awarded one of four 2010 scholarships from the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA). The award is made to outstanding candidates in support of their library studies education.
In choosing her for the award, CALA noted Qinqin holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Science in Instructional Technology from Lehigh University in the USA. They commented on her high level of contribution and collaborative approach, and indicated the award is intended to expand her opportunities to play a prominent role in the library profession. Qinqin will receive her award June 27 at the CALA Annual Awards Banquet, in conjunction with the 2010 ALA Annual Conference to be held in Washington D. C.
Amanda Leinberger Wins Travel Award
SLAIS is pleased to announce that Amanda Leinberger has been named as the recipient of the SLAIS Travel Award of $500 to support attendance at the ACA conference in Halifax in June 2010. Amanda is about to graduate in the MAS program, and has served as a coordinator of the ACA UBC Student chapter.
Students and Alumni at Children's Literature Conference
Congratulations to the SLAIS students and alumni who organized and presented papers at the 2010 Graduate Research Conference on Children’s Literature and Cultural Texts Conference, held May 1 at UBC.
The all-day conference, which attracted 90 participants, was organized by MLIS students Corene Brown, Erin Hollingsworth, Annie Low-Beer and Ellen Wu and MACL students Laura Dunford, Megan Lankford, Shannon Ozirny. Karen Taylor and Kay Weisman.
Papers were presented by MLIS students Annie Low-Beer and Katie O'Leary, and MACL students and alumni Kaline Baker, Genevieve Brisson, Laura Dunford, Karen Ehrenholz, Kallie George, Shannon Ozirny, Karen Taylor and Kay Weisman.
Congratulations to all involved.
New Book from SLAIS Faculty Members
SLAIS is very proud to congratulate Associate Professor Judith Saltman and adjunct faculty member Gail Edwards on the release of their book, Picturing Canada: A History of Canadian Children’s Illustrated Books and Publishing.
The book is published by the University of Toronto Press, with a release of May 2010. It is available in both hardcover and trade paperback.
In conjunction with the book’s release, an exhibition of the Canadian children’s books from Picturing Canada has been organised by The University of British Columbia’s Rare Books and Special Collections. The exhibition is open to the public. For information, visit http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/
SLAIS Supports Student to CLA Award
Jennifer Rempel, a student in the Master of Library & Information Studies program has been selected as the winner of the Student to CLA Award. This year's conference will be held June 2-5 in Edmonton. The award, presented by the Canadian Library Association, provides Jennifer with a full conference registration and shared accommodation with another Student to CLA. She will also receive SLAIS funding to cover transportation to Edmonton.
While at the conference, she will be volunteering for the CLA as well as benefiting from the conference activities and networking opportunities.
Congratulations to Jennifer.
SLAIS Students Present at 2010 AABC Conference
Congratulations to a number of SLAIS students who are presenting in the lecture series on Saturday, April 17 as part of the 2010 Archives Association of British Columbia Conference. The event will be held at the Irving K. Barber Centre, and registration is available at the door.
* Alexandra Allen (graduating MAS) and Corrine Rogers (Ph.D. student) are presenting Risk, Records and Digital Records Forensics.
* Donald Force (Ph.D. student) is presenting (E-)Discovering Metadata: North American Judicial Decisions and their Implications for Records Professionals.
* Shamin Malmas and Cindy McLellan (Dual MAS/MLIS students) are presenting Be Prepared! From Educating Donors to Writing an Acquisitions Policy: How to Get Ready for Digital Acquisitions.
* Massimiliano Grandi (graduating CAS) is presenting E-mail Preservation Policy.
* Elizabeth Walker and Adam Jansen (Ph.D. students) and Shamin Malmas (Dual MAS/MLIS student) are presenting Preservation and Access System for High Definition Digital Video Archives in Online and Electronic Formats.
For more information, visit http://aabc.ca/conference.html#AABC%20Lecture%20Series.
SLAIS @ BC Library Conference, Penticton
SLAIS will be at the BC Library Conference <http://www.bclibraryconference.ca/page/home.aspx>, April 22-24 at the newly renovated Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. Alumni, employers, and interested applicants for all programs are invited to stop by our booth (#4) for information on SLAIS, our programs and activities. The trade show opens Thursday with a reception from 6:30-9 p.m., and continues Friday, 10:15 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday with a breakfast in the exhibits, 7:30-9 a.m.
SLAIS Alumni are also invited to gather at a SLAIS Alumni no-host pub social at the Kettle Valley Pub from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, April 23 - stop by the booth for an invite with complete details. Event co-hosted by SLAIS Alumni, UBC Arts Co-op and SLAIS. See you at BC Library Conference 2010!
SLAIS Research Day 2010
Please join us in the Nass Reading Room of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre on April 9th for SLAIS Research Day. This event is a showcase of faculty, doctoral and masters students work. The day will feature presentations, a poster session, as well as lunch and refreshments. We will also have an informal pub event immediately following the conference. RSVP if you will be joining us for lunch and/or the pub event: firstname.lastname@example.org
Research Day Program
11:30 am-11:50 pm: Opening Remarks, Interim Director Terry Eastwood
11:50-12:30 pm: Presentation Session 1
12:30-1:30 pm: Lunch and Poster Session
1:30-2:30 pm: Presentation Session 2
2:30- 2:50 pm: Coffee Break
2:50-3:30 pm: Presentation Session 3
3:30-4:00 pm: Concluding Remarks from Organizers and Awards Presentation
Download the full conference program.
MLIS Candidate Presenting at Modern Languages Association Conference in 2011
MLIS candidate Shannon Ozirny has had a paper accepted for the 2011 MLA conference – based on her MACL thesis from the MACL Program. The title of her accepted paper is “A fox named Fox and a frog named Frog: the function of repetition in easy readers”
SLAIS Research Day - Please Save the Date
Please save the date:
SLAIS Research Day
Friday, April 9 2010
11:30 - 4:30
Nass Room in the Irving K. Barber Centre
Please join us on April 9th for SLAIS Research Day. This event is a showcase of faculty, doctoral and masters student work. Topics include: archival practice, gamer engagement, impact of information technology, information seeking and retrieval, knowledge organization, library services, and records management. The day will feature presentations, a poster session, as well as lunch and refreshments. We will also have an informal pub event immediately following the conference. More detailed program information will follow shortly. RSVP if you will be joining us for lunch and/or the pub event: email@example.com.
We look forward to seeing you!
Student Papers Featured in Online Journals
A number of SLAIS student papers have been published this spring. Two recent graduates have had their papers published in the current (Vol. 14, No. 1) issue of the online journal, The Looking Glass: New Perspectives on Children's Literature, available at www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/ojs/index.php/tlg.
Michael Francis McCarthy's article, "Forget the Devil and Keep Your Pink Lamps Lighted: The Metaphysics of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden," and "'Haunted': Architectual Manifestations of Adult Phobias and Admonitionsin the Haunted Houses of Children's and Young Adult Literature" by Duncan Olenick were originally written for their LIBR 520 Literature for Children class.
In addition, the Spring 2010 Edition of YAACing, from the Young Adult & Children's Services Section of the BC Library Association features three articles and a storytime by five SLAIS students, completed as part of their LIBR 523 Services for Children course. More The online edition of the journal is at www.bcla.bc.ca/yaacs/YAACING/documents/2010_Spring_YAACING.pdf, and features the following articles:
Corene Brown, "Plug in, Post and Play: Innovative and Traditional Methods of Collections Promotion for Teens," Ashley Dunne, "Children's Services for Aboriginal Communities," Emileigh Kinnear, "Artist Trading Cards and Their Use in Children's Programming," and the storytime by Meghan Radomske and Shannon Ozirny, "Gruesome and Grotesque for Grades 6/7."
MACL Student to Present at Children's Lit Conference
The Children's Literature Association has accepted MACL student Kay Weisman's proposal for presentation at its 2010 conference this summer. Her presentation, tentatively titled "British Jack and American Jack: Oral or Literary Transmission?" is based on a paper she wrote for a children's literature class as part of her program of study for the Master of Arts in Children's Literature degree. The conference will be held June 10-12 in Ann Arbor, MI. Congratulations to Kay on this achievement.
SLAIS Hosts Research Day
SLAIS invites students, faculty and members of the local scholarly and professional communities to attend SLAIS Research Day on Friday, April 9. Research Day celebrates research ideas and initiatives in the fields of library, archival, and information science, and highlights the achievements and creativity of our students and faculty. All are invited for an afternoon that will promote information sharing and communication, and inspire new research directions.
The SLAIS Research Day will consist of 15-minute presentations, with time for questions, as well as a poster session. The interactive nature of the poster session is intended to showcase in-progress or small-scale studies, and to encourage discussion and debate.
SLAIS Students Win BC Library Conference Awards
SLAIS MLIS students Naomi Schemm and Lindsay Willson have been chosen for the Ken Haycock Student Conference Award, supporting attendance at the 2010 BC Library Conference in Penticton. The award includes funds to assist with travel costs as well as a full conference registration waiver. In announcing the winners, the BC Library Association (which administers the award) noted both candidates highlighted networking as a valuable benefit from conference attendance. This year's conference will be held April 22-24. SLAIS is a Silver Sponsor of this year's conference, and invite friends and alumni to visit us at Booth 4 during the Trade Show.
SLAIS Students Win Travel Awards
SLAIS PhD student Donald Force is this year’s recipient of the SLAIS Doctoral Student Travel Award, and Karen Taylor is the recipient of the SLAIS travel award for MACL students. Donald will be giving a paper at the Association of Canadian Archivists Conference in Halifax in June. Karen will be attending a conference/symposium in March in Toronto on Children’s Literature and the Environmental Imagination. Congratulations to these two award winners.
Join Us in 2011 As SLAIS Celebrates 50 Years
SLAIS marks its 50th anniversary in 2011, and we’re letting you know now so you can save the date. Mark your calendars for April 29-30, 2011. Among other activities, there will be a wine and cheese reception at UBC, an open house for everyone to see our wonderful new facilities and what we have been doing, and a grand dinner and dance to wind up the two days. We invite you to join us to renew acquaintances and exchange memories. Keep an eye out for more details about our plans on this website. We look forward to seeing you in 2011.
SLAIS at PLA Conference 2010, Portland, OR
SLAIS and the UBC Arts Co-op Office are sharing a booth at the Public Library Association conference in Portland, Oregon, March 24-26. Alumni, employers, and interested applicants for all programs are invited to stop by our booth (#852) for more information and to find out more about SLAIS and our programs and activities. Alumni are also invited to gather at a SLAIS Alumni no-host pub social on Friday, March 26. The social will be held 6-8 p.m. at Tugboat Brewing Co, 711 SW Ankeny Street in Portland, easily accessible by transit within the Fareless Square. Appies will be provided. If you have questions about our booth or the social event, contact Michelle Mallette at firstname.lastname@example.org. See you at PLA!
SJSU SLIS Director Receives National Award
Former SLAIS Professor and Director Dr. Ken Haycock has received the 2010 ALISE Award for Professional Contribution to LIS Education, recognizing his sustained sustained efforts to strengthen Library and Information Science (LIS) education. In addition to his work at the San Jose State University School of Library and information Science, where he is currently Professor and Director, Ken was honoured for his accomplishments while at SLAIS. The Chair of the award committee, Dr. Suzie Allard, specifally noted establishment of the SLAIS multidisciplinary master's degree in children's literature, the First Nations concentration, the dual MLIS/Master of Archival Studies program, and the PhD program, all accomplished while Ken was Director at SLAIS. The award also honors Ken's leadership roles in numerous professional associations. According to the award committee's nomination, "Few [individuals] have held as many positions at such high levels of engagement at the national level in two countries and at the international level." Ken served on the Executive Board for the American Library Association, as Executive Director of the International Association of School Librarianship, and as president of the Canadian Library Association, American Association of School Librarians, Canadian School Library Association, and Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE). The award was announced at the annual ALISE conference, held January 12-15, 2010 in Boston.
MACL Graduates Honoured for Creative Work
Two graduates of the SLAIS Master of Arts in Children's Literature are enjoying fame and accolades for their creative work. Wendy Phillips' first novel, Fishtailing (a young adult novel in verse she wrote as her thesis for the MACL), will be published in April by Coteau Books. Read more at http://coteaubooks.com/index.php?p=Books&listingid=14. In addition, the children's picture book Clay Man: The Golem of Prague, written by Irene Watts and illustrated by MACL alumna Kathie Shoemaker, has been named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers. Read more at www.tundrabooks.com/catalog/ display.pperl?isbn=9780887768804
In addition to being a graduate of SLAIS, Kathie is also an adjunct faculty member. She most recently taught Illustrated Literature and Other Materials for Children in the September-December 2009 term.
Congratulations to both Wendy and Kathie.
Doctoral Student Evelyn Markwei Wins Piternick Award
SLAIS Ph.D. student Evelyn Markwei has been selected as recipient of the Anne & George Piternick Student Research Award. The award is in support of her fieldwork for her dissertation research, entitled “Everyday Life Information-Seeking Behavior of Urban Homeless Youth.” This award has been endowed by family and friends in honour of Anne and George Piternick. Professors Anne and George Piternick taught at the School of Library , Archival and Information Studies for a combined total of 48 years during which they provided, through their teaching and personal research projects, a stimulating scholarly atmosphere for library and information science research. The award is given annually to a SLAIS doctoral student to support his or her research. Congratulations to Evelyn.
Winter 2010 Edition of SLAISmatters Newsletter
The Winter 2010 edition of the SLAISmatters newsletter is now available as a downloadable PDF. Inside you will find news from Interim Director Terry Eastwood, a feature on the SLAIS Co-op Program, an introduction to our newest faculty, as well as news of awards for both faculty and students at SLAIS. This edition is available as a PDF only. You will also find a persistent link at www.slais.ubc.ca/news/slais-matters.htm. Please feel free to forward this widely.
Vancouver Sun Article by SLAIS Faculty Member Francesca Marini
The January 16 edition of the Vancouver Sun featured an article by SLAIS faculty member Francesca Marini. The article is titled "Festivals Help Vancouver Forge a Shared Cultural Identity" and appears in the Arts and Life section on page 2. It is also available online at www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Festivals+help+Vancouver+forge
+shared+cultural+identity/2447391/story.html. This article is part of a series overseen by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and it is the first of several upcoming articles written by SLAIS faculty. Congratulations to Dr. Marini, and a sincere thanks to Dr. Victoria Lemieux for promoting and co-ordinating this effort, and to the faculty for their work in preparing the articles.
Live Radio Interview with SLAIS Faculty Member Victoria Lemieux
SLAIS Faculty member Assistant Professor Vicki Lemieux will be doing a radio interview Tuesday, January 12 on the subject of her book, Managing Risks for Records and Information. The interview will be broadcast on Inside the Records Room – “The only weekly talk show dedicated to the promotion and education of Records Management.” It’s aired on WNJC Radio, located in Washington Township, NJ. The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern or 5 p.m. Pacific. The show is available live over the internet on the show’s web site, www.insidetherecordsroom.com, or the radio station web site, at www.wnjc1360.com.
Graduate Jason Kuffler Has Student Paper Published in ACA Bulletin
Jason Kuffler, who just completed the SLAIS Dual MAS/MLIS Program, has had a revised version of his article, "Archiving Rock 'n' Roll: David Lemieux and the Grateful Dead Archives," published in the January 2010 Bulletin of the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA). The full article was also published in the Fall 2009 issue of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections' ARSC Journal.
SLAIS Co-op Students of the Year Named
Every year two SLAIS Co-op students are honoured for excelling in their co-op work term(s) in the preceding year. The awards are adjudicated by a subcommittee of the UBC Arts Co-op Advisory Committee, which includes both co-op staff and SLAIS employer representatives. This year's winners are: MAS Co-op Student of the Year: Anneleen van Dijk for her work term at Library and Archives Canada, Government Records Branch, Gatineau, PQ, MLIS Co-op Student of the Year: Leanna Jantzi for her work term at the SFU Bennett Library, Reference Division MLIS Honourable Mention: Lindsay Tripp for her work term at the Whistler Public Library The Students of the Year win a $1000 award, and a notation is included on their transcripts. This year, in addition, all three students will receive a 2010 Public Library Association conference registration. Congratulations to Leanna, Anneleen, and Lindsay!
SLAIS Adjunct Faculty Dean Giustini Wins CARL Research Grant
Dean Giustini, SLAIS Adjunct Instructor and UBC Librarian, has been awarded one of three Research in Librarianship Research Grants from the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL). The Research in Librarianship Grant is awarded to new and established librarians working in research libraries and who are actively conducting research. It is intended to support projects involving structured, evidence-based research in libraries that proposes answers to real-world issues. Each recipient receives $2000. Dean Giustini won for his project titled "Canadian Academic Librarians and Their Use of Social Media; a Two-Phase Survey." His research will measure academic librarians' use of social media, gathering descriptive statistics about what factors influence successful adoption of social media (ie. blogs, wikis, podcasts, social bookmarking and sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter). The other two grants were awarded to Laura Briggs (University of British Columbia, Okanagan) for her project titled "More than a Rubber Stamp? The Role of Collection Librarians in Curriculum consultations," and to Kristin Hoffmann (University of Western Ontario) and Selinda Berg's (University of Windsor) project titled "Co-op placements in academic libraries: Their role in the formation of librarians' professional identity." SLAIS is participating in the latter project as well.
SLAIS Student Jenny Borland Wins ARMA Scholarship
Joint MAS/MLIS student Jennifer Borland has won one of only three ARMA International Educational Foundation Scholarships for 2009. The award was established to encourage the development of the international records and information management community, and SLAIS students have consistently been among the annual winners. Jenny received the award October 16 at the ARMA International Annual Conference in Orlando, FL. More information on the Foundation and its awards is found at http://www.armaedfoundation.org/index.html. Congratulations Jenny!
Karen Taylor Wins Ronald Jobe Scholarship
Karen Taylor, 2009 winner of the Master of Children's Literature Program's Ronald Jobe Scholarship in Children's Literature receives the award from Professor Jobe at the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable, October 17, 2009
Edie Rasmussen Wins ASIS&T Award
SLAIS Professor and former Director Edie Rasmussen has been chosen for the very prestigious 2009 Watson Davis Award from the American Society for Information & Technology (ASIS&T). The award will be presented to her at the association's annual meeting in Vancouver in November.
According to the ASIS&T website, "The purpose of this award is to recognize that individual member of the Society who has shown continuous dedicated service to the membership through active participation in and support of ASIS&T programs, chapters, SIGs, committees, and publications." Edie has served as president of ASIS&T, presented at a number of conferences as well as serving as conference chair for the 2002 meeting, and helped establish a student chapter of ASIS&T at SLAIS, as well as several other contributions.
SLAIS Students Featured in Vancouver Archives Newsletter
Three current SLAIS students are featured in the Fall 2009 newsletter of the Vancouver City Archives. MAS students Myshkaa McKeen and Jennifer Pecho completed three-month internships at the archive this summer, while MAS/MLIS student Kelly Lau volunteered there before starting her degree program at SLAIS in September. The full newsletter can be downloaded and viewed at http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/archives/about/NewsVol5No2.pdf.
SLAIS Participates in Survey of Recent Alumni
Selected SLAIS Alumni from 2004-2008 can expect to be contacted for a survey of workplaces issues faced by librarians and archivists. SLAIS is one of 30 programs, including several in Canada, that are participating in this Institute of Museum and Library Services funded study that is being conducted by the University of North Carolina. Alumni of the MLIS, MAS and MASLIS programs can expect an email invitation to participate in the survey. Your particpation is encouraged, as the data collected from this survey will be used for internal analysis as well as for comparison with graduates of other programs. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey, your SLAIS contact is Michelle Mallette, SLAIS student services coordinator, at email@example.com, or by phone at 604-822-2461.
SLAIS Faculty Luanne Freund Wins ASIS&T Award
Assistant Professor Luanne Freund has received the American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) ProQuest Doctoral Dissertation Award for 2009. The award recognizes outstanding recent doctoral candidates whose research contributes significantly to an understanding of some aspect of information science. In naming Luanne as the winner, the award committee stated:
"Exploiting Task-Document Relations in Support of Information Retrieval in
the Workplace" by Luanne Freund is a dissertation showcasing important
research objectives, executed in a rigorous manner, and outstandingly
presented. Luanne's research examined the relationship between the
environment in which the search for information emerged and the document
collection searched, with an aim toward achieving more targeted results. The
research was conducted in an enterprise workplace and involved that
organization's digital information collection (both public and private),
with people who actually do the work and need/use the information. Luanne
identified core factors that influenced the search for information in this
information use environment, isolating three factors for further examination: work task, information task and document. She developed a methodology to weigh relationships among these factors and utilized a Support Vector Machine to assign genre tags to the documents in the set. Finally, she integrated this novel process into an existing information retrieval system and experimentally tested it in the working environment. Luanne's work is an elegant example of the integration of information behavior and interactive information retrieval research to design a system that is seated in human behavior, and influenced by the real-world context."
Congratulations to Luanne for this impressive achievement. She will be presented the award at the 2009 ASIS&T Annual Meeting in Vancouver.
SLAIS Graduate Wins National Gallery of Canada Internship
Shane McCord, who completed his joint MAS / MLIS degree and was conferred in
May, has won one of five highly competitive internships with the National
Gallery of Canada. Established through the support of the TD Bank Financial
Group, the internship program allows the National Gallery to offer a paid
12-week study, training and work experience opportunity to five new
professionals specializing in Art Museum Education, Museum Collections
Management, and Art Librarianship and Archive Practice. Shane was named one
of two interns for the Art Librarianship and Archives Practice program.
During his internship Shane worked on the papers of a Canadian art
historian, what he called a "single huge private fonds." He is currently
working at the National Gallery on a short contract position.
MLIS Student Wins ASIS&T Award
MLIS student Katie O'Leary has won the Pratt Severn Best Student Paper Award
from the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)
for her paper entitled "Information Seeking in the Context of a Hobby: A
Case Study of a Young Adult with Asperger's Syndrome." Katie developed the
paper in her work in Heather O'Brien's LIBR 559A: Understanding Information
Users in Diverse Environments. It is "a wonderful original article" that
charts "new territory," said one review. "O'Leary's work takes this line of
investigation to a new level by helping information professionals understand
the information needs and habits of a person with a disability, and how the
library is used to enhance the individual's life." Reviewers also suggested
that Katie go on to publish her paper in the Society's journal, JASIST.
SLAIS Interim Director Terry Eastwood congratulated Katie, noting “it is a
great achievement to win this award.” This is the first time that a SLAIS
student has won the award, which is presented only when a truly deserving paper is submitted. According to the ASIS&T site, students papers are “evaluated by the same rigorous standards as papers submitted for the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology.” Criteria considered include technical competence, significance of findings, originality and clarity of expression.. For more information visit http://www.asis.org/awards/pratt_severn.html
SLAIS Student Published in CLA's Feliciter
Congratulations to MAS/MLIS student Manuela Boscenco, whose Canadian Library
Association 2009 student article contest winner, "Strictly Business:
Providing Access to Digital Images," has been published in CLA's journal Feliciter, Vol. 55, No. 4 (2009).
SLAISmatters Newsletter Now Available
SLAIS has launched the inaugural edition of its SLAISmatters newsletter, available as PDF edition here. The newsletter will be published twice a year – both print and electronically every summer, and electronically only every winter. Each issue will provide news and updates about our faculty, students, alumni and programs. This first issue features a farewell from outgoing director Professor Edie Rasmussen, and photos and articles about the outstanding new home for SLAIS which will also serve as a significant legacy of her leadership. There are profiles of three of our faculty members, and a short introduction to the faculty who are joining SLAIS this academic year. "We’re quite proud of our newsletter, and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it," said SLAIS Interim Director Terry Eastwood. Please feel free to share the electronic version, and if you would like a print version mailed to you, or to subscribe to either the print or electronic version, send a request to firstname.lastname@example.org.
SLAIS Student Wins Roger K Summit Scholarship -- 2nd Year in a Row
Congratulations to MLIS student Tania Alekson who was awarded the 2009 Roger
K. Summit Scholarship for North America. The award is named in honor of
Dialog founder Roger K. Summit, a pioneer in developing the technology
behind online information retrieval. Only one winner is named for all of
North America -- and winners are chosen based on their proficiency in using
Dialog, academic achievement, and interest in the field of electronic
information services. The award was presented personally by Roger Summit at
the SLA Conference in Washington, DC last week.
This is the second year in a row that a SLAIS student has won this
prestigious award -- recent MAS/MLIS graduate Suher Zaher-Mazawi was the
winner for 2008. "I'm delighted to see SLAIS students get this award two years in a row -- a tremendous achievement!" says SLAIS Professor & Director Dr. Edie Rasmussen. For a photograph of Tania accepting her award, visit http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/06/14/champagne-reception-celebrates-proquest-dialog-first-anniversary/
SLAIS Student Wins SAA Mosaic Scholarship
SLAIS student Harrison W. Inefuku, a student in the joint Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library & Information Studies program, has won one of only two Mosaic Scholarships from The Society of American Archivists (SAA). Established in 2008, The Mosaic Award is given to minority students pursuing graduate education in archival science. In addition to a financial prize, the award offers mentoring support to encourage students to pursue a career as an archivist, and includes a one-year membership in SAA and complimentary registration to the 2009 Joint Annual Meeting of SAA and the Council of State Archivists in Austin, Texas. The award is given to applicants who demonstrate potential for scholastic and personal achievement and who manifest a commitment both to the archives profession and to advancing diversity concerns within it. Harrison's stated research interest "lies in the position of the National Archives of South Africa (and its predecessor) within the apartheid government and in post-apartheid South Africa." Congratulations to Harrison for this prestigious award.
SLAIS Student Wins CLA Student Article Contest
Congratulations to Manuela Boscenco, who was named the winner of CLA/ACB's
26th annual Student Article Contest for her paper "Strictly Business:
Providing Access to Digital Images."
According to the Member Communications AdvisoryCommittee of CLA/ACB: "The
controversy surrounding digital rights management, copyright fair-use
provisions, and licensing of electronic resources provides a dramatic
backdrop for this energetic paper. The Advisory Committee considered her
entry a thoughtful, refreshing and relevant analysis of a timely topic,
written from an original perspective."
Manuela was awarded a cash prize as well as free registration, accommodation
and transportation to the CLA/ACB 2009 National Conference and Tradeshow in
Montreal, Quebec, May 29- June 1, 2009.
SLAIS Adjunct Faculty Member Featured
SLAIS adjunct faculty member Sue Bigelow, Conservator with the City of Vancouver Archives who teaches Preservation to both MAS and interested MLIS students, is featured in the Thursday, July 2 Globe and Mail. The column is by Tom Hawthorn, and the online title is "Vancouver's archivists are keeping it reel." You can currently view the article at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/vancouvers-archivists-are-keeping-it-reel/article1203709/.
A Sweet Farewell as Professor & Director Edie Rasmussen Steps Down
Friends, faculty, staff, colleagues and students joined in a celebration of Dr. Edie Rasmussen's achievements as the fifth Director of the School of Library, Archival & Information Studies at The University of British Columbia as she steps down from her post to return to faculty as Professor, following a period of administrative leave.
The celebration was held at the University Golf Course, organized by SLAIS administrator Mary Grenier and Graduate Secretary Debra Locke, as well as faculty members Luanne Freund, Francesca Marini, Heather O'Brien and Judith Saltman, and assisted by Heather Shand and Michelle Mallette of SLAIS staff. SLAIS receptionist Kiki Uppal met each of the nearly 75 guests as they arrived.
Edie was toasted by the School's first Director, Professor Emeritus Samuel Rothstein, the incoming Interim Director Terry Eastwood, Dean of Arts Nancy Gallini, Ph.D. student Saad Alzahrani, MLIS student Tania Alekson, SLAIS Alumni Association co-president Jeff Conatser and faculty member Luanne Freund. Others took to the podium after the official toasts were made, all celebrating Edie's achievements and lauding her quiet determination, collegiality, research and teaching abilities and always her good humour.
SLAIS Student Wins Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
MLIS student Katie O'Leary has been selected as one of only 17 students to win an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to support her for an MA in International Performance Research in Europe.
She will be taking an 18-month leave of absence from her studies at SLAIS to pursue this remarkable opportunity to study in Finland at the University of Tampere, and in the United Kingdom, at the University of Warwick. She intends to research how to document and represent performance effectively -- a topic that matches her background in music as well as her goal for an MLIS..
She begins her studies in September and returns to SLAIS to complete her MLIS in January 2011.
Congratulations to Katie on this impressive achievement.
Congratulations to SLAIS Graduates and Award Winners
At the SLAIS luncheon for graduates, family and friends, which followed the ceremony, awards for graduating students were presented. (Note that students who graduate in November 2008 are also eligible for these awards).
The two gold medals:
(Details on these awards are available on the SLAIS website).
Congratulations to the award winners and all 63 graduates
SLAIS at ACA 2009
SLAIS at BCLA 2009
A Sign for SLAIS
MAS/MLIS Student Wins SAA Mosaic Scholarship
MAS/MLIS student Harrison W. Inefuku has been awarded a Mosaic Scholarship by the Society of American Archivists. This scholarship is awarded to an applicant who is pursuing graduate education in Archival Science. It is given to an applicant who demonstrates excellent potential for scholastic and personal achievement and who manifests a commitment both to the archives profession and to advancing diversity concerns within it. Harrison will also receive a one-year membership in the Society of American Archivists and registration for the Society’s Annual Meeting.
Congratulations to Harrison for this award.
SLAIS Faculty Awarded UBC Hampton Grants
Several SLAIS faculty have been successful in this year's competition for UBC Hampton Grants. Heather O'Brien, principal investigator, with co-investigators Luanne Freund and Rick Kopak, will receive $20,000 for their project, "Designing digital information use environments to support academic work." Vicki Lemieux has been awarded $18,000 for her project, "Canadian context of financial electronic records." Luciana Duranti is co-investigator on a grant with principal investigator Mira Sundara Rajan of the Faculty of Law, on a $20,000 grant to consider "University institutional repositories: Copyright and long term preservation."
Congratulations to Heather, Luanne, Rick, Vicki and Luciana.
17 SLAIS Alumni & Students Present Papers
Congratulations to the following MLIS and MACL students and alumni, whose papers were presented at two children's literature conferences in April and May, 2009.
Presented at Breaking the Boundaries: A Peer-Reviewed Research Conference in
Radical Children's Literature, University of British Columbia, April 25,
Michelle Cobban (MLIS and MACL Alumna) "Translated French-Canadian Children's Literature"
Laura Dunford (MACL student) Creative Writing Poster and "Real Frankenstein Creations: Exploring the Frightening Possibilities of Evolving Technology in Jack Gantos' The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs."
Mollie Freilich (MACL student) Creative Writing Poster
Naomi Hamer (MACL Alumna and University of London Doctoral student) "Classic Children's Texts in the Age of the Tween Franchise: 'Lucy Though the Wardrobe' from Novel to YouTube Fan Video."
Bryannie Kirk (MACL student) "Death as a Narrator: Markus Zusak's The Book Thief."
Megan Lankford (MACL student) "Unstable Points of View in Anthony Browne's The Tunnel."
Shannon Ozirny (MLIS student and MACL Alumna) "The Secret Lives of Cats and Bears: The Birth of the Easy Reader."
Kathie Shoemaker (MACL Alumna and UBC doctoral student), "Following Narrative Conventions in Naturalistic Picturebooks for Young Children: How Narrative Convention of Following Realizes Character in the Visual Modality."
Vasso Tassiopolis (MACL student) "The Self between Two Worlds: Cultural Authenticity in the Works of Melina Marchetta."
Karen Taylor (MACL student) "The Representation of Nature in Vampire Romance for Young Adult Readers: An Ecocritical Exploration of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight."
Beth Wilcox (MACL student) "How the Modern Illustrations of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Oxenbury, Moser, and Ghiuselev Affect the Reader's Emotional Response."
Presented at the sixth The Child and the Book International Children's Literature Conference, held in Canada at Vancouver Island University, May 1-3, 2009:
Janet Grafton (MACL student) "Girls and Green Spaces: Sickness to Health Narratives in Children's Literature."
Brianne Grant (MACL student) "Countering the North American Myth: Indigenous Children's Literature and the History of Education."
Michael McCarthy (MLIS student) "In Defence of Susan Jeffers: Fake Indians, Fake Tears, the Environmental Movement, and Appropriation of Voice."
Michelle Superle (MACL Alumna and Newcastle University Doctoral student) "Imagining the Motherland: Moving between India and Otherworlds."
Karen Taylor (MACL student) "The Landscapes of Childhood in Kit Pearson's Guests of War Trilogy: An Ecocritical Perspective."
Vikki VanSickle (MACL Alumna) "Daughters of the Land: An Ecofeminist Analysis of the Relationships between Female Adolescent Protagonists and Landscape in Three Verse Novels for Children."
SLAIS Alum Shortlisted for Book Award
Congratulations to Master of Arts in Children's Literature alumna Kathie Shoemaker, now a Ph.D. candidate at UBC's Language and Literacy Education and co-chair of the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable. The graphic novel Goodbye Marianne, illustrated by Kathie and written by Irene Watts, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize.
Speaker: Professor Micheline Beaulieu of the University of Sheffield
Thursday, April 23, 2009 , 4:00-5:00 pm
The Dodson Reading Room
Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall, UBC
* A reception will be held following the talk*
Title: Evaluating Interactive Information Systems in Context: a unifying paradigm
Abstract: Information research over the past fifty years has focused on three distinct perspectives namely: Information Seeking Behaviour, laboratory based Information Retrieval and the evaluation of information systems, and Interactive Information Retrieval. Although some effort has been made in IR evaluation research to accommodate both the user-centric social science paradigm of Interactive Information Retrieval and the system-centric scientific experimental paradigm of IR, as exemplified by the Okapi and TREC experiments, it has proven to be very difficult to address let alone resolve the fundamental tensions between the two approaches. However more recently the concept of `information interaction incontext’ has emerged as a possible alternative approach or framework for bridging the gap between the traditional evaluation divide. In this talk, Professor Beaulieu will explore what is meant by context in IR evaluation and how the concept is beginning to be operationalized in empirical studies. The discussion will draw on examples of experimental designs and settings that are leading the way in taking account of the wider aspects of interaction, cognition, tasks and users in information retrieval and assess the potential for information interaction in context to serve as a unifying paradigm for the evaluation of information systems.
About the Speaker: Professor Micheline Beaulieu BA (McMaster), CSE (Toulouse), PhD (City, London) is Professor in Information Science, former Head of Department at City and Sheffield Universities , Chair of the Informatics Collaboratory of the Social Sciences, and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Planning at the University of Sheffield.
Canadian born, Professor Beaulieu spent her early career as a librarian in university libraries in the U.K. and then progressed from being a mature doctoral student in the late eighties to gain a Personal Chair and become Head of the Department of Information Science at City University in 1996. She then joined the University of Sheffield to head the top ranking research Department of Information Studies and over the past ten years she has taken a leading role in promoting interdisciplinary research in the Social Sciences and in developing a strategic management approach to academic planning.
Her research in interactive information retrieval focuses on models of information seeking behaviour, human-computer interaction and the development of evaluation methods for information retrieval systems. She has published extensively in the field, contributing principally in the design of the interactive evaluative studies for the pioneering best match experimental retrieval system Okapi, and as a founding participant of the Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) Interactive Track.
Kudos for the SLAIS Reference Squad
The SLAIS Ref Squad has wrapped up its activities for the term, once again representing SLAIS very well.
According to SLAIS faculty coordinators Luanne Freund and Heather O'Brien: "The Ref Squad volunteers ran term paper consultation sessions in the Chapman Learning Commons for two shifts per day for 6-8 weeks per term.
This past term they also offered a number of sessions in the Vanier Residence, at the request of residence staff. The Ref Squad activities are coordinated by student volunteer Larissa Halishoff, who has done a fantastic job. We have been fortunate to have over thirty SLAIS student volunteers, as well as help from Simon Neame, Ellen George and Julie Mitchell of the UBC Libraries. Over the course of the year, SLAIS students provided term paper help to over one hundred undergraduate and graduate students across many UBC programs, with numbers doubling in the second term. We plan to continue the project in the fall of 2009, and expect that numbers will keep climbing as more students and faculty become aware of the program. "
The Ref Squad model offers participants the opportunity to interact with students, to work with University librarians, and to gain practical (and resume-ready) experience. For SLAIS, it represents a new role within the Barber Centre, helping to make us part of the community and active participants in the Barber Centre's goals, rather than merely academic tenants.
Thanks to all those who participated.
Multiple Honours for SLAIS Faculty
SLAIS Faculty have achieved several honours in the past week.
Judith Saltman has been named as the 2009 recipient of the Canadian Association of Public libraries CAPL/Brodart Outstanding Public Library Service Award. Sponsored by Brodart Canada, the award is presented annually for outstanding service in the field of Canadian public librarianship. The news release reads: "Judith is a strong advocate of services for children in public libraries, demonstrated in her career as a librarian, professor and author of scholarly works about children’s literature. She brings dedication, commitment and creativity to her work, along with a deep understanding of the importance of children’s services in libraries. Her teaching, writings and passion have inspired a generation of ibrarians. As a spokesperson to the media, she has admirably represented public libraries, librarians, the academic children’s literature community and children’s writers and illustrators." The award will be presented to Judi at a reception at le Palais des congrès de Montréal following the CAPL Annual General Meeting on Sunday, May 31 as part of the 2009 Canadian Library Association/Association Canadienne des Bibliothèques National Conference & Trade Show. Our congratulations to Judi on this recognition of her life-long dedication
A proposal submitted by Luciana Duranti, with Vicki Lemieux as co-applicant,
for the Development of a Curriculum in Digital Recordkeeping, has been
funded by the International Council of Archives (ICA). The curriculum will
be endorsed by the ICA as the standard for archival education in digital
records, translated into the five official languages of the ICA, and
delivered in the 147 member countries.
The award letter states that "The Programme Commission was impressed by the
quality of your application and the relevance of your proposal." Congratulations to both Luciana and Vicki for this achievement.
Three SLAIS faculty members have been awarded three-year research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC): * Luanne Freund will receive $129,440 for her study: "E-informing the public: a genre-based approach to information interaction in digital government" * Heather O’Brien was awarded $107,266 for her research: “Mapping the Process of Engagement with Educational Applications” * Edie Rasmussen will receive $144,500 for her work on “The Indexer’s Legacy: Improving Access to Digital Collections” Most of the funds are targeted to support students as Graduate Research Assistants at both the master's and doctoral level. Congratulations to Luanne, Heather and Edie, and a special congratulations to Luanne and Heather, who received their funding under the "New Scholars" category.
And Vicki Lemieux has also been named a Peter Wall Early Career Scholar. This program brings outstanding UBC early-career researchers together to share ideas and research approaches. This designation is awarded to full-time UBC faculty who have highly promising records. It offers the opportunity for intellectual and interdisciplinary exchange with peers in very different areas of research. Vicki will be part of a cohort of 10 scholars from a diverse range of fields, including medicine, Eastern & Northern European Studies, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Classics, Asian Studies and History. Congratulations to Vicki for this award.
SLAIS Celebrates End-of-the-Term in April 2009
On April 8 everyone SLAIS folks gathered together with friends and family to celebrate the end of a successful term. Photos from party
New Grads Welcomed by Alumni, Professionals
The SLAIS Alumni Association held its annual Meet the New SLAIS Grads event on April 3 at Vancouver Public Library's Alice McKay room. Nearly 100 alumni, professionals and friends and new graduates celebrated their completion of the Master of Arts in Children's Literature, Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library & Information Studies, and the dual or joint degree, Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library & Information Studies. More than 60 SLAIS students will receive their degrees at convocation ceremonies in May. Photos from the reception
SLAIS Career Expo 2009
On Friday, March 20, 2009, the Career Expo (formerly the Job Fair) welcomed professionals, students, faculty, and staff to participate in a day focused on successful career preparation, job seeking, and professional development. The Career Expo Committee would like to thank to each of the Expo's dynamic, committed guests, who generously gave their time and their insights. Thanks also go to SLAIS faculty and staff for their support, as well as to all the students who attended the event. A final nod goes to our generous sponsors: Alma
Mater Society (AMS), Arts Co-op Program, Association of Candadian Archivists (ACA), British Columbia Library Association (BCLA), Canadian Health Libraries Association (CHLA), Library and Archival Studies Students Association, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), and the Special Libraries Association (SLA). Best of luck to all new and recent SLAIS grads -- we just know you'll find new ways to "Crash the Market!" photos
SLAIS Honours Award Winners
Nearly 40 current and graduating SLAIS students were honoured at a wine and cheese reception at SLAIS earlier this term. SLAIS faculty past and present -- including some whose names grace awards presented to students -- joined
in the celebration of the students' achievements in winning both UBC and external awards and scholarships. Photos from the Reception & Self-running PowerPoint presentation of the award recipients
SLAIS PhD Student at iGov Research Institute
Congratulations to PhD candidate Li Xie who has won a place at the prestigious iGov Research Institute in Albany, NY. This is a week-long residential program of the Center for Technology in Government that provides doctoral students from around the world an opportunity to assess the impact of information and communication technologies on the public sector and to understand the value of doing research in an international context.
MLIS students and new graduates published
Congratulations to three MLIS students and new graduates whose essays for LIBR 527 Services for Children have been published as articles in YAACING: The Newsletter of the Young Adult and Children's Services Section of the British Columbia Library Association (spring 2009) Tara Williston wrote an article on censorship, Maureen Bezanson explored the public library role in gaming, and Patricia Scott discussed bibliotherapy. Congratulations to all three.
Dean Giustini named 2009 LJ Mover & Shaker
Congratulations to SLAIS adjunct faculty member and alum Dean Giustini who has been named one of the 2009 Library Journal Movers & Shakers in the "Tech Evangelists" category. http://www.libraryjournal.com/?layout=MS2009 LJ launched its Movers & Shakers in 2002 to identify librarians, vendors, and others who are "shaping the future of libraries." The list is now over 400 innovators strong with the addition of the 51 members of the Class of 2009. Together, these individuals comprise the coming generation of library leadership. They've embraced library technology, particularly library 2.0, "to provide exceptional service and kick-ass collections that respond to the real interest of patrons," as one of this year's overs so aptly phrased it. Dean will be teaching a new web-delivered course for SLAIS in September 2009: LIBR 559M: Social Media for Information Professionals.
SLAIS Alum Shortlisted for Book Award
Congratulations to Master of Arts in Children's Literature alumna Kathie Shoemaker, now a Ph.D. candidate at UBC's Language and Literacy Education and co-chair of the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable. The graphic novel Goodbye Marianne, illustrated by Kathie and written by Irene Watts, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize.
School of Rock Articles Published
The March 2009 edition of the Association of Canadian Archivists Bulletin includes a series of articles resulting from the School of Rock student papers presented at the Barber Centre last fall. Adjunct faculty member Rick Schmidlin introduces the student articles with "Teaching the Management of Audiovisual and Non-textual Archives: Theory, Practice, Cookies, and Rock 'n' Roll." The student articles include "Making the Case for Ephemera" by MLIS graduate Brie Grey-Noble, "Preserving Punk: SFU's Archives of the Vancouver, BC Punk Scene" by MASLIS student Courtney Mumma, "The Creative Archives: Artists' Metaphors and Archives" by MASLIS student Susannah Smith, and "Arrrchivists: Pirating for Preservation" by MASLIS student Nicole Maunsell. Congratulations!
SLAIS Student Wins ACRL Scholarship
Congratulations to MLIS student Me-Linh Le who has been awarded one of the ACRL 14th National Conference Library School Student Scholarships. As a winner, Me-Linh will be attending the ACRL conference in Seattle March 12-15. These scholarships are awarded competitively to LIS students - there were only 11 winners in North America - and we are very pleased that SLAIS is represented among them.
MLIS Student Published
Congratulations to MLIS candidate Pamela Fairfield whose article, "Fear and Foliage: The Role of the Forest in the Picture Books of Molly Bang" has been published in the online journal The Looking Glass: New Perspectives on Children's Literature 13:1 (2009). The article was originally a paper for a SLAIS children's literature class and also was presented at UBC's interdisciplinary graduate student research in children's literature conference in summer 2008. You can find the article at www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/ojs/index.php/tlg/article/view/131/126
MACL students and alumni published in Journal of Children's Literature
The Journal of Children's Literature is a peer-reviewed biannual publication of the Children's Literature Association of India. The January 2009 issue is a theme issue focused on Canadian children's literature. Master of Arts in Children's Literature students and alumni have written seven articles in the issue, which was edited by MACL alumna Michelle Superle. Congratulations to Michelle, Marilynne Black, Michelle Cobban, Carolyn Kim, Brianne Grant, and Janet Grafton.
SLAIS Student Published
Congratulations to MACL student Kay Weisman, whose article, "Reading the Globe: Tales from Abroad with a Strong Sense of Place," is published in the January 2009 issue of the American Library Association's journal Book Links. Table of contents at: www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/hqops/publishing/booklinks/currentissue/currentissue.cfm. The article may also be accessed via the Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost database through UBC Library.
Our Professional Identities in a World Gone Digital - An International Symposium. February 11-13, 2009
The UBC student chapter of the Association of Canadian Archivists is pleased to announce the international symposium, "Our Professional Identities in a World Gone Digital." The symposium brings together professionals from the National Archives and Records Administration of the United States, Library and Archives Canada, and the National Archives of the United Kingdom to speak on the role of archivists, records managers, and information professionals in the modern age. On February 11 and 12, speakers will lecture to SLAIS students and affiliates in the Lillooet Room of the Barber Centre. Events on February 13 will be open to the public. For further information, please visit the ACA Student Chapter's web site.
SLAIS Student Wins ARL Fellowship
SLAIS Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library & Information Studies student Adrienne Lai has been selected as a 2009 Career Enhancement Program Fellow, under the Association of Research Libraries' Diversity Initiatives. The ARL Career Enhancement Program, funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services and ARL member libraries, offers MLS graduate students from underrepresented groups an opportunity to jump-start their careers in research libraries by providing a robust fellowship experience in an ARL member library. Congratulations Adrienne. For more information about the program, visit www.arl.org/diversity/cep/index.shtml.
SLAIS Alumni in the News
Aubri Keleman (MLIS 2008) is featured in the Bellingham Herald's Ten Days of Caring for her work as Teen Services and Web Coordinator with Whatcom County Library System, in Washington state. See www.bellinghamherald.com/615/story/730294.html
Shirley Giggey Wins WISE Award
Congratulations to Shirley "Giggs" Giggey on being awarded a "Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) Faculty of the Year Award for Excellence in Online Education in 2008! According to WISE, this award is given to faculty nominated by WISE students from institutions other than the faculty member's home institution. So, students in International Issues and Innovations who do NOT attend the University of British Columbia nominated Giggs for this award. Giggs was one of 7 WISE awardees who will be honoured at a ceremony at the WISE Best Practices for Online Pedagogy Workshop at the Association for Library and Information Science Education on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Denver. WISE Faculty of Year awardees receive a crystal WISE globe to illustrate the global network of WISE consortium members and online students. Best practices in online pedagogy from the award winners will be shared at the event. Thanks, Giggs, for representing us so well in WISE!
SLAIS Students Lauded
The recent Academic Librarians in Public Service (ALPS) Laud a Librarian contest acknowledged two SLAIS students for their excellent work during their co-op work terms at UBC Library. Jeremy Buhler and Lili Wang’s work is highlighted with other BC librarians. See the complete list of prize winners and their learning objects at sharelibraryresources.pbwiki.com/Uploading+Contest:+Prize+Winners.
November 2008 Grads Celebrate
On November 19, 2008 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more...
Awards for SLAIS Students
Three SLAIS students received awards honouring their work and achievements. Donald Johnson (MAS) won a graduate scholarship from the ARMA International Educational Foundation. Larissa Halishoff (MLIS) was named winner of the George Atieyeh Prize by the Middle East Librarians Association. And Randi Robin (MLIS) was selected by SLAIS as the student representative to the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) world congress held in Quebec City in August.
Congratulations to Donald Johnson, Master of Archival Studies candidate, for being awarded the 2008 ARMA International Educational Foundation (AIEF) Graduate Level Scholarship.
The AIEF Graduate Level Scholarship was established to encourage the development of the international records and information management community, and is awarded annually to a full-time student of a graduate program that leads to a Master’s degree or equivalent and that offers records and information management courses. The Award was presented to Don October 21 in Las Vegas at the 2008 Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) International Annual Conference’s Awards Event. Congratulations to Don!
Photo (Right): Donald Johnson (left) receives the scholarship award from Preston W. Shimer, ARMA International Education Foundation Administrator in Las Vegas.
Congratulations to Larissa Halishoff, Master of Library & Information Studies candidate at SLAIS, for being selected the 2008 winner of the George Atiyeh Prize awarded by the Middle East Librarians Association (MELA).
The award includes registration for the Middle East Librarians Association meetings in Washington DC, which Larissa attended in November. Congratulations to Larissa!
Before completing graduation requirements in August, MLIS candidate Randi Robin was selected as the student representative for the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) world congress held in Quebec City. She attended a number of sessions on a wide variety of topics, including (but not limited to) youth services, multicultural service and issues for aboriginal and indigenous peoples. Congratulations to Randi!
SLAIS Congratulates Entrance Scholarship Winners
A number of entrance scholarships were awarded in September as SLAIS welcomed 61 new students to the school in the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library & Information Studies, joint MAS/MLIS, Master of Arts in Children's Literature, and the Ph.D. program.
Graduate Entrance Scholarships were awarded to Kevin Comerford (PhD), Dan
Hooker (MLIS), Megan Lankford (MACL), Emma Lawson (MLIS), and Lina Ma
Alumni Entrance Scholarships were awarded to Laura Dunford (MACL), Angelyn Hellman (MASLIS), Leanna Jantzi (MLIS) and Jennifer Pecho (MAS).
In addition, the following scholarships were awarded:
Sheila Egoff Scholarship: Harrison Inefuku (MASLIS)
Richard David Hughes Scholarship: Melissa Chance (MLIS)
H.W. Wilson Scholarship: Julia Casey (MLIS)
Samuel Rothstein Scholarship: Alice Darnton (MLIS).
Congratulations to Kevin, Dan, Megan, Emma, Lina, Laura, Angelyn, Leanna, Jennifer, Harrison, Melissa, Julia and Alice.
Awards for SLAIS Students
SLAIS is pleased to announce that several SLAIS students have won awards from SLAIS in support of their programs of study. These awards are for continuing students. The candidates for each award are considered by faculty in May, and the awards are delivered at the start of the September term. Please join us in congratulating the following winners:
James Fraser Memorial Prize, Jennifer Bancroft, MASLIS
Amy Hutcheson Scholarships in Library Services for Children, Andrea Brown and Andrea Galbraith, both MLIS
Margaret Fergusson Smith Memorial Scholarship, Adrienne Lai, MASLIS
Margaret Burke Scholarship, Leslie Pearson, MAS
Dorothy Blakey Smith Memorial Scholarship, Brian Sloan, MASLIS
Donald Jobe Children’s Literature Scholarships, Janet Grafton, MACL, and Elizabeth Walker, MACL
Lois M. Bewley Scholarship, Tara Williston, MLIS
Congratulations to Jennifer, Andrea B., Andrea G., Adrienne, Leslie, Brian, Janet, Elizabeth and Tara!
(left to right) Kathie Shoemaker, MACL graduate and PhD candidate; Judi Saltman, SLAIS; Gail Edwards, Douglas College; and Brianne Grant, MACL candidate and IBBY-Canada Councillor.
Gail Edwards and Judi Saltman Win Frances Russell Award
Gail Edwards and Judi Saltman are recipients of the Frances Russell Award for research in Canadian Children's Literature from IBBY-Canada in honour of their research for Picturing Canada: A History of Canadian Children's Illustrated Books and Publishing (forthcoming from University of Toronto Press). For further information, see the IBBY-Canada web site at www.ibby-canada.org/Russ_pr9e.html
Congratulations to 2008 Jobe Scholarship Winners
The 2008 winners of the Ronald Jobe Scholarship in Children’s Literature were announced at the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable Illustrator’s Breakfast on Saturday, October 25, 2008. The recipients, both Master of Arts in Children’s Literature Program candidates are Janet Grafton and Elizabeth Walker. The Master of Arts in Children’s Literature is a joint program offered by the departments of English, Creative Writing, Language and Literacy Education and SLAIS, and administered by SLAIS.
SLAIS invites prospective applicants to an Admissions Open House information session on Friday, November 7, from 1-4 p.m. Discuss your interests and questions with faculty and students. Learn more about admission requirements for our various programs, co-op, employment, funding, part-time study options, and more.
Applicants and prospective applicants for the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library & Information Studies, and the Master of Arts in Children's Literature are welcome at this drop-in event. Our School is located on the 4th floor of the spectacular Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, located at 1961 East Mall on the Vancouver campus of UBC. To find out more, contact SLAIS Student Services Coordinator Michelle Mallette at email@example.com.
SLAIS Graduate Placement Survey Results
SLAIS has completed the compilation of results of its Graduate Placement Survey, conducted in July 2008. Graduates of the MAS, MLIS, and MASLIS programs who completed their studies in 2005, 2006 and 2008 were surveyed regarding their first and current positions related to their SLAIS degree. The results have been published, and are available, along with more information about the survey for download. If you have any comments on the survey or its results, please contact the SLAIS Student Services Coordinator, Michelle Mallette, at firstname.lastname@example.org.
New SLAIS Students Welcomed
SLAIS Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends Welcome new SLAIS Students and Celebrate the Start of a New Term - September, 2008. more...
The Inaugural Stephen and Marion Johnson Memorial Lecture in Library and Information Studies
Dean and Louis T. Yule Professor at the School of Information, University of Texas at Austin Accelerating Learning and Discovery: Refining the Role of Libraries in the 21st Century
Thursday September 25, 4pm-5pm
~ Reception to follow ~
The Dodson Room, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
1961 East Mall, University of British Columbia
Janice Douglas Honoured for Literacy Work
Long-time youth services librarian and SLAIS graduate Janice Douglas has been honoured for her tireless work on family literacy. British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced she is the recipient of British Columbia's fourth annual Council of the Federation Literacy Award. Janice Douglas was a founding member and past chair of the annual Word On The Street festival, and a founding partner in establishing Family Literacy Week in British Columbia. She has created several successful early literacy programs for children in Vancouver, including the Mother Goose program and Man in the Moon. Recently retired from Vancouver Public Library, she is also an advocate of adult literacy. "Through her years of dedication and her commitment to literacy, Janice has brought books and reading to thousands of people in British Columbia in her lifetime," said Premier Campbell in making the announcement on Thursday, July 17. "Janice has made a difference in the lives of so many people, and it's fitting that we honour her contributions to the community today." Janice will receive a Council of the Federation Literacy Award medallion and a certificate signed by the premier. The Council of the Federation, which comprises all 13 provincial and territorial premiers, created the Council of the Federation Literacy Award on the initiative of Premier Campbell in 2005.
Researching Children's & Young Adults' Literature Conference
On July 26, 2008, UBC held its first Graduate Student Children’s Literature Research Conference at the Barber Centre. This interdisciplinary conference was initiated by the department of Language and Literacy Education, and was supported by SLAIS and other departments on campus. It was organized by a committee that included Master of Arts in Children’s Literature Students. UK author Aidan Chambers was the plenary speaker and over 90 students, faculty and professionals outside the university attended. A reception followed in SLAIS. Link to Conference Website --- Link to Photos from the Conference
Writing, Publishing and Teaching Children's and Young Adult
Literature from the 1960s until now - SLAIS Colloquium with Aidan Chambers
Monday, July 21 5:30-6:30 pm
** Reception to follow in SLAIS lounge **
Room 461, Barber Learning Centre
1961 East Mall, UBC
For more information contact the colloquium organizers:
email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org
VICTORIA L. LEMIEUX. is an archivist specializing in the management of current records with 20 years' experience in a variety of sectors and geographies. She began her career at the BC Archives and Records Service as a Records Analyst, later becoming a Government Records Archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. She has also held the position of the Head of Records Management and Information Services at the City of Edmonton, and has served as both Campus Records Manager and University Archivist at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. For the past seven years, she has been a Vice-President at a top-tier investment bank advising on records policy and technology risks. Throughout her career, she has undertaken many international consulting assignments for such organizations as The World Bank, The Commonwealth Secretariat, and the United Nations.
Her publications include "Better Information Practices: Improving Records and Information Management in the Public Service" (London: Commonwealth Secretariat, 1999), "Management of Public Sector Records Series: Business Systems Analysis" (London: International Records Management Trust, 2000), and "Risk Management for Records and Information" (Lenexa, KS: ARMA International, 2004). She holds a Master of Archival Studies Degree from UBC and wrote her doctoral thesis at University College London on the information related causes of the Jamaican banking crisis. In 2001, she won the W. Kaye Lamb Prize for an Archivaria article based on her doctoral research. She has held the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation since 2006.
HEATHER L. O'BRIEN received her doctorate at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia where she investigated user experiences with technology, specifically user engagement. This research worked on defining and measuring engagement in the context of human-computer interactions, and was supported by the Isaac Walton Killam, Eliza Ritchie and Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Scholarships. She was the recipient of the ISI Information Science Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Scholarship awarded by the American Society for Information Science and Technology in 2006. As an active member of the Centre for Management Informatics at Dalhousie University, Heather has been involved in a range of research projects, including humanities scholars' use of digital text; searchers' judgements of relevance in Web searching; the impact of interruptions on information searching; search behaviours in multimedia webcasts; and the implications of task on search performance in wiki environments.
Heather's research has been published in journals including the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, the Journal of Documentation, and Lecture Notes in Computer Science. She has presented her work at the ASIST Annual Meeting, the World Congress on the Management of e-Business, the Canadian Symposium on Text Analysis (CaSTA), the Web Seeking and Interaction Workshop (ACM SIGIR), and Information Interaction in Context (IIiX)., the Information Retrieval in Context Workshop (ACM SIGIR), and the International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Sciences (CoLIS).Heather has instructed graduate level courses and workshops in the School of Information Management and School of Business, Dalhousie University including Information Behaviour, Information Literacy, and Designing Interaction with Information Systems. She earned a Certificate in University Teaching from Dalhousie University's Centre for Learning and Teaching. Her employment experience includes academic librarianship and information consulting.
SLAIS Student in the News
MLIS student Christina Hanson made the Metro newspaper for her research into working conditions for migrant workers in British Columbia. See www.metronews.ca/vancouver /local/article/71720
Awards for SLAIS Students
We are pleased to announce that several SLAIS students have won major research fellowships and scholarships in support of their programs of study.
Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – Canada Graduate Scholarship (Master’s)
Janet Grafton and Karen Taylor, both students in the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature program, were successful in their individual bids for a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) – Canada Graduate Scholarship (Master’s) award.
Janet’s research topic, “Girls and Green Space,” focuses on the vital role of green space in the lives of young female protagonists in children’s literature. She will explore a facet of sickness-to-health narratives that deals with the concept of being ill-at-ease and gradually moving toward a state of being at ease, and the relation of this movement to the natural world and its support of the development of self-confidence in preadolescent girls.
Karen intends to examine a selection of contemporary Canadian children's novels through the theoretical lens of ecocriticism. Using close readings and applying ecocritical theory to the textual analysis of a selection of Canadian books, her research will explore the ways in which the text constructs ideas of nature and the ways in which these constructions rely on the nature-child relationship.
University Graduate Fellowships (UGFs)
Nancy Black and Lei Zhang, both students in the PhD program, were selected for 2008 University Graduate Fellowships.
Nancy recently successfully defended her dissertation proposal, and is now a PhD Candidate. Her dissertation topic is: The Information Seeking Experiences of the Post Secondary Learning Disabled Distance Student. Noting the dearth of research on distance education students, particularly those of diversity, Nancy says her study “will focus on information seeking experiences, barriers to information and information seeking, and strategies employed during information seeking events.”
Lei is working on her PhD research topic, exploring the cognitive processes and communicative behavior involved in reading and navigating web documents. Her work will involve the use of the linguistic theory of relevance, proposed by Sperber and Wilson and originally targeting verbal communication, and the concept of genre. “The concept of genre here refers to web document genre, that is, the conventionalized form can inform its purpose,” she explains.
Aboriginal Graduate Fellowships – Pacific Century Scholarship
Donald Johnson , a student in the Master of Archival Studies program, was selected for the scholarship in support of his study and thesis research.
A member of the Lytton First Nation, Donald’s thesis examines keyword searching – ubiquitous in library research – in the context of archives, where hierarchy governs organization and description may not extend to the record level.
Thomson Reuters Roger K. Summit North America Scholarship
Suher Zaher-Mazawi , a student in the joint Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library and Information Studies program, has been selected for the 2008 Roger K. Summit North American scholarship from Thomson Reuters.
Suher was presented with the scholarship at the annual Special Libraries Association conference in Seattle . In presenting the award, the sponsors specifically cited her interest in information-seeking behaviour and how information retrieval systems can best meet the information needs of various users. For more information, visit www.dialog.com/pressroom/2008/061808_scholarship_na.shtml
Congratulations to Donald, Janet, Karen, Lei, Nancy, and Suher!
Edie Rasmussen to serve
as SLAIS Director until June 2009
Date: June 12, 2008
To: Faculty, Staff, and Students
School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies
From: Nancy Gallini, Dean - Faculty of Arts
Subject: Edie Rasmussen, Director,
School of Library, Archival, and Information
Studies appointment extended to June 30, 2009
I am very pleased to inform you that Dr. Edie Rasmussen has agreed to continue serving as Director of the School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies for an additional year. Dr. Rasmussens term as Director, which began on July 1, 2003, will continue to June 30, 2009. This appointment has been approved by the Provost and is subject to final approval by the Board of Governors.
On behalf of the Deans Office, I thank Dr. Rasmussen for her strong leadership and I look forward to working with you and Edie over the next year.
May 2008 Grads Celebrate
On May 22, 2008 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
UBC Library and SLAIS Celebrate the Official Opening of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
On April 11, 2008 the official opening of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre took place in the Golden Jubilee Room in the Barber Centre. An archived copy of the opening ceremony webcast can be viewed here. Following the ceremony a reception was held at SLAIS - pictures are available here. You might also want to check out Phillip Jeffrey's blog. If you use Facebook you might take a look at the Barber Learning Centre pages: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre Facebook page, as well as the Facebook page for Barber "fans".
SLAIS Celebrates Move to Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
On March 14, 2008 SLAIS faculty, staff and students welcomed Mr. Irving K. Barber and friends, alumni and other honoured guests to a reception to celebrate the move to the new Barber Centre more...
SLAIS 2008 Job Fair
On Friday, March 7 the 3rd annual SLAIS Job Fair was held. More...
SLAIS Congratulates Entrance Scholarship Winners
Four entrance scholarships were awarded in January as SLAIS welcomed 30 new students to the school. Two are enrolled in the joint Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library and Information Studies program, and 28 are pursuing an MLIS.
SLAIS is pleased to announce the following entrance scholarships were awarded:
SLAIS Alumni Scholarships Maureen Bezanson (MLIS) and Leah Bruce (MAS/MLIS)
Stanley T. Arkley Scholarship in Librarianship Ashley Dunne (MLIS)
Richard Davis Hughes Scholarship Young-Eun Park (MLIS)
Congratulations to Maureen, Leah, Ashley and Young-Eun, and welcome to all the students in the January 2008 intake.
ALISE Research Award Winners
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Luanne Freund, co-winner of the 2008 ALISE Research Grant Competition. Winners also include Joan Cherry and Wendy Duff from University of Toronto.
Congratulations to 2007 Jobe Scholarship Winners
The 2007 winners of the Ronald Jobe Scholarship in Children's Literature were announced at the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable Illustrator's Breakfast on Saturday, October 13, 2007. The recipients, both candidates in the Master of Arts in Children's Literature Program in the School of Library and Archival Studies (SLAIS), University of British Columbia, are Brianne Grant and Shannon Ozirny.The scholarship honours Ronald Jobe, Emeritus Professor in Language and Literacy Education, and a tireless promoter of Canadian children's literature worldwide. It is given to a student enrolled in the SLAIS MA(CL) program based on academic achievement in courses in literature for children and young adults, and contributions to the authorship, scholarship, promotion and dissemination of literature for children. This year, thanks to the generosity of donors to the scholarship and the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable, we were able to offer two awards.
Sarah Ellis wins 2007 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award
SLAIS alumna and Adjunct Faculty member Sarah Ellis has won the 2007 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award for her book Odd Man Out. More...
New SLAIS Students Welcomed
SLAIS students, faculty, staff and friends welcomed new SLAIS students and celebrated the start of a new term on September 7 , 2007. more...
SLAIS Doctoral Student Travel Award
Every year SLAIS makes available a grant in support of PhD student conference travel. The award, to a total of $500, will be made available in the 2007/2008 academic year to support conference attendance for a student in the PhD program. Preference will be given to an applicant who is presenting a paper or poster, or contributing to conference organization. The deadline for application, via letter to Rick Kopak, Chair of Doctoral Studies, is October 15.
Doctoral students are also reminded that the Faculty of Graduate Studies has a Graduate Student Travel Fund to which they can apply; see www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/ index.asp?menu=008,001,000,000 for details.
Third Phase of InterPARES Research Process Funded to 2012
Congratulations to Luciana Duranti and her co-investigators, who are recipients of a major grant from SSHRC's CURA (Community-University Alliances) program for the third phase of InterPARES, titled "Theoretical elaborations into archival management in Canada (TEAM Canada): Implementing the theory of preservation of authentic records in digital systems and medium-sized archival organizations".
InterPARES 3 will run from September 2007 to August 2012. The TEAMs that will join TEAM Canada are Holland and Belgium; Italy; Brazil; Africa; Korea; China; Ireland and England; Norway; Sweden; Singapore and Malaysia; and Mexico. The participating American partners, including the National Archives and Records Administration, the San Diego Supercomputer Center and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science, are members of TEAM Canada.
May 2007 Grads Celebrate
On May 24, 2007 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
SLAIS Alumni Event in Victoria, BC
On May 4, 2007 SLAIS, UBC Arts Co-op and the SLAIS Alumni Association co-hosted the first-ever meeting of alumni on Vancouver Island in
Victoria at Swan's Pub. It was a wonderful event, and the first of what we hope becomes an annual gathering. Photos
SLAIS Professor Honoured
Luciana Duranti was among
those honoured by President Stephen Toope at a UBC Awards
Luncheon on April 27, 2007. Professor Duranti this year was
the winner of the prestigious Jacob Biely Faculty Research
Prize, UBC's highest research honour.
MAS Program Turns 25 and SLAIS Bids Farewell to Terry Eastwood
On April 14 the Director and Faculty of the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies joined the students and grads of the Master of Archival Studies Program and the Joint Master of Archival Studies/Master of Library and Information Studies Program at a reception to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Master of Archival Studies Program and the Retirement of Professor Terry Eastwood.
Photos from the Party
SLAIS Celebrates End of Term
SLAIS students, faculty, staff and
friends celebrate the end of the term - April 2007
Photos [use mouse to turn the pages]
Meet the New SLAIS Grads Event
The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies and the SLAIS Alumni Association sponsored the 2007 Meet the New SLAIS Grads Event on March 30, 2007 at the Alice McKay Room in the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., March 30, 2007 from 5:30-8pm. photos
ALA Accreditation for the SLAIS MLIS Program Continued to 2013
I'm pleased to announce that the American Library Association Committee on Accreditation has voted to approve continued accreditation of the SLAIS MLIS program. The program has been continuously accredited since 1963, with the next comprehensive review to come in Fall 2013.
The accreditation review process involved the entire community:
-- Edie Rasmussen, Director, SLAIS
2007 SLAIS Job Fair
On Friday, March 2, 2007 SLAIS held its second annual Job Fair. The event was coordinated and organized by members of the Job Fair Committee all of whom represented student organizations at SLAIS: the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) Student Chapter, the British Columbia Library Association and Canadian Library Association (BCLA/CLA) Student Chapter, the Library and Archival Studies Students Association (LASSA), and the Special Library Association (SLA) Student Chapter. photos...
SLAIS Professor Wins Jacob Biely Research Prize
Professor Luciana Duranti has been named the recipient of the 2006 Jacob Biely Faculty Research Prize. Described as "UBC's premier research award", the prize is awarded annually to one of UBC's outstanding faculty members for a distinguished record of published research by an active researcher. The letter of notification says that Luciana's "outstanding contributions, accomplishments and distinguished record of research without a doubt make her a perfect recipient of the 2006 Jacob Biely Research Prize". The award was presented at UBC's Celebrate Research Gala on March 8, 2007. [click on images to see larger versions]
Luciana Duranti honoured by UBC, the Italian Government, and UNESCO
Professor Luciana Duranti has been appointed by the President of Italy to serve on the Consiglio Superiore per i Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici (Supreme Council for Cultural and Landscape Assets). The Council meets regularly to advise the government of Italy on national programs and budgets, planning, international agreements and legislation related to cultural properties in general and the landscape. It is composed of the presidents of scientific committees on archives, libraries, the arts (museums, galleries, etc.), architecture and landscape (elected by the members of the respective professions) and eight eminent personalities in the world of culture directly appointed by the government.
Luciana Duranti has also been appointed to the UNESCO International Advisory Committee of the Memory of the World Programme. The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme aims to preserve and foster access to the world documentary heritage. Its International Advisory Committee,composed of 14 members appointed by the UNESCO Director General and serving in a personal capacity, is responsible for advising UNESCO on the planning and implementation of the Programme as a whole and for making recommendations on raising funds, allocating them to projects, placing elements of the documentary heritage on the Memory of the World Register and granting the Memory of the World label to selected projects,including those which are not receiving financial assistance from the programme. The appointment is for 4 years, renewable for additional 4 years.
For more on the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme, see: http://tinyurl.com/864ll
SLAIS Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends Welcome new SLAIS Students and Celebrate
the Start of a New Term on January 12, 2007
SLAIS Students, Faculty, Staff and Friends Celebrate the End of the Term on December 1, 2006
SLAIS November 2006 Grads Celebrate
On November 22, 2006 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
2006 ARMA International Educational Foundation (AIEF) Graduate
The AIEF Graduate Level Scholarship was established to encourage the development of the international records and information management community, and is awarded annually to a full-time student of a graduate program that leads to a Masters degree or equivalent and that offers records and information management courses. The Award was presented to her last week (October 23) in San Antonio, Texas, at the 2006 Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) International Annual Conference’s Awards Event. Catherine’s paper, entitled, “Now ‘til Then: Adopting an IM Attitude” was selected from among a number of strong entries as being one of two winning papers that will be featured on the AIEF website (http://www.armaedfoundation.org). Catherine is graduating among the top students in UBC’s archival studies program and, took first place standing in a course on the management of electronic records taught by Dr. Luciana Duranti, Director of the InterPARES Project. She was also the recipient of the Management of Electronic Records (MER) conference scholarship which sponsors top scholars from across North America to be in attendance at the annual MER conference in Chicago, and was further nominated for the Society of American Archivist’s 2006 Theodore Calvin Pease Award.
Jobe Children's Literature Scholarship
The ceremony was held at the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable's Illustrator's Breakfast on October 14, 2006, which hosted award-winning illustrator Janet Wilson.
E. Russell Award Presented
Luciana Duranti Presented with Emmett Leahy Award
The Emmett Leahy Award is considered to be the most prestigious recognition given to an expert in records management. It is presented annually to recognize an individual whose contributions and outstanding accomplishments have had significant impact on the records and information management professions. more...
Luciana Duranti Presented with 2006
Frontiers in Research Award
Dr. Luciana Duranti, Professor of the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at UBC, is recognized as a worldwide leader in the field of archival studies. more...
SLAIS Faculty Promotion
and New Emeritus Faculty
Edie Rasmussen, SLAIS Director, is very pleased to announce that Ann Curry has been promoted to the rank of Professor in the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, UBC. Ann holds a BA and a BLS from the University of Alberta, an MLIS from UBC, and a PhD from the University of Sheffield. Prior to joining SLAIS, she held a number of professional positions in public and special libraries. She has been a member of the SLAIS faculty since 1991. She is well known for her research and teaching on censorship in library collections, and library architecture.
Two former SLAIS faculty members have been named by the UBC Senate to the emeritus faculty of the school. Richard Hopkins, who was a member of the SLAIS faculty from 1983 to 2005, retired last December, and is now Assistant Professor Emeritus. Ken Haycock, Professor from 1992 to 2005, served as Director of the School from 1992-2002. He is currently Director of the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University. Ken has been named Professor Emeritus.
Congratulations to Ann, Richard and Ken.
New SLAIS faculty for the 2006-2007 Academic Year
The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies is pleased to welcome faculty who will be joining the School for periods of 4 to10 months in the coming academic year, beginning September 2006. Jennifer Campbell-Meier, Lisa Hussey and Allison Taylor McBryde will be teaching core and elective courses in the MLIS program. Laura Millar will be a visiting professor at SLAIS for the Fall term, teaching in the MAS program. More...
Fifty SLAIS Alumni Attend Reception at 2006 Canadian Library Association Ottawa Conference
Approximately 50 SLAIS graduates attended the alumni reception held June 16 at the Ottawa Westin Hotel as part of the CLA Annual Conference. The reception was sponsored by the School and by the UBC Arts Co-op Program and attended by alumni who spanned 40 years of graduating classes. More...
Support for SLAIS Students
Conference attendance is an important part of professional and academic life. It offers the opportunity to hear about new research and practice and generates new ideas and inspiration. It is also a great way to meet others who share your professional and research interests. There are many conferences worth attending, from the graduate student research conferences held at UBC to local, national and international conferences of organizations such as the Canadian Library Association (CLA), Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA), American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T), Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) and Children’s Literature Association (ChLA). In support of conference attendance, every year SLAIS provides financial assistance to a student in each of its programs (MAS, MLIS, MA(CL)and PhD) More...
SLAIS May 2006 Grads Celebrate
On May 25, 2006 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
SLAIS November 2005 Grads Celebrate
On November 24, 2005 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
SLAIS Job Fair
SLAIS held its first-ever student organized Job Fair on Friday, March 3, 2006. The event was coordinated and organized by members of the student organizations at SLAIS: the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) Student Chapter, the British Columbia Library Association and Canadian Library Association (BCLA/CLA) Student Chapter, the Library and Archival Studies Students Association (LASSA), and the Special Library Association (SLA) Student Chapter. more information and photos
Research at SLAIS, March 6-10, 2006: Opening Talk: “Research at SLAIS” ,
by Heather MacNeil
Graduate level programs in library, archival and information studies are based on a fundamental distinction between professional training and professional education. Professional training is associated with the building of skills and the acquisition of practical knowledge in specific contexts. Professional education is associated with the development of an intellectual framework applicable to a variety of settings, and the cultivation of a professional ethos. Although education and training are both essential, education is more fundamental and wide-ranging in its scope and purpose. It communicates theory, methodology, and professional skills within a university setting where it is possible to practise scholarly enquiry, interdisciplinary work, and research). more...
Congratulations to Luciana
We are pleased to announce that Dr Luciana Duranti will be honoured at the University of British Columbia ’s Celebrate Research Gala in March 2006 as one of the recipients of the UBC Killam Research Prize, Senior Arts Category 2006.
Richard Hopkins Bids Farewell to SLAIS
In honour of Dr. Hopkins’ retirement, family, colleagues and students gathered to wish him well on his retirement. more...
Greta Bahnemann Awarded 2005-2006 Art Libraries
Society of North America Internship
The Art Libraries Society of North America is pleased to announce Greta Bahnemann as the recipient of its 2005-2006 Internship Award. The award provides financial support for an internship to a student preparing for a career in art librarianship or visual resources curatorship. Previous Intern Award recipients have been hosted by a variety of institutions such as the Pierpont Morgan Library, the National Gallery of Art Image Collections, the Museum of Modern Art Library, the University of Texas at Austin Libraries, and others. In addition to the $2,500.00 stipend, Bahnemann will receive a one year membership in ARLIS/NA at the student level.
A record number of more than sixty applications were received from current students and recent graduates of library science, art history, studio art and museum studies graduate programs. Bahnemann holds a B.A. in History with Art History and Theater Arts minors from the University of Minnesota Morris and a M.A. in Early American Culture from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture at the University of Delaware. She has curatorial experience at several museums and is presently a M.L.I.S. candidate in the School of Library and Archival Studies at the University of British Columbia scheduled to graduate this December. She currently works as a Graduate Academic Assistant for the University's Fine Arts Division Library.
Bahnemann expressed an interest in working on a digital collection as a possible internship project and expects to make arrangements with a host institution this winter.
Genevieve Shepherd Awarded 2005 Piternick Doctoral Student Research Award [November 18, 2005]
The SLAIS Doctoral Studies Committee is pleased to announce that Genevieve Shepherd is the winner of the first annual Anne and George Piternick Doctoral Student Research Award of $1000.
Genevieve will use the funds to travel to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration offices in Washington, D.C. where she will gather data for her dissertation - an historical comparative analysis of the national archival institutions in Canada, the U.S., and Australia.
The Piternick Award is given to a SLAIS doctoral student to support his or her research It covers expenses such as travel to consult resources or experts in the research area, travel to attend a doctoral consortium, travel to interview research subjects, postage to disseminate research instruments, programming expenses or software for data analysis, or travel to present research results in a poster or paper.
Annual TEF Pumpkin Carving Contest
In the context of the "Memory of the World" programme, UNESCO has granted InterPARES funds to support the dissemination and adaptation of its
findings to the Caribbean and Latin America countries. The countries directly involved in this initiative are Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and Peru. Beginning on November 7, 2005 the InterPARES Project will be hosting five scholars from the Caribbean and Latin America for a three-week workshop. The scholars will be visiting as part of a grant given to InterPARES by the UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” programme, which aims at preserving valuable archival holdings and library collections from all areas of the world. more...
SLAIS May 2005 Grads
On May 27 2005 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more..
Professor Emerita Sheila Egoff
Sheila Agnes Egoff, Officer of the Order of Canada, died on May 22, 2005 in her 88 th year at Vancouver B.C. Her multiple careers as children’s librarian, professor of children’s literature, and critic and advocate of children’s literature had a profound impact on the development of academic teaching and criticism of children’s literature, on the growth of Canadian publishing for children, and on Canadian public library service to children. Born in 1918 in Auburn, Maine, she grew up in Galt (now Cambridge) Ontario. Sheila’s childhood in rural Ontario was marked by avid public library use and exposure to the children’s books of the early years of the twentieth century. [more...]
Student ACA Chapter
The May 2005 issue of the ACA Bulletin contains an announcement of the first ever ACA student chapter, which was organized by SLAIS students. The chapter was recently formally recognized by the Association of Canadian Archivists Board of Directors. Congratulations to the chapter executive and members for getting the chapter going.
Bonnie Mak, SLAIS adjunct faculty member and InterPARES post-doctoral fellow has won the Library History Round Table's Dain Dissertation Award. The Award will presented at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, at the beginning of LHRT's program "Living Legacy: Carnegie Libraries Past and Future," on June 26th.
British Columbia Library Association Honours SLAIS Faculty and Students
The British Columbia Library Association presented its annual awards during a reception at the recently completed BC Library Conference in Burnaby. Outgoing President Diana Guinn (Port Moody Public Library) presented eight association awards. "We are delighted to be able to recognize the recipients of this year's awards", said Guinn. "The Awards reception is a highlight of the conference, and is an indication of the quality of the libraries and the people associated with them who make a huge difference every day across the province."
SLAIS Recipients were:
Ken Haycock Student Conference Award: Hope Power
President's Award: Dr. Ann Curry, for her unwavering commitment to freedom of expression, leadership in changes to defamation laws that will protect libraries and support of BCLA during legal action regarding the Intellectual Freedom website.
Helen Gordon Stewart Award: Dr. Ken Haycock.
Congratulations to all recipients.
The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia is establishing the Ronald Jobe Children's Literature Scholarship for students in the Master of Arts in Children's Literature Program. Dr. Jobe, professor in the Language and Literacy Department, has been deeply involved in this interdisciplinary children's literature program jointly offered by the UBC departments of SLAIS, LLED, English and Creative Writing. Dr. Jobe established the Children's Literature Roundtables across Canada , co-ordinates the Serendipity conference, and has spent years promoting Canadian children's literature worldwide, through organizations such as the International Board on Books for Young People, of which he was the first non-European President.
To create an endowment of $20,000, which will generate a yearly scholarship of $1,000, we invite you to consider a tax-deductible donation. For further information, or to make a donation, please contact Andy Price, UBC Development Officer at 604-822-5345 or email@example.com.
On October 2, 2004, a group of library and archival students from SLAIS competed in the Day of the Longboat which has been described as "the largest voyageur canoe race in North America." Team SLAIS paddled to the finish in 15 minutes, 56 seconds, coming out ahead of four other teams which put them in third place. For Team SLAIS photos from Day of the Longboat, click here.
In May SLAIS faculty, students, and alumni attended the Joint Annual Conferences of the British Columbia Library Association and the Canadian Library Association. If you'd like to view photos taken at the conference choose one of the links below:
On May 27 2004 SLAIS celebrated the graduation of students from the Master of Archival Studies, Master of Library and Information Studies, Joint MAS & MLIS, and Master of Arts in Children's Literature programs. more...
The Society of American Archivists has announced that Bart Ballaux,
a Master of Archival Studies student, is the recipient of the 2004
Oliver Wendell Holmes Award.
Bart holds a M.A. in Modern History of the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium). After his graduation in Leuven, he combined working halftime at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and studying Archival Science and Records Management at the Free University of Brussels (Belgium). While working in Antwerp, he joined the Ph.D. program of the Dutch N.W. Posthumus Institute in Economic and Social History. Bart is in the process of finishing his Ph.D. at the University of Antwerp on “Transportation in the Duchy of Brabant during the ‘long sixteenth century.” Bart’s interest in archival science focuses on the new possibilities for archives users in an IT environment. He is graduate Research Assistant in the InterPARES Project.
The Oliver Wendell Holmes Award enables overseas individuals who are already in the United States or Canada for their archival education to augment their experience by travelling to the Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting. The winner is selected on the basis of his or her CV and academic achievements. The award, a certificate, complimentary registration for the SAA meeting, and a cash prize, will be presented to Bart Ballaux at the awards ceremony at the SAA Annual Meeting to be held August 2-8 in Boston.
Now that SLAIS has moved to its new quarters in the Technology Enterprise Facility Building III it's time to take a brief look back...
The George Atiyeh Prize Committee of the Middle East Librarians Association has announced that MLIS student Anne O'Shea is the winner of the 2003 Award.
Anne holds a Bachelor's degree from Simon Fraser University, where she majored in English and minored in History. She is currently in the Master's degree program in Library and Information Studies at SLAIS. She plans to study for a Master's degree in modern Middle Eastern history after finishing her MLIS.
Anne is especially interested in the effect of war on libraries. Her essay, "Under Threat: Libraries in Iraq," was awarded first place in the Student Essay Context by the Canadian Library Association, and was published in the most recent issue of Feliciter, the CLA magazine. She is currently studying libraries on Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lebanon and Iraq, to determine which library collections became targets, why they were attacked and the long-term effects on history and documentation. The results of this study will be publicly accessible on the Web.
As part of the award, in November Anne will be attending the Annual Meeting of the Association in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Canadian Children’s Illustrated Books Project web site is now accessible to the public via the World Wide Web at http://www.slais.ubc.ca/saltman/ccib/home.html. Visitors to the site are treated to a sampling of the literary and visual contributions of Canadian authors and illustrators to children’s literature. The site features an extensive list of multi-media resources, including an annotated list of picturebooks that won national awards between 1970 and 2001 in Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. These awards consist of the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award in Canada, the Australian Book of the Year Award for picturebooks, the Kate Greenaway Medal in Great Britain, and the Caldecott Medal in the United States. For full media release click here.
School of Library, Archival and Information Studies
Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
470 – 1961 East Mall
Vancouver BC Canada V6T 1Z1