A Letter from the Director

Dear Students, Alumni and Friends of DLIS,

I have just been appointed Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah. UVU is the largest university in the state and the fastest growing. It has 34,000 students and is projected to have 40,000 within a few years. This appointment will provide me with an opportunity to help the students, their families and community develop in important and meaningful ways in a society that is changing dramatically, primarily as a result of technology.
Unfortunately, it also means leaving DLIS, St, John’s University and New York, all of which I have grown to love. For the last eight years I have had the privilege of working with the DLIS faculty, students, alumni and other professional colleagues. We have accomplished much together, including full reaccreditation at a time when many other programs have not. Our students have received an outstanding education. In turn they have joined our alumni in serving society well and continually improving that service.

A Word from the Director

Spring has arrived, and we soon will see the end of this semester. It has been a very successful one, beginning with our reaccreditation by the ALA, then the successful appointment of a new faculty member, an excellent turnout for the Spring Symposium, and now preparations for sending out our newest group of DLIS graduates.

Letter from the Director

This fall marks the 75th Anniversary of the Division of Library Science (DLIS) at St. John’s University. We plan to celebrate together at a banquet in April. More details will come soon. Our history of achievement continues with positive change and accomplishment.

Following the successful ALA reaccreditation review and associated compliments on the quality of our faculty, staff, and students, we launched a semiannual symposium for students and alumni, welcomed a new faculty member, Christine Angel; renamed our degree program; expanded our mixed mode and online offerings; received word from the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) that one of our students, April Earle, had written the best paper of all students in the field; and continued to receive outstanding reports about the quality and accomplishments of our students and alumni.

Students and participating alumni have responded very favorably to our semiannual symposium. It provides an opportunity to hear from leaders in the profession, share expertise with each other and make new acquaintances. ALA President Maureen Sullivan keynoted the most recent symposium and leading expert our next one is scheduled for November 3rd at the Manhattan Campus. We hope you will join us.

Recently New York State approved a change in our degree title. DLIS requested the change to better meet students’ needs in the current professional environment, based on research and discussion involving alumni, students and faculty. Beginning with students entering the program in September 2012, graduates will receive the title of Master of Science in Library and Information Science (MS LIS). This is the most common title for the ALA accredited degree. Students entering before that date but graduating after September 2012 will have a choice between the MLS and the MS LIS. Students graduating in September 2012 or before will continue to have the MLS. Some of our alumni requested a change in degree title. We have not been able to make that happen, although we are continuing to seek that opportunity.

More exciting changes are approaching as we look forward to celebrating our 75th anniversary. Watch for details in the next newsletter.

Fall 2012 Semi-Annual Meeting

It was another successful semi-annual meeting for DLIS students and faculty at the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester at St. John’s Manhattan Campus. Many new LIS students were able to come and meet continuing students and faculty for the first time. After a short overview of LIS 204 and 205 for the new students, everyone had an opportunity to catch up with one another over refreshments. Dr. Olson then had a chance to speak to all of the DLIS students, discussing many components of the program, such as internships, professional groups and student organizations, and comprehensive exams/e-portfolios, and their importance.

One very beneficial aspect of our semi-annual meeting is the chance to meet with the professors who will be teaching your online courses and the students who will be in those courses alongside you. The last hour of the night was dedicated to online courses, with discussions of what is to be expected by both the students and instructors and general outlines for each course.

A Letter from our Director Jeffery Olson

 Welcome back from the holiday break. I sincerely hope you had an opportunity to read at least one good book and are ready for another successful semester. DLIS is welcoming fourteen new students into the program this semester. I hope they are finding their coursework intriguing and interesting and already feeling at home within the DLIS community.

Updates from Semiannual Meeting

The Spring Semiannual Meeting took place at the Manhattan Campus on January 23rd. During the meeting, the program was happy to welcome fourteen new students into our ranks. New students were able to listen to Drs. Rioux, Vorbach, Angel, and Shelfer discuss the core classes they instruct and some of the basics covered in those classes. Dr. Lee was attending the ALISE conference in misty Seattle, WA. She was missed by all. Dr. Angel gave a presentation on e-portfolios. The development of an ePortfolio is a graduation requirement for all students who entered the program beginning Fall 2011.

A Letter from the Director

As DLIS approaches the end of another academic year, I want to thank Rosann Kelly, Debbie Martinez, Linda Russell and the faculty for your support of the students and alumni throughout the year and the students and alumni for your outstanding contributions to the professional and geographic communities where you work. Those who know you and your work speak highly of who you are and what you do. Because of all of you, I enjoy the reception I receive when I introduce myself as the Director of the Division of Library and Information Science at St. John’s University.

February Director’s Message

First let me congratulate Dr. Shari Lee of our faculty for receiving in January the Norman Horrocks Leadership Award from the Association of Library and Information Science Educators (ALISE), the primary association of Library and Information Science faculty members. Each of our faculty members is remarkable in their own way. I am glad that Dr. Lee was recognized again in another way for her contributions. Several years ago, ALISE honored her for the outstanding doctoral dissertation in all of Library and Information Science.

Dr. Olson’s Expectations of a DLIS Graduate Student

In his address to students at the Semiannual Meeting, Dr. Olson implored his students to be the best they can and then some.  As library and information professionals, we have the “potential to make the world a much better place for everybody,” Dr. Olson said, but, “nobody can enable you to succeed but you.”  Listed below are ways in which the dean of the Library and Information Science department believes are the best ways to not only make the most of your education, but to become an overall better student, better worker and better employee.