GSLIS eUpdate: Volume 14, Number 4

The GSLIS eUpdate, published every other month, summarizes current news, events, alumni and advancement highlights, and continuing professional development opportunities. Other publications that may be of interest to alumni and friends are listed on the GSLIS Publications web page.


IN THIS ISSUE

  1. GSLIS Spotlight
  2. GSLIS News Summary
  3. Continuing Professional Development
  4. Alumni News
  5. Reconnect With GSLIS
  6. Unsubscribe and/or Contact Us

1. GSLIS SPOTLIGHT

Moore Selected for Competitive GE Information Technology Leadership Program
GSLIS master's student Jerrod Moore is going places—literally. Having recently completed his master's coursework, he is preparing to start work at GE Capital, which is based in Norwalk, Connecticut, with offices worldwide. Over the next two years, he will live and work in four different cities as a GE Information Technology Leadership Program (ITLP) fellow. The highly competitive two-year ILTP program allows new employees to gain hands-on experience at GE offices around the world. Fellows learn about nearly every facet of information technology, from web design to project management to security. Read more


2. GSLIS NEWS SUMMARY

For a comprehensive list of recent news items, visit the GSLIS Newsroom.

Visit with GSLIS at ALA Midwinter, Downs Award Reception
If you are attending ALA Midwinter, stop by and visit us at Booth #2037 in the Exhibit Hall. Staff from our Admissions and Student Affairs offices will be on hand to answer questions from prospective students. If you or someone you know may be interested in applying to one of our programs, please email Roy Brooks, assistant director for recruiting and careers services, to request a free Exhibit Hall pass.

Meeting attendees are also invited to join us for the 2014 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award reception, honoring the staff and board of trustees of the Orland Park (Illinois) Public Library. Hosted jointly by GSLIS and Libraries Unlimited, the reception will take place on Saturday, January 31, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. in the Williford C Room of the Chicago Hilton Hotel at 720 S. Michigan Avenue. For more information about the event, please contact Associate Professor Terry Weech.

Alumna Gemma Petrie featured in Chicago Reader People Issue
GSLIS alumna Gemma Petrie (MS '11) is one of twenty Chicago residents featured in the Chicago Reader's 2014 People Issue. As a user experience researcher at Mozilla, Petrie studies technology education and learning and finds ways to make technology accessible to people around the world. Read Petrie's GSLIS alumni profile to learn more about her work.

Applications due April 1 for LEEP Summer Admission
As the April 1 deadline for LEEP summer admission approaches, we encourage you to share our recruitment flyer with individuals who have the potential for success in our master's program. Beginning this summer, distance students will no longer be required to visit campus after completing the initial seven-day residency. By eliminating the requirement for campus visits each semester, our top-ranked master's program will remain accessible to students around the world. Questions? Contact staff in our Admissions Office by telephone at (217) 333-7197 or (800) 982-0914 or via email at lis-apply@illinois.edu.

GSLIS Social Media
For up-to-date news and announcements, you are invited to follow us on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook.


3. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The following courses are available for those interested in post-master's degree professional development. These courses are offered by GSLIS as an approved content provider for the ALA/APA-CPLA Program. More information about future courses and registration information can be found on our CPLA web page.

Serving Diverse Populations
Dates: February 16 - March 23, 2015
Format: Online asynchronous sessions
Instructor: Lori S. Mestre, EdD, MALS
Cost: $300

Organization and Personnel Administration
Dates: March 30 - May 4, 2015
Format: Online asynchronous sessions
Instructor: Robert H. Burger, PhD, CPA, Professor Emeritus
Cost: $300

Current Issues in Public Libraries
Dates: July 13 - August 17, 2015
Times: Online asynchronous sessions
Instructor: Rose M. Chenoweth, MLS
Cost: $300

Library Marketing
Dates: September 14 - October 19, 2015
Times: Online asynchronous sessions
Instructor: Elizabeth Garcia, MLIS, Ph.D.
Cost: $300


4. ALUMNI NEWS

GSLIS Meet Up at SCELC Vendor Day - Los Angeles, California
SCELC, a nonprofit library consortium, hosts an annual Vendor Day conference on the campus of Loyola Marymount University, located in Los Angeles, California. Vendor Day offers product presentations, an exhibition hall featuring 50+ vendors and publishers, and networking opportunities with attendees representing over 70 regional libraries. Registration is free to librarians and library staff, and both a light breakfast and full lunch are provided.

This year, LSAA board member Donna LaFollette invites GSLIS alumni to join her at a meet up from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 19, just before the vendor sessions begin. If you will be in the area and would like to attend Vendor Day, please also join us for the GSLIS meet up! Register here and contact Donna LaFollette (MS '09) with any questions.

Call for 2015 Library School Alumni Association (LSAA) Alumni Award Nominations
Nominations are being accepted for the 2015 Library School Alumni Assocation (LSAA) Awards: Distinguished Alumnus, Leadership, and Distinguished Service. Awards will be presented in June at the LSAA Annual Meeting/Reception during the ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. For details, visit the LSAA Awards web page. Please consider nominating one of your colleagues or peers. The LSAA Award Committee is chaired by Donna LaFollette (MS '09), and nominations should be sent to the GSLIS Advancement Office by April 1, 2015.

Enhance the Student Experience with a Gift for Professional Travel
There are several opportunities for GSLIS students to make presentations at professional conferences and meetings throughout the year. Participation at these events gives students confidence, experience, and a competitive edge in the current job market. Examples include the ALA Annual Conference, the Association of College & Research Libraries Conference, and the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) Annual Meeting.

However, many students need financial support in order to travel and take advantage of these opportunities. Gifts in support of student travel can make the difference in the life and career of a GSLIS student. Please make your gift online to the GSLIS Annual Fund or the Harold Ladd Smith, Jr. and Flora Lancaster Smith Endowment for GSLIS Student Travel. Checks can also be mailed to the GSLIS Advancement Office, 501 E. Daniel, Champaign, IL 61820. Be sure to indicate the intent of your gift so that it can be properly directed.

Tassel Project Update
With spring semester underway, we urge current students and alumni to recognize faculty or staff who had an impact on their GSLIS experience. For a minimum donation of $10 to the LSAA Tassel Project, contributors can honor select faculty and staff, both current and retired. Each donor will receive a commemorative yellow GSLIS tassel to acknowledge their generosity. All faculty and staff who are honored will be notified.

Proceeds from the Tassel Project support the LSAA endowed chair, which will attract distinguished faculty whose teaching and research in turn attract exceptional students and contribute greatly to the field. Such endowed positions will only strengthen our School's reputation and reinforce our number-one ranking. To date, more than $6,000 has been raised.

To participate, please stop by the Advancement Office (108, LIS, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.), make your gift, and pick up your tassel. If you prefer to make your gift online, visit our Opportunities for Giving page and select the "Faculty" tab, choose "LSAA Endowed Professorship," and click the "Make your gift" button. Be sure to include the name of the faculty or staff member you would like to honor in the "Special Instructions" box. For more information, please contact the GSLIS Advancement Office.


5. RECONNECT WITH GSLIS

Hello GSLIS alumni and friends! We invite you to reconnect and network with the GSLIS community at these upcoming events.

GSLIS @ 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting
January 30 - February 2, 2015
McCormick Place West
Chicago, IL

We invite you to join GSLIS at booth #2037 at the 2015 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting.

Downs Intellectual Freedom Award Reception at ALA Midwinter
Saturday, January 31, 2015
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Hilton Chicago
720 S Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

Join GSLIS at the reception to honor the recipient of the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award sponsored by GSLIS and Libraries Unlimited.

Chicagoland Youth Services Practicum Opportunities
Thursday, February 5, 2015
7:30 p.m.
VIRTUAL

Interested in doing or hosting a practicum in the Chicago area? Join Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Kate McDowell and youth services librarians from public libraries such as Oak Park, Indian Prairie, Woodstock, Hodgkins, Indian Trails, and more for a virtual session to learn about practicum opportunities. Librarians interested in hosting a practicum and current GSLIS students interested in completing a practicum are both welcome.

Librarians, please register for this virtual session here.
LEEP students, join via Blackboard Collaborate here.

GSLIS Gathering in Boston
Monday, February 9, 2015
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Legal Sea Foods
100 Huntington Ave, Copley Place, Boston, MA 02116

Diana Stroud, Assistant Dean for Advancement, will host. Alumni, current students, and prospective students are welcome. RSVP to the GSLIS Advancement Office by Friday, February 6.

Center for Children's Books (CCB) 14th Annual Book Pre-Sale
Sunday, February 15, 2015
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
131 LIS, 501 East Daniel Street, Champaign, IL

Advance ticket required. Make your reservation by February 9, either by calling the CCB at 217-244-9331 or via email.

CCB 14th Annual Book Sale
February 16-18, 2015
24 LIS Building (Center for Children's Books)
501 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL

For directions and parking information, please visit the CCB web page.

GSLIS Gathering in Phoenix
Thursday, February 19, 2015
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tomaso's
3225 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Diana Stroud, Assistant Dean for Advancement, will host. Alumni, current students, and prospective students are welcome. RSVP to the GSLIS Advancement Office by Monday, February 16.

GSLIS Gathering in Tucson
Friday, February 20, 2015
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
feast
3719 E. Speedway, Tucson, AZ 85716

Diana Stroud, Assistant Dean for Advancement, will host. Alumni, current students, and prospective students are welcome. RSVP to the GSLIS Advancement Office by Monday, February 16.

GSLIS Corporate Roundtable/5th Annual Applied Project Session: Research Park
March 6, 2015
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
iHotel and Conference Center (Quad Room), 1900 South First Street, Champaign, IL

For additional details on participation either in person or remotely, please contact Sharon Johnson, CRT Coordinator.

GSLIS @ ACRL
March 25-28, 2015
Oregon Convention Center
777 NE Martin Luther King Boulevard, Portland, OR

Visit GSLIS alumni, faculty, staff, and students at Booth #571.

GSLIS Gathering at ACRL
March 26, 2015
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront
1401 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR

Alumni, faculty, students, and prospective students are welcome to stop by. Please email the GSLIS Advancement Office by Monday, March 23, if you plan to attend.


6. UNSUBSCRIBE AND/OR CONTACT US

This eUpdate is delivered to all GSLIS alumni with email addresses on record at the University of Illinois Alumni Association. If you do not wish to receive further issues, please contact us and ask to be removed from the email list. GSLIS will not release your email address or share any other personal identifying information.

Feel free to pass along the eUpdate to your friends and fellow GSLIS alumni and invite them to subscribe to receive the eUpdate directly! If someone has forwarded this message to you and you would like to subscribe, please email us.

We are always interested in learning about your career and life accomplishments. To submit items, please complete and email our Alumni Update Form.

The GSLIS website is an important resource for job seekers and employers alike. Visit our Careers page to post a job, explore mentorship opportunities, and learn how to host students for practica, internships, and/or Alternative Spring Break.

To support GSLIS, please visit our confidential and secure giving site.

Have a comment about one of the stories you've read here? Have news that you think should be included in an upcoming issue? Contact us.

Copyright ©2015 University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Permission granted to reuse this information provided the source is cited.