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Library School Alumni Association

The mission of the Library School Alumni Association (LSAA) is to support the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS), to encourage active participation of alumni in the programs of GSLIS and LSAA, to encourage students to become active, lifelong supporters of GSLIS and LSAA, and to be a partner with the University of Illinois Alumni Association in supporting alumni in their professional lives.

For more information, e-mail -lis-dev, at illinois.edu-.

Join LSAA

As an LIS alumni, you are automatically a member of LSAA which entitles you to several valuable benefits and services. To find out more about these and other membership upgrades, please go to the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

Greetings from LSAA President Cynthia Helms

Standing: Diana Stroud, Julie Derden, Dean John Unsworth, Cynthia Helms, Donna Schaal
Seated: Fiona Griswold, Mary Jane Petrowski, Sujin Huggins, Beth Woodard
Not pictured: Kim Seobhan Anderson, Irene Hoffman, Jane Kauzlaric, James Obst, Laura Rancani

On Friday, August 28, 2009 the Library Science Alumni Association Board met (in person and via Skype) at Lincoln Trail Libraries System in Champaign, Illinois and committed to a new year of service to GSLIS and alums. Your new and returning board members represent professionals employed in multi-type library and information settings that reflect the diversity of opportunity within our profession. Board members are looking forward to sponsoring activities that will engage alums and facilitate support for GSLIS. The board needs your help and is eager to hear from you. Please contact board members with your ideas for new activities that will engage alums and support GSLIS programs and initiatives.

Meet your new LSAA Board Members:

Cynthia Helms, (MS ’79, CAS ’04) President - helmscy, at champaignschools.org-: Cynthia has worked in academic, public, system, and school libraries and is currently the librarian at Centennial High School in Champaign, Illinois. She also serves on the Lincoln Trail Library System Board of Directors. Cynthia holds a B. A. in English and secondary teaching certification from Western Illinois University and is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Childhood through Young Adulthood Library Media (’03).

Mary Jane Petrowski (CAS ’94) Vice President - mpetrowski, at ala.org-: Mary Jane first worked overseas as a military librarian (in Turkey and West Germany) for ten years before returning to the States to begin work on her CAS at the University of Illinois. During her GSLIS years (1988-1993), she joined the faculty of the University Library and enjoyed working in the Undergraduate Library.  After eight years at Colgate University in upstate New York, she moved to Chicago in 2002 and joined the staff of the Association of College and Research Librarians.

Beth Woodard (MS '79) Secretary - bswoodar, at illinois.edu-: Beth has served as a reference librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1983. During her tenure she has trained graduate assistants, co-taught a course at GSLIS, and coordinated library-wide staff development training. She has also given workshops for librarians throughout the country on improving their teaching skills. Beth is a Board of Trustee for the Oakwood, Illinois Public Library and holds a B.A. in English from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Donna Schaal (MS ’00) Treasurer -dschaa, at lincolntrail.info-: Donna is currently employed with Lincoln Trail Libraries System (LTLS) in Champaign, Illinois. As a system consultant, Donna provides general reference services and technology training for librarians, writes grants, and plans the continuing education calendar for LTLS. She also has served on several statewide committees including Illinois Library Associations Reporter Committee, the IOUG Board, and as grant reviewer for the Illinois State Library.

Julie Derden (MS ’06) Past President - derden, at illinoisalumni.org-: GSLIS launched Julie’s third career. She now has her ideal job as the Teaching Materials Librarian at Illinois State University. Her M.S. prepared her to help future teachers locate and utilize library resources for their coursework, clinical placements, and student teaching experiences. Julie also holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (’82) from Florida State University. Julie considers herself an ambassador for GSLIS and feels a deep sense of pride in leading people to the profession of librarianship, and to GSLIS in particular!

Kim Seobhan Anderson (MS ’07) Director -kandrsn2, at illinois.edu-: Kim is in her fourth year as librarian at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign, Illinois. She is currently working on her Certificate of Advanced Study at GSLIS. Kim has taught for eight years at the middle school level and she is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Childhood through Young Adulthood Library Media (’08).

Irene Hoffman (MS ’81) Director -hoffmani, at oclc.org-: Irene Hoffman is the executive director of Partner Programs at OCLC. Prior to joining OCLC, her career has been in academic libraries working for the University of California system, the California State University system and Georgetown University. She holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the GSLIS and a B.A. in Fine and Applied Arts from Northeastern Illinois University.

Jane Kauzlaric (MS ’02) Director -kauzlaric, at illinoisalumni.org-: Jane is serving her second term on the LSAA Board. She was the Head of Youth Services at the Joliet Public Library, Black Road Branch until she moved to sunny Phoenix with her husband Jack. Jane also holds a B.S. in Biology from Binghamton University (State University of New York) and a M.S. in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

James Obst (LEEP, MS ’05) Director -james.obst, at chi.frb.org-: Jim is Digital Services Lead in the Knowledge Center of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He supports the economists, examiners and executive office with information services and manages the banks historical achieves. He chairs the Federal Reserve System’s archivists subcommittee and serves on the Metropolitan Library System’s Special Advisory group.

Sujin Huggins, (MS ‘04) GSLIS, PhD Student Rep. -sbhuggin, at illinois.edu-: Sujin is a doctoral student at GSLIS specializing in youth services and children’s literature. She worked as children’s librarian of the Port of Spain Children’s Library of the National Library of Trinidad and Tobago for two years before returning to UIUC to pursue her doctoral degree.

Fiona Griswold, (MS ’09) GSLIS, CAS Student Rep. -fgriswld, at illinois.edu-: Fiona is a CAS student at GSLIS concentrating in the areas of Community Informatics and school libraries. She has worked for UIUC in the Study Abroad Office and for the College of Education in the study abroad and international education. She holds a B. A. in English from UIUC.

Laura Rancani, GSLIS, MLS Student Rep. -rancani1, at illinois.edu-: Laura is a second year MLS student at GSLIS. Public libraries are her area of interest. She is currently a graduate assistant for the GSLIS Office of Advancement & Alumni Relations and works in the UIUC Library Cataloging & Metadata Unit as part of a children’s book cataloging team. She holds a B.A. in English from The College of New Jersey.

Diana Stroud, GSLIS, Staff Liason -dstroud, at illinois.edu-: Diana Stroud is the Assistant Dean for Advancement and Alumni Relations at GSLIS. In December of 2009, she will have completed her fourth year at GSLIS and her twelfth year with the University. She volunteers with the National Association of Social Workers in Illinois and Washington DC, the League of Women Voters and the Crisis Nursery when time permits. She holds a B.S. in Political Science and minor in Social Work from Illinois State University and an MSW in Public Policy Administration from UIUC.

Best Regards,
Cynthia Helms GSLIS (MS ’79, CAS ’04)
LSAA President 2009-2010