ALISE Conference Highlights Cross-Disciplinary Programs
Norman Horrocks -- Library Journal, 02/02/2009
- Attendance: nearly 500
- Three new programs in progress
- Awards announced; election results
Close to 500 LIS educators and exhibitors attended the 2009 ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education) Conference in Denver, January 20–23, whose theme, set by President Michele Cloonan (Simmons Coll.), was “Transforming LIS Education for the 21st Century: i-Create.”
New this year was the ALISE Academy organized by Trudi Bellardo Hahn (Univ. of Maryland), with funding provided by the Wilson Foundation and Second-Hand Knowledge. It focused on the research agenda from three perspectives.
Despite the economic downturn, there was optimism about the future of LIS education; at least three new programs are in various stages of establishment.
Also, the 50th year of JELIS (Journal of Education for Library and Information Science) was marked with a conference double issue, courtesy of new editors Kathleen Burnett and Michelle Kazmer, both of Florida State University.
Awards
Among the awards announced:
- ALISE Award for Professional Contribution to LIS Education: Michael Eisenberg (University of Washington)
- ALISE Award for Teaching Excellence: Ann Carlson Weeks (University of Maryland)
- ALISE/Pratt-Severn Faculty Innovation Award: Michael Stephens (Dominican University)
- ALISE/Norman Horrocks Leadership Award: Linda Most (Florida State University)
Election results
Newly elected officers were named. They include:
- President-Elect: Lorna Peterson (University of Buffalo)
- Secretary-Treasurer: Jean Preer (Indiana University)
- Director: Andrew Wertheimer (University of Hawaii)
Coming next year
Incoming president Linda Smith (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) announced her theme for the 2010 conference as “Creating a Culture of Collaboration,” to be held in Boston, January 12–15. “Collaborations are needed to address large societal issues,” she said. “Collaborations are necessary to accomplish goals and objectives given budget cuts. Collaborations are easier to establish with communication technologies.”
