College of Letters & Science UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

School of Library & Information Studies Volume 44, No. 1 • Spring 2013 Jottings& DIGRESSIONS

Heather Johnson and family Cynthia Lewis MA’12 Did You Know That SLIS Has a Distance MA Program? Q&A with Heather Johnson: special education with a specializa- Q&A with Cynthia Lewis MA’12: Current Distance Student tion in learning disabilities. Distance Graduate I also work 20 hours as a part- Interview by Ellen Hassel time library aide at the River Falls Interview by Ellen Hassel Public Library. I have worked there Q. Tell us about yourself. for over three years and was encour- Q. Tell us about yourself. A. My name is Heather Johnson, and aged to pursue my library degree A. My name is Cynthia Lewis, and I am in my second year of the online from the director of the library. The I am a graduate of the UW-Madison SLIS program at UW-Madison. I outstanding quality of the education SLIS Distance Program. I earned a am a mother to three amazing, that I am receiving has made me BA in English from California State- young daughters: Margaret, Adeline, better equipped to meet the specific Fullerton in 2010 and began the and Kathryn. My husband, Sam, needs of the community that I serve. UW SLIS MA program in the fall and I live on a family-owned and of 2010. After graduating from the -operated farm in River Falls, WI, Q. Tell us about your focus as a SLIS program in August of 2012, where we raise cattle and cash crops, distance student in SLIS, and what my husband and I relocated from board horses, and run more than made you decide to follow that track. San Clemente, CA to San Diego, 800 acres of land. I earned my bach- A. My initial focus as a distance stu- CA, where I began working for elor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in dent in SLIS was in Youth Services. Ashford University as a digital services librarian. The library is completely digital and serves online, Continued on page 2 distance-education students. In addition to a passion for library work, I am also an avid swim- CONTENTS 10 I ❤ SLIS Scholarship mer who regularly competes in pool 3 From the Director’s Chair Fundraising Party and open-water races. Last year, I 4 Course Profile: Digital Curation 12 Class News and Notes broke six national records for my age 5 Meet the New SLIS Librarian 14 Student Organization Highlight group and was honored to be named 6 Faculty and Staff News 15 SLIS Contributions 8 Distinguished Alumna: 16 Save the Dates Continued on page 2 Toni Samek Heather Johnson, continued Q. What are your plans for the future? A. I was initially attracted to UW SLIS However, as I began getting into A. I look forward to my internship because of the organic structure of the my coursework, I also added Library this summer at the River Falls Public program — particularly the ability for Management to my degree track. Library, where I hope to showcase students to construct a unique My background as a special edu- the education that I have received emphasis through different course cation teacher has provided me with in the Distance SLIS Program at combinations. My emphasis was the knowledge and understanding UW-Madison. in Digital Libraries and Reference. for working with the youth popula- Because the program emphasized the tion. I love the diversity and creativity Q. What is one piece of advice you technology skills and “soft skills,” that is involved with youth librarian- would extend to current distance such as flexibility, innovation, collabo- ship. I especially love the ability to students at SLIS? ration, and creativity, I felt prepared connect to a person’s early reading A. Don’t forget to thank the people to work in a breadth of information experiences. From the management who help you make it through the environments when I graduated. standpoint, I enjoy being a commu- day. According to an African proverb, nity leader and a positive role model. “It takes a village to raise a child.” Q. What is your current job, and what I would like to add to that by stat- kind of projects are you working on? Q. What is your current job, and what ing that… it takes a family to raise a A. I currently work for Ashford kind of projects are you working on? librarian. I would not be where I am University. Ashford has a physical A. I am currently working on the today without the love and devotion campus in Clinton, IA and a virtual committee for River Falls Reads, of my family. Don’t be afraid to campus in San Diego. Although I which is a One Community One Book ask for help, but don’t forget to be didn’t plan for a career in academic program. I am also working with the gracious and say “thank you.” librarianship, I was attracted to the youth librarian on a YA for Adult On a more practical and idea of working in an all-digital library book club that was started this fall. humorous note: and felt my graduate work at UW, as • Learn to love your laptop and well as 10 years of reference experi- Q. What do you find most rewarding smartphone. ence in public libraries, gave me a about your position? • Be extremely disciplined with good foundation to work in an all- A. The most rewarding part of my your commitment to staying virtual environment. Having gone position is working directly with the current with the coursework. through a distance program, I also community. I am able to support early • Read the syllabus for each class understand the challenges and rewards literacy activities and help individuals (often). of online learning environments, get access to the quality information • Don’t be afraid to ask for help which has allowed me to relate to the and resources that they need. I am with your coursework. students I serve. also part of a team of knowledgeable • Enjoy the discussion boards. The Ashford Library consists and friendly library staff who make • Learn to live without sleep. of a highly collaborative staff of six coming in to work each day a positive • Love the high-quality education librarians and a library director. Our and rewarding experience. that the Distance SLIS Program primary roles are to provide reference enables you to get from the services to distance-education students Q. What classes or activities through comforts of your own home, via phone, chat, and email, and man- SLIS have proven to be of particular at any time of the day, and in age a growing electronic collection. use to you in your SLIS career? any kind of wardrobe that We also create usable library spaces for A. I don’t have a particular class or you choose! online students and faculty through our library website and connect online activity that stands out, simply because n n n n n they have all been so complimentary. classrooms to the library by embed- ding library instruction and research I have been able to build upon my Cynthia Lewis, continued coursework and apply what I have tools into highly visible and critical Southern Pacific Masters Swimmer learned to create meaningful and places in the courses. Ashford’s online Female Athlete of the Year. relevant experiences. In turn, each student body primarily consists of class has then made me a more well- adult reentry students, students in the Q. Tell us about your focus as a rounded and knowledgeable library military, and first generation college distance student in SLIS, and what employee. students, many of whom are inexperi- made you decide to follow that track. enced in using electronic resources and conducting research.

2 JOTTINGS From the Director’s Chair

Spotlight: Online Master’s Program

Dear SLIS In addition, SLIS has kept the size additional materials such as critiques Friends and of the online cohorts small in order of the readings. Sometimes students Alumni, to maintain the small class sizes work in teams to complete small and strong community spirit valued projects. For example, in my online Did you know by the SLIS community. Further, LIS 710 Research Methods class, SLIS has a full we have maintained the practicum students worked together in teams online master’s requirement to ensure that all grad- to develop assessment plans based on program? You uates have real-life experience prior different models of assessment. Professor Kristin may notice a to entering the work force. The online degree has been in Eschenfelder, Director theme in this Currently, SLIS offers a full place for about four years; however, season’s Jottings: the SLIS online range of coursework in the follow- for several years prior, SLIS ran a MA degree. The online master’s ing specializations in the online video-conference-based distance degree in library and information format: Information Technology degree in cooperation with the studies is a historic stage in the and Digital Libraries, Youth Prairie Area Library System (PALS) in school’s educational offerings, so Services, Public Libraries, Academic northern Illinois. Our PALS alumni we want to describe the program Libraries, and Corporate/Strategic in northern Illinois and Iowa repre- and introduce some current online Information Services. In addition, sent the first alumni of our distance courses and some recent alumni SLIS is working hard to put its top- program, but we now have alumni to you. ranked Archives curriculum online. from all across the nation. The online program, also How does an online class work? In order to make you more known as the distance program, SLIS classes are asynchronous within familiar with the SLIS online mas- represents about one-quarter of the a week. That means that while stu- ter’s, we introduce you to the online SLIS student body. It is the same dents can complete a week’s worth course titled Digital Curation, degree as the campus MA, with the of work at the time of their choosing designed and taught by SLIS faculty exact same requirements, includ- during that week, they must keep associate Dorothea Salo in this issue ing the practicum. In addition, the up and complete each week’s mate- of Jottings. We also introduce you online program has a one-week rial on time. While the exact format to an alumna and a current student residency requirement. In this resi- of most online courses varies, the of the online program, as well as dency, fondly known as “SLIS Boot vast majority of SLIS online courses Anjali Bhasin, the new SLIS public Camp,” students from all over the involve posted readings, recorded services librarian, who explains her country travel to Madison to get to Powerpoints, plus audio lectures and role in providing services to online know SLIS, meet the faculty, bond a discussion board moderated by students in her interview. Our online together as a cohort, and enjoy the faculty. Sometimes faculty will post master’s program is a growing part August evenings on the Terrace. questions to which students must of SLIS, and we hope this issue But some things don’t change: respond. In other instances, students helps you become acquainted the SLIS online program main- are assigned the responsibility of with this exciting opportunity for tains the high standards that have summarizing the arguments in read- students beyond Madison. n always been associated with the ings, while other students must post UW-Madison degree.

Cynthia Lewis, continued Q. What do you find most rewarding Q. What are your plans for the future? mend keeping the door open to an about your position? A. In the near future, I would like to array of information professional A. The most rewarding part of my job work more in the fields of information opportunities when you graduate. is helping a student who is struggling architecture or information ecology. The skills you are acquiring through to conduct research learn how to navi- I recently had an opportunity to work the SLIS program will be applicable gate our library to find what they need. on several information-architecture to many areas outside the scope of projects and enjoyed them immensely. traditional librarianship. For current SLIS students, I recom- n n n n n

www.slis.wisc.edu 3 HEADINGSLIS News Course Profile of LIS 855: Digital Curation Taught by Dorothea Salo

critically evaluat- the art-slide collection she has ing and suggest- amassed over her lengthy career ing improve- as an artist and art historian; ments to a data- • Cat Smith of SLIS and the PETER RUDRUD management Wisconsin Institutes for plan submitted Discovery, where students will to the NSF, and improve upon a born-digital comparing two object-management system online data- designed by LIS 855 students management from a previous year; curricula for use • WORT Community Radio in in the graduate Madison, which has a tremendous classroom. Free- sound archive on a variety of form discussions obsolescing analog media needing among students archival attention and digitization; Dorothea Salo and husband David at the I ❤ SLIS fundraiser in the online and forum space • The Wisconsin Department of Big data, small data, research data, often turn lively and inquisitive. Transportation, which recently open data — the “data” phenomenon While the course addresses digi- found a widely dispersed, acciden- has captured worldwide attention tal forensics, metadata, and similar tal archive of materials about its from business and academe. Just like technological tools and challenges, history. books, though, digital datasets won’t its enduring value is the sociological Past years’ student achieve- take care of themselves. Librarians and and workplace context it provides. ments include the Art Thesis Image archivists are stepping up to accept Students leave with the best and most Collection, rescued from deteriorat- responsibility for the management current thought on sustainability, ing CD-ROMs and now housed with and preservation of digital materials. legal, policy, and staffing challenges the University of Wisconsin Digital Digital Curation, taught every spring surrounding digital preservation and Collections Center (http://uwdc. since 2011, aims to show future research data. They also leave with library.wisc.edu/collections/Arts/ librarians and archivists how to concrete, in-demand skillsets such as StudentArt), and an ingestion work- manage that responsibility successfully. writing data-curation profiles, usefully flow, metadata guide, and preservation The course, taught entirely online critiquing data-management plans, plan for born-digital materials accu- to a mix of on-campus and distance and jump-starting new library services. mulated by the grassroots Wisconsin students, lives at the intersection of Digital Curation’s centerpiece, Uprising Project. digital preservation and academic a complex, semester-long group Digital Curation has done well research-data management. Its 20 to project, teaches project-management enough to become a permanent part 25 students split evenly between future skills — including at a distance; some of the SLIS curriculum. It will shortly archivists and future academic librar- student project managers are distance receive its own course number from ians (often with science backgrounds). students, and all must cope with the College of Letters and Science, The course has helped students find distance colleagues — in real-world after having been taught three times careers with the National Library of service contexts. Student groups, led as LIS 855, one of SLIS’s generic Medicine, several academic libraries, by the project manager they choose, “topics” course numbers. As technol- and at least one national data center. work with UW-Madison faculty and ogies and external demands change, Weekly work includes a selection community groups to help solve their the course will continue to evolve, of readings and a streaming-video research-data management and digital- never losing sight of its central pur- screencast of instructor Dorothea preservation problems. This year, LIS pose: helping to produce information Salo’s experience-based knowledge 855 students are working with: professionals who are able to meet the and often-irreverent thoughts about • Dr. Frieda High Tesfagiorgis of challenge of keeping digital materials the topic at hand. Assignments include UW-Madison’s Afro-American accessible and usable. picking apart one of the (sadly, many) studies department, who wishes horror stories about poor data man- to digitize, describe, and preserve n n n agement in academe and industry,

4 JOTTINGS Interview with SLIS Librarian Anjali Bhasin

Interview by Connie Woxland YUQI HE

Q. Tell us a little about yourself. A. I love working at SLIS and living in Madison. I feel very lucky to be part of two communities that value relationships and community engage- ment. Even though I’m a graduate of the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin, I have a longer history with Madison. Prior to library school, I worked for the stu- dent government here on campus and also on issue and electoral campaigns.

Q. You come to SLIS from a differ- ent UW library. Can you tell us a little about the work you did there? A. I was a research intern at MERIT Anjali Bhasin at the SLIS Library Library (which serves the School of Education) before coming to SLIS. Information Ethics and Policy, taught want them to have the best experience UW-Madison students needed to by Alan Rubel. It’s a web-based possible by having excellent facilities know how to use programs like course, so it is available to both our for recording and viewing. Photoshop, Illustrator, SmartBoards, distance students and our on-campus and iMovie, so I taught pre-service students. We use online discussion Q. Your official title is librarian. But teachers focusing on art and technolo- boards to coordinate learning, and we all know that can mean so many gy. By coordinating an effort between right now I’m answering questions things! What does an average day look MERIT and Madison Public Schools, about research and library services. like to you? I, along with three SLIS students, was I’m hoping to offer sessions for dis- A. I’m not sure there is an average able to deliver training on instruc- tance students using either Skype or day at the SLIS Library! I like the tional technology on programs like Google Hangout (Internet-based variety; working here is fun. On any Google Documents and Interactive video-chat services) for individual and given day, I could be doing a wide White Boards. group consultations. range of tasks like answering refer- We’re currently offering technol- ence questions, mentoring student Q. What’s the most exciting thing ogy classes to students through short, staff, teaching a three-credit course about SLIS? hour-long classes, which usually focus or drop-in workshops, or research- A. I love working with the students, on a specific technology skill. The ing faculty requests. But during the faculty, and staff. Everyone is enthu- SLIS Library staff members are cur- same day, I often complete tasks like siastic, filled with good energy, and rently redesigning the Fall 2013 ses- setting up the filming of an event for exciting ideas. I’m able to develop sions so that they serve as introducto- our distance students, researching relationships, connect, and help indi- ry knowledge for incoming students. grant funding, and reviewing student viduals with research and technology. We’re also excited about inte- resumes, or even making buttons. The stellar SLIS Library staff is an grating the classes with our LIS 450: excellent team, and I’m so happy to Information Agencies and Their Q. Anything else you’d like to share be a part of it. Environment course to provide mean- with us? ingful resources that pair with course- A. Both current students and alumni Q. Are there any upcoming programs work. Our goal is to deliver the work- should feel free to contact me if I can or projects you’d like to share with us? shops both face to face and online. assist with anything! A. I am very excited about SLIS sup- Distance students are encouraged to porting online education. This semes- participate in on-campus events like n n n ter, I am embedded into LIS 661: these workshops or job talks, and we

www.slis.wisc.edu 5 HEADINGFaculty and Staff News

n In addition to becoming more Issues in Book and Serial Acquisition, Librarians’ Tour to Germany in early familiar with the daily operations of in Charleston, SC. Eschenfelder and June. Meredith continues to plan and the library, public services librarian Cat Smith gave the talk “Are Libraries coordinate for Continuing Education Anjali Bhasin is having fun teaching Dead in a Digital World?” (spoiler: the Services, offering professional devel- LIS 826, the Library and Information answer is no) as part of the Wisconsin opment to library professionals at Literacy Instruction (LILI) Practicum. Alumni Association’s UW Showcase all levels. Visit our website for more She is also serving as co-coordinator lecture series in February. Smith and information about continuing educa- of the UW-Madison LILI Forum, Eschenfelder’s article “Public Libraries tion opportunities: http://www.slis. coordinating the programs for the in an Age of Financial Complexity: wisc.edu/continueed.htm. Wisconsin Association of Academic Toward Enhancing Community Librarians’ (WAAL) 2013 conference, Financial Literacy” was accepted in n Associate Director Emerita Jane and will be moderating a panel for Library Quarterly. Eschenfelder also Pearlmutter presented a program at the New Members Round Table at won the 2012 Best Social Informatics the fall 2012 WLA conference, “From WAAL 2013. Paper from the ASIST Social Madonna’s Sex to Fifty Shades of Grey: Informatics SIG. Collection Development Decisions.” n Continuing to expand the career She is planning her 14th librarians/ services offered to SLIS students, n Allison G. Kaplan, faculty archivists’ tour to Scotland for the student and alumni services coordina- associate, was co-editor of the summer of 2014. tor Tanya Cobb will begin offering July 2012 issue of School Libraries her workshop on writing effective Worldwide, the journal of the n Faculty associate Dorothea Salo cover letters to the 620 students in International Association of School published “Forging New Service the distance MA program this sum- Libraries. She also published “From Paths: Institutional Approaches to mer. She was recently interviewed by Board to Cloth and Back Again: A Providing Research Data Management Hack Library School about the range Preliminary Exploration of Board Services” in the Journal of eScience of career services provided by SLIS Books” in the Winter 2012 issue of Librarianship, with Regina Raboin on hiringlibrarians.com. She looks Children and Libraries. and Rebecca C. Reznik-Zellen. forward to building on her current skills and experience in career devel- n With Sei-Ching Joanna Sin Stay Connected opment by participating in career PhD’09, Associate Professor Kyung- JEFF MILLER, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS development facilitator training this Sun “Sunny” Kim co-authored and summer through the University published a paper titled “International of Wisconsin-Madison Center on Students’ Everyday Life Information Education and Work. Seeking: The Informational Value of Social Networking Sites” in Library n Professor Greg Downey taught and Information Science Research, a fun seminar in Spring 2013 on 35 (2). They also received a grant The Future of Print, in which students from the OCLC/ALISE Library experimented with the Apple iBooks and Information Science Research Author program to develop an inter- Program for their research on the use active, group case study on the of social media as information sources. topic. Find out more at http:// With EunYoung Yoo-Lee PhD’04 thefutureofprint.blogspot.com. and others, Kim presented findings Sign up for news: of a study titled “Exploring the Issue [email protected] n Director Kristin Eschenfelder is of Cultural Authenticity Portrayed beginning a research project on gov- in Multicultural Picture Books: A Send news for Jottings: ernance and history of access and use Collaborative Analysis for Diversity [email protected] control rules in data repositories. She Education” at the National Joint is currently focusing on social-science Conference of Librarians of Color Meet with other alumni online: data repositories. She was invited in Kansas City. Facebook: UW-Madison SLIS to give a talk called “The Future Twitter: @UWMadisonSLIS of Licensing” at the XXXII Annual n Outreach specialist Meredith Lowe LinkedIn: UW-Madison SLIS group Charleston Conference: is excited to lead the second SLIS

6 JOTTINGS HEADING

She also presented “Research Data Beta Beta Epsilon Update to the scholarship fund are always and Scholarly Communication” greatly welcomed and appreciated. for Marquette’s daylong Scholarly It’s almost that time of year again! For more information on how to Communication Symposium on Please join Beta Beta Epsilon donate, see the contribution form February 11. (BBE), your colleagues, and our on page 15. newest inductees on May 16, 2013 BBE provides a great oppor- n Assistant Professor Jonathan at the Pyle Center for our 29th tunity for students, alumni, and Senchyne recently presented papers Annual Meeting, Reception, and faculty to network with friends and at the Modern Language Association Initiation. Expect food, cash bar, colleagues. Please consider getting and the Society of Early Americanists friends, lively conversation, and more involved by serving on the conferences, and participated in a more! Madison Public Library board of directors. Contact BBE seminar on Teaching Book History Director Greg Mickells is our past president Cynthia Bachhuber at the Folger Institute of the Folger featured speaker this year. Popular at [email protected] Shakespeare Library in Washington, with the students, come listen as for more information. DC. Early African American Print he shares his perspective on librari- If you need to update your Culture (UPenn 2012), an edited anship. contact information with BBE, collection to which he contributed, As always, we will recognize please contact the vice president for was recently named a CHOICE the recipients of the Jack A. Clarke membership, Lisa Muccigrosso, at Outstanding Academic Title for 2012. Scholarship and the Outstanding [email protected]. Stay in touch. We’ll see you on n Student Scholar awards. Donations Associate Professor Catherine May 16! Arnott Smith’s recent publica- tions on consumer health and clini- cal text include “A Classification of Errors in Lay Comprehension of Medical Documents” in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 2012, and n Assistant Professor Rebekah PALGRAVE MACMILLAN “Beyond Readability: Improving Willett is the co-editor and co-author Comprehensibility of Clinical Text of Children, Media and Playground for Consumers” in the Journal of Cultures: Ethnographic Studies of Medical Internet Research, 2011. She School Playtimes, due to be published and Director and Professor Kristin in April 2013 by Palgrave MacMillan. Eschenfelder gave a talk as part of the The book paints a picture of the Wisconsin Alumni Association lecture current landscape of children’s play- series in February, 2013, titled “Are ground lore, focusing on ethnographic Libraries Dead in a Digital World?” accounts of children’s media-refer- enced play on two school playgrounds n Associate Professor Ethelene in the UK, as well as historical docu- Whitmire will search Audre Lorde’s ments and contemporary media prod- archives at the Lesbian Herstory ucts. The book discusses innovative Archives in Brooklyn, NY and methodologies, provides in-depth case Spelman College in Atlanta, GA studies of several genres of children’s during the Spring 2013 semester with play, and considers a wide range of funds from a UW Graduate School concepts including learning, fantasy, grant. Sponsored by the Phillip R. communication, and issues relating to Certain award, Whitmire will spend identities. The co-authors are Chris part of the Summer 2013 semester in Richards, Jackie Marsh, Andrew Burn, Berlin, Germany, searching Lorde’s and Julia C. Bishop. archives at the Free University. This project examines poet and activist n n n Lorde’s library education and career.

www.slis.wisc.edu 7 AlumniHEADING News SLIS Distinguished Alumna: Toni Samek

The School of Library and her second consecutive term on the Information Studies is pleased to Canadian Association of University announce that Dr. Toni Samek of Teachers’ Academic Freedom and the University of Alberta School of Tenure Committee. She was also a Library and Information Studies founding member and first conve- is recognized as the Distinguished nor of the Association for Library Alumna for 2013. and Information Science Education’s Dr. Samek completed her Information Ethics Special Interest Honours Bachelor of Arts degree Group. at the University of Toronto Colleagues of Dr. Samek describe and her Master of Library and her as the “embodiment of our Information Studies at Dalhousie professional conscience.” One sup- University. In 1998, she received porter of her nomination for the SLIS her Doctor of Philosophy in Library Distinguished Alumna Award states and Information Studies from the that Dr. Samek’s career has led her University of Wisconsin-Madison. to become known internationally for Since 1994, Dr. Samek has worked her work, and that her “message has as an educator and researcher at the changed professional behaviors in School of Library and Information general, individual practitioner atti- Studies at the University of Alberta. tudes in particular, and has even Dr. Samek has written two altered national perspectives with Dr. Toni Samek PhD’98 books: Intellectual Freedom and regard to the ethical constructs of and information studies to receive this Social Responsibility in American information, as well as defining roles award, which recognizes how her edu- Librarianship, 1967 to 1974, pub- and responsibilities, and the realities of cational leadership transcends her own lished in 2001, and Librarianship human rights and social justice consid- discipline. and Human Rights: A Twenty-First- erations within librarianship.” Dr. Samek consciously commits Century Guide, published in 2007. Another supporter describes her her own education and scholarship to In addition, she has co-edited another as “a brave and stimulating speaker,” the amelioration of social problems, monograph and published numerous who not only encourages her stu- including those in higher education articles, reports, and book chapters. dents at the University of Alberta to and the global academic enterprise Her vast amount of scholarship has “explore the limits and frontiers of itself. We are honored to recognize appeared in translation in countries our understanding of the role of the her for her work in the field of library including Japan, Spain, Sweden, Brazil, library in the lives of all citizens, even and information studies as our 2013 Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey. those excluded from almost every Distinguished Alumna. Dr. Samek will Beyond these publications, Dr. other institution in our societies,” but be the keynote presenter at the SLIS Samek has also given dozens of pre- also takes that discussion beyond the graduation ceremony on May 19. sentations across North America and classroom to make a lasting impact beyond, with recent keynote speeches on the current discussion of intellec- n n n in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, tual freedom and social responsibility and Spain. Her scholarship, in her around the world. own words, focuses on “critical librar- Dr. Samek’s accomplishments What Do You Want to ianship, intercultural information eth- have led her to be recognized by many See in Jottings? ics, global information justice, human groups: in 2007, she received the debut rights, intellectual freedom, academic Library Journal Teaching Award, and in The editorial staff of Jottings & freedom, and social justice.” 2009, she was awarded the Faculty of Digressions wants to hear from you! Dr. Samek’s dedication to these Education Graduate Teaching Award. Let us know if you have story ideas, causes of justice and intellectual In 2012, Dr. Samek was one of 10 courses you would like to see high- freedom has made her a leader in professors in Canada to receive the 3M lighted, or alumni you would like to her field. She has twice convened National Teaching Fellowship from see profiled. And of course, keep us the Canadian Library Association the Society for Teaching and Learning up to speed on your own news and Advisory Committee on Intellectual in Higher Education. She was the updates. Email the editor at Freedom and is currently serving first professor from the field of library [email protected].

8 JOTTINGS HEADING

A Message from the SLIS Alumni Association President

Greetings! It’s been another productive year for the SLIS Alumni BLAKE KENNEY Association, and we’re gearing up for the busy spring semester ahead! We’re happy to report that the SLIS reunion at the WLA Conference this past year was a success. Members of the SLIS Alumni Association board who were in attendance were excited to visit with alumni. We were also thrilled with the turnout in early February at the I ❤ SLIS event at Brocach Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Madison. The event brought in nearly Rebekah Willett, Erica Halverson, Max $2,000! We’d like to thank alumni board members and event organizers Rosenberg, Alex Baker-Bender, Lance Baker Leah Ujda and Catherine Phan for their hard work. We look forward to seeing more of you at our next alumni event and at Information Literacies our Annual Business Meeting this spring. The meeting is open to all alumni and will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m., in the in Online Spaces SLIS Commons, Room 4207. (Please note: this meeting date is a change from the previous Jottings announcement). The business meeting is your Information Literacies in Online chance to speak with board members and each other. We highly encourage Spaces is a SLIS undergraduate class you to attend. offered as part of the Digital Studies The coming spring brings us to the SLIS graduation ceremony on program and taught by Dr. Rebekah Sunday, May 19. Come meet with old friends and new faculty and celebrate Willett. The course explores the infor- with us as we honor our new graduates and our Distinguished Alumna of mation and digital literacies needed by the Year, Dr. Toni Samek. today’s online consumers and produc- If you have any thoughts, questions, or comments about any alumni asso- ers. Topics include ‘new literacies,’ ciation activities, or if you’d like to be more involved, don’t hesitate to contact media education, digital divides, infor- me at [email protected]. We welcome your ideas! And, as always, we mation quality, and online risks. thank you for your support of libraries, library education, and SLIS. For two weeks, the class teamed with the This American Life class Regards, on campus (taught by Dr. Erica Amanda Kramer Halverson in the Department of President, SLIS Alumni Association Curriculum and Instruction) to study an episode of the public-radio pro- gram This American Life, which was SLIS Alumni Association Board Members retracted due to compromises that were made as measured by journalistic President Member-at-Large Ex-Officio Members Amanda Kramer MA’10 Leah Ujda MA’07 ethics and standards. Educational Outreach Librarian Digital Librarian Kristin Eschenfelder The retracted episode included TeachingBooks.net Wisconsin Center for Professor and Director segments of a piece titled “The Agony [email protected] Education Research School of Library and and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” (written and [email protected] Information Studies performed by Mike Daisy), a “docu- Past President [email protected] Catherine Phan MA’09 Outreach Chair mentary performance” that included Digital Services Librarian Ann Combs MA’94 Tanya Cobb retellings of Daisy’s experiences when UW Digital Collections Center Health Sciences Librarian Student and Alumni traveling to factories in China where [email protected] Ebling Library, UW-Madison Services Coordinator Apple products are produced. [email protected] School of Library and The UW classes attended a Vice President/President-Elect Information Studies Katie Gleischman MA’09 Reunions Chair 4217 Helen C. White Hall performance of The Agony and Ecstasy Director of Operations Rhonda Gould MA’96 600 N. Park Street of Steve Jobs, produced and performed Rocket Business Services- Youth Services and Special Madison, WI 53706 by Lance Baker from Chicago. Lance Madison Needs Consultant (608) 263-2909 visited the classes afterward and dis- [email protected] Lakeshores Library System student-services@ cussed questions about journalistic [email protected] slis.wisc.edu Secretary standards, regulation of information, Laura Schmidli MA’09 Jenny Nygren McBurney and decisions made by Ira Glass and Information Services Librarian Alumni Relations Assistant Mike Daisy. Wendt Commons Library SLIS Master’s Student [email protected] n n n

www.slis.wisc.edu 9 HEADINGSLIS News

I ❤ SLIS Scholarship Fundraising Party

The I ❤ SLIS Scholarship Fundraising Party took place on February 4, 2013 at the Brocach Irish Pub in Madison. Attended by alumni, friends, and current students, the party had appetizers, a cash bar, and a silent auction to help raise money to provide scholarships to incoming students, with a goal of offering aid to more than 50 percent of the 2013 class. The party was a great success!

Photography by Peter Rudrud

Right: Current students Kate Johnson and Allison Girres with I ❤ SLIS T-shirts and bags

Above left: Director Kristin Eschenfelder and Van Gemert, Vice Provost for Libraries and Bottom right: SLIS Associate Director Michele Associate Director and Senior Special Librarian University Librarian Besant and SLIS Advisory Council Member Greg Michele Besant Mickells, Director of Madison Public Library Bottom left: Kathryn Leide MA’76, Associate Above right: SLIS Advisory Council member Director Emerita Jane Pearlmutter, and Lynne Bruce Maas, CIO of UW-Madison, and Edward Martin Erickson MS’75

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Above: Cat Phan MA’09, Digital Services Librarian at UW Digital Collections Center, and Leah Ujda MA’07, Digital Librarian at Wisconsin Center for Education Research Center: Anna Palmer MA’05, SLIS Outreach Specialist, and Meredith Lowe MA’08, SLIS Outreach Coordinator Bottom: Matthew Coan MA’06, Library Service Planner at Madison Area Technical College, and Ann Combs MA’94, Health Sciences Librarian at Ebling Library

Top, left to right: SLIS Advisory Council member Bottom, left to right: Jessica Newman MA’11, Alberto Herrera and Director Emeritus Louise Undergraduate Services Librarian at Steenbock Robins Library, SLIS Public Services Librarian Anjali Bhasin, and Erin Carrillo, Information Services Center, left to right: Current student Dorothy Librarian at Steenbock Library Terry with David Salo www.slis.wisc.edu 11 HEADINGClass News and Notes

1970s...... for a new career in IT, possibly focus- adult and teen services librarian at Barbara J. Arnold MA’73 completed ing on data analysis. the Pauline Haass Public Library in Sussex, WI. her second term on the Governor’s Sei-Ching Joanna Sin PhD’09 Council on Library and Network co-authored a paper with Associate Tomissa Porath MA’12 recently Development (COLAND) as a public Professor Kyung-Sun “Sunny” accepted a position as the youth ser- representative in July 2012. She is Kim titled “International students’ vices librarian at the S. Verna Fowler enjoying retirement and traveling. Everyday Life Information Seeking: Academic Library and Menominee Janis Stubbs MA’77 was elected first The Informational Value of Social Public Library in Keshena, WI. Networking Sites” in Library and vice president/president-elect of the Devin Rogers MA’12 became a Pennsylvania Library Association. She Information Science Research. They also received a grant from the cataloger at the Wisconsin State Law will serve as first vice president until Library in December 2012. He has her term as president begins in 2014. OCLC/ALISE Library and Information Science Research worked there since 2008 as a library assistant. 1990s...... Program for their research on the use of social media as information sources. Lynn Silipigni Connaway PhD’92 Eric Willey MA’12 accepted a posi- won both the 2013 ALISE/Bohdan 2010s...... tion at the Filson Historical Society S. Wynar Research Paper Competition in Louisville, KY. He is excited to be and the ALA RUSA 2012 Reference Ashley Bieber MA’10, Kristina involved in processing, reference, and Service Press Award. She is currently Gomez MA’10, and Jessica Newman web 2.0. a senior research scientist at OCLC MA’11 were named as three of Research, where she leads the User the Wisconsin Library Association’s Current Students...... WeLead Protégés, a program designed Behavior and Synthesis Activities. Shannon Furman’s project, “Going to support new professionals and to Graphic: An After-School Book foster new professional leadership in 2000s...... Club Improving Literacy Skills and the state. The program provides the now heads Motivation of Reluctant Readers Kate Anderson MA’00 candidate with an assigned mentor, the Zalk Veterinary Medical Library at Using Graphic Novels and Comic two years of WLA membership, and the University of Missouri-Columbia. Art,” was the recipient of a 2012–13 funding to attend the WLA confer- Madison Metropolitan School District ence and one additional conference Eric Robinson MA’04 accepted a mini-grant. Sponsored by the Evjue (WAPL, WAAL, or WEMTA). In position as director at Mount Mary Foundation, this grant of $4,738 sup- return, candidates serve on WLA College in Milwaukee. ports staff facilitation time, purchase of committees, including the WLA books, and publishing student-made was appointed board, unit executive boards, or Nicole Saylor MA’04 books. A first draft of the grant was as the new head of the American special projects, and attend special written in Allison Kaplan’s LIS 772 Folklife Center Archive at the Library leadership programs. class during the 2011 Fall semester. of Congress. Michelle Caswell PhD’12 won the Sarah McDole was awarded this ALISE/Eugene Garfield Doctoral EunYoung Yoo-Lee PhD’04 year’s Jack A. Clarke Scholarship by presented findings of a study titled Dissertation Award. She is an assis- Beta Beta Epsilon. “Exploring the Issue of Cultural tant professor of archival studies in Authenticity Portrayed in Multicultural the Graduate School of Education SLIS Library master’s student staff Picture Books: A Collaborative and Information Studies at UCLA, members Tracy Steffens, Casey Analysis for Diversity Education” where her research focuses on archives Ince, Mallory Inmann, Nattawan at the National Joint Conference of and social justice, community-based Junboonta, and Adrienne Evans Librarians of Color with Associate archives, and international archival will present a poster titled “In-person Professor Kyung-Sun “Sunny” Kim collecting efforts. and Online Instructional Workshops and others in Kansas City. by Graduate Students for Graduate Katlin Heidgerken-Greene MA’12 Students” at the annual WAAL left her and Maegan Heindel MA’12 were Amanda Werhane MA’05 Conference in April. The poster job as a reference and instruction named as Emerging Leaders of 2013 will focus on the SLIS Library staff’s librarian at UW-Madison’s Steenbock by the American Library Association. experiences collaborating with SLIS Library and moved to Minneapolis in faculty and staff to design and deliver March 2012. She is currently retraining Adele Loria MA’12 is now the

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workshops on various technolo- First-generation College Students” gies, including Google Drive, Jing, in the December 2012 issue of Continuing Education Services Omeka, and Presentation Design and Information Research. She presented Information Graphics. this paper at the 2012 ISIC: the Summer Courses 2013 Information Behavior Conference in Doctoral candidate Tien-I Tsai pub- Tokyo, Japan, with the Holtz Center We offer online and in-person lished an article titled “Coursework- for Science & Technology Graduate continuing education courses related Information Horizons of Student Travel Award. each semester. Visit us at www.slis.wisc.edu/continueed.

In Memoriam IN MADISON Dr. John J. Boll, Professor Emeritus, passed away on March 17, 2013 at Reading by the Lake: the age of 91. Boll taught generations of SLIS students from 1956–1992, A Weekend of Book Discussions some of whom claim they “majored in John Boll” because they took as August 3–4 many classes from him as possible. Students appreciated his sharp and Instructor: Liz Dannenbaum exacting nature and demanding classes as well as his quick wit. Always the gentleman, he was a generous and supportive colleague, who brought many ONLINE smiles to students, faculty, and staff. For more information and pictures of John see the SLIS memorial page at: http://www.slis.wisc.edu/955.htm. n RDA: What You Need to Know: Part of Our Next Gen Wanda Auerbach MS’72 died on November 29, 2012. The first in her Cataloging Series! family to attend college, Wanda continued her education with a master’s June 10–July 19 degree in social work from Columbia University. She spent a decade help- Instructor: Melissa Adler ing families as a social worker through Dane County Mental Health Center, and went back to school to earn a second master’s degree in Library NEW: Be Available! Explore Science at UW-Madison. She became a much appreciated medical reference Technology for Virtual Services librarian at the Middleton Health Sciences Library (now Ebling Library for June 10–August 2 the Health Sciences) from the 1970s to the 1990s. She also collaborated Instructor: John Burns with her husband on his scientific research and was a supporter of UW’s Odyssey Project, www.odyssey.wisc.edu. n NEW: Collecting Self- Published Authors at the Debra Wilcox Johnson PhD’88 died on October 30, 2012 at Agrace Public Library HospiceCare in Fitchberg, WI, at the age of 59. Debra earned her master’s June 17–July 12 in Library Science at Case Western Reserve University in 1977. Eleven Instructor: Dorothea Salo years later, she received her doctorate in Library and Information Studies from UW-Madison. Between 1987 and 1993, Debra served on the faculties Introduction to Records of both LIS programs at the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana and Management UW-Madison. Afterward, she launched Johnson & Johnson Consulting June 24–August 16 and continued to teach online as an adjunct professor at the University of Instructor: Lori Ashley Illinois. She also served as the founding director (2007–2010) for the creation of Fitchburg’s first public library. n NEW: Basics of Metadata: Part of Our Next Gen Catherine A. Norris MA’67, age 68, of Janesville, died December 12, Cataloging Series! 2012 at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home. She graduated from UW-Madison July 1–August 9 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a master’s degree in Library Instructor: Dr. Sunny Kim Science. Catherine served as the Children’s Librarian at the Janesville Public Library for over 30 years and was a leader in WLA’s Youth Services Section. Don’t Just Tell Me — Show She was a member of AAUW, Parkinson’s Support group, the American Me: Using Pinterest and Library Association, and St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Catherine also Tumblr in Libraries served on the board for Rock County Head Start and was a recipient of the August 5–18 YWCA’s Woman of Distinction award. n Instructor: Joy Schwarz

www.slis.wisc.edu 13 StudentHEADING Organization Highlight PETER RUDRUD

Michele Besant, Jail Library Group Co-Founder and SLIS Associate Director, addresses the attendees Jail Library Group

By Peter Rudrud We were pleased to celebrate the 20th Dane County.” JLG was nominated Anniversary with a well-attended by Lynn Montgomery, Volunteer The Jail Library Group (JLG) con- event this Fall. Speakers represent- Services Coordinator for the Sheriff’s tinues its on-going collaboration to ing the group’s many partnerships Office, for recognition of the many provide educational, recreational and included Kristin Eschenfelder, Ph.D. years of hard work and success in sus- community resource materials to the (Director, School of Library and taining the collaborative program. residents of the Dane County Jail. At Information Studies), Mary Driscoll To learn more about JLG, obtain monthly processing parties, volunteers (Dane County Library Service and information about donating materi- prepare the materials that are donated Kids Connection), Karl Schweitz als, purchase books off JLG’s Amazon by area libraries, friends’ groups, and (SLIS Graduate Student ’13 and for- Wish List, or find links to follow us community members. Many new stu- mer JLG Co-Chair), Michele Besant, on social media, visit the re-designed dents have gone through orientation Ph.D. (JLG Co-Founder and SLIS website at: http://slisweb.lis.wisc. by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Associate Director), and Dane County edu/~jail. and volunteer inside the jails as well. Sheriff, David J. Mahoney. We also n n n Other activities this year included a shared numerous well wishes from co-sponsored JLG and SLA-Student past volunteers and supporters who Chapter visit to the prison library at were unable to attend in person. Some Sign up for news: the Oak Hill Correctional Institution, common themes emerged: inside or [email protected] a minimum security male correctional outside we are all neighbors; the need facility outside of Oregon, Wisconsin. remains great; volunteering with JLG Send news for Jottings: JLG turned twenty in 2012 — is rewarding! [email protected] with literally hundreds of volunteers The celebration continues this and donors keeping the project going May when JLG receives The Sheriff’s Meet with other alumni online: over the years. SLIS students continue Citizen Award, an award that “rec- Facebook: UW-Madison SLIS to provide new energy, ideas, and an ognizes services and/or resources Twitter: @UWMadisonSLIS on-going base for the group, which leading to improved quality of law is decidedly a community wide effort. enforcement services to the citizens of LinkedIn: UW-Madison SLIS group

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SLIS Contribution Form SLIS Advisory Council Jottings is sent to all SLIS alumni, and the costs for producing and mailing it are shared by the SLIS Alumni Association and the school. The association needs your support now more than ever to support its activities. Contributions to the Annual • Sarah Pritchard Fund provide unrestricted support for the greatest needs. Your gifts to the scholar- Northwestern University ship program provide extremely important financial support for students. If you are • Alberto Herrera considering a planned gift, please contact Jennifer Karlson, our UW Foundation Marquette University representative, at (608) 262-7225 or [email protected]. To give online, • Sarah Roberts please visit http://supportuw.org/giveto/slis. Thank you for your support! University of Illinois at Date ______Urbana-Champaign Name______• Bob Koechley Address______Promega Corporation City______State______ZIP______• Rhea Lawson Houston Public Library Phone______• Zelantha Phillip E-mail______Queens Library Fax______• Joshua Ranger My contribution to the SLIS Alumni Association includes: UW-Oshkosh _____ SLIS Alumni Association activities ($20 suggested to • Jennifer Younger help cover reunions, awards, student activities, and more) $______Catholic Research Resources Alliance Scholarship Funds: • Bonnie Tijerina _____ Rachel K. Schenk _____ Sally Davis Harvard University _____ Valmai Fenster _____ Jack A. Clarke $______• Greg Mickells _____ SLIS Director’s Fund $______Madison Public Libraries • Julie Schneider _____ SLIS Annual Fund (2nd Century Fund) $______UW-Madison • Bruce Maas _____ SLIS Laboratory Library $______UW-Madison _____ Barbara J. Arnold Fund $______

_____ Jane Pearlmutter Student Opportunities Fund $______

Jottings is the alumni newsletter of the _____ Other purpose (please specify): School of Library and Information Studies. ______$______600 North Park Street Madison, WI 53706

Total amount enclosed $______E-mail: [email protected] _____ Check here if you would like a SLIS pin for contributions of $25 or more. Director of the School of Library and Information Studies: Professor Kristin Eschenfelder Please make your check payable to the University of Wisconsin Foundation and mail it to: University of Wisconsin Foundation, U.S. Bank Lockbox, Box 78807, Milwaukee, WI Jottings Editor: Jenny Nygren McBurney 53278-0807. Contact for gifts information: Tanya Cobb, Alumni Relations [email protected] News for the next issue of Jottings: Design: Wisconsin Alumni Association® ______On Facebook: UW-Madison SLIS On Twitter: UWMadisonSLIS Questions? Call (608) 263-2909 or fax (608) 263-4849. Please make address On LinkedIn: UW-Madison SLIS changes or update your record in the alumni directory at uwalumni.com/directory. www.slis.wisc.edu www.slis.wisc.edu 15 Save the Dates Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID April 30, 2013 (please note date and location change) Permit #658 The Alumni Association Annual Business Meeting Madison, WI The annual meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the SLIS Commons Library and Information Studies 4217 Helen C. White Hall (Room 4207, Helen C. White Hall). All SLIS alumni are encour- 600 North Park Street aged to attend. Please see the president’s message on page 9. Madison, WI 53706

May 16, 2013 Beta Beta Epsilon Chapter of Beta Phi Mu Annual Meeting and initiation of new members at the Pyle Center, UW-Madison. Please see the article on page 7.

May 19, 2013 SLIS Commencement Please join us in congratulating this year’s graduates at 9:30 a.m. at Music Hall, followed by a reception at the SLIS Library. Please see the SLIS events calendar at slis.wisc.edu for more information.

June 30, 2013 SLIS Alumni and Friends Reunion at ALA in Chicago Join your SLIS colleagues past and present from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at Quartino Ristorante and Wine Bar, 625 N. State St. (www.quartinochicago.com). We’ll have hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. All SLIS alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends are welcome! Please see our events listing on the SLIS website this spring for additional information. JEFF MILLER, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

JEFF MILLER, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS