UlNIIVERSiTY OF iLLIfsiOIS LIBRARY AT URBAN^AMPAIGN Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2009 witii funding from CARL!: Consortium of Academic and Researcii Libraries in Illinois http://www.archive.org/details/newsletter11119871992univ -j.t7:?i^^ JO^'^ !^LL NEWSLETTER1987 Graduate School of Library and Information Science THE LIBRARY OF and the THE Library School Association SEP 06 1988 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS GSLIS MOST HIGHLY ESTEEMED LIBRARY SCHOOL Atcording to a 1986 ptrceplion survey con- Perception Ranking bv Library Educators of Schools Providing the ducted by Herbert S. White, the University Highest-Quality Education for Librarianship at the Doctoral Level of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science has the library pro- gram most highly esteemed by library edu- cators and administrators. The survey, which is a follovs-up to an almost identical survey conducted by White in 1980, sought the opinions of faculty members at ALA-accredited schools and directors of academic libraries belonging to ARL. Respondents were asked to rank "which library schools they percei\ed as providing the highest quality of education at the master's and the doc- toral levels, and which schools' faculties presently contribute most significantly to the advancement of the profession through research, publication, and leadership."' Educators gave Illinois top ranking in all three categories, while administrators continued on page 4 — A Day of Celebration for Alumnus James Still (BLS '31) Hindman, Ky. — It was a mosl unusual shared stories from a time before the author learned to be ashamed of the language of thing in Eastern Kentucky— this all-day won such local notice. his people. celebration of a poet, a writer. Berea College President John Stephen- Poet Jim Wayne Miller described Still as There was a time when James Still son told of receiving a copy of Still's "Patt- an enigmatic man— never more open than understood his adopted compatriots did ern of a Man & Other Stories" and falling when he seems to conceal and never more not know or care much about his writings. in love "right there" with Still's work. concealing than when he seems to be open. But on this day, his 80th birthday, the He was so impressed, Stephenson said, Still's strength. Miller said, was in the Alabama-born author who has made his that he arranged to meet Still in Hindman wildness of his choice to live and write in home for 47 years on Knott County's Dead for lunch. He had been told to expect Still Eastern Kentucky. Since 1939, Still has Mare Branch was visited by college presi- to be modest, reclusive and self-denying lived in a remote log cabin and written his dents, newspaper publishers and Grady "and believed it," hesaid— for their first 30 stories and poems. "He's always been a Stumbo a candidate for governor from minutes together. seeker and rover," Miller said. Hindman. Tennessee author Wilma Dykeman said Still appeared robust yesterday, wander- About 400 came to the Hindman Settle- she was introduced to Still's work in 1940 ing in and out of the event with the assu- ment School yesterday to listen to stories and then traveled across the country shar- rance of a man who has lived long enough about the man and share in his birthday ing it with others. not to concern himself always with other celebration. Perspiration moistened faces London newspaper publisher Al Smith people's opinions. and funeral-home paper fans provided said that, during his days as chairman of He patiently autographed his books, some relief from the heat. But the people the Appalachian Regional Commission, running his hands over the handsome stayed six hours. he often reached for Still's work as a way to cover of his new book of poems, "The And laughed at the tales. make outsiders understand the people of Wolfpen Poem." The book, just published And gave standing ovations. Appalachia. by Berea College Press, was presented yes- Former Hazard Mayor Bill Morton gave Appalshop filmmaker Joe Gray told terday by Stephenson as a birthday gift. Still a key to the city and commissioned what an awakening it was for him to meet Mike Mullins, director of the Hindman him commodore of the town. the author who uses dialect in his work. Settlement School, said the day was Gov. Martha Layne Collins sent a proc- Gray said he had been reared on a farm, lamation declaring the day "James Still went away for a city education and had rontinned on page 3 Day. " "I'm bowed down today with all these honors," Still said as the celebration drew to a close. "I don't know whether I can hold up or not. "Maybe I'm not alone after all. I do feel— have felt a little sense of aloneness— and this will be good for me." Still won acclaim on the nation's literary scene in 1 940 with publication of the novel "River of Earth." His other books include "Pattern of a Man Sc Other Stories " and "The Run for the Elbertas. " His works have also been published in The Atlantic Monthly. The Yale Review, The Saturday Evening Post and many other magazines, journals and collections of short stories. But he remained largely unnoticed in the state he calls home. Still said he understood that indifference from his neighbors in the hollows of East- ern Kentucky. "I know why they don't read me. They don't read anything," he said. "I understand it perfectly, and I was not put out by it." But the lack of support from friends did have an effect. "I went for 20 years without writing a book. ..I didn't think anybody was reading me," Still said. Now "River of Earth" is on many col- leges' required reading lists, and Still receives invitations and honors. The attention spread to Kentucky about 10 years ago, and "then almost all of a sudden it's been too much," Still said. Many of those who spoke yesterday Still Intellectual Freedom Goldhor conttnued from page 2 Award Bestowed Upon continued from page 1 Dorothy Broderick planned as a combinalion celebration never escaped the hard questions or tasks celebrity roast. in his courses. As an educator and research "We wanted to bring him home— ha\e director, he made many future library lead- him home for this celebration." Mullins Dorothy M. Broderick. renowned author, ers face up to the hard realities of decision said. educator, and leader in librarianship, was making and rigorous research. Being honored in your own area, by vour awarded the 1986 "Robert B. Downs Intel- As the director of the school, he took a neighbors, is one of the most difficult lectual Freedom Award." Broderick was personal interest in both faculty and stu- things. Mullins said. "You're often taken nominated by the Intellectual Freedom dents. He helped faculty achieve goals that for granted. ...But I don't think people here Committee of the ALA for her lifetime we ne\er expected we could achieve. He are taking him for granted now." commitment to intellectual freedom advo- presented many ideas to us as a faculty, but. Still said he was surprised at the number cacy and thought. in true participatory management style, of people who turned out. "I thought Her career since 1949 has been character- realized that we must make (and live with) there'd be at best 50." ized by public service and scholarship many of our own decisions. If we differed "It's too big for me toeven think about." devoted to the elimination of censorship. with him. that never affected his relation- he said later. "It kind of reassures me in a She is much in demand as a speaker, and ship with us. and he gave us ever\- support sense." her books and articles are well-known and to make our ideas work. He told each of us The author says he still is writing, even some of the most important contributions when he was pleased with our perfor- though progress has brought changes in to the issues of censorship, fxiok selection, mance, but never hesitated to tell us when the rural culture and area he has spent and intellectual freedom in library our performance needed improvement. He years describing. literature. always made sure that we understood that It's not the same place," he said of East- As a co-founder and editor of Voice of our goals were to educate, research, pub- ern Kentucky. But. "in a way, I swear my Youth Advocates she is a continual propo- lish, and improve the profession through neighbors don't seem very changed in their nent for the rights of young people and of service. By his own example, his actions way of thinking, in their attitudes, in their library services to young adults. In restat- spoke as loudly as his words. fatalism, especially in their fatalism." ing the basic premises of the magazine, the He reached outside the school especially After the celebration, Still signed more editors said: "As First Amendment advo- through his research efforts and speaking autographs and met more admirers in a cates... we also believe that the possible engagements. Public libraries were his first school room decorated with quilts and unproved harm caused by information can "love" and his research in that area is well canned goods. never equal the harm caused by its suppres- known. The school's Library Research Despite all this, he did not seem tired. sion. We feel very strongly that rights have Center prospered and grew under his But he did not seem especially happy at the to be watered.' that today's adolescents will direction.