SLAIS at Public Library Conference 2010, Portland

SLAIS and the UBC Arts Co-op Office are sharing a booth at the Public Library Association conference in Portland, Oregon, March 24-26. Alumni, employers, and interested applicants for all programs are invited to stop by our booth (#852) for more information and to find out more about SLAIS and our programs and activities. Alumni are also invited to gather at a SLAIS Alumni no-host pub social on Friday, March 26. The social will be held 6-8 p.m. at Tugboat Brewing Co, 711 SW Ankeny Street in Portland, easily accessible by transit within the Fareless Square. Appies will be provided. If you have questions about our booth or the social event, contact Michelle Mallette at michelle.mallette@ubc.ca. See you at PLA!

Former SLAIS Director Receives ALISE Award

Former SLAIS Professor and Director Dr. Ken Haycock has received the 2010 ALISE Award for Professional Contribution to LIS Education, recognizing his sustained efforts to strengthen Library and Information Science (LIS) education.

In addition to his work at the San Jose State University School of Library and information Science, where he is currently Professor and Director, Ken was honoured for his accomplishments while at SLAIS. The Chair of the award committee, Dr. Suzie Allard, specifally noted establishment of the SLAIS multidisciplinary master's degree in children's literature, the First Nations concentration, the dual MLIS/Master of Archival Studies program, and the PhD program, all accomplished while Ken was Director at SLAIS.

The award also honors Ken's leadership roles in numerous professional associations. According to the award committee's nomination, "Few [individuals] have held as many positions at such high levels of engagement at the national level in two countries and at the international level." Ken served on the Executive Board for the American Library Association, as Executive Director of the International Association of School Librarianship, and as president of the Canadian Library Association, American Association of School Librarians, Canadian School Library Association, and Association
for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE).

The award was announced at the annual ALISE conference, held January 12-15,
2010 in Boston.

Welcome to SLAIS and Our New Website

Terry Eastwood Interim Director

Welcome to the new website of the School of Library, Archival & Information Studies at The University of British Columbia. We hope you will find its new look fresh and lively. The new design aims to make it easier for you to find the information you need. If you are a prospective student, check out the new FAQ section on admissions. Our Support SLAIS button on this page makes it an easy click for alumni to lend us their support, financial or otherwise. We’ve included new photos of our students and faculty taking advantage of our spectacular space in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. You’ll also find a wealth of information on our various programs and courses, faculty members and their research, and School events and news. We hope you enjoy your visit and find what you need.

MACL Graduates Honoured for Creative Work

Two graduates of the SLAIS Master of Arts in Children's Literature are enjoying fame and accolades for their creative work. Wendy Phillips' first novel, Fishtailing (a young adult novel in verse written as her thesis for the MACL), will be published in April by Coteau Books. Read more at http://coteaubooks.com/index.php?p=Books&listingid=14 And Clay Man: The Golem of Prague, written by Irene Watts and illustrated by MACL alumna Kathie Shoemaker, has been named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers. Congratulations to both Wendy and Kathie.

Doctoral Student Evelyn Markwei Wins Piternick Award

SLAIS Ph.D. student Evelyn Markwei has been selected as recipient of the Anne & George Piternick Student Research Award. The award is in support of her fieldwork for her dissertation research, entitled “Everyday Life Information-Seeking Behavior of Urban Homeless Youth.” This award has been endowed by family and friends in honour of Anne and George Piternick. Professors Anne and George Piternick taught at the School of Library , Archival and Information Studies for a combined total of 48 years during which they provided, through their teaching and personal research projects, a stimulating scholarly atmosphere for library and information science research. The award is given annually to a SLAIS doctoral student to support his or her research. Congratulations to Evelyn.