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Message from the President
Activities
Tracings
Tracings:Fall 1995, Vol. 15, No. 1
Table of contents
- Membership news
- Report on the McClure challenge
- From the President's corner
- School of Library and Information Studies
- Alumni news
- Festival of Books for Young People
- Popular Culture Associations call for papers
- Beta Phi Mu banquet
- 95 grads
Membership News
The SLIS Alumni Association encourages all alumni and freinds of the library school to join. Graduates are reminded to join each time Tracings is published and response has been very good. Several people renewed membership at the Oklahoma Library Association annual conference in April. The regular membership year is july 1 through June 30 and dues are $10. Donations beyond the $10 are gladly accepted. All graduates and friends of OUSLIS are invited to join.
What does the SLIS Alumni Association do?
- Produces and mails Tracings, the semiannual newsletter.
- Honors a former graduate annually with the Award of Merit (this award includes a donation to the Tomberlin Scholarship Fund).
- Sponsors a reunion/meeting at the Oklahoma Library Association Annual Conference.
- Serves as a support group to the School of Library and Information Studies.
- Quarterly Saturday meetings offer a relaxing and fun way to get involved. (All nominees for office win!)
Report on the McClure Challenge ... Alums donate $3052.00!!
We had a great success in building the scholarship funds! Friends and alumni of the OU School of Library and Information Studies reached into their pockets to the tune of $3,052.00 in the Charles R. McClure challenge this fall. Donations and comments were received from all over the United States.
To remind you, when Chuck McClure was awarded the School of Library and Information Studies Alumni Association 1994 Award of Merit which is given to an outstanding alumnus each year, he offered to donate 50 cents on the dollar for all contributions to OU SLIS scholarship funds made before November 1, 1995 up to a total of $3,000.00. We called Chuck's hand on this offer! Thanks to everyone for their contributions!
When Dr. June Lester, OU SLIS Director, told Chuck about the successful fund raising effort, he e-mailed back a "Great!" Chuck is cheerfully reaching deep into his pockets to add another $1,500 to the scholarship funds, raising the grand total to $4,552 added to the scholarship funds this fall.
A special thanks to all who contributed!
Comments about the challenge:
- Suxie Box, Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
- "I hope the campaign goes well."
- Marcia Goodman, Norman, Oklahoma.
- "Good deal, thanks to Chuck."
- Dianne Monnier, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
- "I heard Chuck speak this past May at the MLA Conference in Ocean City ... I am delighted to meet his challenge."
One librarian from the Northwest said she heard McClure speak at a conference and was delighted to find out such a good speaker was an OU SLIS graduate. And then when she got the letter about the challenge, she was even more delighted and sent a donation.
From the President's Corner
Reflecting on things happening in my life, including my library association work, I'm reminded that what we have in common as people and as librarians is much greater than our differences. But this commonality, as well as the sense of community which is derived from it, is uneasily cradled by the divisiveness and atomizing influences in society to the detriment of community -- a reflection of our culture's emphasis on individuality and victimhood. Atomizing may come from the cage of time -- our speeding from job to home to school to committee meetings to children's basketball games to the grocery to church to ... well, you name it. This is the whirlwind that much of life has become.
Because of this atomizing effect, I think it is especially important to be willing -- willing to volunteer, willing to do if asked to participate, willing to go out of our way to contribute something. Perhaps, most important in our hurried world is our willingness to give our time. Of course, it isn't possible to do everything, but each little extra effort builds something we cannot ever fully comprehend.
Many people have made big impressions on my life in ways that were likely unnoticed by them. Each of my personal examples involves a person giving some time and part of themselves by talking. Once while I was still a student, a busy library director whom I have since considered a mentor stayed an hour after a meeting at the library school to talk with me about library issues.
I am thinking about my own willingness to go to a recent get-together for library school students celebrating the achievement of those graduating from the Master's program this fall. Up until I got the phone call, I'd intended to go to a concert of Christmas music by the Iniversity of Oklahoma choirs. When Scott, the A.L.S.O. President, asked me to come, it occurred to me that I can get my ration of Christmas music in various places. And I looked at my respect for people who show their sense of community by coming to such events. The A.L.S.O. meeting was quite enjoyable, and I was pleased with my decision to attend.
I do not consider myself a big volunteer or giver, but I am developing. It is important to stretch myself from what would be the easy way out. And sometimes it's not even a stretch to just be myself! And by my being willing, there is no telling what gifts I might receive or happen to unknowingly give someone else.
We need the cross-pollination of ideas and support from each other, professionally and personally. We need to support the library schcool and the development of new librarians, and if we do this, we can learn something from them as well as pass on some of our experience. Remember our commonalities and the sense of community that allows us to create something together that is greater than each of us individually.
News Bits
Tracings
Thank you to Linda Pye, Acquisitions Librarian at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, who agreed to be editor of Tracings. Richard Cheek, Guthrie Public Library, is taking care of layout, as well as acting as Alumni Association Secretary. The long delay in the appearance of the Spring 1995 Tracings issue reflected a hiatus in the change to new Tracings volunteers. Take time to write down what you are doing and send it in to Tracings. Your peers are interested! Make that connection, we need each other!
Student Papers
Guidelines for students entering the Student Paper Award contest have been modified so that any paper written for class in the Masters program during 1995 can be entered for the award given in Spring 1996, and so on. Rumor has it that faculty have been rather industrious in encouraging student participation in the contest, so we hope for a great collection of papers. Look for either an abstract or the complete paper to be in the Spring 1996 issue of Tracings.
Mentoring
Some alums in central Oklahoma have been paired as mentors with OU library school students. This is an initial trial organized by Scott Nicholson, A.L.S.O. president, to match librarian mentors and students. More news on this later!
Fall Graduates
In December, I represented the Alumni Association at the A.L.S.O. (library school student association) supper and meeting, held in Norman, to honor this fall's graduates. The graduates were presented celebratory certificates which had been designed by Scott Nicholson, A.L.S.O. President, and signed by him and myself. And I shared some inspiring words about joining professional organizations and promised them first year, honorary memberships in the Alumni Association, with all the lovely perks thereto assiciated! A letter has been sent to each fall graduate welcoming her/him to the Alumni Association with an honorary membership and invitation to tell us of their plans.
Interns
For those of you who are currently working in libraries, one way to support the OU SLIS program is to sponsor and nurture a Masters program intern for a semester in your library. The librarians at the Oklahoma City Community College library have had several students in recent semesters. Yes, we have spent a lot of time working with them, but have also received much help and some new ideas, including creating displays, helping at the reference desk, \ and help with special projects. If you're interested, call the library school.
Sumbitted by Rachel Butler, President, Alumni Association
OLA Conference News
"Mark it on your calendar now!"
The nearly traditional get-together for alumni, faculty, and friends of the OU School of Library & Information Studies is scheduled to be held Thursday, April 4, 1996 at the Annual OLA Conference. From 4:45-8:00 p.m., conference attendees can enjoy fellowship -- with a complete quota of wine and nuts! Hear from June Lester. Visit with Mary Somerville, winner of the 1995 Outstanding Alumni Award. And be there for the unveiling of the 1990 Outstanding Alum!
Take time out to renew your personal connections with us!
School of Library and Information Studies
SLIS State Advisory Board Meetings
The State Advisory Board for the School has held two meetings this fall, September 29, and November 16. At the first meeting, officers elected were Carol Casey, Chair; Sally Frasier, Vice Chair/Chair-Elect; and Secretary, Dorothy Davis. The group revised the purpose statement for the Board (see accompanying story); reviewed and discussed the mission, goals, and objectives of the School; and explored curricula needs for preparation of library and information professional for the future. At the November meeting, the Board focused on development plans for the School and discussed strategy for the School's participation in the OU Reach for Excellence Campaign, which projects raising $200,000,000 in private support for the University by the year 2000. Melinda Hassebroek, Development Officer for the College of Arts and Sciences, joined the Board for aprt of the meeting.
The SLIS advisory structure was revised and reconstituted during the 1994/1995 year. Membership on the Board provides representation from the various constituencies served by the School, as well as representation from the public. The current members and purposes of the Board are given below.
Advisory Board
- Lee Brawner, Executive Director, Metropolitan Library System
- Robert Clark, Director, Oklahoma Dept. of Libraries
- Sally Frasier
- Craig Knutson, Staff Economist, Southwestern Bell Telephone
- Donna Richey, Coordinator Library Media, Moore Public Schools
- Cynthia Bruno, RSKERL Library
- Dorothy Davis, Library Director, Southeastern Oklahoma State Univ.
- Kathy Hale, Director, Southern Prairie Library System
- Michelynn McKnight, Norman Regional Hospital
- Bobby Roberts, Director, Central Arkansas Library System
- Carol Casey, Library Media Specialist, Edmond North H.S.
- Michael Ehrhardt, Oklahoma State Univ.
- Edward Johnson, Dean of Libraries, Oklahoma state Univ.
- Dan O'Hair, Chair, Dept. of Communications, Univ. of Oklahoma
- Jan Sanders, Director, Bartlesville Public Library & History Museum
The purpose of the SLIS State Advisory Board will be to:
- provide liaison with the information professional community, including other educational programs, in Oklahoma and other states served by the School;
- provide liaison with and critiques from the constituencies served by graduates;
- provide advice on the mission, goals and objectives of the School;
- provide advice on the curriculum of the Master's program;
- assist in the maintenance of relationships with the university, the professional community, and the public;
- advise and assist in the development of external funding for the School;
- serve as representatives of the School in the identification and recruitment of prospective students and in the marketing of the profession;
- assist with maintaining participation in and liaison and dialogue with the telecommunications community.
Faculty News
Michael Havener & Kathy Latrobe
Drs. Havener an Latrobe have a chapter in the forthcoming School Library Media Annual, 1995, "Affective Support for Intellectual Access: Preventing Accidents on the On-Ramp." Currently underway is their validation study of an instrument for assessing school library media reference service. Dr. Latrobe was recently elected to the ALA/ALSC Newbery Award Selection Committee for the 1997 award.
Kathleen Haynes
Recent activities of Dr. Haynes have included publication of an article on managing moving images: Haynes, Kathleen J.M., Lynda Lee Kaid, and Charles E. Rand, "The Political Commerical Archive: Management of Moving Image and Sound Records," American Archivist, (in press). In addition, she has had the following paper presented: Kaid, Lynda Lee, Kathleen J.M. Haynes, and Charles E. Rand, "Moving Image Advertising: The Political Commercial Archive," Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), October 1995, Toronto, Canada.
Also in October, Dr. Haynes made a presentation at "Coping with Copy: A Workshop on Copy Cataloging Trends, Issues, and Management," sponsored by the OLA Technical Services Round Table, October 27, 1995. Recent meetings attended include the Association of Moving Image Archivists Annual Conference, August 28-September 3, 1995, Washington.
Charles Hildreth
In October, Dr. Hildreth presented "Preserving What We Really Want to Access, the Message, Not the Medium: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age" at the 18th International Essen Symposium 1995, Electronic Documents and Information: From Preservation to Access, held October 23- 26, 1995, at Essen University Library, Essen, Germany.
June Lester
On October 10, Dr. Lester participated in an invitational meeting in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Council on Library Resources on "Distance Education in Library and Information Science." In November, she presented "Cyberspace on Campus: Thoughts from an Information Policy Framework" at thje Oklahoma Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries 1995 Fall Conference, "Cyberspace on Campus, Policy to Practice" November 3, 1995, in Oklahoma City. Other fall activities have included hosting the Oklahoma table for the Alumni Reunion at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science, October 9-12, 1995, in Chicago and presiding at the Fall Board Meeting of the Association for Library and Information Science Education, Raleigh, N.C., October 20-22.
Lotsee Patterson
Dr. Patterson has been selected to participate in LISAN, "Libraries on the Information Superhighway Advocacy Network" sponsored by the ALA Library and Information Technology Association and the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy. She will go to Washington, D.C., in early December for training.
Robert Swisher
Dr. Swisher presented "The Virtual Library" at a regional workshop of DANTES (DOD Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support) and the U.S. Coast Guard, Educational Highways to the Future, Oklahoma City, May 30-June 2, 1995. During the summer, he delivered the keynote presentation to a Distance Education conference of U.S. Military higher education programs at Ramstein Airbase, Germany, on August 2, 1994. The topic was the "Implications of the Internet for the Delivery of of Programs to European-based Students." Later in August he presented "Internet and the Information Superhighway" at the Southeastern Telecommunications Association, 20th Annual Conference, August 27-30, 1995, in Atlanta. Finally, he presented "The Prospects for the Virtual Library" at Interconnect '95 Teaching-Learning and Technology Conference, Muskogee, OK, Sept. 28-29, 1995.
Rhonda Taylor & Judith Overmier
Drs. Taylor and Overmier have recently published "Popular Culture in the Collection: Dancing with an Expanded Universe," Collection Building 14 (1995) 199-202. Also soon to appear is their paper, "Reading More into Required Readings," which will be the feature of the Visible College column in Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 36 (no. 2, 1995).
OU SLIS Information
For information about programs or enrollment, contact:
The University of Oklahoma
School of Library and Information Studies
401 West Brooks, Room 120
Norman, OK 73019-0528
Phone: (405)325-3921
FAX: (405)325-7648
E-mail: slisinfo@slis.lib.ou.edu
Alumni News
60s
Anne Masters '69 is Director of Media Services and Instructional Technology for the Norman School System. P.O. Box 721557, Norman, OK 73070.
Karen Ganske '69 is Director of the Nampa Public Library in Nampa, Idaho. She also just completed terms as secretary of the Idaho Library Association and Chair of the Public Library Division of the Idaho Library Association.
Edith LaForge, '68 has a new job as Library Media Specialist at Hamilton Middle School in Tulsa. In December, 1994, she ended six years of evening part-time work as reference librarian at Tulsa Junior College's Metro Campus. She continues to serve on the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association Board of Directors. 3562 S. Sandusky, Tulsa, OK 74135-1721. edith.laforge@esc.tulsa.k12.ok.us; or ealaforge@aol.com
Wanda L. Snyder '67 is Business Reference Librarian in Portland, Oregon. With her donation to the McClure challenge, she wrote: "I have had the opportunity to hear Chuck McClure speak at a technology conference and was thrilled to learn he was an alumnus of 'my' library school. It is wonderful to see him support our library school." Wanda's daughter is currently a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma.
Donna J. Denniston '67 is Circulation Librarian at Oklahoma City Community College. 11134 NW37th, Oklahoma City, OK 73118.
Lance C. Finney '64 retired in 1995, and now serves as Coordinator of Volunteers for the Lakeland Florida Public Library. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Lakeland Public Library. 214 Denese Lane, Auburndale, FL 33823-2305.
70s
Judy K. Jensen '79 is Librarian at Laramie Senior High School in Laramie, Wyoming. She is also an instructor for a Correspondence course in Children's Literature which is offered by the University of Wyoming. She is looking forward to her husband Wayne's retirement, after 21 years of military service, from the Army in 1996. She says, "My degree from OU has been invaluable in my career from Medical Librarian in Belgium to Children's Librarian in Kansas to School Librarian in Wyoming." 1608 "W" Hill, Laramie, WY 82070. jensenjk@plains.uwyo.edu
Michael Rayburn '75 is the area representative for AudioGraphic Systems in San Francisco. 1158 Haight St. #1, San Francisco, CA.
Carolyn R. Hurst '75 is Coordinator of Library Technical Services at Rose State College in Midwest City, OK. 1701 Sandalwood Drive, Norman, OK 73071. chust@ms.rose.cc.ok.us
Marie C. Sparks '74 has a new position as Associate Director of the Commercial Research Information Center at Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories. Due to a merger in 1994, she relocated from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to create the Commercial Research Information Center (a business library) for Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratorics, a pharmaceutical company. 1 Bromley Drove, Blue Bell, PA 19422.
Brad Robison '74 Library Director at Oklahoma Christian University, was recently appointed Chariman of the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board by Governor Frank Keating. He recently returned from a visit to the former Soviet Union when he took 5 students to St. Petersburg, Russia for 6 weeks. A1303 Carlisle Ct., Oklahoma City, OK 73120.
Barbara Mathis '72 retired, says "Congratulations to the new editor (of Tracings) on a job well done!" 507 Chautauqua, Norman, OK 73069.
Laurie L. Sundborg '71 became the Adult Resources Coordinator at Tulsa-City County Library in September, 1995. 3018 E. 88th, Tulsa, OK 74137-2509.
80s
Marion Cochran Edwards '89 is Branch Manager at Fort Worth Public Library. 2301 Shady Grove Dr., Bedford, TX 76021-4422.
Karla C. Norman '88 has a new job as Reference Librarian and Certified Archivist in Special Collections at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Combined Arms Research Library at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 2223 Girard St., Leavenworth, KS 66048
James M. Donovan '87 is Librarian at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa. 4713 E. 46th St., Tulsa, OK 74135
Barbara Spivey '87 is Technical Services Librarian at Albuquerque Academy. 11308 Isle Royale Ct. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123.
Kathy (Tallon) Turner '87 is a Reference Librarian at the Evans Library of the Florida Institute of Technology. Since Kathy is serving as the 1995-1996 F Faculty Senate President at the Institute, she says she "would enjoy hearing from other academic librarians regarding their experiences with their faculty senates." 2183 Melbourne, FL 32935. kturner@fit.edu
Jeannie Moss '85 is Librarian at East Elementary, Weather ford Public Schools. 1916 Pamela Lane, Weatherford, OK 73096
Diane P. Monnier '82 was promoted to the position of Head of Children's Services at Bethesda Regional Library in Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Public Libraries. She has spent 8 years at the Germantown branch of the Montgomery County (MD) Department of Public Libraries. Bethesda has an annual children's circulation of 240,000 items and serves an international population in suburban D.C. She also headed the Department's Summer Reading Program in both 1994 and 1995.
Beverly Geer-Butler '80 is Head Cataloger at the Maddux Library, Trinity University. She is Vice President/President Elect of the North American Serials Interest Group; Member-At-Large for the Serials Section of ALCTS; co-presented a workshop on series authority work at the AMIGOS Fall membership meeting; was a guest lecturer during the summer, 1995 for the University of Texas-Austin Library School cataloging class. 1048 Ivy Ln., San Antonio, TX 78209-604.
Larry L. Capps '80 is in his 12th year as School Librarian at Dale School Library (K-12) Dale, OK. 4107 North Pottenger, Shawnee, OK 74801.
90s
Pingsheng Chen '94 is Reference Librarian at Worcester Public Library in Worcester, Massachusetts. In addition to staffing the general reference desk, she creates instructional materials for staff training for the Internet. In recent correspondence with Dr. Kathleen Kaynes, she thanked the O.U. Library School for training her so well. pchen@site.cwmars.mass.edu
Linda Matson '94 began a new job as Patron/Reference Services Librarian at Springfield College, Springfield, MA. P.O. Box 2229, Westfield, MA 01086
Mary Scanlon Rausch '94 recently published "A Tale of Three Amendmants: Constitutional Change in West Virginia," Comparative State Politics 16 no. 3 (1995): 22-29, which she co-authored with John David Rausch, Jr.
Mary Waidner'94 has been the Adult Resources Coordinator at Tulsa City-County Library for 2 years. She and her daughter, Kathryn Sheehan, are the authors of Earth Child, a book on earth awareness for young children, focused through children's literature (published by Coucil Oaks). She also currently serves on the ALA Notable Books Committee. 2121 East 25th St., Tulsa, OK 74114.
Jill Jascha '93 is Assistant Technical Services Librarian at North Idaho College. 3501 Belmont Rd., Coeur 'Alene, ID 83814.
Julie Ann Brooks '93, formerly Julie Ann Ligon, is College Librarian at Western Oklahoma State College. 1508 N. Hudson, Altus, OK 73501.
Richard Cheek '93 is director of the Guthrie Public Library. 201 N. Division, Guthrie, OK 73044. landrun@ionet.net
Kate Hogan Flores '91 has been Museum Librarian at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia for about a year. 1617 Wayland Circle, Atlanta, GA 30314.
Susan Bobo '90 continues as Law Librarian at the Williams Companies in Tulsa. 3231 South Troost Ave., Tulsa, OK.
Susan Box '90, Corporate Archivist for the Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, received the Examiner-Enterprise 1995 Historian of the Year Award in October.
Festival of Books for Young People
The sixteenth annual Mildren K. Laughlin Festival of Books for Young People, "Creative Connections," was heald Saturday, October 14, 1995, in Dale Hall on the OU campus. Featured speaker for this year's festival were Lois Ehlert, graphic illustrator and author of books for young people; Floyd Cooper, also an ullustrator and author, winner of the Coretta Scott King Honor Award, a Tulsa native, and graduate of the OU School of Art; and Walter Dean Myers, winner of the Newbery Honor Award, the Coretta Scott King Honor Award, and the Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. An enthusiastic audience celebrated the memory of Mildred Laughlin, enjoyed outstanding presentations, browsed the ever-popular new book display from the Festival of Books preview collection, and bought books autographed by the speakers to add to their own or their library's collections. The date for next year's Festival is October 26, 1996. Mark your calendars now!
Popular Culture Associations Call for Papers
The Southwest/Texas Popular Culture Association and the Southwest/Texas American Culture Association sponsored a call for papers for their annual meeting which was held jointly February 8-10, 1996 at the Adams-Mark Hotel, in Tulsa. The Libraries and Popular Culture area solicited paper proposals from librarians, graduate students, library school faculty, collectors, writers, and other afficionados of popular culture and libraries. Proposals for slide shows, video presentations, workshop formats and panels organized around common themes were welcomed.
If anyone is interested in finding out more about this meeting or the popular culture associations, please contact Rhonda Harris Taylor or Judith Overmeier.
Rhonda Harris Taylor/Judith Overmier
School of Library and Information Studies
401 West Brooks, Room 120
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019-0528
Phone: (405) 325-3921
Fax: (405) 325-7648
E-mail: rtaylor@slis.lib.uoknor.edu
roversmier@slis.lib.uoknor.edu
Beta Phi Mu Banquet
Beta Phi Mu will hold its annual banquet Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union's University Club. Marion Reid, California State/San Marcos, will be the speaker. All University of Oklahoma SLIS students, faculty and alums, as well as all Beta Phi Mu members, are invited to attend. For further information and reservations for the buffet, contact Elizabeth Romero, (405) 793-5100.
95 Grads
Linda Estes
Susan Jeffries
Kathy Kelley
Ann Hobby
Anna Wyatt
Cheryl Newmann
Judy Locut
Kimberly Hill
Robert Rankin
Carol Martin
Sasha Gilbert
Patsy Henderson
Sharlotte Riggle
Wendy McGrane
Karen (Suzi) Smith
New graduates fo the library school receive a complimentary first year membership in the alumni association. Please submit your information sheets so that your name can be included in the next issue.
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