PDA Event: The Evolving Library School Curriculum

In the last few years, library schools have reevaluated their offerings to ensure that a graduate level education aligns with the skills needed for the field. It requires striking a balance between the theories that underpin our profession and what it all looks like in practice. These changes may involve opening up more choices, allowing students to pick specialized tracks. In some cases, it may involve getting rid of some required courses altogether. Panelists from four library schools across the country will share what they have done to adapt their curriculum and what it means for the future of the profession. 

Panelists

Dr. Maria Bonn is Associate Professor, MS/LIS and CAS Program Director at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences. Bonn teaches courses on academic librarianship and the role of libraries in scholarly communication and publishing. Prior to her teaching appointment, Bonn served as the associate university librarian for publishing at the University of Michigan Library, with responsibility for publishing and scholarly communications initiatives, including Michigan Publishing. Bonn has also been an assistant professor of English at institutions both in the United States and abroad. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester, master's and doctoral degrees in American literature from SUNY Buffalo, and a master's in information and library science from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Kate Marek, MLIS, Ph.D., is Director and Professor at the School of Information Studies at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Marek's interests and expertise focus on information policy, technology developments, and rapid changes in society as they affect libraries, the information professions, and LIS curriculum. Her publications include Using Web Analytics in the Library and Organizational Storytelling for Librarians: Using Stories for Effective Leadership.

Dr. Casey Rawson is a Teaching Assistant Professor and MSLS Program Coordinator at UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Information and Library Science (SILS), where she earned her PhD in 2016 and MSLS in 2011. She is also a former middle school teacher, and her professional interests center on instruction and pedagogy in libraries and LIS graduate programs. She is currently part of a team of researchers at UNC working on an IMLS funded project to reimagine LIS youth services curricula, and recently co-led a major master’s curriculum revision process at SILS.  

Dr. R. David Lankes, University of Texas at Austin School of Information, is the Virginia and Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at University of Texas at Austin. Lankes has always been interested in combining theory and practice to create active research projects that make a difference. His work has been funded by organizations such as The MacArthur Foundation, The Institute for Library and Museum Services, NASA, The U.S. Department of Education, The U.S. Department of Defense, The National Science Foundation, The U.S. State Department, and The American Library Association.

Please register for this event. 

Sponsored by ASERL, CARLI, and NC LIVE