Conclusion
The School of Information Sciences is pleased to present this Program Presentation to the Committee on Accreditation. The School administration, SIS Council and program faculty have had numerous opportunities to review the document throughout its preparation and believe that it provides an accurate and comprehensive overview of the MLIS program. The presentation offers a frank discussion of the challenges faced by the program, the opportunities taken to refine the curriculum and learning experiences to reflect the contemporary Information Professions, and the progress made in ensuring the success of students, faculty and alumni. The report and appendices have been reviewed by Vice Provost Juan Manfredi, our liaison with the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of the Provost.
There are several themes that are interwoven in this report. The first is that the iSchool has created an academic culture that supports continual assessment and refinement of administrative policies and procedures, degree programs and the learning environment. Persistent evaluation and reflection ensure that educating students and fostering research remain the prime drivers of all academic and programmatic activities.
The second is that preparing students for challenging careers in the Information Profession calls for continuous enhancement of the academic programs. Throughout the last six years, the School and faculty have worked diligently to enrich the curriculum, delivery methods, and out-of-the-classroom support for students. Specializations were developed to provide students with skills, knowledge and understanding particular to different types of library and information services or resources. Great progress has been made in augmenting the in-class sessions with opportunities to gain practical experience through the Pitt Partners Program and Field Experience courses. The School has transitioned from an in-house blended delivery method of offering online courses to a University-supported award-winning platform. Perhaps most importantly, the School has carefully directed new faculty hiring efforts to bring on educators and researchers who have multidisciplinary backgrounds that will broaden the curricular and research offerings of this iSchool.
The predominant theme of this Program Presentation is transformational change. It addresses the iSchool’s groundbreaking academic endeavors in areas such as Cyberscholarship, infusing diversity and inclusivity into the curriculum, and exploring leading-edge information technologies (including lab-based learning exercises and a specialization in Digital Libraries). It documents the organizational changes made to better position the MLIS program and the School to address increasingly complex learning and working environments. This presentation discusses shifts in student demographics, expectations and educational backgrounds which impact program offerings and pedagogical approaches used to prepare students for 21st century information careers.
Transformational change is happening in all facets of life and learning. Technological advances have changed how people communicate, how they work, how they learn, and how they move through daily life. Digital (and digitized) information, as a result of those technological advances, has increasingly become an integral part of business, government, and society. Learning to organize and utilize the overwhelming amount of information now being created and made available is crucial to successfully meeting challenges in any field of endeavor – from medicine to marketing, from business to international development work, and from documenting governmental actions to helping children to learn to read.
Throughout most of its existence, the School has not only reacted to transformational change, but actually played a role in leading such change. From its beginnings as a training school for children’s librarians, the School has created internationally-renowned research and academic programs in information assurance, archival preservation and designing trustworthy networks – in addition to its sterling reputation for programs on resources and services for Children and Youth and other library specialties, notably in medical and health sciences. The School’s innovative research and academic programs have been supported by prestigious organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The School was one of the founding members of the iSchools Caucus, an international consortium of Information Schools which has changed the face of higher education and academic research and development in the information field. A decade ago, the term iSchool was unheard of – today, this reference appears in both higher education and popular media. The School is spearheading a national effort to increase diversity in the Information Sciences and the Information Professions with the iSchool Inclusion Institute (i3). The School was a leader in online education, being one of the first (in 2000) to offer an online MLIS program, as well as one of the first participants in the WISE consortium, through which it continues to attract significant numbers of students from other schools of library and information science.
And the changes are not ending. Even as this Program Presentation is being prepared, the LIS program faculty are undertaking a review of the entire curriculum and identifying changes for the information, library and archival professions which must be reflected in any curricular revisions to ensure that graduates are prepared to lead and shape the field over the coming decades. The faculty is considering how to expand research and academic offerings to reflect the ever-evolving nature of the Information disciplines, how to incorporate data-infused curricula across programs, how to more effectively merge experiential and hands-on learning with a sound theoretical foundation, and how to enhance the core courses in light of the dramatic transformation of information, library and archival services. Other program enrichments are being explored, including elective courses, co-curricular events and activities, and expanded continuing professional education and development opportunities. Thus, the on-site External Review Panel may see further enhancements to the School’s academic offerings by the time of their visit in March 2013.
The School has not only led change, but produced leaders who have – and will continue to – change the face of librarianship and archival science. One of the most important barometers of our success is the impact that our alumni have had on the Information Professions. This is apparent from the many honors and recognitions bestowed upon them. By no means should this list be considered comprehensive, but it does provide an indication of the many contributions that they have made to their employers, their professions, and to society.
Cynthia Richey was named a University of Pittsburgh Legacy Laureate for 2012. The Legacy Laureate Program at the University of Pittsburgh was launched in 2000 to honor University of Pittsburgh alumni for their outstanding personal and professional accomplishments. Richey is the Director of the Mt. Lebanon Public Library in Pittsburgh. Mrs. Richey has served as President of the Association for Library Service to Children, President of the Pennsylvania Library Association, Chair of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Council on Library Development, and on the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Award committees. Richey received a 2006 New York Times Librarian Award and received the School of Information Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007, among other numerous awards.
Rebecca Morris (MLIS 2004 and PhD 2011) was interviewed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education EdCast, a podcast about issues in education. An Assistant Professor at Simmons College, Morris talked about her work at the library school there and today's school libraries and librarians. See this Web site for the resulting article.
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (MLS 1988) won the 2010 Coretta Scott King Book Award from the American Library Association (ALA) for her book, Bad news for outlaws: The remarkable life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal.
Stacey Coughenour Aldrich (MLS 1992) was named State Librarian of California on November 13, 2009 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mark Vrabel (MLS 1992) was named a Mover and Shaker by Library Journal magazine in 2008. Vrabel is an information resources supervisor with the Oncology Nursing Society in Pittsburgh and was recognized for keeping nurses apprised of research evidence on clinical practices for cancer patients. He is an active member of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and its specialist sections and in 2011 received the MLA Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section Award for Professional Excellence.
Alexia Hudson (MLIS 2005) has been elected to the National Executive Board of the American Library Association (ALA) for a three-year term. Alexia is a Reference Librarian at Abington College Library, Penn State Abington.
Elaine Zelmanov (MLIS 2005) was appointed as chief of staff for Pittsburgh City Council member, Patrick Dowd.
Elizabeth Davis (MLIS 2006 ) was selected to receive the Pennsylvania Library Association’s New Librarian Honors Award for 2010. Elizabeth has been a librarian in Scranton Public Library’s Children’s Library since 2007. She has twice chaired the Library’s “Scranton Reads” program and currently serves as Chair of the Emerging Technologies Committee.
Paula Kelly (MLIS 2009), Director of the Whitehall Public Library, directed the English as a Second Language Literacy Program at Whitehall, aka the LEARN Bus, which was selected as a 2011 recipient of the Marietta Y. King and Alberta Walden Still Diversity Award for Public Library Service to Older Adults in a Diverse Community.
The School of Information Sciences will continue to provide academic programming and a learning environment that fosters the next generation of leaders in the Information Professions. In order to do so, the iSchool will continue to enhance its degree programs, to provide appropriate learning and research resources and facilities, and to utilize sound policies and procedures in administering the academic programs. As society enjoys an ever-increasing amount of information and access to more sophisticated technology tools, the faculty and administration of the School and the University are dedicated to providing the curriculum, faculty expertise, learning opportunities and environment necessary to foster student success and to meet the information needs of society.