Category: Library Education

Award for Ongoing Doctoral Dissertation Research in the Philosophy of Information

March 16, 2016 by RoryLitwin

Award for Ongoing Doctoral Dissertation Research in the Philosophy of Information 1. Nature of the Award 1.1 The award shall consist of $1,000, given annually to a graduate student who is working on a dissertation on the philosophy of information (broadly construed). As we see it, the range of philosophical questions relating to information is … Read more Award for Ongoing Doctoral Dissertation Research in the Philosophy of Information

Statement from Information Studies Academics and Professionals on Documentary Evidence and Social Justice

December 20, 2014 by RoryLitwin

There is a new open statement circulating, written by UCLA Information Studies faculty, led by Safiya Noble. Written in response to the events in Ferguson and the crisis that it has opened up, it expresses the political orientation of members of the LIS field. It is titled, “Statement from Information Studies Academics and Professionals on … Read more Statement from Information Studies Academics and Professionals on Documentary Evidence and Social Justice

So who exactly is ruling that “reference is dead”?

October 2, 2012 by RoryLitwin

I liked this post from Hack Library School, written by Amy Frasier: “Whither Reference?” Amy notes with alarm that reference isn’t being taught as a standalone class at her library school. I want to note for the benefit of more senior and cynical readers that this is a current library student who is concerned about … Read more So who exactly is ruling that “reference is dead”?

St. Kate’s MLIS program is going under the business school

July 11, 2012 by RoryLitwin

The following is an email that was sent to current MLIS students at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, MN, announcing a reorganization of the department so that it will now be a part of the business school. I don’t know if there is any precedent for something like that. In other places where the … Read more St. Kate’s MLIS program is going under the business school

Libri best student paper award

May 18, 2011 by RoryLitwin

Best Libri Student Paper Announcement from Libri: Since 1950, through 61 volumes, Libri: International Journal of Libraries and Information Services has been a leader among scholarly journals in the international library world. As part of its strategy to remain one of the premier library journals, Libri is issuing a call for “Best Student Paper of … Read more Libri best student paper award

Library student on why librarians need a master’s degree

May 13, 2011 by RoryLitwin

I find this quite a good statement of the reason librarianship should require a master’s degree. I also found the video interesting in the way that it mixes media together.

Miriam Braverman Memorial Prize – Call for Submissions (student paper contest)

March 5, 2011 by RoryLitwin

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Are you an LIS student interested in activism and the struggle for social justice? Do you stay awake at night thinking about how your politics might inform your professional practice? The MIRIAM BRAVERMAN MEMORIAL PRIZE, a presentation of the Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG), is awarded each year for the best paper about … Read more Miriam Braverman Memorial Prize – Call for Submissions (student paper contest)

Some objections to our use of library statistics

February 26, 2011 by RoryLitwin

The use of certain library statistics, mainly related to circulation and its electronic semi-equivalents, has taken on a high degree of importance in library management since 1979, when Charlie Robinson introduced the “give ’em what they want” philosophy of collection development at Baltimore County Public Library. Circulation statistics provide an easy way present an argument … Read more Some objections to our use of library statistics

Toni Samek reviews R. J. Cox’s The Demise of the Library School

January 15, 2011 by RoryLitwin

Toni Samek (winner of Library Journal‘s first annual teaching award in 2007) has a review of R. J. Cox’s The Demise of the Library School: Personal Reflections on Professional Education in the Modern Corporate University in the new issue of the CAUT Bulletin (Canadian Association of University Teachers). Her review begins: Library and information education … Read more Toni Samek reviews R. J. Cox’s The Demise of the Library School

Our niche and how to get back into it

August 18, 2010 by RoryLitwin

More and more, I find that the library profession’s efforts to stay relevant in the age of information technology are in fact eroding our relevance. As a result of these efforts, it is becoming less and less clear what we offer that is different from what everybody else offers in the information economy. The reason … Read more Our niche and how to get back into it

Question for readers

July 23, 2010 by RoryLitwin

If Library Juice Press were to set up a symposium for reflections on Jesse Shera’s 1972 book Foundations of Education for Librarianship, who would you like to see participating? The end product would be a published book. Please comment if you have any ideas concerning this.

New Book: The Demise of the Library School: Personal Reflections on Professional Education in the Modern Corporate University

June 28, 2010 by RoryLitwin

The Demise of the Library School: Personal Reflections on Professional Education in the Modern Corporate University Author: Richard J. Cox Price: $35.00 Published: June 2010 ISBN: 978-1-936117-18-5 Printed on acid-free paper In The Demise of the Library School, Richard J. Cox places the present and future of professional education for librarianship in the debate on … Read more New Book: The Demise of the Library School: Personal Reflections on Professional Education in the Modern Corporate University

Podcast of Alberta Talk: Disintermediation 2.0

February 21, 2010 by RoryLitwin

The talk I gave in Alberta on February 5th was recorded. The recording is now on the web in mp3 form. Toni Samek’s introduction feels a bit grand, but the real me will be on the mic shortly. The recording itself came out all right. Not all of the audience questions are audible, but as … Read more Podcast of Alberta Talk: Disintermediation 2.0

New book: Humanism and libraries: An essay on the philosophy of librarianship

December 10, 2009 by RoryLitwin

Humanism and Libraries: An Essay on the Philosophy of Librarianship Author: André Cossette Translator and Editor: Rory Litwin Price: $15.00 Published: December 2009 ISBN: 978-1-936117-17-8 Printed on acid-free paper André Cossette’s Humanism and Libraries is a concise but rigorous investigation into the foundations of librarianship—its definition and its aims. Philosophical and logical in its approach, … Read more New book: Humanism and libraries: An essay on the philosophy of librarianship

New from Library Juice Press: The Politics of Professionalism: A Retro-Progressive Proposal for Librarianship

November 10, 2009 by RoryLitwin

The Politics of Professionalism: A Retro-Progressive Proposal for Librarianship Author: Juris Dilevko Price: $32.00 Published: November 2009 ISBN: 978-1-936117-04-8 6″ by 9″ 242 Pages Printed on acid-free paper This book presents a retro-progressive proposal for the education of librarians: the removal of library education from the jurisdiction of universities, which in recent decades have become … Read more New from Library Juice Press: The Politics of Professionalism: A Retro-Progressive Proposal for Librarianship

Speaking at Drexel

August 10, 2009 by RoryLitwin

I should have posted something about this earlier, sorry. I will be speaking at Drexel in Philadelphia tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday, 8/11/09), at the iSchool, 5pm, Rush Building, Room 014. They have posted a description to their news site. If you have a chance to go and you have found out about it here, say hello … Read more Speaking at Drexel

New from LJP: So You Want To Be a Librarian

June 28, 2009 by RoryLitwin

So You Want To Be a Librarian Author: Lauren Pressley Price: : $15.00 Published: July 2009 ISBN: 978-0-9802004-8-5 Printed on acid-free paper. Now on sale. Librarians tend to love their work and consider librarianship a great career. This book is by a talented librarian who wants to introduce people to the profession. If you are … Read more New from LJP: So You Want To Be a Librarian

From Duality to Dilemma

March 3, 2009 by RoryLitwin

I’m giving the keynote lecture at the 4th Annual University of Arizona SIRLS Graduate Symposium this Saturday. My talk is called “From duality to dilemma: balancing the library on mission, community, and democracy.” (It had a longer, bulkier title that is still floating around out there.) If anybody is interested, I have posted handouts from … Read more From Duality to Dilemma

LJP Reading Groups

January 13, 2009 by RoryLitwin

Library Juice Press is offering a discount to reading groups – groups of library students or active professionals. This is ideal for the PLG student chapters or even the ALA student chapters out there, students who want to read a book together and discuss it. The discount is 25% off on four or more copies … Read more LJP Reading Groups

Insta-librarian

August 8, 2008 by RoryLitwin

I neglected to link to this post when it was published a couple of weeks ago. The blog of the Committee of Concerned Librarians of British Columbia has an item on a somewhat disturbing training program put on by CILIP (the UK Library Association) that aims to “teach anyone how to do in-depth desk research … Read more Insta-librarian