SCHOOL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Ohio Libraries, Winter 2004

The Kent State University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) is in the midst of a major renovation slated for completion in early March. The remodeled SLIS will boast:

* Refurnished and re-carpeted main offices at the Kent and Columbus campuses

* Updated and refurnished faculty offices at the Kent and Columbus campuses

* Three newly-constructed faculty offices

* New tables and chairs for the classroom and lab at the Columbus campus

* Larger student lounge

* New Usability Laboratory that will test Web sites and other software

* Upgraded classroom features in the Electronic Classroom at the Kent campus

* New office for the Information Architecture and Knowledge Management Program (IAKM)

This remodeling project follows the construction of the "Reinberger Children's Library Center" in 2003 for which the school received a $240,000 gift from the Reinberger Foundation of Cleveland. Dr. Carolyn Brodie, Professor, and Dr. Greg Byerly, Associate Professor, were instrumental in obtaining this sum. This state-of-the art center is dedicated to training librarians who specialize in school librarianship as well as services to children and young adults. The "Reinberger Children's Library Center" opened in summer 2003, and an official dedication ceremony was held on September 29, 2003. Over 160 guests, including Kent State President Carol Cartwright, attended the dedication.

SLIS welcomes its newest faculty member, Athena Salaba, who is a doctoral student from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Salaba is an MLS graduate of the Kent program and will be teaching primarily in the area of organization of knowledge and cataloging.

SUS will be offering its 12-12-12 M.L.LS. Distance Degree Program at some new sites beginning fall 2004. These include Franklin Public Library in Franklin.; Lorain County Community College in Elyria; and North Central Ohio Computer Cooperative (NCOCC) in Mansfield. Other locations where the program has been offered are the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, Bowling Green (NORWELD), The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Clermont County Public Library, and Wellston (at OVAL),

Upcoming events at SLIS include "Library Careers' Night" to be held on Thursday, March 18, from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the Kent Student Center. SLIS students will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with information professionals from nearby public, academic, special and school libraries.

The annual Alumni and Friends Honors and Awards dinner will be held on April 14, in Kent. The dinner will honor a SLIS Alumnus of the Year and Friend of the Year.