[Asis-l] Recent News from Simmons SLIS, October 2016

Tue Nov 1 14:11:19 EDT 2016

*Recent News from Simmons SLIS, October 2016*

*Faculty*

   - Associate Professor *Naresh Agarwal *presented a panel
   <https://www.asist.org/events/annual-meeting/annual-meeting-2016/program/research-perspectives-on-serendipity-and-information-encountering/>,
   “Research Perspectives on Serendipity and Information Encountering” at the
   ASIST Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 18 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Agarwal
   also co-presented a paper titled, "How Can Professional Associations
   Continue to Stay Relevant? Knowledge Management to the Rescue,"
during the Information
   and Scholarly Association Papers session on Sunday, October 16.

   - Professor *Jeannette Bastian* and Associate Professor *Donna Webber*’s
   book (co-authored with Megan Sniffin-Marinoff) *Archives in Libraries:
   What Librarians and Archivists Need to Know to Work Together*, was
   reviewed in the New England Archivists Newsletter, Volume 43, Number 4,
   October 2016.

   - Associate Professor *Gerry Benoit* published two papers: “The
   ‘Beautiful’ in Information: Thoughts about Visual Literacy and Aesthetics
   <http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2016.1205831>,” published in *Journal
   of Visual Literacy*, 35 (1), 60-78 and “Visual communication as an
   information activity,” published in *Journal of Visual Literacy*,
   34 (2), 51-67.

   - Dean and Professor Emerita *Michele V. Cloonan*’s *Preserving Our
   Heritage: Perspectives from Antiquity to the Digital Age*, was reviewed
   in the New England Archivists Newsletter, Volume 43, Number 4, October 2016.

   - Director of the School Library Teacher Program and Associate
Professor *Melanie
   Kimball *and School Library Teacher Program Manager *Lisa Estabrook*
   were interviewed by WGBH-TV for a story about a lack of libraries in public
   schools. Melanie’s comments can be seen in the video clip
   <http://news.wgbh.org/2016/10/25/local-news/surprising-number-boston-public-schools-dont-have-functioning-libraries>,
   and Lisa's were included in the radio story.

   - Dean and Professor Emeritus *James M. Matarazzo* '65 and Dr. *Toby
   Pearlstein* '77LS and '87LDS presented "Sustainability through Strategic
   Focus - Understanding and Demonstrating Contribution," at the SLA New
   England Conference in Southbridge, MA on September 30, 2016. Dr. Matarazzo
   received a Presidential Citation from Special Libraries Association for his
   work on the the new "Competencies for Information Professionals" document,
   approved by the SLA Board of Directors on April 13, 2016.

   - Associate Professor *Rong Tang* presented a paper titled "Needs
   Assessment of ASIS&T Publications: Bridging Information Research and
   Practice," at the ASIST Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. The paper
   reports the results of a 2016 online survey on perceptions and uses of
   ASIS&T publications. Tang is a co-Chair of ASIS&T Publications Committee
   2016-2017; the Committee conducted follow-up interviews with a number of
   survey respondents during the Annual Meeting.

*Adjunct Faculty*

   - Adjunct *Sid Berger*’s newest book
   <https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442263390/The-Dictionary-of-the-Book-A-Glossary-for-Book-Collectors-Booksellers-Librarians-and-Others>
   , *The Dictionary of the Book: A Glossary for Book Collectors,
   Booksellers, Librarians, and Others* has been published by Rowman &
   Littlefield Publishers.

   - Adjunct *Roger Sutton* and Children’s Literature Alum *Sian Gaetano*
    ’13LS recorded a HornBook podcast
   <http://bit.ly/2dNb7Zb%20http://www.hbook.com/2016/10/opinion/horn-book-podcast/hbook-podcast-1-31-library-censorship-intellectual-freedom-and-voya/#_>
    on library censorship, intellectual freedom, and VOYA.

*Alums*

   - *Danielle Geller ’14LS combines her archives training with creative
   nonfiction to create a unique window into the past. A recent winner of the
   Rona Jaffe Foundation Award for her writing, Geller shares
   <http://www.simmons.edu/news/school-of-library-and-information-science/2016/october/danielle-geller>
how
   her studies in LIS have informed her creative work.*

   - Dr. *Toby Pearlstein* ’77LS and '87LDS received a Presidential
   Citation from SLA for her work on the Association's "Advocacy Toolkit"
   Committee which was approved in 2016.

   - *Gary Shaffer* ’16LDS was appointed director
   <http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161014005882/en/> of the Master
   of Management in Library and Information Science program at the University
   of Southern California.

   - *Kelcy Shepherd* ’98LS joined fellow LIS professionals at Amherst
   College on Thursday, October 6 for a panel discussion on counteracting bias
   in classification and decolonizing the library catalog:
   https://www.facebook.com/events/1686223728364680/
   <https://www.facebook.com/events/1686223728364680/>

   - Dr. *Sohair Wastawy* ’87LS has been appointed ExecutiveiDirector
   <http://www.qf.org.qa/news/qnl-announces-new-executive-director>of the
   Qatar National Library. Dr Wastawy brings more than 30 years of
   international library and university management experience to the position,
   and has practiced and taught librarianship in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the
   US.

*Other news*

The newest episode of the SLIS podcast Beyond the Stacks
<http://bit.ly/2dtNFD3> features Amanda Brennan, discussing Internet
Librarianship.

Check out the article
<http://slis.simmons.edu/blogs/unbound/2016/10/21/whatmakeslibrary_designthinking/>,
“What MAKES A Library? Issue No. 1 – Design Thinking,” on Unbound: Library
Futures Unfettered.

The Boston Globe - The Horn Book awards took place at Simmons College on
October 1. The weekend included the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Ceremony,
the Horn Book at Simmons Colloquium, and the presentation of the Scott
O’Dell Award, all hosted by the Center for the Study of Children’s
Literature at Simmons (CSCL). “The Horn Book at Simmons” colloquium
examines the winners and honor books in the contexts of publishing,
education, library services, and popular culture. Read a recap of the events
<http://bit.ly/2dqdylj> in *School Library Journal.*

Simmons SLIS was represented at the Boston Book Fest
<https://bostonbookfestival2016.sched.org/event/8L3y> on October 15 with a
booth in Copley Square. Simmons also sponsored the Kids’ Keynote by Jon
Klassen, moderated by Elissa Gershowitz ’00GS, senior editor of the Horn
Book Magazine.

The Simmons College SLIS Alumni Association Board of Directors is soliciting
nominations
<http://www.simmons.edu/news/school-of-library-and-information-science/2016/october/alumni-achievement-awards>
of
Simmons College SLIS graduates for the 2016-2017 Alumni Achievement Awards,
due December 1, 2016.

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Alisa M. Libby
Communications Assistant
Simmons College, SLIS
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
t 617-521-2816
f 617-521-3192

Author, *The King's Rose* and *The Blood Confession*
alisalibby.com