ALA Accreditation Update

By Lorna Peterson, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Accreditation Coordinator

The University at Buffalo Department of Library and Information Studies is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). It is on Conditional Status, a status awarded during its last review in spring 2006. From the ALA web site, conditional connotes: “a status assigned to a program that must make changes to comply with the 1992 Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies to enable accreditation beyond the date specified by the Committee on Accreditation (COA). Please note that these programs are fully accredited under the Standards.” http://www.ala.org/ala/accreditation/lisdirb/alphaaccred.cfm

UB’s program did not sufficiently and systematically involve constituents of the program in its planning process since its 1998 review. Curriculum, students, and faculty were not areas of concerns although planning, space, physical facilities, and financial support were. The COA “is concerned with the totality of the accomplishment and the environment for learning. The decision regarding accreditation is approached from an evaluation of this totality rather than from a consideration of isolated particulars.”

Student role in the accreditation process…

UB ALA Preps for a Busy Semester

by Sarah Kelly

UB ALA has many projects in the works as part of its focus on professional development.

First of all, we are currently working on updating our website, so head on over to ubstudentala.wordpress.com for the latest information about what’s going on. Secondly, we are reevaluating the fireside chats to increase attendance. Instead of asking other librarians how they do their job, we plan to have them present on current issues in librarianship.

We are working with LIS GSA to improve the student lounge. ALA will be placing a bookshelf in the lounge for our “Give a book, Take a book” program. Students can drop off books they do not want and other students may pick them up to read. We know that during the school year it is hard to get a book back to the library within the three week time frame. This way, you don’t have to buy any pleasure books, and you can take your time and enjoy it!

This holiday season we are planning to donate book baskets to local shelters. As library students, we know that there are those who still need books to read in addition to the traditional clothing and food drives. There will be collection boxes around the campus so that graduate and undergraduate students can help those who need it this holiday season.

As for upcoming events, we will be holding our bake sale on October 15th. Kristin Piatko (kpiatko@yahoo.com) is heading our bake sale. You can bring baked goods to our next meeting or drop it off the day of sale. We will also need people to sign up for times to staff the table. You may do this at the next meeting. The often exciting Wine and Cheese Soirée will be October 24 at 8pm. RSVP to Kelly Kroese at kellykroese@gmail.com for the location. Please bring a snack or something to drink

The next meeting will be October 13 at 4:30. Check the listserv and blog for the location.

SLAWNY Branches Out, Works with Alumni

by Kelly Kroese

Here in the Buffalo area, SLMS students have access to a great resource in the School Library Association of Western NY. SLAWNY membership for students is $10 for the school year and you can join at any point during the 2008-2009 year. However, if you’d like to be listed in the SLAWNY directory, you must get your registration sent in by October 17th. The first general meeting will be held on September 30th starting at 4:30pm. It will be held at Orchard Park High School.

Also, SLAWNY is starting a newsletter! This will go out to all WNY librarians through BOCES. For their second issue (coming out in February) they would like to do a feature on recent DLIS SLMS graduates. You must be a SLAWNY member in order to be relevant for the newsletter. There will be a form available in their first issue to gather the needed information for the feature. The first issue will be coming out at the end of September. This could be a great opportunity for recent graduates because, remember, it will go out through the BOCES system. You never know who could read it! Watch for their first issue on the website: www.slawny.bfn.org.

Yes, You Too are a Part of LIS GSA!

When you join the department of library and information science (LIS), you automatically become a member of the LIS Graduate Student Association, affectionately referred to as LIS-GSA.

LIS GSA provides several services to students. First, we provide financial assistance to attend professional conferences.

To receive funding, all you have to do is ask! Between LIS-GSA and the university wide GSA, you are eligible up to $250 to attend a library related conference. And there is more available if you are presenting.

LIS GSA also organizes social events. Traditionally, we hold happy hours at Jack’s Place. This year, we are planning events like euchre nights, a BBQ, and a haunted hayride excursion.
LIS GSA also serves on the DLIS council, a committee made up of faculty, staff and students which handle departmental matters. We also maintain a mentoring program where we pair newer students with an older student who acts as a guide to the program.
Finally, LIS GSA operates the student lounge in Baldy 16. Information about hours will be released to the listserv shortly.

Currently, we are seeking student representatives and senators. If you are interested in becoming involved, or just want to see how we do things, come to our next open meeting, October 6.