LIS GSA Open Forum Goals
LIS GSA seeks to create a safe space in which students can express their ideas about: the Department’s continued growth, the involvement with the Graduate School of Education, and the American Library Association Accreditation process.  LIS GSA will create this space to ensure that students’ opinions, ideas, and concerns are heard and formerly recorded.

Expected Outcomes
LIS GSA will create a working document from these discussions.  This document will contain student opinions as well as constructive ideas of how to create and implement these programs and suggestions.  LIS GSA wil submit this document to LIS Council and request a written reply which should include identified next steps such as any recommended actions or other response needed.

I don’t get out much anymore. I’m not one of those people who choose to not go anywhere. When your life revolves around school, like mine currently does, and 75% of your classes are online, your options for human contact are restricted. I’m stuck at a computer staring at a UBLearns screen for what has to be the zillionth time in the course of ten semesters at UB, and I want out.

It’s easy to see the benefits of an online learning community in a constantly changing technological wasteland, but it has ramifications. I think I’m slowly forgetting how to interact with people and how to participate in class without clicking a mouse. I’m going to be one of those people who run around the Lockwood basement for fun. Oh, wait, too late. Remember the last time I had to do some routine homework? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially if the cage monsters try to eat you.

What can I do with myself? My only friends are the MARC websites that tell me what I’m doing wrong, the discussion boards, and the 568 wiki. Whatever will I do for human contact? How am I supposed to function in a society that expects more from me than “yes, you need an MLS to be a librarian” or “did you do your discussion posts this week?”

I’m slowly turning into the MLS-Bot. How should I fix this? Reading the books in the lounge won’t help because no one wants an outdated robot. I’m going to need a new set of catchphrases and programming that doesn’t have a MARC listing. Anyone up for the challenge can find me on UBLearns at all hours of the night. I’ll need to be taken outside immediately to see if it worked. If not, then it may be necessary to completely revamp my Plan of Study.

We are very excited to announce the creation of the UB SLMS Student Network! The SSN functions primarily to connect SLMS students with their peers so that we have a place to go with our 524 concerns or 568 questions, as well as anything else!

We also hope to continue reaching out to the other departments in the GSE, and are pleased to be working with the Simmons-Elliott Educational Center on their SDAR outreach program.

Please sign up online at ubssnet.ning.com!

UB SSN is also your connection to SLAWNY, our local chapter of NYLA-SLMS. We are looking forward to working with SLAWNY to establish the first professional-student mentorship program! SLAWNY volunteer members have agreed to mentor students as part of our student SLAWNY membership. You must be a member of SLAWNY to get a mentor, and they will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis, so sign up today!

SLAWNY will be hosting their annual professional development workshop on March 21st. This year’s special guest is Stephen Krashen, linguistics expert and author of numerous books. He will talk about how to get students reading. The cost for the event is $20. More information is available at www.slawny.bfn.org.

The Special Libraries Association at Buffalo (SLAB) hosted guest speaker Rachel Singer Gordon in an effort to education future librarians of alternative careers in librarianship. Rachel Singer Gordon writes articles for Library Journal and regularly publishes on evolving trends in library and information science.

Her newest book, What’s the Alternative? Career Options for Librarians and Info Pros (ITI 2008) details the exciting various careers that are open to individuals with a library science degree. Gordon is also the webmaster for job posting site, LISJobs.com and author of the blog Beyond the Job. This was Gordon’s first trip to Western New York.

If you were unable to make it to this guest speaker event do not panic, a podcast version of the event is available for University at Buffalo students. The podcast is hosted on the SLAB website at http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/org/slasg.

You can also check out Rachel Singer Gordon’s blog (http://www.beyondthejob.org/) which gives job search tips and links to various fellowship applications.

Even if you are a first year student it would behoove you to start looking into various library career possibilities now. How can you start? It is simple. Sign up for the LIS JOB listserv (http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=lis-jobs-list&A=1). Take a look at the postings of jobs that interest you to find out what experience and qualities they are looking for in applicants. You can use your time here at UB to gain those skills and get the experience you need to get the job you want.

Also look into fellowships. Many of which are posted on the LIS website (http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lis/scholarships.asp). You can also find an extensive list of fellowships and scholarships at Rachel Singer Gordon’s blog mentioned above.

Most importantly join the various library student associations. SLAB for example is a student organization here at UB that helps put you in contact with local special librarians, arranges visits to different libraries such as news libraries, and gives you information on how to join the Special Library Association and take part in conferences at discounted rates. Participating in student groups expands your classroom based education with hands on real world guidance and experience that will make you the best candidate for any library job.
Good Luck!

UB-ALA kicked off the spring semester with a sweet event. On February 11th our student group held a Bake Sale in the Baldy Common area. Sara Sinden, an LIS student, graciously delved out the delicious treats prepared by UB-ALA members as well as LIS students.

The popular Get Shelved t-shirts are still available for $10 each, and a new design contest is now underway. UB-ALA has decided to sell tote bags and would like a creative new design to adorn them. Design submissions can be e-mailed to ubstudentala@gmail.com. The contest will be publicized through out the next few weeks.

UB-ALA will once again host a Wine and Cheese Soiree on Friday, February 27th. Space is limited so visit our blog for more details and information. The event promotes professional development as topics in librarianship are discussed. This semester our group would also like to hold another Professional Development event on campus for LIS students. Advocacy, networking, and re-location have been discussed as topics for the event. You can send your suggestions to us at ubstudentala@gmail.com or post to our blog at http://www.ubstudentala.wordpress.com.

UB-ALA has created a team for Relay for Life, March 21-22 at the Alumni Arena. The event will be from 4pm-6am. Our team is the Librarians for Life and we are looking for team captains. The team can be no larger than 15 people and the cost to participate is $10, so come join us for some relay fun, future librarian style.
While the website is redesigned, the UB-ALA blog will now serve as the web site for our student group. Other events and activities for this semester can be found on the blog. Feel free to contact us with your questions or concerns.

LIS GSA began the semester with a Happy Hour at Jack’s Place on February 12th. This semester, the group has many more events planned for your enjoyment. Among them is ice skating at the Rotary Rink in downtown Buffalo on February 28, a lounge event as soon as the student lounge is open, a Rochester Happy Hour (or 2), bowling night, and a year-end celebration. Stay tuned to the listserv and the Events Calendar for specific times and dates of these events.
LIS GSA held an open forum for students to share their thoughts about the department, faculty, accreditation and anything else LIS-related that may be on your mind. Karen Reczek, a SILS alum, moderated and will aid LIS GSA in creating a document to repsent to the faculty. The document and faculty response will be posted to the list serv.
As a gentle reminder, LIS GSA has a policy in place that states that conference funding requests are submitted by the 15th of the month prior to the conference.

All are invited to the next open LIS GSA meeting on Thursday, March 5th at 5:15pm. Location is TBA.

UB DLIS ISBN (Interesting student blog and news) is a newsletter compiled once a month by the student groups within the department. Each month, a member from ALA, LIS GSA, SLA, SLAWNY, and RASL (dizzy yet?) contributes an article to the newsletter about what his or her club has done and is planning for the next month. A one stop shop, if you will, for where to get your club activities information.

We also accept articles about daily student life–scary basements in Lockwood or strange reading in the lounge–and reviews about films with librarians in them. Please see Submission Guidelines for more information if you would like to submit an article to the ISBN.

You can also read our past issues here in PDF form.

A helpful one to look at it would be the September/October 2008 issue. Faculty members wrote profiles about themselves and their work, which we published to serve as an introduction for students, especially those who are practicum or adviser hunting.

Please email us at ubdlisisbn@gmail.com with any questions or submissions. Or you can comment right here!

The draft for the Program Presentation, self-study, is due to the American Library Association in Chicago and to our review chair in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. DLIS faculty and staff members, along with practitioner colleagues, have worked hard at writing the reports and draft chapters are almost completed. We will make the deadline for the draft report. We will receive feedback on the report with the final due to Chicago and to all reviewers February 12, 2009.

Many students are concerned about the upcoming review and our Conditional Status. Some facts:

* Your degree is ALA accredited
* ALA provides a two year grace period for students to complete a degree in the event accreditation is withdrawn or the program is closed
* You may ask the review team (ERP—External Review Panel) about this when they visit March 26 and 27, 2009—you will be told what is written above

Some students are not sure what to expect and how to behave when the team comes to visit. Be yourself! We want students to participate and attend as many open sessions as possible. The accreditation process is an open and collegial process and student participation is crucial to the review. Your honest opinions are essential. If you have the opportunity to answer questions or just speak to a reviewer, answer honestly. This is your program.

How will the visit work?

The chair of the External Review Panel will read the draft and then confer by conference call in December with the DLIS department chair and in the case of this review, the accreditation coordinator, and also with the Director for the ALA Office for Accreditation. A final report will be written and submitted by the DLIS due to the ERP team of 6 members and 12 Committee on Accreditation members on February 12, 2009. From this reading, the ERP will begin discussion with the other panel members to determine who they would like to meet with and what they would like to see. Typically, teams meet with students in an open session, with university administrators such as the provost and if possible president, employers, alumni, students, and faculty (both full-time and adjunct). Teams tour libraries and labs to see the resources available to students. The team will look at student work. The team may visit a class whether it is on site or online. Accreditation is a process to help programs and the interviewing and questioning is done to assure an education that meets the standards of the accrediting agency.

As students you do have responsibilities to your program. Read the DLIS Mission, Goals, and Objectives. Be familiar with the policies, procedures, and forms we make available to you on our web site: http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lis/

For example, you may find our Mission, Goals, and Objectives here: http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lis/mgo.asp

Academic Regulations here: http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lis/academic_regulations.asp

Forms here: http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lis/forms.asp and know that our mission as of September 19, 2008 is “Transforming lives through information.”

As students, what is the impression you want others to have of our UB DLIS student body? What are our students like and how may they differ from other students in the ALA accredited programs? What are the special characteristics and skills of Buffalo DLIS students? What do our students add to the library and information science profession and how do you see yourselves shaping the future of our profession? What it is you want the American Library Association to know about our program and its students?

Will students get to read the report?

The DLIS Program Presentation is not part of the public record. At this point, we are not sharing the report and any of its documentation to a wide audience.

Other matters?

Still have questions? Great! Perhaps through your Graduate Student Association representatives and other student groups you can arrange ways to have your questions and concerns answered through meetings, wikis, email postings, whatever may be the best way to communicate. Take action. It is your program and we want to have a transparent process. Don’t be afraid to use the structure and power you have through your student organizations to find out what it is you want to know.

It was a not so dark and stormy Saturday morning when I wandered back into Lockwood Library. I had an assignment to complete for LIS505, and needed a book. Yes, I suppose that’s a given on certain days. This book was about library science. Again, that seems obvious when you think about it. I needed a book on intellectual freedom and I needed it then. I don’t need it as much now, but at the time, my entire GPA depended on it. This meant journeying into a previously undiscovered territory: the infamous Lockwood Basement.

Whoever decided that library science books deserved the letter Z obviously has never been to Lockwood Library. Z gets the distinction of being the last letter of the alphabet and the last section of the library. This means that all of our books are in the basement, next to the juvenile section and some random textbooks. If someone desperately needs a library bound copy of the latest Harry Potter, they now know where to look. No one should ever go into the basement alone, and certainly not on a Saturday morning.

I’ll get right to the point: That basement is creepy. Things squeak even when the floor is deserted. The cages of old books just scream out “Enter At Your Own Risk” even without a sign. I know these are stacks, the stenciled sign doesn’t need to tell me that. What’s going to happen when I want some obscure dissertation from 1987? Am I going to get sucked into the pages, never to be seen again? Here’s how to keep this from happening. Never go to the basement alone on a weekend. Simple, right? I should hope so. After all, it was our stellar common sense skills that got us into library school in the first place, right? Maybe. Get back to me on that one, but not from inside the cages.

As our semester draws to an end, we’d like to announce that UB ALA is also the local NYLA student chapter. The new officers will determine how this will impact the organization. Speaking of new officers, ALA now has a new board. Jessica Stokes will serve as President; Anna Gossin as Vice President; Janee Dabney as Secretary; and Elaine Dean as Treasurer. We wish them the best of luck in taking over the club, and we are eager to see what they plan to do.

ALA would also like to announce that we have a new shipment of ‘Get Shelved’ tee shirts. They are on sale for $10 and you can email us at ubstudentala@gmail.com to get yours. We would also like to thank everybody who attended our professional development programs. We hope you enjoyed them!

The UB ALA website is still listed as under construction, but when the grand unveiling occurs, it will knock your socks off.

Please remember that our holiday book drive is still going on, so as you clean off your bookshelves, please toss those books in the donation boxes in the computer lab and lounge. Good luck on your final projects and tests. Have a good break and we look forward to seeing you again in the spring!