Letter from the Editor

Welcome to the New Year!

After resting and relaxing over the break—and engaging in the fun non-educational activities suggested in our Holiday R & R Guide from our last issue—the staff members at the Silverfish are refreshed and ready to face the new year. This quarter we are planning a series of issues that focus on different programs offered within the Information School. Ever wonder what it takes to be a MSIM student or what the Informatics program is all about? Stay tuned—upcoming issues of the Silverfish will tell all!

In this issue of the Silverfish, the focus will be on the Ph.D. program and some research activities being conducted within academic circles in LIS. In our lead article, contributing author John Glover provides an overview of the Ph.D. program and gives advice to MLIS students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree. This is followed by an interview with Phil Edwards, a new student in the Ph.D. program, and an article by Beverly Slabosky about her Research Assistantship with the Tactile Graphics Project. For readers also interested in research being conducted outside of the Information School, contributing author Amanda Hornby presents a synopsis of a lecture given by visiting scholar Dr. Karine Barsilai-Nahon about gatekeeping.

Other articles of interest to Information Professionals in this issue include “A Brief Intro to Knowledge Management” by Dyan Smith Chandler and Phoebe Ayers’ fascinating history on the origins of the computer entitled “The History of the Computer: Ada King, Charles Babbage and the Difference Engine.” Readers interested in how to use the World Wide Web as a teaching tool or Young Adult literature should read Sarah Bosarge's article "What's A WebQuest?"

And, last but not least, we could not conclude an issue of the Silverfish without reminding students to take a break from their studies. In this vein, Kaijsa Calkins recommends a series of art museum exhibits in her article “The Importance of Visual Information: A Tour of Local Art Museums.” For those of you who are still searching for that prefect book to read, be sure to check out Jenine Lillian’s Top Ten List of wacky and weird titles for January.

In our next issue of the Silverfish, we will continue the spotlight on different programs offered in the Information School by focusing on the Master of Science and Information Management (MSIM) program. MSIM students are encouraged to submit articles sharing their experiences in the program and their research interests. To submit an article or to share story ideas, please send me an e-mail at: katyshaw@u.washington.edu.

Katy Shaw
Silverfish Senior Editor

Spotlight on the Ph.D. Program & Research:

So You Say You Want to be a Doctoral Student?
by John Glover

Phil Edwards: An Interview with a P.h.D student
by Katy Shaw

A Brief Intro to my Research Assistantship with the Tactile Graphics Project
by Beverly Slabosky

Of General Interest:

Gatekeeping: The Work of Medieval Gossips or Modern-Day Search Engines?
by Amanda Hornby

A Brief Intro to Knowledge Management
by Dyan Smith Chandler

What’s a WebQuest?
Students in LIS 566 Learn a New Instruction Technique
by Sarah Bosarge

For Book Lovers:

The History of the Computer
by Phoebe Ayers

Judging a Book By Its Cover
by Jenine Lillian

For Fun:

The Importance of Visual Information: A Tour of Local Art Museums
by Kaijsa Calkins

Help keep the iSchool connected

Silverfish is an ALISS newsletter, but we always welcomes submissions from all members of the iSchool community. We want to hear from undergraduates, PhD students and MSIM students, as well as MLIS students. Are you working on a research project that would be of interest to other folks in the iSchool? Do you want to share your reflections on life at the iSchool? Please send your story ideas or articles to katyshaw@u.washington.edu.

Web design and maintenance by Beverly Slabosky. If you encounter any problems or have suggestions, please email her at: beverlys@u.washington.edu.