[Formerly the Sojourner]
September/October 1997

• ALISS President's Report
• Newsletter Editor's Notes
• Update on the Search for New GSLIS Director
• SALA Notes
• ASIS Notes
• GPSS Senators' Report
• Results of Curriculum Survey of Recent Graduates

Announcements

• Beginning of Quarter Party October 10
• Colloquium October 7
• Book Sale (end of October)

New students:

Welcome to the UW Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Since you have no doubt been bombarded with official papers and booklets and brochures from multiple departments across the University and from GSLIS, we thought it'd be nice to give you the inside scoop on the department you now find yourselves a part of.

Let us begin by saying that you have entered GSLIS at a very interesting time (here the use of the word "interesting" is in the fashion of the Japanese saying, "May you be cursed to live in interesting times.") Most everything seems to be in flux.

Several major changes have occurred in the past few years. One is the addition of the evening degree program. Now in its second year, the program has around 30 students in it. This new addition to the school brought many resources with it, including the Computer Lab, and 3 faculty positions (we have the computers but not the faculty -- more on that later). There have also been more than a few changes in the Directorship of the School recently. Dr. Van Orten left GSLIS in the summer of 1997. Dr. Bassett was brought over from the School of Communications to run the school for one year, but retired from the UW this summer. Dr. Betty Bengston (also Dir. of the UW Library System) is the now the Acting Director, while the search for a new (and hopefully permanent) Director for the school goes on. Interviews of candidates for the position will be happening this quarter. We encourage you to get involved in choosing the Director of the School -- she could have a great impact on your education over the next two years.

Once a new Director is hired, several new faculty members can be hired (three? four? I've lost track...). These new hires have been put off for several years awaiting the Futures Committee Report, which finally came out this January (the search for a new director was also held up waiting for this report). The FCR outlines a new future for GSLIS, turning it into much more of a research-oriented program, among other important changes. I encourage you all to at least look at the summary of this long document, as it will be used to shape many policies in the future, including hiring decisions. [Editor's Note: The FCR can be read on the web at http://weber.u.washington.edu/~bamf/FUTREP/contents.html.]

Also in the works at the moment is the re-accreditation of GSLIS. Every eight years all Masters granting programs must be recertified by the American Library Association, and we're up again. There will be a year's worth of discussion of the effectiveness and merits of the GSLIS program, and there will be plenty of room for student input. Along with this effort, and hopefully lead by a new Director, will be a curriculum revision effort, which students have been clamoring for for several years now (and was, you guessed it, held up waiting for the FCR).

There's a lot on the plate, and a lot of change coming up in the next year or so: new Director, dramatic expansion of faculty, reaccreditation, and curriculum revision. ALISS hopes that you'll take the time to express your opinions on these matters to your elected officers, maybe even think of running for an ALISS office.

So, enjoy your first quarter, settle in to the place, and please don't hesitate to stop me (or any ALISSer) in the hall and pick our brains on any issue. That's what we're here for.

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Welcome, one and all, to the final issue of the Silverfish that will be edited by me. Since it was put together in a ridiculously brief amount of time, I apologize in advance for any errors you find herein.

This newsletter, which comes out at least once a quarter, is your main source of information for behind-the-scenes news of a lengthy or expository nature. Hopefully you will turn to the school Usenet newsgroup, uwash.gslis, for moment-to-moment updates and discussion. This newsgroup, along with the student lounge, is one of the main mechanisms for promoting connection and community among the many and varied students in the program. The faculty and the office staff also post important notices there, so it is crucial to stay up with this resource if you want to be in the loop.

You have probably noticed that there are not many print copies of the Silverfish newsletter around, and most of those say "DO NOT REMOVE" on them. This is because it is intended to be a Web-based newsletter, hyperlinked and available from wherever you are; you can print out your own copy if you really want to. There are many other resources on the ALISS web page, including current announcements, the ALISS bylaws (woo-hoo!), contact names and email addresses, and lots of links to interesting stuff both within and beyond the library school.

You will be hearing more about ALISS in the next few weeks, as elections are upcoming. We've all had a great time steering the helm, but are ready to give up our jobs. Don't be afraid if you are a first-year and think you don't know anything - there is actually no better way to get involved and have an impact on the school where you will be spending your next two years.

Here are brief descriptions of the positions you can run for. (More information is available in the ALISS bylaws at http://weber.u.washington.edu/~aliss/what.htm.)

Executive Officers
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, GPSS Senators

The President organizes ALISS meetings and generally makes sure that all other officers and reps are doing their jobs. The President also meets with the School's Director and attends faculty meetings to make sure student views are represented.

The Vice President organizes and delegates responsibility for social events, edits the newsletter, and maintains the ALISS Web page.

The Secretary takes meeting minutes and maintains the recordkeeping in the ALISS office, keeps the calendar and bulletin board outside the lounge, and is in charge of the annual Book Sale held during Autumn Quarter.

The Treasurer is responsible for paying ALISS bills, maintaining and balancing the checkbook and bank accounts, reimbursing other officers for ALISS expenses, purchasing, transporting, and stocking supplies for the lounge snack area, collecting change from the lounge, and making bank deposits as needed. The Treasurer will also attend ALISS meetings and may be required to prepare an annual budget.

The GPSS Senators serve as liaison between library school students and the UW at large, representing our concerns and needs to the GPSS, seeking funding for various functions, and assisting GPSS in recruiting and placing qualified graduate students as representatives to university committees.

Committee Representatives

Elected Committee and Representatives will be as follows: Admissions Committee, Curriculum Committee, Research and Colloquium Committee, Alumni Association, and Student of Color/International Student Liaison.

The Admissions Committee Representative evalutes new GSLIS applicants, attends and votes at committee meetings, with a vote equal in weight to the faculty members on the Committee.

The Curriculum Committee Representative represents the students' voice in curriculum matters at curriculum committee meetings and other forums, and keeps in touch with the students regularly to determine those needs.

The Colloquium Committee Member is responsible for organizing special colloquia sponsored by ALISS, and representing student needs and desires to faculty committee members who organize GSLIS colloquia.

The Alumni Association Representative attends board meetings as a member of the Board of Directors of the GSLIS Alumni Association and serves as Chair of the Convocation Committee, which organizes the final graduation event for the library school.

The Student of Color/International Student Liaison acts as a vehicle by which minority and international students may communicate their needs and concerns to each other as well as to the faculty and administration, and advocates for cultural awareness and sensitivity and for appropriate tools to accommodate students.

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[Editor's Note: Please see the May/June 97 issue of the Silverfish for background information on the Director Search.]

In its initial solicitation of applications, 15 people applied for the position of director of the GSLIS. The committee decided that 7 were qualified, and the search continues with job notices appearing in well-known information science journals and newsgroups. On the funding front, the Provost approved a healthy funding package for the library school including money for the new director, a new faculty position, and four pre-existing faculty positions. No word yet about whether the proposed internship coordinator position will be funded.

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It's that time of year again! Your 1997 SALA officers are planning a number of activities for fall quarter.

For those of you who don't know, SALA is the UW's Student chapter of the American Library Association. SALA is about community service, professional networking and having fun. Throughout the school year we complete a number of service projects in the community. We also organize events aimed at linking students with others in the library profession and sponsor a number of social gatherings.

Here's your chance to get involved with SALA. Here's what's on our slate so far (more to follow):

Northwest Bookfest
SALA is organizing a group of volunteers to help at the third annual Northwest Bookfest on October 25 and 26. Proceeds from this event, held at Pier 48 in Seattle, benefit literacy organizations. Many volunteer positions are available, but there is special need in the kids' areas.

To participate, simply fill out a volunteer form (found on the SALA bulletin board in the Suzzallo classroom) and return it to the envelope on the bulletin board by Thursday, October 2nd. All volunteers must participate in an orientation on Thursday, October 23. You will be contacted with the timeslot and area you will be working. If you have questions, please contact Ginny Allemann at valleman@u.washington.edu or 329-9736.

Happy Hour
Coming soon to a pub near you.

Just a reminder, if you haven't purchased a "Top 10 Reasons to go to Library School" T-shirt, they're still available for $12. Email mdeirdre@u.washington.edu for size availability. Proceeds go to SALA.

We'll have a general meeting at the end of October. Everyone is invited to participate. Details will be posted on the bulletin board in room 127.

Questions? Suggestions for activities? Email bonster@u.washington.edu. For more information, consult the SALA web page at http://weber.u.washington.edu/~bonster/sala/.

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The American Society for Information Science

The UW student chapter of The American Society for Information Science welcomes new and returning students. This is an exciting time. It can also be overwhelming. There is so much to do and so much to remember.

As you make your to-do list and fill in you calendar, we invite you to pencil in time to learn more about ASIS. Watch the board at the back of Suzallo 127 for upcoming events. The UW-ASIS activities provide the opportunity to meet and interact with other information professionals while learning more about information technologies.

We look forward to getting to know everyone on a personal level. Library students have such varied backgrounds which allows everyone to contribute unique experiences, skills and ideas. Please do not hesitate to contact any of the UW-ASIS officers and/or the advisor if you have any questions or comments regarding ASIS or any other issue.

President	Darlene Weber	dweber@u.washington.edu
Vice President	Stephanie Schmidt	sdschmid@u.washington.edu
Publicist	Sean McCain	sdmccain@saul.u.washington.edu
Webmaster	Ken Thompson	kthompso@u.washington.edu
Treasurer	Noriko Low	lowno@foster.com
Advisor	Efthimis Efthimiadis	Efthimis@u.washington.edu

For more information on ASIS, see the homepage at http://www.asis.org which links to our UW ASIS page (http://weber.u.washington.edu/~asisuw).

Come join us. Participation as a member of UW ASIS is not mandatory. It is, however, fun.

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Over the summer a survey of recent graduates concerning the GSLIS curriculum was conducted. It was meant to complement the curriculum survey completed by current GSLIS students in the spring of 1997. It turned out that almost all of the complaints, concerns, and suggestions that current students expressed were also expressed by recent graduates.

Surveys were sent to the 254 students who graduated within the last three years - 1994 through 1996. Sixty-one completed surveys were returned. Thirty-eight had postmarks from the Puget Sound area, while four others had Washington postmarks from other areas. Four surveys had California postmarks, while there were two each from Oregon, New Mexico, Indiana, and "unknown". There was one survey bearing postmarks from each of the following states: Nebraska, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, New York, and Alaska.

The first question the survey posed was: "What is your current job title?" As expected, GSLIS graduates have a wide variety of job titles. "Reference Librarian" was listed by 18 respondents, while some variant on "Children's Librarian" was given by seven respondents. "Librarian I" was given by five respondents, and 4 listed "School Librarian". All other job titles were given only once, and varied wildly. Some examples: Web Developer, Outreach Librarian, Information Management Librarian, Systems Analyst, Cook, Independent Contractor, Media Specialist, Information Aide, Rancher, Engineering Librarian, and Substitute Librarian.

The second question concerned "professional setting." Respondents were given six choices, and answered as follows:

Academic Library	31%
Special Library	17%
School Library	8%
Information Services	0%
Public Library	34%
Other	10%

The third question asked, "How does your current job compare to the professional expectations you had while in library school?" The responses fell into three broad categories:

Comparable to what I expected	52%
Better than I expected	15%
Worse than I expected	23%

The fourth question was, "Which classes that you took in library school have proven to be particularly valuable in your professional setting?" The numbers below refer to the percentage of respondents who mentioned a particular class (only the top ten are included).

528	38%
520	20%
590	16%
Reference (540,541, etc)	15%
Any taught by Carol Doll	15%
503	15%
560	13%
531	13%
530	13%
566	13%

When answering question 5, "Which classes that you took in library school have proven to be of little value?", the following responses were most often given:

500	23%
502	21%
501	13%
520	13%
503	11%
"none"	11%
545	8%
511	7%
Reference (540,541, etc.)	7%
"all"	5%

The final question read, "Please describe what types of classes either were not offered by the LIS program, or that you chose not to take while completing your program, that you believe would be of greatest value to you in your current work." Many different responses were given, but the most overriding concern can be expressed by quoting one respondent's answer: "Computers! Computers! Computers!" The great majority of respondents expressed concern about the lack of classes in such areas as Web development, network management, programming, PC troubleshooting, basic computer skills (Excel, DOS, MS-Word, etc.), HTML, and database construction. Some of these areas are now being covered in classes taught by Dr. Oh, and there are two new Web/networking type courses scheduled for the spring of 1998. It does seem, however, that the curriculum could benefit from even more courses in this area.

Many respondents also mentioned the importance of financial management, funding, and grant writing skills. Interpersonal communication and human resource management were also cited frequently. Several respondents expressed concern that there weren't enough opportunities to take the User Education (560) class. Another concern expressed was the lack of "usefulness" of the reference courses.

Many graduates expressed their overall satisfaction with the GSLIS program while pointing out what they considered its deficiencies. However, there were a few respondents who felt that they had made "an expensive mistake." This survey was done in attempt to determine how the program could be improved, and to give some guidance to current students so they don't make the same mistake. If you are interested in reading the survey results in full, they are in a binder in the Study Room.

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Beginning-of-Quarter Party

Help us ring in a new GSLIS tradition with a great beginning-of-quarter PARTY on October 10. The time will be 8:00 p.m., the location to be announced. Mark your calendars! Watch for abundant signage!

Colloquium - October 7, 2:30-4:00
Darla Linville

Discussion of recent cutbacks in publishing industry, that they don't want to publish any authors who will not be bestsellers, essentially. Also, there is a move by publishers to stop selling to bookstores that do not purchase more than $10,000 worth of books annually, so virtually all independent booksellers would have to buy through distributors (e.g., Baker and Taylor). This is seen as a threat to intellectual freedom, as a segment of the ideas out there will no longer be published because they are not considered sellable. Scheduled to speak is Karen Maeda Allman from Red & Black Books, hopefully we can also get Michael Mossberg from Elliott Bay Book Company and maybe someone else.

Annual Library School Book Sale

The annual book sale is always a big event around GSLIS. Massive donations will be sold at rock-bottom prices like $1. This year's sale is scheduled for the end of October in the lunchroom at By George (underneath Odegaard Undergraduate Library). We will need many volunteers! Stay tuned for details.

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