Category: News

Posted on

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science is Hiring Four Faculty

Come join the team at the University of South Carolina changing the world! We are looking for four positions this year.

Augusta Baker Chair (https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/21265)

The College of Information and Communications at the University of South Carolina seeks an outstanding candidate to fill the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair in Childhood Literacy, the first academic chair at the University of South Carolina honoring an African-American woman. Augusta Baker was the first African-American Director of Children’s Services at the New York Public Library and former Storyteller-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina.

The College of Information and Communications is seeking a candidate that will build on Augusta Baker’s legacy by advancing our knowledge of youth literacy and services in traditional and digital environments. The successful candidate will provide national and state leadership in the teaching, research, and service missions of the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS). The Chair will be actively involved with the South Carolina Center for Children’s Books and Literacy, an initiative dedicated to research, development, and community involvement to eliminate illiteracy in South Carolina and across the country.

The SLIS-MLIS program is fully accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), and its school librarianship preparation program is approved by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). In addition to the MLIS degree, SLIS offers the Ph.D. and two other post-master’s degrees. The School also offers an undergraduate degree in information science. The University of South Carolina is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse faculty, staff, and student body, and is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

Associate/Full Professor (https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/19787)

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science in Columbia invites applications and nominations for a tenured faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor level to begin fall 2018.

Shape the future of library and information science. Pursue your interests in a diverse, intellectually stimulating, and multi-disciplinary environment that provides support and encouragement as part of a collaborative work culture. Be a strong voice in the shaping of a growing information science undergraduate program. An earned doctorate in library and information science or a related field is preferred. This position requires a clearly articulated research agenda and enthusiasm for and excellence in teaching in both online and face-to-face formats.

The School is particularly interested in a candidate with specializations in one or more of the following areas:

Information Science
Academic Libraries
Research Methodologies
Information Retrieval
Archives
Digital Repositories

Selected candidates will be expected to help with the school’s commitment to diversity through research, teaching, and service.

Responsibilities:
Instruct undergraduate and graduate courses in both face-to-face as well as online environments
Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students
Participate in instruction, research, publication, grant writing, and other scholarly activities
Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community

Instructor (https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/19718)

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science in Columbia invites applications for a non-tenure track 11-month instructor position.

Shape the future of library and information science. Pursue your interests in a diverse, intellectually stimulating, and multi-disciplinary environment that provides support and encouragement as part of a collaborative work culture. Those with an earned master in library and information science, information technology, or a related field are encouraged to apply. This position requires experience and enthusiasm for teaching in both online and face-to-face formats. Non-tenure track faculty at The University of South Carolina are engaged in instruction, service, administration, and research.

Responsibilities:
Instruct undergraduate and graduate courses in both face-to-face as well as online environments
Remain current in developments and trends in subject and research areas
Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students
Support the mission of the South Carolina Center for Children’s Books and Literacy including Cocky’s Reading Express, this could include fundraising and grant writing
Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community
The School is particularly interested in candidates with a specialization in one or more of the following:
Young Adult Services
Digital Literacy
Children’s and Teen Literature
School Libraries

Selected candidates will be expected to help with the school’s commitment to diversity through research, teaching, and service.

Visiting Professor (https://uscjobs.sc.edu/postings/21262)

The School of Library and Information Science invites applications from exceptional candidates for a visiting position for the fall and spring terms of the 2018-19 academic year. Specifically, we are looking for a visiting professor to collaborate with a faculty dedicated to social impact through information, knowledge, and librarianship. Rank will be determined commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

The School of Library and Information Science faculty is accomplished and engaging. It is a vibrant intellectual culture at the flagship campus of the University of South Carolina. With our colleagues in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications we make up the College of Information and Communications. The successful candidate will be working with a school with extensive regional and international ties

Minimum Qualification is a Master’s Degree

Posted on

New Design

Nothing like a misbehaving WordPress theme to motivate a site redesign. The good news is that the site loads a lot faster. I’ll no doubt be tinkering with it a bit, but interested in your comments.

All the content and links should be unaffected, but please let me know if you see broken stuff.

Posted on

Hearst awards major grant to College of Information and Communications

Hearst awards major grant to College of Information and Communications
Posted July 5, 2017
by Rebekah Friedman
Photo: Students, faculty and staff participate in South Carolina’s “Read-In” at the State House.

The College of Information and Communications has received a $100,000 Hearst Foundations grant to strengthen South Carolina communities through comprehensive literacy efforts.

The grant will fund the Community Based Literacy Initiative, a partnership between the South Carolina Center for Children’s Books and Literacy (SCCCBL) and USC’s College of Education. The initiative builds upon work already being done by Cocky’s Reading Express, SCCCBL’s statewide outreach program.
Continue reading “Hearst awards major grant to College of Information and Communications”

Posted on

Summer SLIS Update

Greetings my Friends,

Normally summer is a slow period in academia, but not at the School of Library and Information Science. The faculty, students, and staff have been busy moving forward Carolina’s Knowledge School.

The big news is that the school’s graduate program in library and information science has been reaccredited by the American Library Association! This has been a multi-year process that has involved all parts of the school. The faculty worked with our National Advisory Council and our Diversity Leadership Group to put together a program report that covered all aspects of the school. ALA looked at everything from our curriculum, to the moral of our students, to the condition of Davis College. While there are always things for us to improve upon, the committee gave us the thumbs up.
Continue reading “Summer SLIS Update”

Posted on

University of South Carolina LIS Program Re-accredited

The American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation has granted re-accreditation to the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program at the University of South Carolina. The designation, effective for seven years, is held by only 60 programs nationwide.

“Having accreditation from the American Library Association not only allows us to continue to serve the citizens of South Carolina and libraries around the world, but it’s also a mark of quality,” says Dr. David Lankes, director of the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS).

Members of the ALA’s External Review Panel visited the university in March to review all aspects of the MLIS program, from curriculum to faculty quality. Following that visit, the panel identified four strengths: community engagement, vision and strategic planning, graduate student access to faculty and faculty advising, and high morale among students and employees.

The accreditation announcement comes just months after U.S. News and World Report ranked USC among the top 20 ALA-accredited programs in the country and among the top five for the School Library Media specialty.

Lankes credits the SLIS community with the program’s success.

“This is the result of thousands of hours of dedicated work by faculty, staff, students and professionals from the field,” Lankes says. “We believe that time was well spent and represents our dedication to librarianship and the power of librarians to transform lives and communities across the globe.”

For more information on the School of Library and Information Science, visit http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/library_and_information_science.

Posted on

The Social Responsibility of the Library and the Librarian in a Post-Factual World

Follett Lecture Featuring David Lankes

Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 – 6:00pm

Location: Martin Recital Hall

Dr. R. David Lankes, 2016-17 Follett Chair, associate dean of the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications and director of the School of Library and Information Science there, will present the 2017 Follett Lecture, titled “The Social Responsibility of the Library and the Librarian in a Post-Factual World.” The author of The Atlas of New Librarianship and Expect More, he is a strong advocate for innovation and excellence in twenty-first century libraries.

Respondent panelists include Nicole A. Cooke, assistant professor at the School of Information Sciences and faculty affiliate of the Center for Digital Inclusion at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Miguel Figueroa, director of the American Library Association’s Center for the Future of Libraries; and Scott Walter, university librarian at DePaul University.

The lecture will take place at 6 p.m., followed by a reception; it is free and open to the public, with registration required. The Follett Lecture is generously supported by the Follett Corporation. For more information, please contact SOIS Assistant Dean Diane Foote at [email protected], 708-524-6054.

Posted on

December Update

[As director of the University of South Carolina School of Information and Library Science I send out a monthly update to faculty, students, alumni, and partners. This month seemed like a good time to sharing them here a well.]

It is time for a December update on the school. Today marks the end of the Fall semester, and the halfway point for my first year as director. Given the end of the year and commencement is coming pardon me if I get a bit reflective in this update.

November and December have been busy months for SLIS. Here is just a taste of what have been up to:

  • Darin Freeburg had an article accepted to the Journal of Information Science.
  • Jennifer Arns presented at the Copenhagen Business School at the Design Conference.
  • Heather Moorefield-Lang had two proposals accepted at ALA Conference. By the way she is also running for AASL region 4 director, so if you are an AASL member in Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia please consider supporting her.
  • Cocky’s Reading Express continues to keep rolling and is the subject of a piece for ETV’s Palmetto Scene for their work with SCE&G. Also, our own doctoral candidate Liz Hartnett will join the South Carolina Center for Children’s Books and Literacy in the new year.

This month caps off a very busy semester for SLIS. Here is list of some of the things we’ve been working on this semester:

  • Began the search for 4 new members of the faculty.
  • Prepared for our ALA Accreditation by drafting a pretty hefty program study.
  • Celebrated the 10th Anniversary ALL Awards and recognized champions for literacy in South Carolina.
  • Raised the visibility of research at SLIS highlighting our research related to the 1,000 year Columbia Flood, our international work, and posting a major presence at conferences such as IFLA.
  • Built strong collaborations with the Honors program and the Schools of Education and Engineering.
  • Made improvements to Davis College including better lighting and an upgraded teaching lab.
  • Continued to work to grow our undergraduate program and improve all of our degrees with your feedback.

Not bad for a semester. And we have no plans to slow down in the new year.

I also had a great trip to Maine for the Maine Library Association Conference in November. A shout out to our Maine alums (and current students). I learned a lot about the history of bringing the South to the North.

At the conference, I talked about how these days of fake news and an unprecedented presidential election make it an extremely important time for librarians and librarianship. You can hear the whole thing here: https://davidlankes.org/?p=9050

We have all been doing a lot of thinking about these kinds of issues as we work through our Knowledge School Initiative. Through listening sessions and site visits to iSchools it is becoming more and more apparent that it is time to move the conversation of Library and Information Science as a field forward.

For too long we have participated in a semantic game with librarianship and information science. Are they separate? Is information science the evolution of library science or the transferrable parts outside the context of libraries?

Here is where I keep finding myself: library science is the soul of information science and must act as the conscience. It is the necessary question about why we organize and how we should use our knowledge, technology, and tools. It is the quest for social justice in social science.

The knowledge school we are envisioning at SLIS – that we are building in South Carolina with our students, staff, faculty, alumni, and partners – is one grounded in great scholarship that makes a difference in society. As a scholarly community, it is our obligation to identify important issues in our communities, to investigate them, and then to make our communities better with what we find.

That is the signature we have at SLIS. I am only the latest steward of a tradition that sees the role of academia to be an engine of optimism and positive change. It is a tradition that sees illiteracy and works to bring the right of reading to all. It is the tradition that sees the importance of faith communities to community knowledge and seeks to ensure those communities get beyond echo chambers of like ideas. It is a tradition that has examined the history of our profession in social movements and seeks to keep that spirit of activism alive. We marry statistics and data science with marches on the capital. We prepare students in a classroom and on the front lines. We use busses, and YouTube, and journal articles to not only hold up a reflection to our society, but to spur action.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or simply enjoy the bright lights in the dark winter day I wish you peace, and rest, and rejuvenation. Take this time to seek out and model the best of our values. You are part of an important movement and we have need of each and every one of you in the New Year.

Posted on

Announcing a School of Library and Information Science Listening Tour

headphones with cord isolated on white background

Greetings. My name is David Lankes and I am the new director of the University of South Carolina’s School of Library and Information Science. The staff, students, and faculty of the school have been busy over the past few months building and refining a growth plan for the school. We’re calling it the “Knowledge School,” and we need your input and help.

The plan covers ideas to improve the professional image of librarians, expand the undergraduate program in information science, and grow the national and international reputation of the school. It seeks to build on a strong foundation, but it requires your input. What are your thoughts on our current programs? What opportunities do you see for greater partnerships? How can we both support the library community, and expand our reach into industry and government all while retaining our core values of helping communities make better decisions? What tools do you need to better connect to the school?

I hope you can make one of the following sessions. Each one will layout our current plans as a starting point for discussion and input to move us forward.

Tuesday, November 8, 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
University of South Carolina’s Thomas Cooper Library
Hollings Library Program Room

Thursday, November 10, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
South Carolina Library Association Conference
Columbia Marriott, 1200 Hampton St, Columbia
Palmetto Balllroom

Tuesday, November 22, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
Richland Library Main, 1431 Assembly St, Columbia
2nd Floor Theater

If you can’t make the meeting I hope you’ll still share your ideas with me at [email protected]. We are open to all your ideas and suggestions both now and in the future.

If you would like to host a session in your community please let me know.

Posted on

Faculty Position in LIS Technology Instructor at the University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science in Columbia invites applications for a non-tenure track instructor position to begin Fall 2017.

Shape the future of library and information science. Pursue your interests in a diverse, intellectually stimulating, and multi-disciplinary environment that provides support and encouragement as part of a collaborative work culture. An earned Masters in library and information science, information technology, or a related field is required, and doctoral candidates who are ABD with a fixed graduation date are encouraged to apply. This position requires experience and enthusiasm for teaching in both online and face-to-face formats. Non-tenure track faculty at The University of South Carolina are engaged in research, service, instruction, and administration.

The School is particularly interested in candidates with a specialization in one or more of the following:

  • library systems
  • web development
  • technology acquisitions
  • system implementation

Selected candidates will be expected to help with the school’s commitment to diversity through research, teaching, and service.

The School of Library and Information Science has a growing Bachelor of Science in Information Science program and a joint Certificate of Health Communications with Public Health and Communication.  The School’s MLIS degree program is fully accredited by the American Library Association.  The school library preparation program is part of the University’s Professional Education Unit which is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).  The School also offers three programs of advanced study beyond the Master’s degree (the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Library and Information Science, the Specialist in Library and Information Science, and the Ph.D. in Library and Information Science).

The School has a strong commitment to distance education and is one of two Schools in the College of Information and Communications.

The second is the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The School is located on the campus’ historic Horseshoe. It has nationally recognized programs in school library media, youth services, and medical librarianship. Since its inception, the School has emphasized the use of information technology as a vital component of library and information services.

Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina-Columbia is the flagship campus of an eight-campus, fully accredited, state-supported system. USC­ Columbia has strong undergraduate and graduate programs and other highly regarded professional schools including: medicine, law, education, engineering, social work, pharmacy, public health, arts and sciences, nursing, and business administration. The University is a Carnegie Research I institution. Approximately 33,000 students are enrolled on the Columbia campus and more than 44,000 throughout the system. The City of Columbia is the state capital with a metropolitan area population of almost half a million. It is a state center of financial, transportation, and industrial development, and it has a rich historical and cultural tradition.  It is located within easy driving distance of both mountains and coast.

Responsibilities:

  • Instruct undergraduate and graduate courses in both face-to-face as well as online environments
  • Remain current in developments and trends in subject and research areas
  • Establish a growing research agenda
  • Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Masters in library and information science, information technology, or a related field is required, and doctoral candidates who are ABD with a fixed graduation date are encouraged to apply
  • Ability to teach at the undergraduate and graduate level
  • Knowledge in creating educational materials for face-to-face and online instruction

Preferred Qualifications

  • Teaching experience at the collegiate level
  • Teaching experience in an online or distance education environment
  • Experience in management or teaching management courses

Applications and nominations are invited for this position available in August 2017. Salary is fully competitive. The Committee will begin full review of applications and nominations October 31, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled.

TO APPLY: Applicants should send a letter of application and a complete resume/CV including the names of three references to Ms. Angela Wright at [email protected] or by mail to School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina, Davis College, 1501 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.

For further information, questions, or to submit nominations, send an email to Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang, Committee Chair at [email protected] or call at 803-777-0224

School Information is available at http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/library_and_information_science

Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. The University of South Carolina is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution.

[Be aware it may take the official university a couple of days to post the job and application information]

Posted on

Faculty Position: Information Scientist and Information Designer at the University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science in Columbia invites applications and nominations for two tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to begin fall 2017.

Shape the future of library and information science. Pursue your interests in a diverse, intellectually stimulating, and multi-disciplinary environment that provides support and encouragement as part of a collaborative work culture. Be a strong voice in the shaping of a growing information science undergraduate program. An earned doctorate in library and information science or a related field is preferred, while strong candidates who are ABD with a fixed graduation date will be considered. This position requires a clearly articulated research agenda, and enthusiasm for and excellence in teaching in both online and face-to-face formats.

The School is particularly interested in two candidates with specializations in one or more of the following areas:

  • Information Science
  • Information Retrieval, Storage, and Access
  • Human Computer Interaction
  • Databases
  • Knowledge Management
  • User Experience and Service
  • Web Systems
  • Metadata
  • Data Analytics

Selected candidates will be expected to help with the school’s commitment to diversity through research, teaching, and service.

The School of Library and Information Science has a growing Bachelor of Science in Information Science program and a joint Certificate of Health Communications with Public Health and Communications. The School’s MLIS degree program is fully accredited by the American Library Association.  The school library preparation program is part of the University’s Professional Education Unit which is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).  The School also offers three programs of advanced study beyond the Master’s degree (the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Library and Information Science, the Specialist in Library and Information Science, and the Ph.D. in Library and Information Science).  Faculty teach across all degree programs.

The School has a strong commitment to distance education and is one of two Schools in the College of Information and Communications. The second is the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The School is located on the campus’ historic Horseshoe. It has nationally recognized programs in school library media, youth services, and medical librarianship. Since its inception, the School has emphasized the use of information technology as a vital component of library and information services.

Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina-Columbia is the flagship campus of an eight-campus, fully accredited, state-supported system. USC­ Columbia has strong undergraduate and graduate programs and other highly regarded professional schools including: medicine, law, education, engineering, social work, pharmacy, public health, arts and sciences, nursing, and business administration. The University is a Carnegie Research I institution. Approximately 33,000 students are enrolled on the Columbia campus and more than 44,000 throughout the system. The City of Columbia is the state capital with a metropolitan area population of almost half a million. It is a state center of financial, transportation, and industrial development, and it has a rich historical and cultural tradition.  It is located within easy driving distance of both mountains and coast.

Responsibilities:

  • Participate in instruction, research, publication, grant writing, and other scholarly activities
  • Instruct undergraduate and graduate courses in both face-to-face as well as online environments
  • Mentor and advise undergraduate and graduate students
  • Provide service to the department, college, university, profession, and community

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Earned doctorate in by time of appointment in library and information studies or related field
  • Capacity to teach in an undergraduate program
  • Ability to conduct scholarly research in the field
  • Capacity to teach and mentor at the graduate level
  • Knowledge in creating educational materials for face-to-face and online instruction
  • Understand and appreciate information science’s connection to field of librarianship

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Teaching experience at the collegiate level
  • Teaching experience in an online or distance education environment
  • Active involvement in one or more professional organizations appropriate to area of expertise
  • Experience in management or teaching management courses
  • Experience in procuring grants or external funding

Applications and nominations are invited for positions to be available in August 2017. Salary is fully competitive. The Committee will begin full review of applications and nominations October 31, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled.

TO APPLY: Applicants should send a letter of application and a complete resume/CV including the names of three references to Ms. Angela Wright at [email protected] or by mail to School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina, Davis College, 1501 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.

For further information, questions, or to submit nominations, send an email to Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang, Committee Chair at [email protected] or call at 803-777-0224

School Information is available at http://www.sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/cic/library_and_information_science

Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. The University of South Carolina is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution.

[Be aware it may take the official university a couple of days to post the job and application information]