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Diversity becomes focus of Library School centennial event, Feb. 10
Posted 2/6/2006
MADISON, Wis. -- Diversity in librarianship will be a key topic next Friday when the UW-Madison's School of Library and Information Studies kicks off its centennial year celebrations.
The program from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, brings diversity experts from around the country to campus for "Diversity: Enhancing Our Learning Community." Panelists will include: UW alumna Rhea Lawson, director of the Houston (Texas) Public Library; UW alumnus LeRoy LaFleur, reference/liaison librarian at George Mason University, Va.; and Tracie Hall, head of the Office for Diversity, American Library Association, Chicago.
"The forum will focus on the importance of diversity in creating learning communities that are welcoming and fruitful for all of us," said SLIS Director Louise Robbins. The discussion will cover career opportunities in library and information studies and address diversity issues in librarianship and its educational programs.
The program will also introduce an undergraduate internship program, which is a cooperative venture of the school with the UW-Madison Library. The program is designed to encourage students from underrepresented groups to consider librarianship as a career goal. Library staff participating in planning the SLIS event and the new internship program include: Ken Frazier, Sandra Guthrie, Carrie Kruse, Lis Owens, Emilie Ngo Nguidjol, Janice Rice, Lisa Saywell and Nola Walker. They worked in cooperation with Robbins, Barbara Arnold, Linda Mundt and Kate Beard of SLIS.
The forum will be broadcast to other universities participating with UW-Madison in a National Science Foundation program to increase diversity in the social, behavioral and educational sciences. Support for the videoconference is coming from the office of Judi Roller, associate dean of the College of Letters and Science.
The forum will be held in the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St., Madison, followed by a reception honoring campus colleagues, area librarians and other friends.
Although open to the public at no charge, registration for the program and reception is required by calling Dolores Liamba or Jay Huemmer at 608-263-2900, uw-slis@slis.wisc.edu. The deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 8