Beyond the previously covered elected positions they fill, Illinois Library Faculty serve the profession through appointments to task forces and planning groups that address pressing issues in library and information science. They are shaping changes to the revised information literacy competency standards, creating research agendas for science librarians, and more. What follows are highlights from the ways our library faculty is moving the profession forward.
Librarian: Merinda Hensley, Assistant Professor and Instructional Services Librarian, Scholarly Commons Co-Coordinator
Appointed Positions: Member of the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education Task Force, 2012–2015 and Member of the ACRL Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy Task Force, 2013-2015
Mission: The ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education Task Force has been charged with updating the information literacy competency standards for higher education so that they reflect the current thinking on such things as the creation and dissemination of knowledge, the changing global higher education and learning environment, the shift from information literacy to information fluency, and the expanding definition of information literacy to include multiple literacies.
The ACRL Intersections of Scholarly Communication and Information Literacy Task Force is charged with promoting the use of the Intersections white paper to the ACRL membership by monitoring and responding to reactions to the white paper and the use of the white paper, as well as proposing and delivering sustainable professional development opportunities building on the ideas and recommendations of the white paper.
Librarian: Lisa Hinchliffe, Professor & Coordinator for Information Literacy Services and Instruction
Appointed Position: Member of the 2014 Horizon Project Expert Panel for Academic and Research Libraries
Mission: The New Media Consortium (NMC) Horizon Project reports investigate “emerging technologies for teaching, learning, research, and creative inquiry.” Shaped by around 50 experts, this 2014 report will be the first to investigate emerging technologies in the context of global academic and research libraries.
Librarian: Lori S. Mestre, Associate Professor and Head, Undergraduate Library
Appointed Position: Member of the REFORMA National Conference IV Program Planning Committee
Mission: REFORMA is the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking. As a member of the program planning committee, Lori Mestre will help to plan the programs and selection of presenters for the National Conference to be held April 2015 in San Diego.
Librarian: Sarah Shreeves, Associate Professor and IDEALS Coordinator and Scholarly Commons Co-Coordinator
Appointed Position: Member of the DSpace Technology Planning Group
Mission: The DSpace Technology Planning Group was recently formed to help provide a roadmap for future development of DSpace for the consideration of the DSpace Steering Committee. As part of the group, Sarah Shreeves is contributing her perspective as a long time repository manager and an active member of the DSpace community.
Librarian: Kelli Trei, Assistant Professor and Biosciences Librarian
Appointed Position: Member of the Association of College and Research Libraries, Science and Technology Libraries Section (ACRL/STS) Research Agenda Task Force
Mission: Tasked with establishing a research agenda for ACRL/STS, the Research Agenda Task Force will recommend “areas for exploration in science and technology library research.” They will also work to develop a virtual space to enable librarians to pursue research related to this agenda and make contacts for collaborative research projects.
