Friday and Saturday, November 15 and 16, 2019
University of Illinois School of Information Sciences
Rooms 126 and 131, 501 E. Daniel, Champaign, IL
Free to all, and since the event ended, registration has closed
Friday, November 15
5-7 pm (reception follows the session)
The 29th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture:
“The evolving library profession and education driving social justice: a perspective from the Global South” video
Deans’ welcome by Stephen Downie, Professor and Associate Dean for Research
Reggie Raju, Director of Research & Learning, University of Cape Town Libraries slides as pdf | video he showed
Chair: Clara M. Chu, Mortenson Distinguished Professor and Director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs
Saturday, November 16
8:30 am – Continental breakfast
9-10:20 am – Session 1. Past/Present: The achievements of our libraries, librarians, and library education video
John Wilkin, Dean of Libraries and University Librarian
Fred Schlipf, Director Emeritus, Urbana Free Library; Adjunct Professor
Essie Harris, Manager, Douglass Branch, Champaign Public Library
Welcome and Chair: Kate Williams, Associate Professor and Director, Community Informatics Research Lab pdf of opening remarks
After an evening of thinking globally, we start today with four stories of historical achievement. This will help us understand the potential of our hard-won library institutions. What have the public library, the academic library, and library education accomplished? How did they do it?
Break
10:40 am-Noon – Session 2. Technology: How does it transform libraries, and vice versa? video
Robert Wedgeworth, Board Member, IMLS; UI University Librarian Emeritus; ALA Director Emeritus; IFLA President Emeritus; and iSchool alum
Lian Ruan, Director, Illinois Fire Service Library, and iSchool alum slides as pdf
Bharat Mehra, Professor and EBSCO Endowed Chair in Social Justice, University of Alabama, and iSchool alum slides as pdf
Respondent: Yoo Seong Song, Associate Professor
Chair: Jodi Schneider, Assistant Professor
This session starts from broad technology transformations that are well underway. The Internet, the algorithm, big data. How do these change libraries? What are librarians and library programs doing with these new arrivals? What might they do?
Noon-1 pm – Lunch
1-2:20 pm – Session 3. Democracy: Does it depend on libraries and librarians? Or vice versa? video
Lacy Spraggins McDonald, Director, History and Genealogy Library, Hayner Public Library, and iSchool alum
Carol Inskeep, Urbana Free Library and iSchool alum
Respondent: Emily Knox, Associate Professor, and iSchool alum
Chair: Inkyung Choi, Lecturer
This session starts with the people in the communities we serve. Libraries have been the arsenals of democracy, a near-ubiquitous institution of book culture and rational thinking and learning. They are slowly becoming diverse, inclusive, and sustainable. Libraries are also public places playing new roles in service-poor communities. What professional practices do we hold onto? What are the new ones?
Break
2:40-4 pm – Session 4. Library education: What will we need to go forward? video
Maria Bonn, Associate Professor and MSLIS Program Director slides as pdf
Joyce Latham, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee School of Information Studies, and iSchool alum
Terry Weech, Associate Professor, and iSchool alum slides as pdf
Respondent: Reggie Raju, Director of Research & Learning, University of Cape Town Libraries
Chair: Kate Williams, Associate Professor
Where do history, technology, and democracy belong in the curriculum and the LIS program generally? What exactly regarding technology do we need there? And what about democracy, culture, service, diversity, inclusivity, sustainability? And what else do we need to be teaching, learning, and studying?
Free to all, and since the event ended, registration has closed
If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in any of the program, please email katewill@illinois.edu. Early requests help us better meet your access needs. Thank you!