Graduation, ALA Conference, and Diligent Advisors!

Hurray! It's spring AND it's graduation! As you know from my
previous updates, graduation is my favorite celebration. I love to meet
our students' families and friends and help rejoice in the
accomplishment of attaining a graduate degree. The Masters degree in
library and information science is the passport for work in service of
our cultural heritage. There is no better feeling than knowing what you
do is important and can change lives - we make sure people have access
to the information they need in perpetuity. There is no expiration date
for what we do. There is no greater reward than seeing the spark of
understanding in someone you have helped.

I hope you will be able to join us for any or all of the following
events on Friday, May 9.

1. 3:00 Commencement in the Colonial Center
2. 4:30 Reception and Celebration of the SLIS Graduates in Davis
College 112
3. 5:30 Beta Phi Mu Inductions and SLIS Awards Ceremony in Davis
College 209

Also, we will be celebrating our Maine Lobster 3 graduates on August 3
at the Maple Hill Farm outside of Augusta, Maine.

If you missed the 1st annual conference on "Connecting Cultures and
Celebrating Cuentos" mark your calendars now for April 24 - 25, 2009.
We co-sponsored the conference with the College of Education and our Dr.
Jamie Naidoo and Dr. Julia Lopez-Robertson organized and planned the
full day event. More than 300 people came to learn about literature and
services for Latino youth. It was a wonderful celebration of
acceptance, respect and understanding. Please let Jamie know how much
we appreciate his good work! www.libsci.sc.edu/latinoconf

ALA is going to be in Anaheim, CA the end of June. We have some big
shot moments at the conference. Don't miss:

1. Our LISSA Student Chapter officers receive the ALA Student
Chapter of the Year award on Sunday right after the Alumni Tea.
www.libsci.sc.edu/lissaaward/lissafirst.htm
2. The Alumni Tea on Sunday afternoon!
3. Dr. Nancy Zimmerman receives the AASL lifetime achievement award
at the AASL Award Luncheon on Monday, the 30th of June at noon.

If you can't make these events, never fear! We have many ways to
keep you involved and feeling part of the SLIS community. You can watch
colloquia and presentations on the web, join our Facebook community,
visit our reference center in Second Life, meet with us live through
Adobe Connect, email, phone or stop in to say "Hey!" Let me know if
you want more information about any of these communication formats.

Welcome Andy Thomas as our first undergraduate advisor!
athomas@gwm.sc.edu He has been working hard to get our first bachelor
students for the information science degree matriculated.

Tilda Reeder, our graduate advisor is working hard getting our new
students cleared and our graduating students ready for work! You can
reach her at reedert@gwm.sc.edu for questions about the MLIS.

Stay in touch this summer, let us know what we can do for you and enjoy
the sun!

Yours,

sam