Future Plans for the LIS Library

January 14, 2009

Dear friends and colleagues,

As you know, we are developing a new service model for the Library & Information Science Library.  The COMM-LISS team submitted an interim report with a set of recommendations in November.  The University Library's Executive Committee reviewed the report in December and asked the team to move ahead with an implementation plan, which is now close to being finalized.  We want to share the broad outlines of the coming changes with you now.

  • The physical LIS Library will close.  Its last day of operation will be Friday, May 15.
  • Sue Searing and Sandy Wolf will continue to work full-time on building the LIS collections and serving information-seekers.
  • The books and journals currently housed in 306 Main Library will be distributed to appropriate departmental libraries, with the majority of the print collection going into the Main Stacks.  Seldom-used materials and works that are duplicated in the library's electronic collections are being transferred to the Oak Street facility.
  • Sue and Sandy will have office space both at GSLIS and in the Main Library.  Lori Carroll, long-time LIS Library staff member, has transferred to the Chemistry Library.  Patsy Inskip has joined the LIS Library staff on a half-time basis through May.
  • During spring semester, two independent study students will collaborate with Sue to identify and organize content for an enhanced subject portal to replace the existing departmental library website.
  • The library will continue to acquire LIS serials and other publications in electronic format; however, it will NOT cease acquiring print, since much information in the field is still available only in print.

You may recall that the Library's Budget Group Plus recommended merging the LIS Library into the Communications Library to create a "Media and Information Studies" library.  After further study by the COMM-LISS team, it was decided that the two libraries will pursue new service models independently.  For more details, please read the interim report [ html | pdf ] and other documents generated by the team.

A great many people have contributed to the planning, including members of the COMM-LISS team (Katie Newman, Sue Searing, Lori Miller, Lisa Romero, Linda Smith, Brant Houston, and JoAnn Jacoby).   We thank everyone who submitted written feedback, spoke up at forums, completed surveys, circulated petitions, etc.  As we move into the implementation phase, we ask for your continued support.

During spring semester, the LIS Library will remain open as a full-service departmental library.  However, work is already underway to facilitate the transition, and these activities will accelerate in the coming months.  We ask for your patience and cooperation as we ready the collections for transfer and dedicate time to developing virtual content and services.

Sincerely,

Paula Kaufman, Dean of Libraries
Sue Searing, Library & Information Science Librarian