Winter
Faculty Members Receive Grants
Professor France Bouthillier received $42,380 from SSHRC, $44,940 from FCAR and $11,450 from FCAR Equipment for her project "Design of an Information Service Model for Small Businesses in the Context of the Public Library."
Professor Diane Mittermeyer received $5,000 from the Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation and $2,000 from the Council of Administrators of Large Urban Public Libraries to continue her project "The Canadian Public Library Effectiveness Study."
Professor Lorna Rees-Potter received $10,000 from CIDA for her project "Library School Curriculum Development in Indonesia."
Spring
Grads, Employers Help Chart Future Course for School
In the spring of 2000, the firm of Gagnon Charuest conducted, on the School's behalf, focus groups on "Trends in the Field of Library and Information Studies."
Two groups were formed, one of alumni and the other of employers of the School's graduates. Four major themes were considered: (1) future trends, (2) the School's response to these trends, (3) required skills and competencies, and (4) the School's name and vision statement.
Overall, the focus groups reported on the fast pace of change and the growing importance of information technology. Although the School was considered to be doing a "good job" teaching foundation skills, faster adaptation to new areas was urged. Technology should be integrated into existing courses, it was felt, rather than new technology courses being developed.
Skills mentioned as being of particular importance for today's graduates included: business and management skills, project management skills, and skills in negotiating licences and dealing with suppliers.
There was no suggestion from the groups that the School's name needed changing or that the word "library" should be dropped. Concern was expressed, however, about the relation of the vision statement of the School with the reality of its activities, particularly in areas such as innovation and leadership.
Summer
Training in Huridocs
For one week in July (12 - 18) 2000, an intensive specialized training in the Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems (HURIDOCS) was offered within the Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies program.
HURIDOCS is a network which develops library tools, information retrieval systems, and training packages for human rights organizations.
Sponsored by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and coordinated by Professor Diane Mittermeyer, the training session focused on documenting Indonesian human rights violations. Its objective was to analyze human rights violations in the light of definitions of human rights, instruments, classification schemes and HURIDOCS applications.
The session was especially designed to build upon and expand the knowledge base and research interests of Ms. Atikah Nur ´aini, a student in the Graduate Diploma program. A colleague of Ms. Nur ´aini at the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights, Mr. Andi Nurman Nurusman, also attended the session.