USF SLIS Student Organizations Campaign Makes American Libraries Direct

The USF SLIS Student Organizations campaign for LSU’s library school has made today’s American Libraries Direct.

South Florida students lobby for LSU library school
The Board of Governors at Louisiana State University announced in May that they were considering closing the library and information science program, among others, due to budget cuts. After hearing this, the University of South Florida’s SLIS Student Organization decided to set up an email and social media campaign to let LSU know how they feel about the importance of a degree for information professionals….
Librarians-in-Training, June 9

You can join our campaign by sending an email to the LSU Board of Supervisors. You can read more on how you can participate by reading our blog article describing our campaign. Please do not forget about copying your response to our email address: slisstudentorgs@usf.edu. This will allow the student organizations to keep track of the number of participants  in this campaign.

This campaign has brought up some questions by students and alumni on the future of library schools and finding jobs in our profession. The USF Student Organizations will work on creating workshops and resources over the fall semester to assist students in becoming knowledgeable in what skills public, school, academic, and special libraries are looking for in graduates. Please feel free to email us your ideas for workshops during the fall semester at slisstudentorgs@usf.edu.

Filed under: Save LSU SLIS Program

USF SLIS Student Organizations Join Campaign for Saving LSU SLIS

From Save LSU's SLIS Program Facebook Group Page

The Board of Governors at Louisiana State University (LSU) announced last month that they were considering closing its Library and Information Science (LIS) program, among others, due to budget cuts. This announcement prompted a quick mobilization of the School’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni, all of whom intend to show the governors the need for the program, which constitutes the only library school in the state of Louisiana.

The University of South Florida’s School of Library and Information Science (USF SLIS) Student Organizations are comprised of student chapters of professional organizations: the American Library Association (ALA), the American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIST), and the Special Libraries Association (SLA). After learning about the events in Louisiana, the students in the organization realized that Florida’s schools of Library Science, as well as those in other states, need to join forces with their Louisiana’s peers in order to make a broader statement about the importance of schools that prepare information professionals.

For that reason…

The Student Organizations at USF SLIS are asking all of USF’s students, alumni, and faculty to add your voices to the fight for librarianship:

If you believe that schools of library and information science are not only important but vital for the cultural, educational, and social well-being of each state’s communities, then let LSU’s authorities know that in Florida we support LSU SLIS:

How?

• You can use a template that the USF SLIS Student Organizations created for your convenience. You can find the template in the following post on the Student Organizations’ blog: Librarians-In-Training.
• You can send your own message, voicing your thoughts and arguments in a letter, e-mail or call. You can retrieve some ideas for your letter on the Save LSU SLIS Public Wiki.
• You can join the Save LSU’s SLIS Program page in Facebook and write a message there, as well as keep up-to-date with the latest developments.
• You can join the USF SLIS Student Organizations’ Facebook page to follow the events and participate in the dialogue with your peers.
• You can join the USF Student Organizations and fight the fight with us. We’d like to hear your ideas. You can contact us at slisstudentorgs@usf.edu for more information.

Where?

The LSU system has set up a single e-mail to handle the volume of messages they are receiving for saving this program! Please send all messages for the Board of Supervisors to: rrasmus@lsu.edu.

When?

Now!!

Important:

We are asking that if you write or participate in this campaign, please include your USF’s affiliation and copy the student organizations in your message, in order to keep track of how many of our students are participating. Please copy or write a quick note to: slisstudentorgs@usf.edu and let us know that you added your voice.

Let’s save LSU SLIS Program together!

Filed under: Save LSU SLIS Program

Save LSU SLIS Program Letter Template

Please view the e-mail / letter template below for the Save LSU SLIS Campaign. This letter is designed to be sent to the Board of Supervisors for the LSU program. You can get more information, including the Board of Supervisors contact information, in the following blog article.

***

Mr. R. Blake Chatelain (Chairman)
Louisiana State University
Board of Supervisors
P.O. Box 12550
Alexandria, LA 71301

Tampa, June 2010

Dear Mr. Chatelain,

As a graduate student in the field of Library and Information Science from the state of Florida, I am deeply concerned by the news that the Louisiana State University is considering the elimination of the only Master of Library Science accreditted program in your State.

The dire economic and social situation that our society faces today is one of the main reasons why libraries are not only still needed, but essential. The libraries of the 21st Century provide much more than books to our communities. Louisiana’s libraries provide Internet services, homework help, e-govenment services, resources for job seekers, cultural and enrichment activities, among other responses to the community’s needs. The only way that libraries can still provide those vital services is if they are staffed with highly qualified professionals like those that LSU School of Library Science Graduate Program graduates.

From out-of-state, we witnessed how vital Louisiana’s libraries were in the recovery after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In 2006, the American Library Association was the first organization to hold a National Conference in New Orleans soon after Katrina, proving that librarians build and rebuild communities. Louisiana needs its libraries now, especially in these tough economic times. And Louisiana’s libraries need librarians. The graduate level program at LSU is the only existing path to achieve a qualified force of new professionals that would bring your communities to the information world of the twenty-first century. Please do not deprive Louisiana’s residents from this service.

I appreciate your efforts to bring quality educational opportunities to your state’s residents, and I am confident that you will understand why eliminating the Library Science program is a bad decision.

Sincerely,

(Name)
Graduate Student
University of South Florida
School of Library and Information Science

Filed under: Save LSU SLIS Program