UNCG LIS Alumni

The UNCG Department of Library and Information Science Alumni Association (LISAA) works to enable graduates of the UNCG LIS program to maintain affiliation with the department. It is our goal to create a community to encourage and support the continuing education of its members, to assist current students in pursuing career objectives, and to recognize outstanding alumni and faculty. You are automatically a member of the LIS Alumni Association if you have graduated from the UNCG LIS program. Please see the Alumni Listserv information below to help you keep in touch with the LIS Alumni Association or email them at lis@uncg.edu

Curious to find out what some of your fellow alumni are up to?
Follow the links below to check out podcast interviews, infographics, and articles written and created by our current students and recent alumni, Sarah Leck,Talia Paz, and Keri O'Hern.

Alumni of UNCG’S BSIS are applying their education in ways that fit their varied interests. One of UNCG’s newest undergraduate degree programs is the Bachelor of Science in Information Science (BSIS). Offered at only one other North Carolina public university, the program’s multidisciplinary curriculum prepares students to organize and analyze complex data, making it accessible for decision-making. The degree is proving to be widely versatile, as evidenced by early graduates’ career choices. To read more about BSIS alumni and what they are doing with their degree check out the article published by UNCG.

The UNCG School of Education featured the 2022 LIS graduate Amber White to tell her story about how the LIS program has influenced her life and inspired her in her new roll as the School Library Media Specialist at Kirkman Park Elementary in Guilford County Schools. Amber is an amazing leader that has overcome her own challenges to obtain her graduate degree. She inspires her students on a daily basis by holding STEAM challenges and offering maker space opportunities to allow children to develop their problem-solving and thinking skills. To read more check out the article on the UNCG SOE Transformative Learning Website.

We are happy to announce that on March 3, 2023 the UNC System approved a degree type and name change for our instructional technology program! Beginning in Fall 2023 we will offer a Master's in Science (MS) in Instructional Technology and Design. The previous degree we offered was a Master's in Education (MEd) in Teacher Education with a concentration in Instructional Technology. Our new degree name is better aligned with the content of our curriculum, which prepares students to use technology to design, deliver, and assess instruction across a variety of contexts. The need for experts in instructional technology and design continues to grow, as organizations of all kinds -- from healthcare to K-12 to the military -- require effective online learning solutions. Our MS in ITD responds to this need by providing an online, synchronous program that supports students who want to obtain their K-12 instructional technology license (077) as well as those who want to work outside of K-12 as instructional designers and training specialists. Students work closely with their advisor to customize their learning experiences to align with their desired work context.

Please help us spread the word about this degree program, and feel free to contact the instructional technology and design program coordinator Katie Walters at klwalters@uncg.edu with any questions and CLICK HERE to register for an virtual information session.

In addition to our "new" master's degree, our instructional technology and design program also offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in instructional design. The certificate includes four courses (12 credits) that provide learners with hands-on experience in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a broad range of educational media and technology. Courses are project-based and support the development of instructional design skills across contexts (including libraries!). If you are interested please reach out to the program coordinator, Katie Walters, at klwalters@uncg.edu.

UNCG LIS offers several licensure add-on options those interested in working in the K-12 school setting. If you already have your general MLIS and are considering work in a school setting we have the program for you.

• 076 School Library Media Specialist- Leads to a K-12 teaching license in School Libraries
• 077 Instructional Technology - Leads to a K-12 teaching license in Instructional Technology
• 078 School Library Supervisor- Cohort starts this fall
• 18079-PB Certificate in Instructional Technology (added to a bachelors)

If you want to learn more about what is involved, please reach out to the program coordinator, Tammy Gruer, gruert@uncg.edu .

Each year the UNC Greensboro Department of Library and Information Science organizes a summit to fulfill the mission of Cora Paul Bomar’s generous endowment. The Cora Paul Bomar Lecture Fund was endowed in 2002 with the expressed purpose of bringing speakers of note to UNC Greensboro on an annual basis for the benefit of faculty, students, and alumni.

• Date: March 31st
• Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
• Location: Online and in person at the UNCG Alumni House
• Lunch: Lunch is included for free to our in person attendees.
• Guest Speaker: We welcome Dr. Beth Wahler, Director of the School of Social Work at UNC-Charlotte presenting to us on Trauma Informed Practice for Librarians and Information Professionals.
• Afternoon Panel Let by UNCG LIS Professor Dr. April Dawkins on Fostering Constructive Conversations Around Intellectual Freedom with: Dan Brooks, Selection Manager Wake County Public Library. Valerie Byrd Fort, Advisory Board Member, Get Ready Stay Ready and Instructor University of SC. Karen Meier, WSFCS Media Director, Kate Taylor, Library Manager Leesville Community Library.

We are proud to announce ALA President Elect Emily Drabinski will be the LIS sponsored guest speaker on Friday, September 8, 2023. Please mark your calendars and follow us on social media to learn more about the topic and details of her presentation.

Your opinion is valuable! Each year we announce one person for our LIS Alumni Award.

• We are proud to announce the 2022 Bea Kovacs Alumni Award winner was Brandon Bensley. Brandon is a 2000 graduate and currently works at the Benjamin Branch of the Greensboro Public Library. She is an active UNCG LIS Alumni that not only does an amazing job as the youth services librarian in the Greensboro Public Library system, but has also supported the profession by being a guest speaker in LIS classes and participating on panels at NCLA and for the Cora Paul Summit in the past. She consistently works to support future librarians. During Covid she moved her Storytime's to an online platform and created a special virtual storytime on the UNCG campus for homecoming.

• Would you like to nominate a UNCG LIS alum for the Bea Kovacs Alumni Award? The Alumni Association's award recognizes exceptional service and professional accomplishment by the graduates of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Department of Library and Information Science. Simply click here to submit a nomination.

• We have several amazing nominations for this year and the 2023 Alumni Award will be a announced at the Cora Paul Bomar Summit on Friday, March 31st.
  
  

The UNCG Library & Information Science Alumni Association is excited to launch our new LIS Alumni website to celebrate and support alumni as you are working in the field. This site can not be successful without your input and suggestion. It is our hope to build an active alumni community website, rich in resources and information to support current alumni needs, as well as, document our history and support building a strong supportive network for current alumni and graduate students. If you are interested in collaborating on this website with us, please contact Tammy Gruer at gruert@uncg.edu.

Three names have been proposed for future LIS Alumni Newsletters.

• "Cover to Cover"
• "In Circulation"
• "Shelf List"

Click HERE to cast your vote and help us decide!

Choose your level of participation by following the links below!

• Do you want to be added to the Alumni Listserve?
  Complete this form to get your email added to the LIS Listserv so we can remind you of alumni events and get updated information about the department events and job postings.
  
  
• Do you want to be featured in our Alumni Newsletter?
  Fill out this quick form and you may be chosen to be featured in our Alumni Spotlight!
  
  
• Do you want to connect your LinkedIn Profile to UNCG LIS?
  Follow this link to find out more about connecting with us on LinkedIn!
  

Curious about the current affairs of the LIS Department at UNCG? Check out the following links for the highlights from the last year!

• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at UNCG LIS (EDI)

• Upcoming Events
  
• UNCG LIS Faculty Recent Publications
• Student Publications & Presentations
• LIS Job Posting Sites
  

  
  

Interested in attending upcoming events hosted by the Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA)? Want to meet current students or mentor a future librarian? Follow the links below for more information about topics, dates, and times!

• Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA)

If you are interested in collaborating on the UNCG LISSA website with us, please contact Tammy Gruer at gruert@uncg.edu .

Email: lis@uncg.edu
Website: https://sites.google.com/uncg.edu/uncglibraryinformationsciencea/home
Location: 1400 Spring Garden Street, Greensboro, NC, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisalumni/
Twitter: @lisuncg