Each fall the Associated Alumni of Dalhousie University’s School of Information Management present the Outstanding Alumni Award to honour a member who “has made an outstanding contribution to Library and/or Information Management.” In selecting the winner of this award, the Associated Alumni seek to honour remarkable records of professional responsibility, scholarship and publishing, innovation and leadership, service to our professional community and to the community-at-large. All of this, along with a demonstrated healthy dose of enthusiasm, commitment and dedication to our field are characteristic of SIM alumni. For further information please visit here.
SIM Associated Alumni 2014 Welcome Reception
SIM alumnus David Michels successfully defends his Interdisciplinary PhD dissertation
SIM alumnus David Michels, Head of Public Services, Sir James Dunn Law Library, has successfully defended his Dalhousie University Interdisciplinary PhD dissertation titled Seeking the will of God: The information seeking experiences of leaders of Nova Scotia churches in transition.
“Christian Churches in Nova Scotia are facing economic, social, and theological stresses. In response many are engaged in processes of restructuring and renewal. Leaders are initiating and managing these change processes, and they are seeking information to make their decisions, and to “seek God’s will for their churches.” Very little is known about how church leaders seek, gather, evaluate, and use information in their decision-making. In this study I asked the question: “what are the information seeking experiences of leaders of Nova Scotia churches in transition?” Using ethnographic methods at three church sites, I explored this particular everyday life information-seeking context. I gathered data on church information sources and leaders’ source selections, identifying critical themes such as the impact of new technologies, prayer as a source of information, and the theology of information seeking. I developed a model of church information seeking behaviour that can be used a foundation for further research on information seeking in church contexts.”
Congratulations, Dr. Michels.
SIM alumna Heather Berringer featured in local media
MLIS alumna Heather Berringer, Chief Librarian at UBC Okanagan Campus Library is featured in this article in Kelowna Now.
Dalhousie University Graduate Student Projects – Call for Partner Organizations
Every fall Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management offers an innovative graduate class called Management Without Borders (MWB). Each year students are asked to work on group projects with host organizations across Nova Scotia. This exercise provides students with the chance to apply the theory / skills they learn in class to real-world challenges. For partner organizations this is an excellent opportunity to have creative, bright and determined graduate students take on a project that would benefit your organization.
Jenny Baechler, course coordinator for Management Without Borders, is currently recruiting organizations that would be interested in partnering on these annual MWB student projects.
As MWB students are all in graduate management programs the course aims to provide them with projects that will give them the opportunity to develop and hone technical management skills and/or explore topics at a level appropriate for graduate students. Each project team is composed of students from a diverse set of programs (business administration, information and library studies, public administration, marine management and resource / environmental management); consequently, appropriate projects are those that require the mobilization of multiple skill sets. Ideally, the course seeks to include host organizations that cover a wide range of specialties. A list of potential project topics includes (but is not limited to):
- program evaluation
- policy recommendations
- marketing & communication plans
- feasibility assessments
- general research, synthesis and recommendations -strategic plans -workshop development
Projects begin on the first day of class, September 5, and must be wrapped up by December 5, 2014. In order for projects to be included in the 2014 MWB course, initial project ideas and/or expressions of interest by host organizations should be submitted to Jenny no later than Friday, June 27.
For more information on working with one of the MWB student groups or to discuss any preliminary questions you may have, please contact:
Jenny Baechler
Management Without Borders (MWB) Course Coordinator
Faculty of Management
902-494-3321
jenny.baechler@dal.ca
Alumni gathering in Victoria.
Are you attending the upcoming CLA Conference in Victoria, B.C.? Why not reconnect with fellow Dalhousie Alumni in a casual dining setting while you’re there?
The School of Information Management Associated Alumni invite you to join Dr. Louise Spiteri, Director of the School of Information Management, for a get together on the evening of Thursday, May 29.
- Where: Bard & Banker Downtown Victoria Public House. 1022 Government Street (7 minutes’ walk from the Victoria Conference Centre)
- Directions: http://bit.ly/1mwGpDf
- When: Thursday, May 29 at 7:30pm
- Reservation name: Dalhousie School of Information Management Associated Alumni
RSVP: to tara.rumsey@gmail.com by Friday, May 23, at 5 p.m.
Alumni event in Calgary
Professional Mentorship Program March Bulletin
Hello and welcome to our final Professional Mentorship Porgram (PMP) bulletin of the year. We’d like to take this opportunity to touch base with you about upcoming PMP plans and other events.
Mentees, March is a busy month, but we encourage you to arrange a final meeting or conversation with your mentor. Consider meeting for coffee or via Skype or email and preparing specific questions or topics of interest in advance. Although the program is almost over, this does not mean that PMP partners can no longer keep in touch. We encourage all participants to maintain contact with their partner as they are able.
Upcoming events:
Mentors and mentees, we would like to remind you of the upcoming PMP Wrap-up Party. This event is open to all PMP participants as well as all members of SIM. Event details:
- WHAT: A group get-together, starting with a brief presentation by the Dal CLA executive and lots of time for visiting with other SIM members and members of the professional community. A snooker table is available on site and Dal CLA will order some appetizers to share. Additional food and drinks are available on site for purchase.
- WHEN: Wedneday, March 19 at 5:30pm (presentation around 6:00pm).
- WHERE: Dalhousie University Club games room, 6259 Alumni Crescent (the games room is on the lower level of the building near the pub).
- Please RSVP to dalhousiecla@gmail.com.
Students, consider attending the Brown Bag Lunch on Friday, March 14. Nicole has done an excellent job of arranging very interesting topics throughout the year, so it is always worthwhile to make time for these events.
To keep tabs on other events throughout the year, please visit the SIM Events Calendar.
Dalhousie CLA would like to thank all participants in the Professional Mentorship Program this year. We hope that you found it educational and rewarding. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions, suggestions, concerns, or comments. We always love to hear from our participants.
Thank you
Dalhousie CLA Student Chapter
Email us at dalhousiecla@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter @CLADalhousie
Join our new LinkedIn group
See our updates on the SIMcast blog
SIM aluma Smitty Miller profiled in Library Journal
MLIS alumna Smitty Miller has been profiled in Library Journal‘s 2014 edition of movers and shakers. Smitty is quoted as saying: If I had to shout one truth from a mountaintop, it would be that the public library exists for everyone in the community: the smelly, the wealthy, the fat, the brown, the ones with carts, and the ones with homes. The services the library offers are as important for those who don’t walk into the library as for those who do.
Congratulations, Smitty, for the recognition of your outstanding work.
Professional Mentorship Program February Bulletin
It’s hard to believe that we will soon be entering the last full month of the winter term. We hope that February has treated you all well.
Mentees, we encourage you to touch base with your mentor if you have not recently done so. Some of our previous activity suggestions have been to meet up for a tour of your mentor’s workplace or do a resume review or job shadow. These can all be very useful experiences, so we encourage you to consider them if you haven’t had a chance to try them already. Attending an event together or simply meeting up for coffee or over Skype are always great options, too. Remember that it can be helpful to consider what you would like to learn from your mentor in advance of a meeting and have some questions or topics prepared.
Upcoming Events:
Mentors and mentees, the PMP Wrap-up Party has been set for Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m. Come on out to enjoy some time with your PMP partner and a chance to visit with others involved in the program. More details will be provided in the near future.
Students, some excellent upcoming professional development opportunities include:
- PPD: Mock Interview Demonstration – February 26th, 2:30-5:30 in Rowe 3089
- Brown Bag Lunch: Careers for MLIS Students in Business Intelligence and Corporate Settings – February 28th in Rowe 4034 (the Common Room)
To keep tabs on other upcoming events throughout the year, please visit the SIM Events Calendar. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.
Thank you
Dalhousie CLA Student Chapter
Email us at dalhousiecla@gmail.com
Follow us on Twitter @CLADalhousie
Join our new LinkedIn group
See our updates on the SIMcast blog