We hope you can join us! Please share and spread the word! This event is part of the MLIS Career Discovery Tour (by Management Career Services). It is a great opportunity for current MLIS students to connect with professionals, so the support is greatly appreciated.
SIM is sad to announce the passing of alumna Patricia Healey (MLIS ’89). Below is a copy of her obituary, which can also be found here.
Patti Healey passed away on September 23, 2017, in the Palliative Care Unit at Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born on February 27, 1951, in Newton to Priscilla (Nagle) and Paul V. Healey, Patti grew up in Canton and went to Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, to study philosophy and education. There she met and married Tim Trask, her adoring husband of 43 years. Teaching school was her vocation, which she pursued in Chetwynd, British Columbia, and Sambro, Nova Scotia, but libraries were her passion. She earned her master’s in library science at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, concluding her career as the teacher/librarian at Prince Andrew High School in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
By Angela Reynolds, NSLA Promotions and Public Relations Convener
SIM alums, Faye MacDougall & Cindy Lelliott
The 2017 joint Nova Scotia Library Association and Library Boards Association of Nova Scotia Conference – “Libraries 150: a celebration”– was hosted by the Annapolis Valley Regional Library and held September 29th-October 1st. Library staff and board members from across the province participated in professional development workshops and networking that inspired us to move forward, do better, and keep learning. Workshop subjects ranged from Library Advocacy to Puppet Storytime, Treaty Education to Coding, Summer Reading to Publishing Diverse Books, and everything in between.
Thanks to Libraries 150 funding from Communities, Culture, and Heritage, a public component was part of the conference. Readings and presentations by authors Ami McKay, Wade White, Jon Tattrie, and Lance Woolaver, as well as the One Book Nova Scotia winner Gloria Ann Wesley were open to the public by pre-registration. The Friday night reception with Ami McKay was bewitching to say the least, and the Saturday night screening of the movie Maudie (also open to the public) in the ABCC theatre was a highlight.
The conference offered 22 sessions with over 40 guest presenters to over 160 registrants. The 10 exhibitors, and our many conference sponsors helped make this an excellent professional development event. If you’d like to see some of the conference in action, visit our online photo gallery.
SIM alum, Doug Vaisey, receives his award
We were honoured to have Leo Glavine, Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage as guest speaker at the Saturday evening banquet. Awards were given to deserving recipients.
Faye MacDougall, Chief Librarian of Cape Breton Regional Library, received the Norman Horrocks award for library leadership; and Doug Vaisey (MLIS ’71), formerly a Trustee of the Halifax Regional Library Board, received the Library Boards Association of Nova Scotia Trustee Award.
The SIM Alumni Association (SIMAA) hosted their annual Welcome Reception & Outstanding Alumni Award Presentation on Wednesday, September 27th in Room 3089, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building. Attendees mingled, snacked on delicious hors d’oeuvres, and listened to remarks from Dr. Sandra Toze (SIM Director) and Sarah Horrocks (SIMAA Member-at-Large and MIM alumna).
The 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award winner, Heather Berringer, was unable to attend but sent a wonderful video greeting that provided useful advice to our new students. Her advice is actually very useful to anyone, regardless of where they are in their profession!
Lastly, Marianne Hagen (Alumni Officer, Faculty of Management) presented gifts to alumni celebrating various anniversaries, including several who graduated more than 20 years ago!
SIM is proud of the legacy of our programs, and the connection we continue to have with our alumni. This event is always a wonderful opportunity for SIM alumni, students, faculty and staff to catch up and network.
Special thanks to Shelley McKibbon (SIMAA Chair) and Marianne for their organization efforts. Thanks also to incoming MLIS student, Julie Timm, who was kind enough to take photos for us during the event. Cheers to all alumni and friends who joined us on Wednesday – we hope to see you again soon!
SIM is proud to announce that alumnus Leo Deveau (MLIS ’03) has a new book coming out this fall, entitled 400 Years in 365 Days – A Day by Day Calendar of Nova Scotia History.
You can find it in bookstores October 12th (or order directly from Formac Publishing). View the book trailer here (note: the website in the trailer will not be active until after the book is out).
Congrats, Leo!
SIM alumni, Lee Wilson (MLIS ’16) was married in Moncton on August 5th. Congrats Lee and Erica on a beautiful wedding day! We send you best wishes for a happy future together.
SIM is happy to celebrate significant life events with our alumni. Do you have something to share? Submit it to inform@dal.ca anytime.
It is with great sadness that the School of Information Management notes the passing of Karen MacNeil (MLIS 2002). Below is a copy of her obituary, which can also be found at: http://www.inmemoriam.ca/view-announcement-2274385-karen-macneil.html
MacNEIL, Karen
Of Sydney, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, August 5th, 2017, in St. Martha’s Regional Hospital in Antigonish. Her passing was quiet, and she was surrounded by loved ones.
Karen was born on January 4th, 1945 in Halifax to Thilmond and Patricia Landry, and grew up in Arichat. She graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University with a Bachelor of Arts, and went on to obtain her MLIS from Dalhousie University. Karen was a Librarian at the Sydney Regional Library before she retired. This was the best possible career for someone who loved to read and research everything as much as Karen did.
After retirement, Karen and her husband James enjoyed hiking the Cape Breton Highlands, and walking the beaches of Mexico whenever they could. She enjoyed a variety of needlework crafts, and her art can be found throughout her family’s homes. She always enjoyed the company of friends and family (particularly when food was involved), and was well-loved by both. Karen adored her eight grandchildren and loved to spend time with them. She will be greatly missed.
Karen is survived by her husband of 51 years, James; her children, Chris (Shelley), Terry (Charlene), and Michelle (John) Whidden; her cherished grandchildren, Eric, James ‘JT’, Ian, Jessica, Megan, Danica, Evan and Breanna; her siblings, Michael (Janet), Elaine and Faye; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by their infant son, Michael; and her sister, Bette. Funeral mass will be held 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 10 in St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, with Father Duaine Devereaux officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation in Antigonish. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff at St. Martha’s for the kindness they received while Karen was in their care. Words of comfort may be made to her family by visiting
www.twcurry.com.
Dalhousie University’s School of Information Management has recognized Heather Berringer of the University of British Columbia with the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award. This annual award honours a member who has made an outstanding contribution to Library and Information Management.
Heather is the Chief Librarian at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan Campus, and an Associate University Librarian at UBC Library. Throughout her time with UBC, Heather has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and established strategic relationships within the university and the wider community. Under her leadership, the library developed a Writing and Research Services Unit, an Inclusive Technology Lab, and recently launched a multi-million dollar building expansion.
Heather’s collaborative and inclusive approach to librarianship has led to many successful community partnerships, including the UBC Innovation Library, which is embedded in the Kelowna branch of Okanagan Regional Library, a Leader in Residence Program, and the Okanagan Region Historical Digitization Project.
In the words of one of her many supporters, through Heather’s efforts UBC’s Okanagan Campus Library “has become a stand-out success, valued by students and faculty alike as a centerpiece of the University’s education and research activity in the Okanagan, and engaged with communities on terms that those communities value.” Her determination, sense of humor, and accomplishments make her an outstanding alumna of the School of Information Management.
SIMAA invites you to join us in congratulating Heather on her award at the SIMAA Welcome Reception on September 27th, 2017 at the Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, Rm 3089. An invitation with RSVP will follow.
Read the full post on CFAME Connection. You can also read a synopsis of the research findings here:
A paper, entitled “Strengthening Deeper Learning through Virtual Teams in E-learning: A Synthesis of Determinants and Best Practices”, by Joyline Makani (MLIS Instructor), Martine Durier-Copp (CFAME), and co-researchers Deborah Kiceniuk and Alieda Blandford (MLIS ’15) has received the IJEDE Best Paper award for 2016. The award was announced at the CNIE conference May 18, 2017 in Banff, Canada.
The prestigious IJEDE Best Paper Award seeks out cutting-edge research that responds to current realities. “Strengthening Deeper Learning…” offers an e-learning framework, one that could serve as the foundation of future empirical studies in e-learning. Congrats to all!
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Louis Vagianos Medal gallery on the SIM website. This Medal, named for the first Director of the School (1969-70), is presented annually to the graduating student who “combines the capacity for blending originality with practical thinking and the courage to seek solutions to professional problems outside the mainstream”. Louis Vagianos emulated these characteristics in all his endeavours.
The gallery features profiles of award winners from 1990 to present. We encourage you to explore these profiles, as they contain some fantastic advice and insights, as well as illustrate the breadth of opportunities available to graduates of the MLIS program.
The purpose of this gallery is to celebrate Vagianos’ legacy (more on that below), and the accomplishments of the medal winners, who not only were successful as students but have gone on to forge strong paths in the profession after graduation.
In fact, the first winner was none other than Dalhousie University Librarian, Donna Bourne-Tyson. She says: “I didn’t know Louis personally, but I am in awe of his many accomplishments and talents, and also his generosity in creating this award. It is interesting to be serving as University Librarian, a post he also held, and working in the Killam Library, a building that he helped to design and build. When I was informed that I was to receive the Medal, it was very affirming for me to know that out-of-the-box thinking was valued in the profession. I am honoured to be a Vagianos Medal recipient.”
During his career at Dalhousie, Dr. Louis Vagianos held the senior positions of University Librarian and Vice-President (Administration). He returned to a leadership role in the School in 1994-1995 when he served as Interim Director. He was instrumental in establishing the innovative vision of the Master of Library Service (now Master of Library and Information Studies), which emphasized systems thinking and the broad relevance of professional information work across organizational types. Forty years on, his vision also influenced the design of the mid-career Master of Information Management program as a complement to the MLIS. He was an inspirational instructor who advocated and encouraged “outside the box” thinking. Unfortunately, Louis Vagianos passed away in 2014 (you can read the full obituary here), but the School continues to be indebted to his vision for the fields of information management and librarianship .