Alison Armstrong
Head, Training & Educational Services (TES) Department, University of
Cincinnati, l997-
BA, University of Wisconsin-Madison, l983, MALS, University of Wisconsin-Madison, l989

LIRT Committee Service: Organization and Bylaws Committee, l993-1996; Long Range Planning Committee, 1997-00, Chair, l998-00.

Professional Memberships and Awards: ACRL BIS Planning Committee Intern & Member, 1991-94; Southern Ohio Chapter of American Society for Information Science (SOASIS) Secretary, 1998-00.
SOASIS John Kahles Membership Award for Outstanding Contributions to Membership 1998.

Publications:
Armstrong, Alison and Leslie Schick. "The Future of Library Instruction is Now."  Academic Library Association of Ohio, November l998.

Armstrong, Alison and Leslie Schick. Instructional Technology Seminar Series. University of Cincinnati, March l998.

Nozero, Victoria and Alison Armstrong. "Reaching the International Student: Library Tours in their Native Language." LOEX-of-the-West. June l998.

Statement of Professional Concerns: LIRT is a strong and vital organization. The work that we do to support librarians who teach, in all types of libraries, is important.  As our various library environments continue to become increasingly complex, incredibly more connected and frequently less funded, LIRT'S mission becomes all the more significant. I would like to continue the good work that we do through our conference programs, our newsletter, our website, our other publications and our committee initiatives. We have exciting events in the near future that require our continued planning, our 25th Anniversary celebration and our 5-year retreat. In addition, I think that there are two areas which deserve some special attention: 1) building up our membership from non-academic libraries and 2) reaching our non-conference attending colleagues. I think that concentrating on our membership needs will help keep LIRT vital and strong.

Marcia King-Blandford
Library User Coordinator, Carlson Library, University of Toledo, 1993-
BA, Brescia College, l976, M.ED, l979, AMLS, University of Michigan, 1981

LIRT Committee Service: Program Planning Committee, 1996-97, Chair, 1996 ;Five Year Financial
Planning Committee, 1997-; PR/Membership Committee--Member-A-LIRT co-editor, l998-.

Professional Membership and Awards: ACRL-IS ELI Member, l998-. OHIONET, Chair Internet Conference, l997, Co-Chair, Annual Program Meeting, l996. Toledo Area Library Association, President, l998- Member, l994-.  University Fellow, University of Toledo, l998. Outstanding LIRT Instruction Publication, l997.

Publications:
King-Blandford, Marcia A. and Phillips, John C.  "Meeting their needs: moving library instruction to the academic departments."  IRSQ 2.2/3 (1997): 79-91.

Lippman, Cynthia and King-Blandford, Marcia .  "Innovation and collaboration brings forth a new approach..." Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery  8.2l (Fall l997): 21-32.

Statement of Professional Concerns: This is an exciting time to be a librarian. Each day lots of oppportunities are presented that both challenge and encourage me to keep reaching. As technology continues to take a foothold in every aspect of our daily lives, I want librarians to be the complete information professional. LIRT continues to provide me with a wealth of support and guidance. I look to LIRT members for ideas and knowledge on the service and instruction. As I see and hear about the variety of ways LIRT members are serving their respective populations, I am inspired and challenged to stay focused, be enthusiastic, and to keep the "ageless" mission of libraries moving forward. Like Isadore Gilbert Mudge, I strive to provide "the right information in the right format at the right moment," and I hope to make every library user successful in meeting their information needs.

Judy Clarence
Music Librarian and Instructional and Interpretive Services Librarian, California State University, Hayward, l990-
BA, John F. Kennedy University, l980, MLIS, University of California, Berkeley, l982

LIRT Committee Service:  Newsletter Committee 1991-95, Chair and Editor, l993-95; Long-Range Planning Committee l995-97; PR/Membership Committee 1997-1999.

Professional Memberships and Awards: California Academic and Research Libraries (CARL) Interest Group Coordinator, l997-98. California Library Association: Secretary, CSU Chapter, l992-93. Music Library Association, Northern California Chapter, Chair, l995-96; Music Library Association, Electronic Reference Committee, l997-.

Publications: Review poetry for Library Journal, l989-.

Statement of Professional Concerns: I happily welcome the opportunity to serve LIRT in the capacity of Secretary. As an active instruction librarian, I enjoy the opportunities LIRT provides to share ideas, experiences, problems, and solutions with other instruction librarians from public, school and special as well as academic libraries. Additionally, I have observed, appreciated, and participated in LIRT'S hard work to assure that Library Instruction remains central to ALA's mission and vision; this hard work has resulted in greater awareness of instructional activities within and outside of our profession. I served on the LIRT Steering Committee several years ago as Editor of the LIRT Newsletter and Chair of the Newsletter Committee, and now--after eight years of LIRT committee involvement--I feel ready to again take on a leadership role.  (And here's a real plus: I take excellent minutes!)

Jana Edwards
Reference/Outreach Services Librarian, Library West, Humanities & Social Sciences Services, George A. Smathers Libraries, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, l994- .
AS, John A. Logan College, 1981, BS, Southern Illinois University, 1983, MS Ed, Southern Illinois University, 1987,
MLS, Indiana University, 1991.

LIRT Committee Service: Newsletter Committee, 1993-; LIRT News Production Editor, l993-;Internet Task Force, June l995-June l997.

Professional Membership and Awards: ALA RUSA, MARS, Education, Training and Support Committee,Spring l996-. Association for Academic Women, l995-.

Publications:
Brown, M. Suzanne, Edwards, Jana, and LaSee-Willemssen, Jeneen.  "A Deep Analysis of Indexing: A Comparison of Current Index to Journals in Education and Education Index," Journal of Academic Librarianship  (May 1999.) 

Edwards, Jana.  "Search Strategies" The Internet as a Research Tool: Dispelling the Myths. 14th Computers and Writing Conference. May 28 - May 31, l988.  University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

"Current Index to Journals in Education and Education Index: A Table of Contents Level Comparison Regarding Coverage of Articles by Type of Article." ERIC Annual Meeting, October 1997.

Statement of Professional Concerns:  Librarians and educators are very concerned these days with the issue of information literacy. How do you combat this problem? It is heartening to be part of LIRT, an active organization where public, school, special and academic librarians are putting their heads together to find practical ways to foster critical thinking and teach information skills. As an instruction librarian and educator working primarily with undergraduate students, I believe cooperation between libraries of all types is integral to the solution. Through increased communication and shared goals, school, public and academic librarians can work with learners at crucial stages in their development by building on each other's work in order to prepare the learners for the next level of literacy. As LIRT's secretary, I would strive to keep communication flowing among members, so as not to undercut this important effort.

Carolyn Strickland
Book Coordinator, Lake County Public Library, Merrillville, Indiana, l998- .
BA, Calvin College, 1969, MLS, Indiana University, l991.

LIRT Committee Service: Public Relations/Membership Committee, l998-99

Professional Memberships and Awards: PLA, l996-99. Indiana Library Federation: ILF Middle Managers Section, Treasurer, l997-98; ILF MM Section, Vice-President/President-Elect, l998-99.

Statement of Professional Concerns: Librarians from all types of libraries: public, school, academic and special share a common goal--instruction. Some settings are formal and are held in a classroom, while others are informal and take place at the reference desk or the library catalog. Not only do librarians find answers to a myriad of questions, we feel obligated to share our sources and our routes of retrieval with the patrons. Our motives can be understood by paraphrasing an old Chinese proverb: "Give someone the answer to a question and she will have her answer for today, but teach her basic library skills and she will be able to find information all her life."  LIRT is a unique Round Table because it offers a forum for librarians to discuss, share and develop plans to teach basic library skills and I am honored to be a candidate for the office of LIRT treasurer-elect.

Timothy Grimes
Associate Director of Bibliographic Services and Community Relations, Ann Arbor District Library, l995-
BA, University of New Hampshire, l976, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, l979-80, MLS University of Michigan, l984.

LIRT Offices and Committee Service: President, 1992-93; Vice-President, 1991-92; Treasurer, 1987-88 and l990-91; Secretary,1989-90; Organization Bylaws Committee, chair, 1993-94; Elections Committee,1993-94; Long Range Planning Committee, 1996-98, chair 1991-92; Financial Planning Task Force, l994-97; Research Committee, 1986-87; 25th Anniversary Task Force, 1998-.

Professional Memberships and Awards: PLA, Marketing of Public Library Services, Chair, l998-; Leonard Wertheimer Award Committee, Chair, l997; Promotions Committee, Chair, l997-98; RUSA, MOPPS, Services to Adults Committee, 1990-92; 1993-97, RUSA CODES, Readers Advisory Committee, 1995-97.  Beta Phi Mu, 1984-, Board of Directors, 1985-87 and l992-94. Michigan Library Association, Public Library Division, Exec. Board, 1997-; Fantastic Fiction Committee Chair, 1996-98; Michigan Author Awards Committee, 1995-97. Southeast Michigan Adult Reading Roundtable, Co-Founder and Chair, 1990-95. Beta Phi Mu Award in Recognition of Exceptional Achievement in Librarianship, University of Michigan, School of Information.

Statement of Professional Concerns: Libraries are experiencing a whirlwind of change. With this vibrant surge of new ideas and information (both print and electronic), now, more than ever, ALA and its Council must provide clear, concise leadership.  LIRT is one of the leaders in its field--library instruction. Its dedication to school, academic, special and public, through almost a quarter century, displays a sterling standard of excellence in professional library service. This unique opportunity for LIRT to have a Council seat is a chance to vocalize support for library instruction and service to all types of libraries and librarians. I have served LIRT for more than a decade in almost every capacity on the executive board and in other leadership roles. My broad background in a university library, a specialized urban library reference department, a branch library and library public relations, coupled with my LIRT organizational history, will lend a strong voice to ALA Council.

Thelma H. Tate
Coordinator, Global Outreach Services, New Brunswick Libraries, Rutgers University, 1999-
BS, Alabama State College,  l957, MLS, Univ. of Illinois, l96l.
 

LIRT Committee Service: Continuing Education, Chair, 1983-84; Long Range Planning, Chair, 1986-87; Vice President, l986-87; President, 1987-88; Organization and Bylaws, Chair, 1988-89; Elections, 1988-91, Chair, l989-91.

Professional Membership and Awards: ALA, IRC--Africa Subcommittee, IFLA Nomination Committee. IRRT, EMERT, ACRL, RUSA, Professional Membership Subcommittee, 1992-96; NJLA, ACRL/Tech Committee, l998-. IFLA, Chair, Round Table on Mobile Libraries, 1997-; Secretary, Round Table on Continuing Professional Education, 1992-96. RUL Merit Award, 1998.

Publications:  Two chapters in Adult Programming, 1997.

Statement of Professional Concerns:  Advances in technology will continue to propel librarians into expanding leadership roles for literacy and electronic information development. Because we are specialists in collections, organization, preservation, and instruction in a digital age, we as librarians will enrich and maximize access as well as strategies for evaluating and using resources. While library users will become increasingly proficient as independent learners, the dynamic nature of advances in technology support the ongoing need for continued human intervention and instruction.

If elected to ALA Council, I will work with members to effect guidelines, standards, and policies for a digital age that support literacy development, professional development of librarians, research and the need for instruction librarians in all types of libraries in the nation and throughout the international community.

 WELCOME    BACK ISSUES