Exciting Allen Smith Scholar Upcoming Events for SLIS Students – Fall 2024
Posted September 23, 2024 by Lindsey Clarke
Allen Smith Fall 2024 Visiting Scholar
Simmons University School of Library and Information Science welcomes Dr. Sandra Hirsh, Associate Dean for Academics in the College of Information, Data & Society at San José State University, as the 2024 Allen Smith Visiting Scholar. Hirsch will spend a week at Simmons SLIS this October sharing her research around the future of libraries. Hirsch will deliver a keynote lecture on Monday, October 7th at 5pm and will facilitate a panel discussion with five library experts from the Boston area on Thursday, October 10th at 5pm. Both events will take place in room C-503 of the Management and Academic Building and will conclude with a small reception outside of room C-503.
Future-Ready Libraries: A Glimpse into 2035
Keynote Lecture
Reception to follow
As we navigate the rapidly changing landscape of information and technology, the future of libraries is continually evolving. What will libraries look like by 2035? Drawing on key insights from library leaders in the recently published Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries (March 2024), this talk explores the lessons learned over the past decade and forecasts the opportunities, strengths, and challenges that lie ahead with emphasis on the future of reference and public services.
The Future of Libraries: A Panel of Perspectives
Panel Discussion
Reception to follow
What will the future of libraries be in the next decade? How will libraries evolve? What will be some of the challenges and opportunities? Drawing together a diverse panel of library leaders, this session explores these questions from different perspectives. Looking ahead to 2035, panelists will share their insights on the role of libraries in the future. In keeping with the legacy of Allen Smith, panelists will pay special attention to the future of reference and public services. Featured panelists include:
- Timothy Dolan, Director of the Greenfield Community College Library
- Alexia Hudson-Ward, Associate Director of Research Learning, & Strategic Partnerships at MIT Libraries
- Cyndee Landrum, Acting Director of IMLS
- Maria MacCauley, Director of the Cambridge Public Library
- Jerome Offord, Associate University Librarian for Anti-racism at Harvard
Dr. Sandra Hirsh serves as Associate Dean for Academics in the College of Information, Data & Society at San José State University. Prior to joining San Jose State University, she worked in the Silicon Valley in R&D and consumer product development for more than a decade at major technology companies including Hewlett Packard Labs and Microsoft. She co-founded and co-chairs the global virtual Library 2.0 conference series. She is currently serving as President-Elect of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) and as the American Library Association Council representative for the International Relations Roundtable as well as advisory board member for the Center for the Future of Libraries. She holds both a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from UCLA and a MLIS degree from the University of Michigan.
The Allen Smith Visiting Scholars Program was established in 2008, following the death of Dr. Allen Smith, a beloved faculty member at SLIS for 31 years. Smith taught primarily in the areas of reference, humanities, and oral history. Alongside robust contributions to the field through teaching, Smith also wrote the definitive reference work on the Appalachian Dulcimer, was a talented clarinet and saxophone player, and was a longtime farrier—twice elected as President of the National Horseshoeing Association. Every year, the program invites an expert or innovator in the field of library and information science to Simmons University for a week to give a keynote lecture, lead a panel discussion, and engage with the SLIS student body.
What an exciting selection of events. We hope our bloggers will attend and then we can provide their thoughts on the sessions!