As you probably already know, our indefatigable School of Library and Information Studies Director, Louise Robbins, will be retiring this summer. What some of you may not know is that Louise first came to SLIS in 1991 as the faculty director of the SLIS Laboratory Library. After the previous Lab Library director retired in 1990, a search began for a replacement faculty member to serve as director. At the time, the Laboratory Library added to it's mission the role of teaching library and the library director replacement needed to be highly attuned to students' learning needs. So, in August of 1991, Louise, who was still a doctoral candidate at Texas Women's University, joined the faculty as director of the library with her job description including implementation of a brand new requirement for master's students -- the practicum. Louise's charge was to develop and supervise practicum experiences for all students and to design projects using the Laboratory Library. I think we all know how that new intiative turned out, don't we? Sadly, in 1997 the Laboratory Library lost Louise as the director, but luckily our school gained her as the department director, and ... the rest is history.
We are all very grateful for the work Louise has done for the SLIS Laboratory Library and the department overall. She is admired and loved and will be genuinely missed.
To honor Louise's legacy of learning and leadership, please consider joining us in a gathering for her in the SLIS Laboratory Library this Friday, April 17, 2009 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. (Program at 5:30 p.m.). We will celebrate and reminisce about Louise's many dedicated years as SLIS director, faculty and, last but not least, director of the Lab Library.
