Shirl Kennedy, who quite obviously Has No Life away from the computer screen, has once again volunteered to edit SIS Info. Thus, it’s her turn to plead for news, workshop and meeting announcements, job openings, book and Web site reviews, rants ’n’ raves, what-have-you…
Believe it or not, your fellow SIS members are extremely interested in what you have to share. Many of us work solo, and may look upon the newsletter as the only available opportunity for networking. It’s especially critical for those of us with extreme time constraints, who have no hope of making it to meetings with any regularity...or at all.
The easiest way to submit stuff for the newsletter is by e-mail to skennedy@reporters.net
If you don’t have access to e-mail, give me a call at (727) 442-9066, and we’ll work out an alternative delivery method — fax or (gasp) snail mail.
In case you were wondering...
...I’ve probably worked at more libraries in the Tampa Bay area than most of you have ever seen — public, academic, special and school media centers. Presently, however, I’m not working in a library at all. I’m a consultant in the Information Systems department at Honeywell Space Systems in Clearwater, where I do an awesome variety of geeky things. I also write the Internet Waves column for Information Today. My book, Best Bet Internet: Reference and Research When You Don’t Have Time to Mess Around (available from amazon.com: see their listing and readers' review) was published by the American Library Association in June. The URLs from the book can be found at:
http://www.ala.org/editions/openstacks/bestbet/index.html
SLA President Suzi Hayes, long an active presence in the Special Libraries Association Florida and Caribbean Chapter, will speak on Information Management in the 21st Century at a joint meeting of the SLA/USF SLIS Student Chapter and the Suncoast Information Specialists on Thursday, September 17.
The meeting will be held at TECO’s Energy Technology Resource Center, located on the USF Campus in the University Technology Center Research and Development Park, 3670 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 100, Tampa, FL 33612. (Map) A reception is scheduled from 5:30-6:45, to be followed by Hayes’ speech. At some point during the evening, there may be an opportunity to visit the ETRC’s library. Also, a short SIS business meeting will be held after the speech.
The event, which will be catered by Marriott, features hot and cold hors d’oeuvers such as mini Cuban sandwiches, mini croissant sandwiches, vegetable and fruit trays, cheese and crackers, lemonade, ice tea and coffee. Cost is $8 per person.
Please RSVP by September 13 to Cathy Wos (cwos@lib.usf.edu or 827-1858). For further information, call Cathy Wos or Catherine Jasper (974-3520).
For more information about SLA President Suzi Hayes, see her biographical sketch (http://www.sla.org/assoc/board/hayes.html) on the SLA web site.
At the August 3rd SIS luncheon meeting at Steak & Ale in Tampa, 24 persons heard about continuing education opportunities from four different speakers.
Vice-president Trudie Root presided and made the following announcements:
With much gratitude, SIS is presenting Jackie Jackson a certificate of appreciation for her excellent work as editor of our newsletter.
The American Library Association has published Best Bet Internet by SIS member Shirley Kennedy. Now we know which book to consult first! (See above)
As new editor of the SIS newsletter, Shirl Kennedy would like reports on conferences where members have gained information they would like to share. Reports can also be sent to the SIS listserv: SIS-L@snoopy.tblc.lib.fl.us
The Florida Association of Law Libraries (CFALL) is interested in a closer relationship with SIS, and we are looking for volunteers to serve as liaisons between SIS and other area library groups.
After the announcements, Trudie introduced our speakers.
The focus of Instructional Technology is using technology as a tool to enhance instruction. The Florida Center for Instructional Technology assists faculty and others in creating software courses for teaching. Since this spring, 160 software courses have been created by the use of this facility. The Department of Instructional Technology offers both Masters and Ph. D. programs. There are two tracks: Instructional Design and Educational Technology. Graduates can qualify for leadership roles in school systems, college teaching, business, industry, and the military. This training is quite practical and can be used with other disciplines. A spring course on distance learning is being developed and will include evaluation methods for this type of course. Upon completion of the Ph. D., graduates in Industrial Design have taken positions in business and industry earning $70-$80,000. Undergraduate degrees can be in other areas.
Ms. Botterbusch works with USF's educational television programming in Marine Science for middle school students. She spoke on Nova Southeastern University's Master's and Ed. D. programs in Instructional Technology and Distance Education. A video on the University's distance learning complemented her talk. Prospective students do not take the GRE but instead write papers as part of admission. Costs are about $4,000 per semester. Currently, Nova Southeastern's distance learning program serves 25 states. Students and teachers do have face-to-face contact at semi-annual 3 to 6-day sessions required in fall and spring and 8-day summer institutes. These are in Fort Lauderdale. The programs are completed with a practicum, which is more action-oriented than a thesis. To be admitted, one should be "currently employed as an educator or trainer in an organization that uses technology as part of its delivery system."
Ms. McCaffrey is coordinator of training for TBLC and team leader for trainers and customer support for the SUNLINE libraries. TBLC offers informal courses and does not issue certificates or degrees. Relevant topics include troubleshooting for Windows95 and PCs, teaching a one-hour Internet course, and using HTML. This summer, with George Morgan of USF, students from TBLC member libraries created home pages for their libraries. A grant has given TBLC 6 laptops for on-the-road training sessions. TBLC plans 93 workshops this year with about 1200 participants. In May, the conference for par-professionals will again provide non-M.L.S. personnel with additional training. You can help by spreading the word about TBLC's interest in the following:
Workshops are open to the public and are offered at member/non-member rates.
The Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MS/MIS) is intended to provide companies with specialists who have expertise in both information technology and management. Prospective students are expected to have prior experience in technology and business. Admissions have been only in the fall semester. However, a tentative spring class is being considered with a deadline of October 15 for applications. The program is comprised of a total of 32 semester hours, and all are night courses. The student has the option of either a thesis or a practicum. Usually upon completion of the program, participants have six to seven job offers in hand.
We would like to thank these four highly qualified speakers who gave us so much valuable information to consider when planning for career enhancement.
Mary Marna Brady
Secretary-elect
| President | Trudie Root | Juvenile Welfare Board, Pinellas Park 727/547-5671, hn3750@handsnet.org |
| Vice President | Mary Kaye Raddatz | St. Petersburg Junior College, Health Education Center 727/341-3657, raddatzm@mail.spjc.cc.fl.us |
| Secretary | Mary Marny Brady | 2601 53rd Street N, St., Petersburg, FL 33710 727/323-0078, sfzznsh1@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us |
| Treasurer | Betsy King | Reflectone, Inc, Tampa 813/887-1658, kingb@cftnet.com |
| Newsletter Editor | Shirl Kennedy | Honeywell, Clearwate 727/539-2085, sdk@mindspring.com |
| Immediate Past President (87-98) |
Joyce Burkhart | St. Petersburg Junior College, Seminole Campus 727/394-8775, burkhartj@mail.spjc.cc.fl.us |
Suncoast Information Specialists
c/o Tampa Bay Library Consortium
1202 Tech Boulevard, Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33619
Phone: (813) 622-8252
Email: sis@snoopy.tblc.lib.fl.us
URL: http://snoopy.tblc.lib.fl.us/sis/
Listserv: SIS-L@snoopy.tblc.lib.fl.us