Mini-Summit for urban librarians scheduled on Sept. 5: Designed to address challenges of delivering library services in an urban environment

Wayne State University alumni from the WSU Library Information and Science Program System Class of 1972 recently visited the Detroit campus for a three-day reunion celebration of tours, social events and speakers.

Among the highlights of the weekend activities was WSU Library System Dean Sandra Yee's announcement of the creation of the Professor Genevieve M. Casey Endowed Scholars Fund in the Library and Information Science (LIS) Program.

The Fund was conceived and initiated by the former students of retired Professor Genevieve M. Casey as a way to honor the woman who did so much to shape their professional lives. The award will be funded through gifts from Casey's students, friends and colleagues.

The purpose of the scholarship endowment is to continue the work begun by Casey by helping fund the education of LIS students dedicated to serving the economically disadvantaged and underserved.

An all-day mini-summit is scheduled on Friday, Sept. 5, at Wayne State University's McGregor Memorial Conference Center on the main Detroit campus. The faculty of WSU's LIS Program will host the event for select urban librarians exploring the topic of "Educating Urban Librarians."

Martin Gomez, president of the Urban Libraries Council, will deliver the keynote address.

Participants from all types of libraries across the region are invited to examine the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to deliver high-quality, cutting-edge library services in an urban environment. The outcomes of the summit will be used to craft a new concentration in urban librarianship that will be implemented in the fall 2009 academic year. The curriculum developed from the research will meet the diverse needs of urban librarians.

Yee says the mini-summit also serves as a testament to Professor Genevieve M. Casey, who will be participating in the event, and the Endowed Scholars Fund established in her name.

"The mini-summit will build upon the legacy established by Professor Casey during her distinguished career in education," Yee says. "Our primary goal evolving from the summit will be to determine what should comprise a meaningful academic program centered on urban librarianship and how we can best help our Library Information Science Program students develop the corresponding skill sets."

For more information about Wayne State University's Library and Information Science Program visit http://www.lisp.wayne.edu/.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 380 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 27,000 students.