Syracuse University's School of Information Studies

As you likely know, I teach part-time in Syracuse University's School of Information Studies (also known as the iSchool). Over the course of the last 2+ years, the School has been moving into a newly renovated building called Hinds Hall. The grand opening (or iOpening) will be on May 10 as part of graduation weekend. The local newspaper shot video of the facilities. While the video is showing off the technology that is geared more towards the non-library sciences programs in the School, it is important to realize that all of that technology is also available to the library and information science faculty and students.

Library schools all over are including more technology in their programs. The must -- our libraries contain more technology and the methods that our patrons are using to access information are often reliant on technology. And what would digitization be without technology?

As we engage new professionals in our programs, I think it will be important to look not only at the classes they have taken, etc., but also at the environment they were in. Were they in an environment that really understood and used technology? Were they in an environment that gave only a nod to technology? And what technology was present? We will benefit if the new professionals have been immersed and can use what they have learned to move our programs forward.

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