A new book of compiled essays on school librarianship written by renowned scholars in the field and edited by iSchool instructor Dr. Sue Alman is dedicated to former iSchool director Dr. E. Blanche Woolls.

San José State University School of Information instructor Dr. Sue Alman has edited a book of compiled essays on school librarianship in honor of former iSchool director Dr. E. Blanche Woolls.

“School Librarianship: Past, Present, and Future” chronicles global issues in professional education, scholarship, organizations, and the advances of practitioners. Each chapter was written by a renowned scholar in the field who has been directly influenced by Woolls, known among her colleagues as the “Grand Dame of School Librarianship.” Current iSchool director Dr. Sandra Hirsh contributed the foreword and assistant professor Dr. Mary Ann Harlan wrote a section on “library education.”

Alman dedicated the book to Woolls in recognition of her steadfast commitment to the betterment of school libraries and school library educators and practitioners. “I first met Dr. Blanche Woolls when I was a doctoral student, and she has been instrumental in providing networking, research, publishing, and teaching opportunities throughout my career.  She has supported countless others in the same way, and they have become successful information professionals in a variety of positions around the world,” Alman said.

Appointed director of the School of Library and Information Science at San José State University in 1997, Woolls remained in the position until her retirement in August 2005. She also taught courses in the school’s Master of Library and Information Science program. Alman shared: “As a professor, Dr. Woolls assigned students the task of researching ‘Library Luminaries,’ individuals who made a significant impact on the profession. Everyone who contributed a chapter to this publication has been impacted by Blanche, and we all agree that Blanche is at the top of the Library Luminary list.”

Woolls’ contributions to the field are numerous including holding leadership roles in professional associations and academic institutions and publishing widely. She is a past president of the American Association of School Librarians and the International Association of School Librarianship. “School Librarianship: Past, Present, and Future” was published as part of the Beta Phi Mu Scholar Series, and Woolls served as the executive director of the honorary society for many years.

The book is made up of three parts: Part 1 focuses on the history of school libraries and children’s literature; Part 2 provides a perspective on the current trends and opportunities for professional development and scholarship for school librarians; and Part 3 offers views on the ways school librarians will interact with students and teachers in the future. According to the news release, the book will “appeal to a global audience of professional educators, practitioners, and students involved in school libraries.”

“School Librarianship: Past, Present, and Future” will be available for purchase in February 2017 and will be presented to Woolls at the 2017 American Library Association Annual Conference in June during the Beta Phi Mu Gala (date and time TBA). For more information about the book, visit the Rowman & Littlefield website.

Image courtesy of https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442272071/School-Librarianship-Past-Present-…