Seven high-profile figures in library and information science have been tapped to help transform how the University of South Carolina is preparing the next generation of professionals. The program is an effort to enhance the school’s curriculum by building a direct line to leading thinkers in the field.
iSchool Fellows will assist the school in a variety of ways. Responsibilities include:
Erik Boekesteijn is a senior advisor at National Library of the Netherlands as well as a facilitator and consultant for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Boekesteijn got his start in the Netherlands’ DOK Library in Delft, recognized as one of the most innovative public libraries in the world.
Jason Broughton, a 2014 School of Information Science alumnus, is director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, where he is responsible for the oversight and administration of the NLS program of the Library of Congress, including the expansion of online and digital delivery of program services.
Dr. Joseph Jeong-Yeou Chiu is the director and professor of the Graduate Institute of Library, Information and Archival Studies, National Chengchi University (GILIAS/NCCU), Taiwan, the Republic of China.
Sari Feldman is executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Ohio. During her tenure as president of the American Library Association from 2015-2016, she launched Libraries Transform, a campaign to raise awareness of the impact libraries have in their communities. The campaign provided libraries with an array of powerful graphics, messaging and other advocacy resources.
Dr. Gordon Jones, the iSchool’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, is co-founder of The ValidIDe Project and a certified Blockchain expert. In addition to serving two tours (6 years) with the 82nd Airborne Division, Gordon spent more than 20 years in health tech and emerging technology fields. Among his four degrees, he has a BA in Government and International Studies (China) from USC
Lee Rainie is director of internet and technology for Pew Research Center, a non-profit, non-partisan “fact tank” that studies the social impact of the internet. There, Rainie runs a research project that explores the social impact of digital technologies, as well as the intersection of science and society. He also served as managing editor of U.S. News & World Report for 12 years.
Dr. Joanne Hui-Yun Sung is the director and associate professor of the Graduate Institute of Library and Information Science at the National Chung Hsing University (GILIS/NCHU), Taiwan, the Republic of China.