• Chair (2003-2004): Ann K. Randall (akrand@hotmail.com, telephone 718 636-3429).

• Immediate Past Chair (2002-2003): Jody Fagan ( jfagan@lib.siu.edu, telephone 618-453-5844).

• Doctoral Forum: Experienced mentors from ASIST work with student researchers. (more info)

• Training and Coordination for Chat Reference (SIGs USE & ED)
  Chat reference services are springing up across the country with great fanfare. Training for students still in school, as well as for paraprofessional and professional staff, is a high priority to ensure service in this new medium. In this session, practitioners and educators will discuss the training and coordination of chat reference services, and LIS students will discuss their education experiences. The panel included: Jody Condit Fagan, Southern Illinois University (moderator); Eileen Abels, University of Maryland; Margaret Victoria Turqman , University of Maryland; John V. Richardson, Jr., UCLA; and Joanne Silverstein, Syracuse University

• Bioinformatics in Information Science Education (Special Session)
  Because bioinformatics deals centrally with the total information cycle – generating, storing, retrieving, analyzing and using information – it has an inherent relationship with information science and technology. The presenters included Eugene Garfield, Chairman Emeritus, ISI; Greg Paris, Novartis Pharmaceutical; Gary Marchionini, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Moderator: Glynn Harmon, University of Texas at Austin

• The Library of the Future: Interweaving the Virtual and the Physical (SIGs USE, ED & DL)
  How imminent is the "library of the future"? Already, information seekers can find much of the information and some of the support they need electronically. The ways they interact with information are changing, and libraries will soon have spaces that seamlessly combine the physical and the virtual. Using a recent architectural study conducted for the Welch Medical Library of Johns Hopkins University, this panel will demonstrate how rapidly the library environment of the future is approaching. The Johns Hopkins study explored the implications of the library of the future on the design of the physical library, considering especially changing patterns of use and the roles of librarians. Presenters included Nancy K. Roderer, Johns Hopkins University; Shirley Dugdale, DEGW North America LLC; Barbara Wildemuth, University of North Carolina; Kerryn A. Brandt, Ph.D. , Rohm and Haas Company; Reactor: Julie Hurd, University of Illinois, Chicago

• Virtual Reference Services: Exploring the Open Source Options (SIGs DL, ED, LAN & STI)
  Virtual reference services are rapidly becoming essential, particularly in academic libraries, and several well-established commercial vendors have moved into the market to provide virtual reference systems. However, by incorporating one of the available open source packages, libraries can fully customize their virtual reference services to better meet their institutions' needs. This session provides an overview of three open source packages, discusses how they are being used and examines their role in providing academic reference services. Presenters included: Pascal V. Calarco , Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries; Jody Condit Fagan, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Sam Stormont, Temple University Libraries; Rong Tang, SUNY Albany (moderator); Rob Casson, Miami University

• Virtual Reference: Evolving the Vehicle, Evaluating the Service and Optimizing the Link Between Providers and Users (SIGs STI, ED & MGT)
  Interactive reference service over the World Wide Web is now offered or coming soon at most academic libraries and a growing number of public libraries. Virtual reference allows library staff to provide better service to remote users and to reach a growing population of users who have adopted the Web as their preferred medium for communicating and conducting business. As providers of a realworld service, library administrators want to see that they have an optimal hardware and software environment to deliver the best possible product to users. The three panelists will explore how virtual reference is developing and how quality can be measured. Presenters included Steve Coffman, VP, Product Development, LSSI Library Systems and Services; Charles R. McClure, Florida State University; Bernie Sloan , University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science; Co-Moderators: Ruth E. Fenske, John Carroll University; Penny O'Connor, Cleveland Public Library

• Digital Libraries Supporting Distance Education (SIGs DL, ED & PUB)
  Use of online courseware in supporting distributed and distance learning in higher education is maturing in terms of both technology and organizational readiness. However, faculty and their institutions have concerns about peer review, workload, and promotion and tenure issues associated with creating and delivering online courses. This session will address efforts to increase the legitimacy of these efforts. Presenters included Pascal V. Calarco, Virginia Commonwealth Libraries; Tim Tirrell, Virginia Community College, "The MERLOT Project"; Phillip D. Long ,"Open Knowledge Initiative", MIT; Ed Walker, IMS Global Learning Consortium, "IMS Global"; Moderator: José-Marie Griffiths, University of Pittsburgh

2001 Annual Meeting

• Doctoral Forum: Experienced mentors from ASIST work with student researchers. (more info) This year's Forum

• Information Science Hot Topics Primer: The session sponsored by SIG/ED explores "hot topics" we all hear about but may not be quite sure of what the terms mean or how they are being used within Information Science. Each speaker will give a brief introduction to the topic followed by an example of research, applications, or projects which use this topic. The panel includes: Information Architecture - David Robbins - Pitt; Environmental Scanning - Eileen Abels, UMD; Knowledge Management - Claire McInerny, Rutgers; Information Visualization and Digital Imaging - Samantha Hastings, UNT and Myke Gluck, FSU. The moderator for the session is Carol Barry from LSU.

2000 Annual Meeting

• "So you want an undergraduate major?" Panelists examine the potential role for ASIST in shaping standard curricula for undergraduate eduation in information science.
• Doctoral Forum. Experienced mentors from ASIST work with student researchers.

The American Society for Information Science and Technology supports a variety of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) where members with similar professional specialties and interests can exchange ideas and keep informed about their areas of special interest.

SIG/ED focuses on the education - at all levels - of those concerned with the handling of information. Though SIG/ED, ASIST members have a forum for coordinating efforts and sharing knowledge of educators in a wide variety of information-oriented fields, including computer and communications science, librarianship and management. These levels range from basic education for professional service, through advanced education and research to continuing professional education. SIG/ED sponsors programs at ASIST annual and midyear meetings that focus on such topics as curriculum design, research in information science education, instructional resources and methods, manpower needs, placement, recruitment to the information professions, continuing education and educational program planning. SIG/ED also hosts the Doctoral Forum at each ASIST Annual Meeting and sponsors the travel for student paper awardees.