Library Student Journal

Over at the Library Student Journal, a project of the School of Informatics at the University of Buffalo, they are blogging about the apparent decision to merge the school with the School of Education. Elu Guinnee writes:

“We’re trying to stay positive, and in reality the department has far too much going for it to be held down by even a major step backward, but the decision is nonetheless very demoralizing. Overnight we have gone from innovative to marginalized; from a sense that we are poised to be one of the top LIS school in North America, to a sense that we have been abandoned to mediocrity by the administration.”

“And all from the unilateral decision of a single man. The decision was made with absolutely no student or faculty consultation. Why was the decision made? To save money? Because in Tripathi’s world all LIS is education? Who knows. We’re not being told why. It is a shock.”

At a time when libraries are still considered important to the democratic urges of this country, the shutting down of a library school, (no word yet what exactly will happen to the school – will it be a merger or a hostile takeover?) is not good. While I don’t know the whole story, I do know that the school has produced a heck of a lot of quality librarians. This is terrible news on an otherwise very good news and PR week for our profession.