
The SLIS Kaser Lecture series is named in honor of David Kaser, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, who studied, wrote, and taught extensively in the areas of library history, library buildings, and printing. Professor Kaser retired in 1991 after 18 years at SLIS.
On Thursday, April 1, SLIS alumna Jinnie Y. Davis (Ph.D. 1981) will present the 2010 David Kaser Lecture. The presentation will be held at 4:00 p.m. in the Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington. There will be a reception immediately following the lecture in the Slocum Room.
Title:
Academic Libraries in the For-Profit Sector
Abstract:
For-profit institutions of higher education in the U. S. have increased in number and respectability in the last decade. In her work as a consultant for The Ohio Board of Regents, Jinnie Davis has reviewed over 15 proprietary career schools and online universities. Based on this experience, she will discuss the philosophical differences between for-profit and traditional, not-for-profit institutions. In particular, she will summarize the types of weaknesses commonly found at the libraries of for-profit schools, how they were addressed in assessment reviews, and areas where traditional institutions and their libraries might learn from the for-profit sector.
Biographical Notes:
Jinnie Davis has been a Coordinating Consultant for The Ohio Board of Regents for the past 8 years. Previously, she was an assistant director at the North Carolina State University Libraries, where her areas of responsibility included planning, research, scholarly communication, external relations, and publications. Upon retirement in 2001, she was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from the state of North Carolina. Jinnie was born in China but has lived most of her life in the United States. She earned both her A.B. in history and her master’s degree in library science at the University of Michigan, where she received the student Margaret Mann Award. In addition, she earned a second master’s (in Hispanic Studies) from Auburn University in 1974, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. In 1981, she was awarded the Ph.D. in Library and Information Science from Indiana University. Her dissertation topic was “Individuals, Information, and Structure in the Establishment of OCLC: A Study of Innovation Decision Making.”
Her professional career began in a special library at the Freer Gallery of Art in the Smithsonian Institution in 1968. Thereafter, her work has focused on academia. She cataloged Spanish-language, fine arts, and rare books at The Ohio State University and was in acquisitions at Auburn University before going to N.C. State in 1980. As a higher-education consultant for The Ohio Board of Regents, Jinnie coordinates institutional assessments by teams with expertise in administration and program content. When she is not consulting, she volunteers with local non-profit organizations and paints (oils, watercolors, and porcelain).
Posted February 10, 2010