The school also is the only one in the country to receive two grants, which will focus on recruiting and education librarians for the 21st century, from the IMLS. Of 76 proposals, the IMLS funded 27.

“This is the first grant that we have received to support our distance education program since 1982,” said Dan Barron, a professor and director of the school, which is part of the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies.

“Up until now, we have relied on tuition dollars and the dedication of our faculty to reach out to the people of South Carolina and to take our master's degree program to Georgia, West Virginia, Maine, and Virginia. This grant especially is rewarding to us because it is a recognition of our leadership and expertise in the use of distance education to serve the needs of South Carolina and the profession.”

With a grant of $485,590 from the IMLS, the school will design and test best recruiting practices and networking activities to support rural public library leadership using a collaborative model in two states. The program will result in nine bachelor's and sixteen master's level degree recipients who agree to work in their local community libraries for at least three years beyond graduation.

The collaboration will include the S.C. State Library, Maine State Library, S.C. Library Association, Maine Library Association, University of Maine at Augusta, and the Center for Rural Librarianship at Clarion University.

The project also will provide a case study for the design of a sustainable network of library staff and leaders for community development. Barron is the PI for the study.

“Many rural areas find it difficult to attract essential professional services personnel such as social workers, health care providers, and librarians,” Barron said. “This is a need in our state and nationally. Teaming with our colleagues in South Carolina and Maine, we intend to demonstrate how the information needs of rural communities can be met by recruiting qualified individuals from rural communities, educating them with the best preparation program possible, and encouraging these new librarians to stay home and serve the communities that need them.”

With a grant of $196,159, the school will develop and analyze the demographic and "psychographic" profiles of students that include reasons leading to their choice of school librarianship as a career path. The results will provide information for recruitment efforts, public relations, and advertising strategies.

A model for outcomes-based assessment of students and programs leading to certification of school librarians within the context of distance education will also be developed. Donna Shannon, coordinator of School Library Media Programs, is the PI.

“We are very proud that our school library media education program continues to be ranked third in the nation among all other graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report,” Barron said. “This grant is a tribute to Dr. Shannon's reputation in this area and her capabilities as a researcher. We are fortunate to have her talent and leadership in School of Library and Information Science.”

The IMLS is an independent federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners. The institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation’s 15,000 museums and 122,000 libraries. The institute also encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit of libraries and museums.

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