UB Launches World-Wide Distance Learning On Internet

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- "Put a Buffalo in Your Computer!"

That's the slogan of an initiative by the University at Buffalo School of Information and Library Studies that will offer two graduate courses over the Internet in the spring 1997 semester.

The courses, which will be open to students world-wide, are "Intellectual Freedom" (LIS 580) and "Academic Research Libraries" (LIS 584), a course piloted last year. They will be taught by John Ellison, Ph.D., associate professor of information and library studies.

"There's a lot of distance-learning activity in the nation's library schools, but virtually all of it involves the video transmission of class sessions," says George Bobinski, dean of the UB school. "They usually requires students to spend some time on campus as well. Our courses do not require that."

This is not to suggest that the courses are limited in any way. The curricula for both courses contain the normal graduate-level assignments and learning activities, and are basically the same courses that would be offered on campus. There are additional benefits, however:

• Enrollees will be exposed to a wide range of experiences and perspectives since they will be "in class with" students from across the U.S. and the world.
• Students can arrange course time to suit their own schedules day-to-day because Internet distance-learning programs are not relegated to a specific on-line schedule.
• Nor are they restricted to a specific site. The courses may be taken in the privacy of the home or office, at a local library or at any other location connected to the Internet.

Those interested can contact the UB School of Information and Library Studies at 716-645-2412 or e-mail the school at sils@acsu.buffalo.edu

"This is the start of something bigger," said Bobinski, who expects to see entire degree programs, including his own, offered over the Internet.

"We piloted the course on academic research libraries last year and it turned out extremely well. Leading academic librarians from major universities and small colleges were enrolled, along with our own students," he said. "Their input added tremendously to the class. We decided then to make that course and a second one more widely available."