Contact: Melissa B. Jones
AASL Communications Specialist
(312) 280-4381
mjones@ala.org

NEWS
For Immediate Release
June 29, 2008

AASL honors the retirement of SLMR editor

CHICAGO—The American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), will honor the retirement of Daniel Callison as editor of AASL's refereed research journal, School Library Media Research (SLMR), during the ALA 2008 Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. Dr. Callison served as editor of the journal from 1997 to 2007.

The peer-reviewed journal owes much of its success to the efforts and dedication of Daniel Callison. In 1997, AASL's research journal, School Library Media Quarterly, converted to digital format. The journal was later renamed School Library Media Research to better reflect the dynamic nature of its publication schedule. In 2004, SLMR was ranked 16th out of more than 70 journals in the library and information science field by the deans and directors of ALA-accredited MLS-degree programs in North America. SLMR was the top-ranked journal related to the school library media field and is the only online journal that ranked among the top twenty.

Current SLMR co-editor Jean Donham said, "At the time Dr. Callison proposed going to an open-access online journal, there was some degree of skepticism in the scholarly world about the viability of online publication of scholarship. As a result of his vision, SLMR has been a leader among scholarly journals in this regard. Dr. Callison has set the standard for SLMR as a respected and rigorous peer-reviewed publication. As co-editor, I am committed to continuing his tradition."

Callison is professor and dean in the School of Continuing Studies at Indiana University – Bloomington, where he has worked since 1979. He was formerly professor and executive associate dean of the School of Library and Information Science. He holds a doctorate and master's degree in education from IU Bloomington. He also holds a master's degree in library science from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kan., and a bachelor's degree from Southwestern College, Winfield, Kan. Callison co-authored “The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy; Case Studies in Managing School Library Media Centers; and Instructional Interventions for Information Use.” He is the author of “Key Words, Concepts and Methods for Information Age Instruction: A Guide for Teaching Information Inquiry.”

AASL will recognize Callison's contributions to SLMR and AASL at the conclusion of its second Board of Directors meeting at the ALA 2008 Annual Conference. The board meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Monday, June 30. 

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library media field.