The School of Information and Library Science (SILS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received the Information Management Award from the North Carolina Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (NC/SLA). SILS, as well as several SILS alumni, were honored at the NC/SLA 2003 annual meeting at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Research Triangle Park on April 3.

The Information Management Award is given to an organization served by a North Carolina Special Library for notable support of its library or library science and recognizes the value of the special library to the organization. Creative and innovative support of the library, its mission and its staff are criteria for final selection.

“SILS was very honored to receive the Information Management Award for the school’s support of the library,” said SILS Dean Joanne Gard Marshall. “The library and computer lab comprise the hub of student activity in the school and we are very fortunate to have both of these facilities. The SILS library collections are accessible to the university community as well as external users and we see this as an important service for library and information science practitioners in the state and beyond.”

Debbie Balsamo (MSLS ’97), director of the EPA library, received the Horizon Award, which is presented to a new NC/SLA member who shows promise of becoming an outstanding member through work and professional activities.

Another SILS graduate and former SILS associate dean, Dr. Fred Roper (MSLS ’62), director of the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina, received the Meritorious Achievement Award. This award honors an NC/SLA member for notable and enduring contributions to the Chapter and to the profession and emphasizes local activity and leadership of outstanding nature.

NC/SLA is composed of information services professionals working, both physically and virtually, for organizations ranging from corporations to museums, newspapers, hospitals, government agencies and academic libraries.

The School of Information and Library Science is home to approximately 247 master's degree students, six certificate of advanced study students, 44 doctoral students, 17 undergraduate majors, 67 minors and 20 full-time faculty members. The school offers master's degrees in information science and library science, a certificate of advanced study, a doctor of philosophy in information and library science and an undergraduate minor in information systems. A new major in information science was introduced last fall.