Library Journal Names UA Professor Recipient of Teaching Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Dr. Steven L. MacCall, an associate professor in The University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies, was named the recipient of the 2010 Library Journal Teaching Award.

Library Journal’s annual award, sponsored by ProQuest, recognizes excellence in educating the next generation of librarians. MacCall’s creativity in building a unique and effective online learning experience for his students was key to his being named the winner this year.

Nominated by a group of his online students, MacCall was selected by the editors of Library Journal, the profession’s leading trade magazine, from an impressive group of nominations from across the United States.

Editor-in-Chief Francine Fialkoff noted the powerful comments from students that earned MacCall his award: “Even in the online environment, MacCall has a huge impact on his students. As they wrote in their letter, ‘He transforms what could be a cold and impersonal experience into one that is filled with enthusiasm, humor, and intellectual rigor, possibly even transcending an on-campus experience.’”

“This award is special because it was student driven, which especially touched me because my students are online students from around the United States as well as local students residing in Tuscaloosa,” MacCall said. “This type of teaching has its challenges, so having this type of recognition is especially satisfying.”

The award comes with a $5,000 honorarium from ProQuest and a celebration at the 2011 American Library Association Midwinter meeting in San Diego.

The UA School of Library and Information Studies, housed in the College of Communication and Information Sciences, has the only American Library Association-accredited MLIS program in the state.