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Winter 2008                                                                  Back to Spotlight home page

Leading by the book: new SLIM dean on board

Dr. Gwen Alexander, the new dean of the School of Library and Information Management (SLIM), is relishing her role in a program with such rich history.

Founded in 1902, the school is the oldest school of library and information studies in the western half of the United States. Alexander, a fifth-generation Kansan whose mother attended KSTC in 1938, became the dean in June. “I’m extremely enthusiastic about the students here, the faculty here,” Alexander said. “Everyone’s been so supportive.”

Alexander came to ESU from Wichita State University, where as the associate dean of university libraries she employed a number of SLIM graduates and supported the school by giving her employees the time to attend SLIM classes. In the summer of 2006, she taught a SLIM course, and she was impressed enough to apply for the school’s top post.

“I love the continuity through all these years,” Alexander said. “It’s got such a wonderful history because it’s been established for over 100 years. We’ve got so many graduates in leadership positions in the profession.”

When she paused in November for a short interview, Alexander was crafting a plan for an exciting new program made possible by the largest single gift in ESU history, from the late Martha Kruse Furbur. An international service learning program is in the works, in which SLIM faculty and students can lend their expertise to libraries in developing countries. One potential project is in children’s programming at a library in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, meant to encourage lifelong information literacy.

“I think this is something that will put our program on the map,” Alexander said. “It’s something that no one else is doing.”

Alexander was born in Topeka and then attended grade school in Bermuda, due to her father’s Air Force affiliation. She earned both a Ph.D. and master of arts in information resources and library science from the University of Arizona, where she minored in higher education. She received a bachelor of arts in business administration from Regis University in Denver.

Her research interests include organizational development, continuous organizational improvement, information retrieval and management of information agencies. Before entering the library profession, she worked for United Airlines, owned and operated several small businesses, was a daily newspaper writer and editor, and developed and managed grant-funded programs for a non-profit organization.

Last Updated April 17, 2008