Indexes:
Homepage
Professional Index
Personal Index

E.'s Campus Involvement:
UNT / SLIS
LIT Group
TxCDK
Digital Storytelling Group
Beta Phi Mu
UNT Faculty Senator

E.'s National/State Organization Involvement:
Storytelling Association
SHE-SIG
ASIST
ACM
TLA
ALA
ALISE
MLA

Associate Editor:
Storytelling, Self, Society

E.'s Publicly
Available Resources: ¹
Storytelling
Websites

Information Access and Retrieval Resource Websites

History and Culture of Youth Information Services Websites

Graphic Novels &
Comics Websites

LIS Employment
Resources

Terminology Resources
for LIS Professionals

Interviews and Stories

Spring 2004
Storytelling Concert

Mini-Mester 2004
Storytelling Concert

Spring 2005
Storytelling Concert

Mini-Mester 2005
Storytelling Concert

Spring 2006
Storytelling Concert

Summer 2006
Storytelling Concert

¹ Websites publicly available; additions/corrections
are welcomed.

Photo/Image:
 Image from the
 Eastwood Ceiling Tile
 Digital Image Project.
 Used with permission.
  © Cheri Eastwood, 2004.

Master's Students Advisees' Page

Welcome to SLIS!  Part of our culture as library and information sciences professionals is to come up with an acronym for everything, so now you know that "SLIS" represents the School of Library and Information Sciences!  I think you have made a very good decision coming to this school. I hope to contribute to making your experience a very positive one that meets your educational goals.

WHO I ADVISE
You have been assigned to me as your advisor by the SLIS front office staff.  I am the "official" faculty advisor for students enrolled in the Master's Degree with Youth Librarianship Program of Study Emphasis and for students enrolled in the Graduate Academic Certificate in Youth Services in Libraries and Information Settings and the Graduate Academic Certificate in Storytelling. If you are not in the Youth Librarianship or the Graduate Academic Certificate programs, please let me know so that I can ensure you are assigned to the proper advisor. RED ALERT:  I do not advise students in the School Librarianship Program. If you are interested in School Librarianship and want to obtain School Library Certification with the State of Texas, it is required that you be advised by either Dr. Stein or Dr. Simpson.  Please call the SLIS Office at the toll-free number (877) 275-7547 if you need to change your advisor. 

ADVISEE CONTACT INFORMATION FORM
As a first order of business, I would like to collect some information from you for my Advisee Database which is kept locally in my office. If you are a *new* advisee of mine, please email me via efiga@lis.admin.unt.edu so we can plan for your classes and getting you started, etc. 

NAVIGATING GRADUATE SCHOOL AND HOW YOUR ADVISOR CAN HELP
Successfully navigating the administrative processes of graduate school or a graduate academic certificate can be a challenge and your part in this process is critical. I pledge to do my best to help you and as a detail-oriented person, I try to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. I make myself liberally available to students via email and phone and have successfully assisted students via email to solve nearly every problem imaginable.  I  do take one complete day off  per week from my tether to the electronic world to retain my sanity, but I think you'll find me responsive and generally ahead of the game!  As your advisor, I am responsible to you in the following ways:

• Advising you about course selection.

• Approving advising memos.

• Collaborating with Academic Certificate students to prepare your certificate plan and to help enroll you in the Master's program if you have decided to pursue that degree.

• Trouble-shooting problems.

• Assisting with other issues as they occur and require my assistance.

It is your responsibility to help yourself succeed here!  I can't help you if I don't know your problem and there are many resources to help you understand how processes work. The first thing I recommend is becoming familiar with the SLIS Website.  The site, located at http://www.unt.edu/slis/, has critical information with which you should become familiar sooner rather than later. 

MY CONTACT INFORMATION
I can always be found/reached via the SLIS Faculty page. You may call me by going through Mrs. Taylor and the toll-free number (877) 275-7547 or by calling the direct line to my office phone is (940) 565-2187. My email address is efiga@lis.admin.unt.edu.  As an additional point of note, via the faculty page you can learn more about the faculty, their courses, their research interests, etc.  

SLIS STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION
There are some very important people you need to know to successfully navigate your way through your program and those are the members of the SLIS Office Staff.  They know everything or can find out the answer.  THEY ARE THE DIVAS OF SLIS! You can reach them via the SLIS Staff page or by calling (940) 565-3561 or the toll-free number at (877) 275-7547. There is one cardinal rule for all advisees to remember:  If you have a dire need and can't reach me, contact the SLIS Office Staff or Dean Turner at pturner@lis.admin.unt.edu.

SCHEDULING AN ADVISING APPOINTMENT
Call the SLIS office to learn the day/time of my advising hours. Advising appointments are limited to 20 minutes, which for most students is adequate time if you are prepared.  Please schedule an in-person or telephone advising appointment via Vicki Taylor by calling her directly at (940) 565-3561 or via the toll-free number at (877) 275-7547.  If I don't have an advising appointment available for a time that works for you, please email me right away so I can set up an alternate time with you.  The tradition at SLIS is for students to call at the appointment time.  Be prepared for your advising appointment. This means you have in front of you copies of the schedule of upcoming SLIS course offerings, the list of courses in the SLIS rotation, and a copy of your degree plan if we have done that.  You need to think in advance about what classes  you want to take and when you want to take them. You should have a proposal for your course agenda ready to talk about!  I will consider your choices and make recommendations if you ask for them.  You should always plan your courses by the schedules on the SLIS Website and not the University catalog.  Here are the pertinent links so you can prepare for your advising appointments:

LINK TO SLIS COURSE SCHEDULES: http://www.unt.edu/slis/courses/schedules/index.htm
LINK TO SLIS COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: http://www.unt.edu/catalogs/2002-03/gclibrary.html
LINK TO SLIS COURSE ROTATIONS: http://www.unt.edu/slis/courses/schedules/CourseRotation.pdf
LINK TO SLIS COURSE SYLLABI AND TEXTBOOK INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS:  http://web2.unt.edu/cdl/CDL_ECAMPUS/default.cfm Follow these instructions:

• In the left hand column, choose COURSES.
• At the prompt choose SEMESTER
• At the prompt choose LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCES
• Scroll the list and look for your COURSE NAME & NUMBER.
• Click on the link for SECTION Information and you can get course description and book information.
• If there is NO information available, please email the professor. You can find the professor's email addresses by visiting the SLIS Faculty Website located at: http://www.unt.edu/slis/people/faculty/index.htm

REGISTERING FOR CLASSES
There are several important links off the SLIS Website related to course registration.  You should become familiar with them.

• Course schedules - this is where you can look to the past, present and future for course offerings.  You should always use the official SLIS schedules for selecting your courses as this is the most accurate and up-to-date list.  The page is located at:  http://www.unt.edu/slis/courses/schedules/index.htm  I suggest you print out these SLIS course schedules  for reference because you will need the exact course name, number/section number, etc., for both your advising memo and your UNT registration. It is often helpful to look at past schedules to get an idea of courses likely to be offered in the future.  Our Deans try to post upcoming semester schedules at the earliest possible time, but as you might guess, this is both tricky and never soon enough!  Official catalog descriptions of courses are available as are syllabi from faculty.

• Advising Memo - the advising memo form is located on the Forms Online at https://osprey.unt.edu/slis/advising/index.htm page and is the first link. Sending in an advising memo is required for you to be released to register for any course and applies to students in both the Master's program or the Academic Certificate. The approval process requires that the advising memo come to your advisor for approval and then it is forwarded to the front office staff for processing.  The form is set up in an easy-to-fill-out format that prompts you for all the required information.  There are two drop-down windows in the form, one for your program of study and the other for your advisor's name.  Once you send your advising memo to me, I will either approve it or email you for discussion.  Once I approve it, I will forward the memo via email to the front office and I will always send you an email copy on this process so you know it is completed.  The SLIS office staff will also send you a reply with the REGISTRATION CODES for your courses -- do not lose that email!  I highly recommend you save copies of all course-related email. Once you are ready, please go ahead and send me your advising memo for the upcoming session/semester. The advising memo form will allow you to fill in as many as six courses for one semester, however, if you are submitting memos for two different semesters (such as Summer II 2001 and Fall 2001), you must fill out separate advising memos for each.  Once you get your codes, you are ready to register for your courses.  For any trouble with registration, you should always call the SLIS office tollfree at 877-265-7547.

• What is my EUID and How do I Get It/Know What It Is?  You will need to set up your EUID before you can register for courses.  Visit https://gwweb6.unt.edu/ams/whatsmyeuid.php  to learn more and set up your EUID.

• How to Register for Classes - Once your advising memo gets to the front office, you will be "processed" to register for that class.  You will need to learn how to register for classes and you can do that by first visiting this Webpage:   http://www.unt.edu/slis/WebReg/WebReg_howto.htm . Students register for courses based upon dates/times that are set alphabetically by your last name and you can find your date and time from the PDF file located at http://www.unt.edu/catalogs/catsched.htm in the section under Academic Calendar. You may register either by phone at (940) 387-9646 or online. Tips for registration can be found at http://essc.unt.edu/registrar/general/checklst.htm. Fill in the teleregistration worksheet found at http://essc.unt.edu/registrar/general/work.htm  and go from there. If you have trouble with registration, the best person to call is Mrs. Taylor at (940) 565-3561.  Information about tuition and fee rate schedules can be found at http://essc.unt.edu/saucs/tuition.htm.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WEBPAGES

• FAQ about Degrees, Programs of Study and a few other points of confusion.  Degrees - SLIS allows you to choose either the Master of Science in  Library Sciences (MSLS) or the Master of Science in Information Sciences (MSIS) degree when you graduate.  If you need assistance with your choice, please let me know.

• Field (Work) Experience Waiver - The field experience waiver form is also located on the Forms Online page.  If you have worked for six months or more in a library or information work setting, you may submit a waiver of your field experience requirement.  If you do not have field experience, a three-hour practicum is required of all students and those hours do not count toward the 36 required for your Master's degree.  If you think you qualify for a field experience waiver, I highly recommend you complete your waiver form at the beginning of your program and that you do not delay this process until your final semester.  The form requires a former employer's signature and description of duties, so you need to allow time for this process to be completed.

• Practicum (or Internship) Application Form - If you do not have field (work) experience in a library or information work setting, then you will be required to do an internship. The application form (currently called Practicum Application form) is also located on the Forms Online page.  To complete an internship, you must arrange for an Internship Supervisor and have your proposal approved through the proper channels.  I would be delighted to serve as an Internship Supervisor for any of my advisees and for those who are required to do an Internship in the Youth Librarianship Program of Study.

• SLIS-Announce - I highly recommend all students subscribe to the SLIS-Announce email list..  Details about subscribing are located on the SLIS-Announce page.  This is not a high-volume list and standard practice has important announcements posted that pertain to courses, book availability, graduation, scholarships, online events, SLIS parties, etc.

• Programs of Study - SLIS awards Program of Study Documents suitable for framing along with your UNT Graduate School diploma.  These documents are very nice because they reflect your area of specialization.  Students may receive more than one program of study document if they have complete all the requirements for both.  The SLIS Program of Study page lists the requirements for the various programs.

• Transferring Courses - If you would like to transfer courses from another university, I can help you with this process. Once you transfer courses to UNT SLIS, they can never be used toward another degree.  Generally, you can easily transfer six hours of graduate credit that has not been used for previous degree, and sometimes if the courses are directly applicable, an appeal can be made to accept nine hours for transfer. What you should do after you are admitted and begin the program is to is send me an email letting me know which course(s) you would like to transfer. You must include in the email the name of the University where you took the course(s), the official course number of the class, and an official course description from the course catalog of that university.  Once I get that letter, I will pull your file and transcript, take the letter to the appropriate Dean with the request, and he will examine your transcript and report a decision.  I will follow-up with you via email on the result and update your degree plan accordingly to reflect the transferred hours where applicable.

• Funding/Employment Opportunities - There are funding and employment opportunities available for students. SLIS offers teaching assistantships and other options, so if you are interested in this type of funding, you should contact Dean Philip Turner at pturner@lis.admin.unt.edu. My philosophy is, "It never hurts to ask!" The UNT Library System hires graduate students from SLIS as Graduate Library Assistants and in other paraprofessional roles. Please see a previous advertisement from the library or contact the Administrative Offices. A recent shortage of applicants for these very good assistantships has resulted in modification of some requirements, so don't be reluctant to apply even if you are a new student! The UNT Off ice of  Student Employment Services Website has a lot of information and, lastly, please check the UNT Student Financial Aid pages for possibilities at http://essc.unt.edu/finaid/index.htm and the scholarship pages for graduate students located at  http://www.tsgs.unt.edu/newindex.htm.  

• Capstone Experience - All students enrolled in SLIS are required to take the Capstone Experience, which is a  is leadership project and two-question synthesis paper completed in the final semester.  Check the SLIS Homepage located at www.unt.edu/slis/ for the link to Capstone for the official information. As your advisor, I will be responsible for approving the proposal for your leadership project and will be delighted to help you shape a successful project. Announcements about the Capstone Orientation, which is given each semester, are posted on the SLIS Homepage and on the SLIS-L Listserv. You should begin planning for the Capstone Experience prior to your last semester.

• Technology Requirements, the ITKS Self-Assessment and Computer Competencies - To succeed at SLIS it will be important that you have regular, ongoing access to a computer. SLIS has prepared some technology recommendations to guide you in meeting the minimum expectations for success. Students who begin their program in 2001 must possess minimum computer competencies skills.  All students are asked to take the ITKS Self-Assessment.  This Web-based self-assessment helps you identify areas of strength and weakness and will offer you some ideas about how to overcome technology deficiencies before you come to campus.  

• ADA Information - Any student with a disability that will require accommodation under the terms of federal regulations must let the instructor know on the first day of class and present a written accommodation request to the instructor by the second week of class.  Copies of the University’s ADA Compliance policy are available through the SLIS main office.  It is highly recommended that the student register with the Office of Disability Accommodation at the University of North Texas and learn of other services that may be available to students.

• Apartment Hunting - I have it on good authority from my teaching assistant that if you are looking for an on-campus apartment, the best source is Place To Be, (940) 566-0033. This is not an endorsement of this apartment company merely a lead on finding housing near campus  There are also many other apartment complexes in Denton easily found in the telephone directory yellow pages.

I hope you have found this page to be of assistance to you.  I look forward to working with you and wish you great success in pursuit of your future career aspirations.

Always,
E.

This Website was designed and written by Elizabeth Figa.
© Elizabeth Figa 2006
efiga@lis.admin.unt.edu