Michael Crumpton and Joanna DePolt from UNC Greensboro presented a recorded session at the Lilly Conference emphasizing the collaborative opportunities among adjunct faculty, faculty, practitioners, and students in Library Information Sciences (LIS) education. The presenters described examples of collaboration in the LIS department. The value of adjuncts and practitioners in working with research faculty and students was highlighted. Adjuncts learn how teaching, advising, and the academic mission develop at a university. The adjuncts bring relevant practical experience that benefits the students, as they get to hear relevant experience in a different real world setting. The interactions and collaboration described seemed to benefit all members. This session was interesting to learn about the unique niche that adjuncts represent in LIS, often as subject matter experts while also being somewhat transitory. I never really thought about LIS education and the need for instructors! I can also connect this to the wonderful experiences I have had with our Library Fellows! I’ll have to keep in mind opportunities to work with LIS practitioners and Library Fellows, for example, on citizen science and open education projects!
