Annual McCusker Memorial Lecture at Dominican University

Dr. Barbara M. Jones, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association (ALA), will deliver the 14th annual McCusker Memorial Lecture on Monday, October 11. Entitled "Freedom of Expression in the Media Age: Can Public Discourse Be Revived in an Era of Sound Bites?," the lecture is sponsored by Dominican University's Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) in memory of Sr. Lauretta McCusker, former professor and founding dean of the school. The lecture will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Eloise Martin Recital Hall, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest, IL and will be followed by a reception from 7:00-8:00pm.

In her lecture, Jones will recognize contemporary organizations and social movements working to create a rich, more diverse information world in which all can participate. She will discuss the 21st century media environment, freedom of expression in a well-functioning democracy, and the many opportunities for improving public discourse. 

Jones also serves as the executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation.  She received a master's degree in library science from Columbia University, a master's degree in history and archival administration from New York University, and her doctoral degree in history from the University of Minnesota, with a specialty in U.S. constitutional history.

She has been involved in intellectual freedom committees on the local, state, national, and international levels, including the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee and the Intellectual Freedom Round Table.  In 2008, she received the Robert B. Downs Award for Intellectual Freedom from the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

The lecture is free and open to the public but space is limited.  To reserve a space, please RSVP by calling 708-524-6845 or e-mail gslis@dom.edu by Friday, October 8, 2010.

Accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), Dominican University's GSLIS has been educating future library leaders and information professionals since the 1930's. The school offers a master's degree in library and information science as well as a doctor of philosophy in library and information science.