Paul Jaeger, a university professor in the information studies college, has been named the first recipient of the Library Journal/Association for Library and Information Science Education Excellence in Teaching Award.
This award, which Jaeger received Nov. 15, is one of the highest honors given to educators in the field.
Jaeger is co-director of the college’s Information Policy and Access Center. He also teaches masters and doctoral courses, such as an Information and Human Rights doctoral seminar and a digital literacy class.
The LJ/ALISE Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes excellence in educating the next generation of library and information professionals, according to Library Journal’s website. The award is sponsored by ProQuest, an information-content and technology company that provides research and tools for librarians.
This year, Library Journal and ALISE merged two previous teaching awards given by the organizations: ALISE’s Award for Teaching Excellence in the Field of Library and Information Science Education and Library Journal’s LJ Teaching Award.
“To win this unifying teaching award is a tremendous honor,” Jaeger said.
Jaeger plans to donate the $5,000 he received with his award to the information studies college, also known as the iSchool, to support the 2015 Symposium on Diversity in LIS Education.
Former and current students nominated Jaeger for the award. Natalie Taylor, a doctoral candidate in the iSchool, organized and put together his application after receiving an email from ALISE asking for nominations.
“He’s a tremendous teacher and mentor, and he’s been really integral to my success as a PhD student,” Taylor said. “He just seemed to embody all that the award was for, so I wanted him to be recognized.”
Aside from teaching, Jaeger is an author who has published a dozen books and written more than 150 journal articles and chapters. Jaeger published two books this year, one on public libraries and another on the role libraries serve to digital literacy and inclusion.
Jaeger also has received two awards from the university prior to the Excellence in Teaching award. Both awards commended his contributions to both the iSchool’s and university’s curriculum.
“He’s made an enormous impact on the iSchool,” said Jennifer Preece, dean of the iSchool. “He is good at every single thing he does. He publishes more papers, teaches more classes, and does more service than anyone in the iSchool. He is so deserving of this award.”
Jaeger began working at the iSchool in 2006 after earning his doctorate in information studies from Florida State.
“So much in society and in life depends on the ability to access and use information,” he said. “I was drawn to studying information because it is an area of equality. The ability to use information is a major thing about being socially included. It is an area that deserves a lot of attention.”
