Signature Events

The School of Information Studies hosts a series of annual lectures, characterized by high-profile speakers and thought leaders in the field of library and information science. These events are free and open to the public with registration required.

Butler Lecture

The Butler Lecture is generously supported by the Butler Family Foundation. The Butler Lectures showcase award-winning creators of books for young people and academic experts who speak on issues related to children's literature and the joy of reading and lifelong learning.

  • Inaugural Butler Lecturer was Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Ed Young, on February 22, 2013, titled "The House Baba Built"
  • The 2014 lecture was presented by Jane Yolen on February 26, 2014, titled "Folklore vs. Fakelore: The Truth about Folk, Fairy, and Fantasy Stories"
  • The 2015 lecture by LeUyen Pham on March 5, 2015, titled "Wandering Wonderland: An Immigrant's Story Told Through Books"
  • Award-winning illustrator Christian Robinson delivered the 2016 lecture, "You Are Here: Finding Yourself in Picture Books" on March 16, 2016 
  • The 2017 lecture, "Why Magic?" was delivered by author Holly Black on March 16, 2017
  • The 2018 lecture will feature Andrea Davis Pinkney on March 14, 2018. *Please note that this event is at capacity, and registration is closed. Please contact the Butler Center at butler@dom.edu with questions.
Follett Lecture

The Follett Lecture is given annually each spring by the Follett Chair in Library and Information Science, a position established by Dominican University and the Follett Corporation in 2002. Past Follett Chairs include:

  • Martin J. Dillon, Ed Valauskas, Steven L. Herb, and Ken Haycock; their lectures are archived online in full text in World Libraries, vol.19 nos.1-2.
  • Mary Minow, Follett Chair from 2012 through 2014, presented "Copyright in the Digital Age" on April 15, 2013, "Ebooks and the Reader" on March 13, 2012, and "The Right to Control? Writing and Publishing Religious Works" with special insights from Sr. Janet Welsh on April 29. 2014 
  • The 2014–2016 Follett Chair is Dr. Janice M. Del Negro, who presented "A 'Belligerent Profession:' Telling the Library Story" on April 8, 2015 and "The All-White World of Children's Librarianship: Baker, Rollins, and the Quest for Diversity" on April 13, 2016 
  • The 2016–2017 Follet Chair is David Lankes, who delivered 2017 Lecture, "The Social Responsibility of the Library and the Librarian in a Post-Factual World" on April 12, 2017 with a respondent panel of Nicole A. Cooke, Miguel Figueroa, and Scott Walter.
  • Andrew Dillon is the 2017-2018 Follett Chair, and he will deliver the 2018 Lecture on April 26, 2018. Register online now.
McCusker Memorial Lecture

The McCusker Memorial Lecture is presented annually each fall and celebrates the life and contributions of Sister Lauretta McCusker, O.P., the first dean of Dominican University's Graduate School of Library and Information Science, now the School of Information Studies. Recent McCusker Lectures include:

  • Renowned author and intellectual freedom advocate Sara Paretsky, "Another Turn of the Screw" on October 24, 2012, archived in World Libraries, vol.20 no.1
  • Sister Mary Paynter, O.P., presented "Educational Essentials on the American Frontier" on October 16, 2013
  • The 2014 lecture was delivered on October 1, 2014 by Howard Besser, professor of cinema studies and the director of the Moving Image Archiving & Preservation Program at NYU's Tisch School for the Arts 
  • The 2015 lecture was presented by John Chrastka, executive director of Everylibrary.org, on October 14, 2015 
  • ALA Immediate Past President Sari Feldman delivered the 2016 lecture on October 6, 2016 
  • The 2017 McCusker Lecture was delivered by Linda Hofschire on October 3, 2017