The School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) at the University of Alabama, in partnership with the School of Information at the University of South Florida (USF), has been awarded a three-year, $880,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, for a project that will educate and train students to evaluate resources and information technologies for use by populations with physical challenges falling outside ADA protection (the extra-legally ably-challenged - ELAC).  This approach allows for a shift from a special access approach to a universal access philosophy.

The grant, awarded to Laurie Bonnici, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at The University of Alabama, will recruit and educate 30 LIS students (ALFA Fellows). This first-of-a-kind program will prepare these future leaders in the provision of services to 21st century information seekers with a range of physical abilities. The project will run from November 2010 to October 2013.

Bonnici and colleague Dr. Stephanie Maatta will collaborate on course development for the Project ALFA curriculum. Two special courses will augment the existing LIS master’s curriculum and will be structured around information access principles and information technology use designed for universal access.  Dr. Bonnici will design and develop a portable learning laboratory (ALFA Lab) that will be housed on individual student and faculty laptop computers to promote formal learning activities related to the two exemplary course offerings.

Project co-PI, Stephanie Maatta, Ph.D., will coordinate activities at USF, where 15 of the ALFA Fellows will pursue their graduate studies couched in universal access philosophy.  Kathleen McCook, Ph.D. will provide broad oversight and serve as liaison with related agencies.  

The ALFA Project will collaborate with two partner state agencies, The Alabama Public Library Service and the Florida Department of Education Division of Blind Services, to incorporate a service-learning model into the program.  In addition, these four partners will host regularly scheduled mini-conference sessions that will bring the ALFA fellows, co-PIs, and partner coordinators from the state agencies together to extend project learning and initiatives throughout the funding period.  As part of their program of study ALFA Fellows will be required to propose and present projects or research at ALA annual conferences, their respective state library association conferences, and other information profession-related conferences.

Outcomes of the project, which include the two exemplary courses, the experiential sensory learning lab, and the service-learning model, will be made available through the project website at http://projectalfa.slis.ua.edu .  These and other project-related resources and information will be posted to the website as they are developed over the course of the three-year funded project. 

For more information about the project visit http://projectalfa.slis.ua.edu or email questions directly to Muriel K. Wells, Project Manager at [log in to unmask] 



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Laurie J. Bonnici, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Alabama
College of Communication and Information Sciences
School of Library and Information Studies
Tuscaloosa, AL
Phone:  205-348-8824
Fax: 205-348-3746