Your Name and Title: Jane Fisher, Circle of Learning (COL) Project Co-Director, San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (SJSU SLIS)

Library, School, or Organization Name: San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science

Co-Presenter Name(s): Liana Juliano, Circle of Learning (COL) Project Co-Director; Valarie Kingsland, Inupiaq COL Student from Alaska; Tawa Ducheneaux, Cherokee Nation COL Student from South Dakota.

Area of the World from Which You Will Present: United States

Language in Which You Will Present: English

Target Audience(s): cultural diversity, distance learning

Short Session Description (one line):  Learn more about the Circle of Learning (COL), a distance-learning grant project developed to increase the number of American Indian and Alaskan Native librarians who understand tribal culture and are committed to addressing the challenges faced by libraries serving Native patrons.

Full Session Description (as long as you would like): The Circle of Learning project, an IMLS-funded partnership between the American Indian Library Association (AILA) and the the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San Jose State University, is designed to recruit and support American Indians and Alaska Natives who are interested in earning an online Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree.  Distance learning is an important option for Native students, who place high value on remaining in close proximity to home and tribal communities, rely on family members for support during their college experience, and need to keep existing jobs and community ties while in graduate school. In order to support successful online learning for Native students, we examine the process and importance of developing a virtual community of program staff, students, advisors, and mentors.

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/research/center-information-research-and-in...