Drexel College of Computing & Informatics PhD in Information Science student Samantha Grabus has been selected as the winner of the 2020 Student Writing Award sponsored by Ex Libris Group and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) for her paper titled “Evaluating the Impact of the Long S upon 18th Century Encyclopedia Britannica Automatic Subject Metadata Generation Results.” Grabus is a research assistant at Drexel CCI's Metadata Research Center, which leads and innovates metadata solutions for pressing information/data-oriented challenges.
"This valuable work of original research helps to quantify the scope of a problem that is of interest not only in the field of library and information science, but that also, as Grabus notes in her conclusion, could affect research in fields from the digital humanities to the sciences," said Julia Bauder, the Chair of this year's selection committee.
When notified she had won, Grabus remarked, “I am thrilled and honored to receive the 2020 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award. I would like to extend my gratitude to the award committee and Ex Libris for this honor. I would also like to thank my advisor, Dr. Jane Greenberg (Drexel/Metadata Research Center), for supporting me and encouraging me to apply, and Dr. Peter Logan (Temple), whose 19th-Century Knowledge Project has been an absolute joy for me to be a part of. They say that metadata is a love note to the future, but sometimes it is also a key to unlocking the past.”
The LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award recognizes outstanding writing on a topic in the area of libraries and information technology by a student or students enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies graduate program. The winning manuscript will be published in Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), LITA's open access, peer reviewed journal, and Grabus will receive $1,000 and a certificate of merit.
The members of the 2020 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award Committee are: Julia Bauder (Chair), Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe (Past Chair), Li Chen, Rebecca Rose and Ken Varnum (ITAL Editor).
About LITA
The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) is the leading organization reaching out across types of libraries to provide education and services for a broad membership of systems librarians, library technologists, library administrators, library schools, vendors, and others interested in leading edge technology and applications for librarians and information providers. LITA is a division of the American Library Association. Follow us on our Blog, Facebook, or Twitter.
About Ex Libris
Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS products for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library and scholarly materials, as well as mobile campus solutions driving student engagement and success, Ex Libris serves thousands of customers in 90 countries. For more information about Ex Libris, see our website, and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
About Drexel's PhD in Information Science Program
CCI's PhD in Information Science program offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary study of information science, data science and human-centered computing, while operating at the intersection of people, information and technology. This innovative and interdisciplinary doctoral program prepares students to become creative, interdisciplinary researchers with foundations in information science, data science, and human-centered computing.