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Dr. Eliza Dresang Eliza Atkins Gleason Professor Phone: 850-644-5877 Fax: 850-644-6253 Email: edresang@ci.fsu.edu Vita: View

Eliza Atkins Gleason Professor Eliza T. Dresang received her B.A. from Emory University, Her M.L.S from the University of California at Los Angeles and her Ph.D. in Library and Information Studies with a communications minor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She taught as an adjunct associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for eighteen years and served as Director of Library Technology and Communication in the Madison Metropolitan School District for sixteen years before coming to FSU.

Dr. Dresang's primary areas of research interest are intellectual access to information, information seeking behavior, and diffusion of innovation, particularly as related to multimedia, networked information systems and handheld digitally-influenced resources. She has developed an analytical approach to resources for youth known as "Radical Change," has published extensively in this area, including her book, Radical Change: Books for Youth in a Digital Age. Three national conferences have been held on the topic of Radical Change. An article written early in her career was chosen for a l997 compilation of School Library Journal's Best. The National Council of Social Studies named her only book for youth, The Land and People of Zambia, an outstanding social studies book of the year. Dresang's most recent book is School Censorship in the 21st Century: A Guide for Teachers and School Media Specialists.

Dr. Dresang teaches the College's course in Management of Information Organizations and the management section of the Foundations course -- both required for all master's students. She finds that management theory and learning theory have much in common in the digital age. This commonality provides a link between management and another area of teaching interest, resources and services for youth (in school and public libraries and other information agencies). She has particular interest in the ethnic and cultural information needs of children and young adults and in the instructional role of the information specialist in all libraries. In her first two years at FSU, Dr. Dresang served as the College's Learning Resource Coordinator, overseeing the set-up of the College's computer labs and participating in the initial development of its web-based instruction. She also developed the web-based Internship program.

She is an active member of the American Library Association (ALA) where she serves on the Executive Board of the Association for Library Service to Children and the ALA Council. Intellectual freedom is a major focus of her professional involvement. Other interests include water aerobics, soccer, travel, family, virtual communities, and cooking.