Welcome

Prof. Fay Durrant, Head of Department

I am pleased to welcome you to the website of the University of the West Indies Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS). We are developing a facility on the World Wide Web to showcase our Department and to enable global access to information on our programmes and activities. The Department of Library and Information Studies was established in October 1971, with a mandate to serve all the territories of the University. Our graduates from 17 Caribbean countries, number 433 from the undergraduate programme, and 230 from the graduate programmes. In the current academic year there are 100 students enrolled as undergraduates and 20 as graduate students. The DLIS is now well established and provides an excellent opportunity for entering the 'Information Business'. We have five well qualified full-time teaching staff, complemented by practitioners who teach part time. The DLIS has benefitted from international and bilateral support from UNESCO, the Organization of American States(OAS), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, and from the endowment provided by the first Professor Dr. Dorothy Collings. These grants and the endowment from Dr. Collings, have provided up to date infrastructure including a computer laboratory, training for students and staff, and opportunities to participate in research relevant to Caribbean priority areas. I hope that this website will provide access to valuable information on library and information studies on the Caribbean and will offer the opportunity for ongoing interaction with the library and information community in the region and globally.

Prof. Fay Durrant
Head of Department
E-Mail: fdurrant@hotmail.com
January 28, 2001