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PROFILES

OCLC, Inc., announces the appointment of Dr. Edward T. O’Neill, information scientist from the State University of New York at Buffalo, as Visiting Distinguished Scholar at OCLC. Dr. O’Neill is the first to hold the newly created post that annually will bring scientists to OCLC to conduct research in such fields as library science, computer science, applied mathematics, and industrial psychology.

Dr. O’Neill will begin his one-year appointment at OCLC in Columbus in September. He is on leave from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he is associate professor in the School of Information and Library Studies and adjunct associate professor of industrial engineering. He received his Ph.D. in applied operations research and his master of science in industrial engineering from Purdue University.

As OCLC Distinguished Scholar Dr. O’Neill intends to conduct research focusing on subject access to large on-line data bases such as OCLC’s. “We want to explore ways to get usable quantities of data with subject access,” says Dr. O’Neill. “And the combination of computers, data base, and staff talent make OCLC an attractive choice for a sabbatical.’’

OCLC has six Xerox Sigma 9 computers, ten D-116 minicomputers, and two Tandem D/16 computers at its central facility in Columbus. Users at more than 2,200 remote terminals access OCLC’s data base (about four-billion words) via dedicated, leased telephone lines.

OCLC’s Visiting Distinguished Scholar Program is a twelve-month program. The appointee must have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent training and substantial experience in directing and conducting research in fields of interest to OCLC. The Visiting Scholar conducts research independently with no managerial or administrative duties, but is expected to interact closely with OCLC staff.

Ronald E. Diener has been appointed the first executive director of OHIONET. Diener is currently head of the Office for Systems Planning and Research at Harvard University Library. His educational background includes an A.B. from Northwestern College; A.M., University of Missouri (Columbia); B.D./M.Div., Concordia Seminary; and an M.S., Library Science, University of Illinois (Urbana). In November he will complete his Th.D. work at Harvard University, Divinity School.

In his present position, Diener is the administrative officer for university-wide computer support systems at Harvard where such programs reside as CAPS, MCSS, HUL/CONSER, The Widener Shelflist Project, and the Widener Circulation System. Previous positions include planning officer for cooperative activities in the Harvard University Library; librarian, Boston Theological Institute; and executive director of the Center for Reformation Research.

Recent activities in which Diener has been involved include member of the Systems and Technology Applications Committee of the Research Libraries Group; member of the Research Group’s Task Force on an Automated Bibliographic Control System; member of the Executive Committee of the New England Library Information Network (NELINET); treasurer of NELINET and chairman of the Finance Committee; member of the OCLC Users Council (NELINET); and member of the CONSER Participants.

On December 1, 1978, Diener will assume his responsibilities, operating from OHIONET’s new offices at 2929 Kenny Road, Columbus, Ohio.

Edward G. Ferranc, former media services librarian and instructor of library science with Newberry College, South Carolina, was recently appointed the director of the Learning Resources Center and assistant professor of librarianship with the University of New Mexico-Gallup Branch. While with Newberry College, he, along with his other duties, was the coordinator of a HEW Title I Program IMPACT Grant which investigated problems of the senior citizen in a series of videotape presentations, wrote an HEA Title VI-A Grant proposal for a closed circuit television distribution system, and developed an intercollegiate soccer program. He also served on the Advisory Board for the South Carolina Lung Association-Area Six Branch, and was active in the Jaycees and the South Carolina High School League as a basketball and baseball official.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ferrang received his B.S. degree in education majoring in library science and secondary social studies from Edinboro State College, Pennsylvania, in 1972, and the master’s degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences in 1976. He also attended Newberry College and the University of South Carolina’s Graduate School of Business Administration. He is a member of the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Catholic Library Association, the Southeastern Library Association, and AECT of South Carolina.

APPOINTMENTS

Sally Harriet Bennett—cataloger/reference librarian—Eastern College. St. David's, Pennsylvania.

Judith Bernstein—temporary reference librarian—University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Gil Chestnut—assistant librarian—Bethel College. McKenzie, Tennessee.

Erika M. Condon—library director—Mount St. Mary's College. Los Angeles, California.

Caroline Coughlin—assistant director— Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.

Anita L. Cristan—monographs cataloger, Latin American Collection—University of Texas at Austin.

Jay Cunningham—assistant chief of state library services—California State Library. Sacramento.

Mina Daniels—assistant director, technical services—State University of New York at Albany.

Patrice I, Felder—serials cataloger, Latin American Collection—University of Texas at Austin.

Eileen Mary Gallagher—assistant librarian—Felician Collece, Chicago, Illinois.

Roger Gifford—senior analyst/programmer—State University of New York at Albany.

Connie Hill—catalog librarian—University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie.

Andrea Hindinc—director, Walter Library—University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Ralph Hopp—director, Institute of Technology Libraries—University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Phebe Kirkham—reference librarian—Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma.

Anne Latta—special collections librarian— State University of New York at Albany.

Bobbye L. McCarter—head librarian— Bethel College, McKenzie, Tennessee.

Russell Merritt—record cataloger/reference librarian—State University of New York at Buffalo.

Mary Miller—assistant for technical services—State University of New York at Buffalo

Edward Oetting—archivist—State University of New York at Albany

Jerry Persons—music librarian—Stanford University, California.

Alan K. Rome—assistant engineering librarian—University of Texas at Austin.

Robert S. Runyon—director—University of Nebraska at Omaha

Rita Ryun—reference librarian—University of Wisconsin-Stout. Menomonie.

Susan Sarno—head librarian—California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles.

Vandolyn J. Savage—assistant director for technical services—University of Houston, Texas.

Patrice Schifter—assistant librarian— California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles.

Thomas W. Shaughnessy—assistant director for public services and collection development—University of Houston, Texas.

Barbara Sieh—catalog librarian—University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie.

Philip M. White—librarian, Reference Services Department—University of Texas at Austin,

Gayle A. Williams—monographs cataloger, Latin American Collection—University of Texas at Austin.

RETIREMENTS

Jack Pooler, chief librarian of the Science Department at Stanford University, California, retired July 31, after seventeen years at Stanford.