Location:

London, United Kingdom

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

MayMester Intersession, Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

This two-week summer seminar offers an opportunity to gain an in-depth view of libraries and librarianship in Great Britain. Lectures and site visits will be arranged by the faculty of University College London's (UCL's) Department of Information Studies, the largest and one of the most highly ranked LIS Schools in the United Kingdom. The seminar includes tours of libraries and cultural heritage institutions in England, and is open to all students and professionals, not just students at UNC's School of Information and Library Science (SILS). Librarians at all stages of their careers have found our summer seminars enjoyable and worthwhile and are welcome to participate. Students enrolled in a library science program can take the seminar for three (3) hours of graduate credit. Registration for 2016 has not yet opened. Please contact Kaitlyn Murphy to be added to the interest list. You will be e-mailed once it opens (kmurphy@unc.edu).

Although most of the program will take place in London, there will be day trips to visit the university libraries at both Oxford and Cambridge. In London participants will tour behind the scenes at the British Library, the National Archives, the Imperial War Museum (including its library) and the Wellcome Library (including the History of Medicine Collection). Visits will be made to other types of libraries and there will be presentations from experts in the field of librarianship in Great Britain. There will also be guided tours of UCL and the Bloomsbury area of London. Some free time will be built into the program so that participants can explore London and visit other libraries and cultural institutions of their choice. The weekend will be free so participants can visit places of interest in London, Great Britain, or Europe. Participants will be accompanied by SILS faculty and staff.

The registration fee for participants covers housing, breakfast, a few other meals, instruction, transportation to Oxford and Cambridge and a basic travel card for transportation on the London public transportation system (bus, underground and light rail) within the city. Other meals, transportation from the airport to the Mentone Hotel, additional local transportation fees and airfare to and from the seminar are not included. Each participant is responsible for organizing his or her flights to and from London.

Setting Description:

All participants will be housed in the Mentone Hotel. The Mentone Hotel, owned and managed by the same family since 1972, has long been a popular choice with tourists, due to its pleasant surroundings and central location in the heart of Bloomsbury. The hotel is located one half mile from Foster Court, the home of the Department of Information Studies and within easy walking distance of a number of restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. The Mentone is also near several train and underground (tube) stations including the station with a direct underground connection from Heathrow Airport. The hotel provides free wifi access in the rooms and both continental and full English breakfast each day. Cost of the accommodations is included in the price of the seminar.

Cost:

The cost for the 2016 seminar has not yet been determined, but will be updated soon. 2015 costs were as follows: Shared accommodation (roommate): $4,350; Single accommodation $4,700; Participant plus guest: $6,800. A guest is defined as someone who accompanies you on the trip (usually a spouse) and shares a room with you but does not participate in any of the instructional sessions and most tours. Because the Mentone is a small hotel, the number of rooms of each type is limited. We will do our b