Libraries
Malpass Library Hosts Visiting Algerian Scholar
For a few weeks at the end of the fall semester, 春雨直播鈥檚 Malpass Library had an interesting guest. Khaled Ziad is a scholar who visited the United States from A. Boussouf University Center in Algeria, where he teaches foreign languages, such as English and French. He studies foreign language programs in the US as part of his doctoral research on applied linguistics in education, focusing on curriculum and evaluation. During his research, he came upon the Web site of 春雨直播 Illinois University. Then, he came to the library鈥檚 Web page.
鈥溾�淚 was amazed,鈥� Ziad said. 春雨直播鈥檚 library convinced him that he wanted to visit the WIU campus and continue research for his thesis there. He contacted Dean Michael Lorenzen, and after having a discussion and answering a view questions, Dean Lorenzen agreed to help organize Ziad鈥檚 visit to WIU. He arrived on December 3rd and stayed through December 23rd.
The library that initially drew Khlaed to WIU was the most enjoyable part of his visit, Ziad said. 鈥淚 was already a fan of books, but this has been an unforgettable experience.鈥� Ziad was given office space on the 6th floor in which to work, but could often be found camped out on the 5th floor at a table or using computers on the 2nd floor. He said that he appreciated the nighttime hours, the helpful staff, and that everything in the library exists to help with research. The collections also proved useful to his work. 鈥淢y university has some journals, but not the like the ones I found here,鈥� he said, stating that WIU has a more diverse selection of online journals that his home institution.
In addition to conducting research in the library, Ziad was also introduced to WESL staff, attending their classes and meeting with their coordinator, David Bell, and several others to discuss their policies. Of these meetings, Ziad said 鈥淚t is very interesting, in fact, to discuss how they choose their textbooks,鈥� and to explore their curriculum choices. Student evaluations of instructors, and how they lead to accountability and quality, also interested him for his research. Both his time in the library and his conversations with WESL staff, Ziad said, were 鈥渇or the purpose of change, change for the better鈥� at his home institution.
Ziad has also met with Dr. Jeff Hancks, interim director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies, and Outreach, from whom he learned many things about WIU. 鈥淢y university may establish a relationship with WIU,鈥� Ziad said following these meetings. 鈥淲e may send more of our best students here for their Master鈥檚 or PhD.鈥� Hancks added that they discussed 鈥渢he need for ESL instruction to Algerians鈥� as well as the potential for making an arrangement with Ziad鈥檚 institution in Algeria.
Ziad did venture off-campus at times during his visit. With Dean Lorenzen, he visited Wal-Mart and HyVee and 鈥渇ound everything [he] needed.鈥� He also described the atmosphere of Macomb and the shops on the square as 鈥渃alm鈥� 鈥� 鈥淚 like the calm,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 suitable for studying at university, not a lot of distractions.鈥�
鈥淲e are very glad to have hosted Ziad and expanded the WIU experience to include people from across the globe,鈥� said Dean of Libraries Michael Lorenzen. 鈥淭he Libraries welcome all those in pursuit of knowledge, and we鈥檙e glad that we could assist Ziad in his studies.鈥�