"The Bowker Library School Initiative (BLSI) brought to my classes -- Access to Information and Indexing & Abstracting -- the Bowker Education Liaison who introduced the students to two major Bowker online products: Books in Print (US and Global) and Ulrich's. He presented the coverage of these bibliographic utilities, features of the advanced searching modes, controlled vocabulary, and manipulation of the harvested data. The Bowker representative bonded with the students during his visit and remained in touch with them for further questions during the semester. The Bowker Library School Initiative (BLSI) empowers today's library and information science students, tomorrow's information professionals, with the latest capabilities of the Bowker products."

Hermina G.B. Anghelescu
Assistant Professor
Library & Information Science Program
Wayne State University

"R.R. Bowker’s initiative to work with LIS programs is a superb way to provide real-world education for students. Paul Hoffman serves as Bowker’s Educational Liaison and is able to deliver personalized instruction for LIS faculty.

"On Paul’s most recent three-day visit with Wayne State University, he spent time talking to six classes delivering exposure to Bowker products, services, and databases. His education and experience as a librarian lend to his providing useful information that students can employ as they transition to being professionals. Furthermore Paul customizes each lecture to the instructor / class. His knowledge of Bowker tools is outstanding. His guest instruction balances faculty lectures with practical information.

"As a bonus students and faculty receive entrée to databases which they can access for the rest of the semester."

Joseph J. Mika
Director
Library and Information Science Program
Wayne State University

"I was very pleased to have Paul Hoffman address my graduate class in Collection Development. Mr. Hoffman is an experienced teacher and immediately engaged the students in his presentation. It was very valuable for them to learn first hand of the potential of Bowker’s Global Books in Print and Ulrich’s as selection and collection management tools. I would certainly invite Mr. Hoffman back to my class another year."

Dr. Joy Bennett
Sessional Lecturer
Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
McGill University, Montreal.

"Class time is precious, so I worry about the precedence about giving instructional time to any vendor, but R.R. Bowker’s Educational Liaison, Paul Hoffman, was an ideal guest speaker. Thanks to his expertise as a BI librarian, as well as his humor and honesty, Paul was able to guide my collection management students in an hour through the potential of Global Books in Print. BIP access and Paul’s visit was a boost to the practice-based aspect of my class, and will truly help them become critical selectors."

Andrew B. Wertheimer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Library & Information Science Program
University of Hawai'i at Manoa

"I want to thank Paul Hoffman, R.R. Bowker’s Educational Liaison, for his wonderful presentation at my Reference and Information Services class. His presentation not only gave my students exposure to the most important reference tools, such as BIP and Ulrich’s, but also made them realize how educational reference sources differ from commercial websites, such as Amazon. Bowker’s educational initiative with LIS programs is an effective way to help students to learn important reference sources."

Dr. Mengxiong Liu
School of Library & Information Science
San Jose State University