Robert Swisher

Bob, and his Iowa colleague Mildred Laughlin, came to Oklahoma in 1979 to join the faculty of the OU School of Library and Information Studies. In various capacities for the School, he worked as an advocate for the application of information and instructional technology in state-wide training and education, and for their use in library services across the state. In the late 80’s, while serving as Director of OU SLIS, he increased the program’s offerings to Tulsa and adding interactive television as a companion delivery technique.

In addition to influencing a myriad of students who remained in Oklahoma libraries, Bob played an active role in bringing the OLA office on-line, in encouraging use of the Internet in libraries, and in the development of state standards for libraries.

As president of OLA in 1994-95, he focused the Association on networking, connectivity, and the imminent web-based delivery of library services to library patrons in Oklahoma. Bob received OLA’s Meritorious Service Award in 1994 and its Distinguished Service Award in 1996. Retired from OU since 2004, Bob continues to teach graduate LIS courses online, and to donate his time to community deliberative activities across the state.