I am a writer who lives in Evanston, Illinois. I grew up in Chicago with three brothers and attended Chicago Public Schools. Then I studied at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Loyola University Chicago. I have been a librarian, a professor, and a college trustee. I like the arts, sports, traveling, and staying home.

And when I am home I like to read and write, knit and sew, bake and run, and walk my Daisy Doodle along the Lake Michigan shore.

 

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My most recent publication is Our World is Whole (Sleeping Bear Press, 2020). My friend Randy Meyer and I are co-editors of Indivisible: Poems for Social Justice (Norwood House Press, 2013). I also publish books, articles and essays, for teachers and librarians and all lifelong learners.

 

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More about me:

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Gail Bush, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of education, National Louis University in Chicago. Gail’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, master’s degree in library science, and doctorate in educational psychology. 

In 2002, Gail followed her tenure as an academic, corporate, and high school library practitioner by moving into academia as director of the Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science School Library Media Program. She then developed the School Library Program and founded, along with Dr. Junko Yokota, the Center for Teaching Through Children's Books, in the Department of Reading and Literacy at National Louis University. Gail's research includes educator collaboration and the development of professional dispositions; her areas of intellectual engagement are social justice, creativity, poetry, and serving youth through literature.

 

After a career in libraries that included the National School Library Media Program of the Year award, Gail was recognized as the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Graduate School of Library and Information Science Distinguished Alumnae of 2008. In 2010, she was elected the president of the Illinois Library Association while serving as an Evanston Public Library trustee. Gail completed her term as the United States delegate to the School Libraries Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) in 2014. She served as a trustee of the Poetry Foundation from 2010 – 2015 and was inducted as an Illinois Library Luminary Honoree in July 2015. In 2019, Gail was elected member of the Oakton Community College District 535 board of trustees.

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Keenan, L. (2013). Evanston educator makes poetry accessible and relevant for all ages, new anthology spotlights social justice issues. Evanston Review. April 23, 2013.

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Schroeder, R. (2012). Information transliteracy in the 21st century: Questioning the answer: An interview with Professor Gail Bush. January 17, 2012. 

 

BWI Titletalk. (2010). Gail Bush: The role of public libraries in lifelong learning. BWI Titletalk: Follett Library Resources. Winter 2010-11.2-3.

       

Burton, P. (2007). Illinois School Library Media Association Polestar Award Winner.     

Press Release. November 7, 2007.

 

Ague, L. (2004). Collaboration, excellence and the fighting Illini: Gail Bush. 

Interchange: Journal of the Oregon Educational Media Association, 33(1). 29-30.

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Honors and Recognition

2015 Inducted as Honoree, Illinois Library Luminary, Illinois Library Association

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2009 Elected President, Illinois Library Association, 3000+ membership including all types of libraries and library affiliation in Illinois.

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2008 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Graduate School of Library and Information Science Distinguished Alumnus (peer nominations).

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2007 Illinois School Library Media Association Polestar Award recipient. The Polestar Award is presented to honor members of the Association who have made outstanding contributions to school library media programs in Illinois.  Selection determined by committee based on multiple peer nominations.

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2005 “Top 100 Leaders in School Librarianship” published in the Whole Library Handbook for School Librarians, a publication of the American Library Association, ALA Editions, 2005. Selection determined by multiple peernominations.

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1998 North Suburban Library System School Librarian of the Year. Nominated by a staff member and recognized by the North Suburban Library Foundation for leadership in multi-type cooperation between Maine West High School LRC and the Des Plaines Public Library.

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1996 National School Library Media Program of the Year.  Maine West High School Library Resource Center (District 207, Illinois) was recognized by the American Association of School Librarians and Follett Library Resources (librarians Geralyn Haan, Merrilee Andersen Kwielford, and Gail Bush). 

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Educational and Professional Background

Ph.D., educational psychology, Loyola University Chicago, with distinction, 2001

        Dissertation: The Development of a Theoretical Framework of Educator Collaboration

Illinois State Board of Education Library Information Specialist Certificate Type 10, 1992

M.S., library science, University of Illinois at Urbana, Beta Phi Mu Honorary Society, 1977

B.A., anthropology, art history, University of Illinois at Urbana, magna cum laude, 1973

 

Professor, Reading and Language, and Director, Center for Teaching through Children’s 

            Books, and Director, School Library Program, National College of Education,                       National-Louis University, Skokie, IL, 2006-12. Emeritus, 2012-

Associate Professor and Director, School Library Media Program, Graduate School of 

            Library and Information Science, Dominican University, River Forest, IL, 

            2002-2006.

Lecturer/Instructor, Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Educational

             Psychology, School of Education, Loyola University Chicago, 1998-2002.

Curriculum Librarian, Maine Township High School West District 207,    

             Des Plaines, IL, 1992-2002.

Reference Librarian, Introduction to Graduate Research Instructor, National 

            College of Education (National-Louis University), 1982-1992.

Corporate Library Manager, Heidrick & Struggles International Executive

            Recruiting Corp., 1979-82.

Campus Librarian, National College of Education, Chicago Campus, 1977-79.

Circulation Librarian Graduate Assistant, Graduate Library, University of 

             Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1975-77.

Information Center Staff, PLATO Project, Computer-based Education Research  

            Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1973-75.

 

 

Professional Committees and Leadership Positions

 

Chair, 2011 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Nominating

Committee, 2010-2011

Chair, School and Public Library Cooperation Interdivisional Committee, 

            (AASL/ALSC Association for Library Service to Children/YALSA Young Adult

            Library Services Association), 2007-2009

Chicago Writers Association, Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Nominator, 2012

Illinois Library Association, President, 2010-2011

Illinois State Library Advisory Committee, Member, 2003-2009

International Federation of Library Associations,

            School Libraries Standing Committee Member (USA Delegate), 2009-2013

International Reading Association, Committee Member, Outstanding Book Award,                          2007-2009

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Board Membership

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Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, Advisory Board Member, 2022-

Oakton College, Trustee, Elected, 2019-present

RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System), Charter Member, Elected, 2011-2015

Illinois Library Association, President, Elected, 2010-2011

Poetry Foundation, Board Member, 2010-2015

Evanston Public Library Board Trustee, Mayoral Appointment, 2008-2011

School Library Media Research,Editorial Board Member, 2008-2013

Heinemann-Raintree Publishing, Advisory Board Member, 2007-2010

School Libraries Monthly,Editorial Board Member, 2007-2015

ALA Editions, American Library Association, Editorial Board Member, 2002-2011

Teacher Librarian,Editorial Board Member, 2002-2012

Knowledge Quest: Journal of the American Association of School Librarians, American

               Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Assn, 

               Editorial Board Charter Member, 2000-2008