The LIS Program bids farewell to long-time faculty member, Dr. Ronald Powell. Upon his retirement in May 2008, Powell received Professor Emeritus status, an honor recognizing his dedication and distinguished service to WSU. Powell first joined the LIS Program in 1993 and served as Interim Director in 1999. Prior to coming to Wayne State, he was an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan and an Associate Professor, Graduate Studies Director, and Department Chair at the University of Missouri - Columbia. He was a university librarian and college library director before becoming an LIS educator.

Powell's teaching and research interests included research methods, academic libraries, education for librarianship, and the measurement and evaluation of library and information resources and services. He served as co-editor of the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science (JELIS) from 1995-2001 and has sat on the editorial boards of JELIS, the Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Library and Information Science Research.

Powell is the author of numerous articles and several books, including Qualitative Research in Information Management (co-edited with Jack Glazier), The Next Library Leadership (with Peter Hernon and Arthur Young), and Basic Research Methods for Librarians (with Lynn Connaway). The last book has been published in four editions and is widely used as a textbook in LIS master's and doctoral programs.

Upon his retirement, Powell plans to remain in the Detroit area but will relocate with his wife, Jeanne, to Ann Arbor, Mich. to be closer to their two daughters and four grandchildren.