Administration

Dr. Penny Beile (O’Neil)

• Associate Dean for Research, Education, and Engagement, 2012-2022
• Assessment Coordinator, 2019-2022
• Interim Department Head for Research and Information Services, 2009-2013
• Department Head for Curriculum Materials Center, 2000-2009
• Reference Librarian, 1998-2000

Dr. Beile is widely recognized for her work in assessing student learning outcomes and expertise in information literacy. She brought that expertise to the University of Central Florida by contributing to the white paper that served as inspiration for the SACS COC 2005 Quality Enhancement Plan, Information Fluency. Dr. Beile then served on the University assessment committee for the QEP and has led SACS review teams for QEP proposals related to information literacy at other institutions. Her 2005 dissertation, Development and Validation of the Beile Test of Information Literacy for Education (B-TILED) and work in the field led to consulting with Educational Testing Service, the Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS), and the Threshold Achievement Test of Information Literacy (TATIL). She was appointed as a founding member to the National Forum on Information Literacy.

Dr. Beile guided initial efforts related to textbook affordability at UCF, a collaboration between the Libraries and the Center for Distributed Learning. This entailed bringing campus-wide attention to the escalating cost of textbooks and the benefits of lowering those costs, working with subject faculty to facilitate adoption of open or library-sourced textbook alternatives, instituting tracking and reporting of savings metrics for the institution, and securing funding for a permanent position through a competitive President’s special funding opportunity. Textbook Affordability is now a Provost’s Initiative. Dr. Beile also led a large scale library study to measure student academic success relative to library use (positive correlation found) and to create a library data dashboard. Over time interaction points have increased, in turn providing a more robust picture of library use by students.

Published in several edited collections, Dr. Beile also authored the monograph Measuring Information Literacy Skill in Education:  Development & Validation of a Standards-Based Assessment Scale.  She has articles appearing in College & Research Libraries, Educational Researcher, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Public Services Quarterly, Journal of Educational Media and Library Science, Alberta Journal of Educational Research, and in several proceedings of library and education conferences. In her 25 years of service to the Association of College and Research Libraries, Dr. Beile served on the editorial board of the association’s pre-eminent journal, College and Research Libraries, was elected chair of the Education and Social Sciences Section, and chaired numerous ACRL committees and taskforces. 

Dr. Beile was awarded the UCF Excellence in Librarianship award (2003), was granted Graduate Faculty Scholar status (2010), became an UCF Women Making History honoree (2015), and was inducted into the UCF Scroll and Quill Society (2019). In 2022 she was bestowed the title Emerita upon her retirement.

Ms. Phyllis J. Hudson*

• Reference Librarian, 1974-2006
• Cataloging Librarian, 1973-1974
• Circulation Librarian, 1972-1973

Phyllis J. Hudson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from University of Illinois at Urbana (1965), Master of Science in Library Science from University of Illinois at Urbana (1970) and undertook doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at the University of Florida (1978-1979). She began her career at University of Illinois as Assistant Librarian in 1970, then moved to University of Central Florida in 1972, where she held rank of Associate Librarian until promotion to University Librarian in 1979.

Ms. Hudson was active in many organizations concerned with employment issues and women’s rights. As a member of the United Faculty of Florida (UFF), Ms. Hudson served as Women’s Rights Chairperson for the UCF chapter (1976-1977) and for the state (1977-1979). She was president of the Association of College and Research Libraries Florida Chapter from 1982-1983, and chaired the Florida Library Association Women in Libraries Caucus from 1981-1982 and the Collective Bargaining in Libraries Caucus from 1987-1988. Ms. Hudson’s publications include articles in Florida Libraries titled “Equal Pay Issue at FTU” and “Librarians Denied Sex Equality” in the May-June and November-December 1978 issues. In the Fall 1982 issue of Reach, she published “Comparable Worth.”

Ms. Hudson organized a poster display and presentation at FTU in 1978 on the subject “The FTU Woman: Today’s Answers, Tomorrow’s Opportunities.” She was on the panel at FLA Women in Libraries Caucus in 1979 and 1982; the latter on the subject of the ERA. In 1987, she spoke at the Social Responsibilities Round Table Library Union Task Force on “Academic Libraries and Union Activism: The Florida Experience.” Hudson continued to be active in the UFF, serving as Treasurer (1978-1980), Delegate-at-large and Chairperson of the Affirmative Action Committee (1980-1981), and Vice-President (1977-1978) for the UFF UCF chapter. Ms. Hudson also was elected as a library representative to the UCF Faculty Senate in 1975 and was active in the American Library Association, Southeastern Library Association, and Florida Library Association.

Ms. Hudson has received many professional awards and honors such as Librarian-in-Residence from the Graduate School of Library Science from University of Illinois (1977), the UCF Excellence in Librarianship award (1989), and earned the title Emerita in 2006. Phyllis J. Hudson served as a UCF librarian for thirty-four years.

Ms. Hudson’s information was provided by UCF Libraries Special Collections and University Archives. Her photo is courtesy of Paula Hudson.

Ms. June S. Stillman*

• Telephone Information Service Librarian, 1992-1996
• Engineering Collection Development Librarian, 1988-1992
• Department Head for Reference Services, 1970-1988
• Reference librarian, 1968-1970

June S. Stillman was a charter member of the library faculty in 1968 when the Florida Technological University (later renamed University of Central Florida) opened. She began as an Associate Librarian in the Reference Department and in 1970 became head of the Department, serving in that capacity for 18 years. In 1979, Ms. Stillman achieved the rank of University Librarian. Ms. Stillman also served as Collection Development Librarian with responsibilities for building the Engineering Collection and later directed the library’s Telephone Information Service until her retirement in 1996. During this time Ms. Stillman acquired a second master’s degree in English – the first degree being in Library Science – in 1986 from UCF.

Under Ms. Stillman’s leadership as head of Reference Services, the library moved forward with innovations in service and in applications of technology. During the 1970s, Ms. Stillman played a key role in establishing online search services, a precursor to the online databases we use today. In the early 1980s, she led efforts to implement an integrated online catalog and to promote its use to students and faculty. Ms. Stillman’s leadership also was instrumental in initiating and nurturing the Library Instruction program.

Ms. Stillman was an active member in the American Library Association, Southeastern Library Association, Florida Library Association, and United Faculty of Florida. As a member of the Florida Library Association, she served as the Clearinghouse Director for the Library Orientation and Bibliographic Instruction Caucus. She also was an active member of the Beta Phi Mu and Phi Kappa Phi national honor societies and was the recipient of the first UCF Excellence in Librarianship award in 1984.

Ms. Stillman received the UCF Library Lifetime Service Award in 1996 at her retirement from UCF and was posthumously designated Librarian Emerita in 2000. What makes June Stillman’s contributions to the UCF Libraries remarkable is not only her achievements, but her commitment to the university and the library profession. Her pursuit of accurate, timely information for faculty and students set a high service standard for the entire library staff. She valued learning for its own sake. Her work at the UCF library has had an impact on the UCF experience of almost every graduate through the services she helped establish and the collections she helped build. By example and by encouragement, she was an inspiration to her family and friends and to the student assistants and university colleagues who worked with her.

Ms. Stillman’s information was drawn from the June S. Stillman Memorial Endowed Scholarship document located at June S. Stillman Memorial Endowed Scholarship (ucf.edu). Her photo was provided by UCF Libraries Special Collections and University Archives.