Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist, OCLC Research

18th August, 2014

IFLA SET 40th Anniversary Summit

Library and Information Education and Training: Confluence of Past and Present Toward a Strong Future

Just When the Caterpillar Thought the World was Over, It Became a Butterfly:

Developing Educational Programs for an Emerging Profession

connawal@oclc.org@LynnConnaway

(Rabor and Connaway 1996, 121)

“Both the theory and practice of library and information science are caught between cultures—[the university and the profession].”

“…there has been a sustained interest in the theory versus practice issue throughout the history of LIS education…”

(Connaway 1997, 28-29)

“LIS education … must take place within a nexus of defining and dominant cultures—the culture of the university and [of the] practicing profession.”

(Raber and Connaway 1996, 121)

Academy vs. Practicing Profession• Competing definitions of service• Applied vs. pure research• Theoretical vs. practical education

(Raber and Connaway 1996)

Crying Wolf about an

Educational Crisis

(Dillon and Norris 2005)

“Rather than raising optimism about the status of the field, critics

continue to cite curricular problems, lack of relevant research, gender inequality, and an obsession with

technology…”

(Dillon and Norris 2005, 281)

“There is a dearth of research in US LIS schools that is dedicated to the

real needs of real libraries.”

(Gorman 2004, 6)

Crisis as a Moment of Change

Contemporary Issue• Technological

revolution

Longstanding Issue• Quality control

(Dillon and Norris 2005)

“…it would seem difficult to justify any other response from LIS programs than one of embracing the tools and opportunities for study and use they enable.”

(Dillon and Norris 2005, 294)

“…Casting the field into two divided camps is nothing new, but it is no longer clear that this division reflects the reality of many LIS programs.”

(Dillon and Norris 2005, 283)

“Profound changes in the information world call for profound changes in the education of those that will enter this new world.”

(Moran and Marchionini 2012, 95)

Current Information Environment

• Reduced funds– Budget cuts– Hiring freezes

• Alternative resources• Alternative services

(Connaway 2014)

Library directors rated less than half of entry-level librarians as adequately trained for the job.

(Powell and Creth 1986)

“[The library] can’t count on MLS/MLIS program[s] to deliver what is needed.”

-ARL Director

(Mullins 2012, 131)

Qualified job candidates lack the requisite people skills that would allow them to serve as liaisons for the library

(Mullins 2012)

70% of professionals agree that recent MLS graduates are prepared for work in a public or

school library

22% did not feel the graduates were prepared

(Creel and Pollicino 2012)

(Mehra et al. 2011)

Students need leadership, customer service, public administration and human

resources training

Current Expectations of Information Professionals

•Demonstrate institutional value –Define outcomes–Measure attainment of goals

“Courses in LIS curriculum should be based on identifying and meeting users' and prospective users' expectations and needs.”

(Connaway 2014)

Why?

LIS professionals must have knowledge & skills to lead formal assessment

(Connaway 2014)

User-Centered Assessment

Library offerings

• Services• Systems • Sources

Individual behaviors

• Access • Use

Issues Affecting Curriculum Development

(Connaway 1997)(Stenstrom 1987)

(Younger 1990)

• Fear technology leads to deprofessionalization

• Increased dependence on networks

(Connaway 1997)

LIS curriculum should include problem-solving that requires decision-making skills & flexibility—an intellectual exercise

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Teaching vs. Training

Research Methods

• Skills & confidence to conduct research

• Match questions to method

• Theoretical foundation

Opportunities for Librarians

•Asses value of services•Develop new services based on assessment

•Narrative-based marketing•Reinforce value propositions

(Germano, 2010)

(Connaway 2014)

“A mixed economy of institutional and national data management capabilities is emerging.” (Hyams, Martinez-Uribe and Macdonald 2008, 21)

New Opportunities:Data Librarianship

“[Data Librarians] deal with selection, acquisition and management of a multi-disciplinary collection of electronic data resources.”

(Hyams, Martinez-Uribe and Macdonald 2008, 21)

Data Librarianship

Data Deluge • Manage• Share Data• Fluidity • Harvesting,

curating & facilitating access to datasets

• Support research

(Hyams, Martinez-Uribe and Macdonald 2008)

Data Librarianship

• Adequate training• Funding• Growing Infrastructure

(Hyams, Martinez-Uribe and Macdonald 2008)

“…challenges evolve as technology and information practices changed.”

(Boyko et al. 2003, 8)

The Data Librarian position is responsible for

investigating and assisting with implementation of

Library support services relating to description, storage

and sharing of research metadata and datasets.

Main Duties:

•Analyse information requirements relating to research

data management by academics and assist with

documentation of system specifications to meet these

needs.

• Liaise extensively with research and Library staff to

identify and collect information about data collections at

the University.

“Data Librarian (HEW Level 6)”

• g

(Connaway 2014)

“Integrating a user-centered focus into …core values will prepare LIS

professionals to play a major role in the development and assessment of

library services and systems.”

“With basic research knowledge and a user-

centered theoretical foundation, LIS

professionals will be able to articulate the value of

libraries.”

(Connaway 2014)

ReferencesAssociation of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) (2010). Value of Academic Libraries: a Comprehensive Research Review and Report. Researched by Megan Oakleaf. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.

Berg, S.A.; Jacobs, H.; Cornwall, D. (2013). "Academic librarians and research: a study of Canadian Library administrator perspectives". College & Research Libraries, (74)6: 560–572

Boyko, E.S.; Hamilton, E.; Humphrey, C. & Watkins, W. (2003). Lifting ourselves by our bootstraps: Developing a national peer-to-peer training program for data librarians in Canada. In Best Practices in Government Information: A Global Perspective, Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Saur Verlag, Muchen.

Connaway, L. S. (1997). A model curriculum for cataloging education: The library and information services program at the University of Denver. Technical Services Quarterly,15 (1/2), 27-41.

Connaway, L. S. (2014). Why libraries? A call for use-centered assessment. Textos Universitaris de Biblioteconomia I Documentacio, 32. [Available: http://bid.ub.edu/en/32/connaway3.htm]

Connaway, L. S. ; Radford, M. (2013). Academic library assessment: beyond the basics. [Powerpoint presentation], Raynor Memorial Libraries, Marquette University, [18 July 2013].

Creel, S. & Pollicino, E. (2012). 'Practitioners' & LIS students' perceptions on preparedness in the New York metropolitan area', Education For Information, 29(1):53-69.

Dalton, M. S. (1992). Change and challenge in library and information science education. Chicago: American Library Association.

Dillon, A., & Norris, A. (2005). Crying Wolf: An Examination and Reconsideration of the Perception of Crisis in LIS Education. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 46(4), 280-298.

Germano, M. (2010). "Narrative-based library marketing: selling your library's value during tough economic times". Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 23(1): 5–17.

Gorman, M. (2004). “Whither Library Education?” New Library World (105), 376-380.

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ReferencesHufford, J. (2013). "A review of the literature on assessment in academic and research libraries, 2005 to August 2011". Libraries & the Academy, 1: 5–35

Hyams, E., Martinez-Uribe, L., & Macdonald, S. (2008). Data librarianship: a gap in the market. CILIP Update.

Kaufman, P.; Watstein, S. B. (2008). "Library value (return on investment, ROI) and the challenge of placing a value on public services". Reference Services Review, 36(3): 226–231.

Mehra, B., Black, K., Singh, V. & Nolt, J. (2011). 'What is the value of LIS dducation? A qualitative study of the perspectives of Tennessee's rural librarians', Journal Of Education For Library & Information Science, 52(4): 265-278.

Moran, B.; Marchionini, G. (2012). "Information professionals 2050: educating the next generation of information professionals". Information Services & Use, vol. 32: 95–100.

Mullins, J.L. (2012). 'Are MLS graduates being prepared for the changing and emerging roles that librarians must now assume within research libraries?', Journal Of Library Administration, 52, (1): 124-132.

Powell, R.; Baker, L.; Mika, J. (2002). "Library and Information Science Practitioners and Research". Library and Information Science Research, (21)1: 49–72

Powell, R. R. & Creth, S.D. (1986). Knowledge bases and library education. College & Research Libraries 47: 16-27.

Pung, C.; Clarke A.; Patten, L. (2004). "Measuring the economic impact of the British Library". New Review of Academic Librarianship, vol. 10 (1): 79–102

Raber, D., & Connaway, L. S. (1996). Two cultures, one faculty: Contradictions of library and information science education. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 37(2), 120-130.

Ranganathan, S. (1931). The five laws of library science. London: Edward Goldston, Ltd.

Stenstrom, P.F. (1987). Current management literature for technical services. Illinois Libraries, 69 (February): 96-103.

Tenopir, C., Allard, S., Birch, B., & Sandusky, R. J. (2013). Academic librarians and research data services: Preparation and attitudes. Ifla Journal, 39, 1, 70-78.

Younger, J. (1990). University library effectiveness: A case study of the perceived outcomes of structural change. PhD. Diss., University of Wisconsin.

Thank You!

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