Changing times and requirements : implications for LIS education

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify how library and information studies educators are refining curricula to ensure students are learning the knowledge and skills necessary to work in our rapidly changing field. This study, utilizing a mixed-method approach, interviewed and surveyed over 100 participants from a broad cross section of graduates, employers, senior administrators, faculty, and students at a library and information science/studies (LIS) department in a mid-size university in the southeastern United States. The results suggest a continued tension between teaching library and information science curricula, the continued importance and value of accreditation, the need for closer relationships with employers, and emphasis on courses that teach both technical and intellectual content especially in the areas of communications and customer service within the context of library and information science. The primary limitations of the study include a low student sample size (19%) and that it represents a single case study, which lowers its overall external validity and the ability for the results to be generalized. Implications of the study centers on how one program is evolving to redefine itself and the significant role played by the accreditation process within the context of a larger systems framework that attempts to ensure collaboration is taking place between major constituencies of an LIS department to ensure appropriate alignment between expectations and its curriculum. The major significance of this study is a rich, descriptive overview of how one LIS department is dealing with the changing field and expectations from its diverse constituents. These expectations are articulated both in terms of policy and expected skills covered in its curriculum.