Library And Information Science Programs Research Articles

Are Knowledge Management Courses in South Asia Designed Well? A Content Analysis of Syllabi and a Case Study

Abstract: Knowledge management (KM) is a set of processes to improve organizational functioning by harnessing organizational knowledge. KM has been taught in different global universities—either as standalone courses or as programs of study. While KM is also taught in a number of library and information science (LIS) programs in South Asian (SA) universities, it is not clear which schools offer KM courses, what topics are covered, which readings are assigned, and how student learning is assessed in these courses. How does KM education in a developing SA country compare with KM education in a developed country? What are the enablers and barriers to KM course design and delivery in South Asia? We explored the answers to these questions through a content analysis of syllabi of KM courses in SA LIS programs as well as a case study comparing the way KM is taught in an SA country and in the United States. Through applying theories of expectancy, information poverty, Bloom’s taxonomy, and context, the study recommends a model KM syllabus template and a research framework for KM education in South Asia. The study concludes that for SA KM education to reach global standards, systemic barriers would need to be addressed.

Community-Based Digital Initiatives: Challenges and Opportunities for LIS Education

The integration of experiential learning with community service is a prevalent pedagogical approach in Library and Information Science (LIS) education, particularly in courses like digital collections and fieldwork experiences. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities associated with community-based digitization projects within an LIS program, drawing upon anecdotal evidence from various instances of faculty and student involvement. Through reflective analysis, the author identifies key themes such as community needs and barriers, the practicality of hands-on learning, and the complexity of collaboration. The paper proposes a framework for potential interinstitutional and cross-community collaboration, aiming to bridge the gap between LIS education and practical applications. By delineating essential resources and potential avenues for support, the framework seeks to facilitate the sustainability and success of community-based digital initiatives. However, uncertainties regarding funding accessibility and institutional policies pose significant challenges, highlighting the need for ongoing research and collaboration in this field.

Development of a Professional Identity Scale for Information Professionals

Professional identity is generally defined as one’s interpretation of self as a professional in connection with the personal and professional experiences, attitudes, and aspirations. The research used the framework developed by Pierson et al. (2019), value statements from major professional associations, library and information science (LIS) literature to revise a professional identity scale for counseling profession developed by Woo and Henfield (2015). The developed instrument will be reviewed by small number of experts (N≈20) for content validation. The instrument will be sent out to LIS professionals via mailing lists for construct validation. LIS professionals who have just transitioned from school to work (graduated from LIS programs in the last 5 years) will be invited to participate in the study. The final instrument will include demographic questions (e.g., age, gender), highest degree achieved, employment status, and LIS job experience. Exploratory factor analysis will be carried out to identify the factor structure of the scale and relevant tests (e.g., Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin, Bartlett's test of sphericity) will be performed to investigate and assess the professional identity constructs that will emerge from the data. Confirmatory factor analysis will be conducted to obtain additional measures of fit and possibly explore additional changes. As the profession goes through a transformation and recalibrates itself to stay relevant and better address the needs and expectations of users, having a validated and reliable instrument to assess the professional identity of the professionals in the field will help address this gap.

Positioning LIS Students for Career Success

There is an assumption that students enter graduate programs with a certain level of knowledge and awareness about the field they have chosen to study and their career plans post-graduation. However, the literature shows that even graduate students benefit from services and programming related to career exploration and preparation. This is especially true in the library and information science (LIS) field, which offers myriad career paths and settings for graduates. Despite resources such as the ALISE Statistical Report, San José State University iSchool’s Career Trends report, and research on the core knowledge and skills desired of information professionals, extant literature examining career services provided to and desired by LIS graduate students is lacking. This project examined career planning services and programming in LIS graduate programs using a descriptive research approach. Data was collected via surveys of current LIS program administrators and enrolled graduate students. As LIS job seekers report such long and frustrating job search experiences that they consider leaving the field entirely, insights from this research will inform the creation or improvement of career services for LIS students, advance discussion of career services for graduate students, and identify exemplars that can be used to guide programming efforts. This paper will share preliminary findings from surveys completed by 25 program administrators and 400 current students.

“The changing same” of whiteness in the US LIS academy: a cathartic testimonial from BIPOC faculty scholars

PurposeThere is little to no empirical research on the phenomenon of ways in which the racism of whiteness transpires within the faculties and classrooms of US-based ALA-accredited library and information science (LIS) education programs. We do have scholars publishing meaningful work exploring diversity-equity-inclusion topics and initiatives to evolve the LIS discourse on these issues (Honma, 2005; Chancellor, 2019; De LaRosa et al., 2021; Gibson, 2019; Mehra et al., 2023; Colón-Aguirre et al., 2022; Hands, 2022). This research substantiates the conceptual research that exists by empirically exposing the ways in which the racism of whiteness functions at the interpersonal level of work culture in LIS programs (i.e. the academy) in the US.Design/methodology/approachAdapting Baima and Sude’s (2020) modified Delphi Method, a focus group of 13 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) library and information science faculty members in the United States were recruited to participate in a one-time 60-min virtual Zoom session. Participants were engaged in three iterative rounds of reflective inquiry to reach a consensus of experience. The study design was embedded with critical race theory-based (CRT) ethnographic methods such as testimony (counterstorytelling), collective affirmation (shared narratives), and silence.FindingsBIPOC LIS faculty (tenure-track and tenured) have similar ideas about whiteness and how it is operationalized as micro- and macro-aggressions in the LIS academic workplace, most significantly inside the classroom. The experience of whiteness was prevalent among all study participants in two areas: workplace meetings with faculty colleagues and classroom sessions (face-to-face and online) with students.Originality/valueThe findings offer empirical evidence to support the prolific conceptual literature in LIS discourse concerning ways in which critical race theory (CRT) interrogates LIS’s socio-professional injustices and inequities (e.g. Gibson et al., 2018; Stauffer, 2020; Leung and Lopez-McKnight, 2021; Jennings and Kinzer, 2022; Snow and Dunbar, 2022). There remains a dearth of empirical research that reports how whiteness is reproduced in the practices, knowledge, and resources that make up the ethos of the LIS faculty meeting and classroom. Documenting the testimonies of BIPOC LIS faculty solidifies the existence of whiteness as a toxic reality in the LIS academy.

Protecting More Than Just Books: A Curricula Study of Traditional Cultural Expression in U.S. LIS Programs

More and more, librarians’ day-to-day job responsibilities include working with Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) and their divergent needs. Nevertheless, TCEs—and their specialized care—lack adequate attention and appropriate training in Library and Information Science (LIS) pedagogy. This indicates that LIS students may be less prepared to ethically work on TCE-related inquiries in the future. This study conducts a curricula content analysis of 35 ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MSLIS) programs to preliminarily assess the current state of TCE-related topics represented in LIS programs. Through investigating course descriptions, the research evaluates the depth and breadth to which LIS students’ coursework incorporates topics related to TCEs and their care. The synthesized findings demonstrate that only a small number of LIS programs even offer TCE-centric courses; of these, very few programs explicitly require students to take them. Failure to integrate TCEs into the core curriculum results in students being unprepared for the corresponding challenges in their prospective workplaces, especially as most TCEs are not covered by copyright law. The implication of this study could be a fruitful and rigorous invitation for LIS educators to revise their LIS curriculum to keep pace with the ever-evolving information needs that arise in contemporary library contexts for diverse populations.

Professor’s and student’s perspectives on digital education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: Online teaching, adaptation of courses and OER

Open educational resources (OER) and digital education (DE) have shown the ability to improve teaching and learning possibilities, particularly in light of unpredictably occurring events. Especially the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that universities were experiencing technological, socio-psychological, and didactic issues. In order to promote, enrich, and improve DE and OER for crises and beyond, this research article addresses specifically the target audiences of students and teachers in Library and Information Science (LIS) programs in Germany. A qualitative approach with interviews and focus groups was applied to identify, analyze and compare students’ and professors’ attitudes, experiences and problems in remote teaching and learning during a crisis. The results showed that LIS professors from our sample are experienced and innovative regarding the use of DE during a period of crisis. However, diverse obstacles for the use and production of OER for online education become visible. Students’ first difficulties with online learning could be resolved and show how quickly they were able to adjust to the new teaching environment. Both LIS professors and students recognize the advantages of employing DE and OER in higher education. They emphasize positive learning experiences based on flexibility when integrating DE and OER in LIS programs.

Library and information science study program through the eyes of students: Preliminary findings

Library and information science (LIS) as a discipline is constantly changing in line with the trends of the profession, so in order to ensure that LIS curriculum in higher education addresses the needs of contemporary stakeholders, evidence-based evaluation is needed. Student satisfaction has become an important factor in considering the success of the institution of higher education. The studies on student motivation for enrolling in LIS programs are many, but papers on student perception of satisfaction with their LIS study programs are rarer. This paper focuses on the efforts of ensuring curriculum quality of the LIS program at the graduate level of study at the Department of Information Sciences of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Osijek, Croatia. The main aim of the study was to determine how satisfied the students are with the quality of their study program and to identify its strengths and weaknesses. The study was carried out by anonymous online survey in which the students were asked to rate their satisfaction with the study program and the obtained professional and lifelong learning competences. While findings of the study are relevant for the revision of the LIS study program at the Osijek Department, this study can also have larger implications for LIS education trends globally, for it has confirmed some of the results from international studies.

Professional Competencies of Canadian LIS Graduates

This study aims to determine current competencies necessary for graduates of Canadian library and information science (LIS) programs. Perspectives from different communities of interest, including current students and graduates from LIS programs, staff and employers of LIS graduates, and library school faculty (full-time and contingent) from across Canada were gathered via a nationally disseminated survey in 2023. Competency areas include general skills as well as communication, user services, management, and technology. Early findings suggest the importance of established areas of practice, such as selecting and evaluating resources, while emergent areas of priority were also identified, including the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and understanding the responsibilities of libraries in decolonization, Indigenization, and reconciliation efforts.

Class Size Determination and Decision Making in LIS Online Education

The purpose of this study was to develop a national landscape of the decisions made by LIS programs regarding online course enrollment caps. Online education expands learning opportunities for all students and is particularly attractive to nontraditional students who are more likely to have employment and family obligations that make attending traditional face-to-face classes difficult. At the same time, online learning can exacerbate existing opportunity gaps between certain student groups, depending on how well-prepared students are for online learning. This survey methodology study investigated course enrollment caps and the reasons behind the limits placed by Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) programs nationwide, in an effort to identify ways online education structures at the University of South Carolina iSchool could be transformed to ensure a resilient future of diverse library and information science (LIS) professionals.

Are Library and Information Science Educators Teaching Accessibility?

Library and information science (LIS) graduates are expected to serve patrons from diverse backgrounds, including disabled patrons. While serving patrons with disabilities is a core value of librarianship, graduates often feel unprepared to serve disabled patrons, suggesting that programs inadequately train students to design accessible services. This study’s authors analyzed hundreds of course descriptions and 73 syllabi from 20 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered and how educators teach accessibility. Findings indicate that accessibility and disability topics are mostly covered in electives, meaning students may never develop accessibility competencies during their programs. Additionally, a lack of disability-focused assessments may create the impression that serving disabled patrons is less important to LIS than addressing the needs of other underserved communities. Recommendations for educators include creating or revising learning objectives and assessments to prioritize accessibility education and support disabled patrons.

Where Are Disability and Accessibility in Library and Information Science Curricula?

While serving all library patrons is a core value of librarianship, patrons with disabilities are often overlooked. A contributing factor to this reality is that many graduates of Library and Information Science (LIS) programs feel ill-equipped to serve disabled patrons. This works-in-progress poster presents preliminary results from an analysis of 241 syllabi from 76 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered in curricula. The analysis also considers how courses prepare students to effectively advocate for and implement accessibility within their professional practice. Preliminary results indicate that accessibility and disability topics are infrequently covered in foundational or required courses. Consequently, students may never develop accessibility competencies during their programs of study. Preliminary recommendations include creating or revising learning objectives and assessments to prioritize accessibility education. Offering required and elective courses that incorporate service-learning and hands-on experience in topics such as user-centered design, accessible facilities and programming, and services to disabled patrons is critical.

Native Students in Library and Information Science Education, 1990–2019: Past Trends and Implications for Future Advancement

Abstract: In this longitudinal study, the authors explored institutional-level factors that may have contributed to the success of Native students in graduate library and information science (LIS) programs from 1990 to 2019. They used a mixed-methods design: first, they assessed patterns of participation of Native students in LIS for that period; next, they identified the LIS programs that graduated the most Native students and investigated them in depth using a case-study approach. The authors utilized data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE). They found that the low participation of Native students in LIS replicated overall trends in the participation of Native students in graduate education in nontribal establishments. They also found that the low participation of Native students remained a major historical trend characterizing the participation of Native students in LIS. This study suggests that institutional factors contributing to the success of Native students in LIS include effective recruitment, financial aid, and the assurance of their continuous enrollment and graduation via cohort learning, mentorship, flexibility of curriculum choices, and practical experiences. Substantively, this study contributes to the understanding of factors affecting the participation of Native students in graduate education and serves as a foundation for further research into factors affecting Native students' success in nontribal colleges. Methodologically, it offers a model replicable for similar investigations in other fields.

Incorporating Marginalized LIS Educators into LIS Programs Through Remote Work Options

The global pandemic has fundamentally changed the way that people work and learn, and has had a disproportionate impact on Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) (Marcelin, et al., 2021). Throughout the pandemic, all work (including higher education) moved to a fully remote work model. The goal of this panel is to explore the idea of remote work for library and information science (LIS) faculty in the long-term, and particularly discuss the positive implications that this work model could have for those who are BIPOC and/or otherwise marginalized. This is a critical discussion for LIS programs to engage in as the information professions currently face a moment of reckoning and they must work to bring equity for BIPOC colleagues and address the needs of LIS faculty.

Preparing Library and Information Science (LIS) Students for Scholarly Communication Librarianship

A growing number of academic librarians have been responsible for scholarly communication (SC) roles and responsibilities, and other related services. Previous studies (Finlay, et al., 2015) show an increase in job opportunities for librarians with SC expertise. Eighty-four percent of the students in the Hollister (2017) study described the SC as either relevant or very relevant to their career goals. However, a recent search (2021) within ALA accredited programs in Library and Information Science (LIS) reveals that only 6 out 48 offer a course in scholarly communication, and no program offered a course on related areas. Given a growing demand for wide range of SC services it is imperative for LIS programs to prepare students for these emerging new roles and responsibilities. To that end, I developed a course on SC and other related concepts based on the North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) core competencies for SC librarians and the SC common responsibilities identified in previous studies (Hackstadt, 2020). This study will explore the extent to which the course addresses the core competencies for SC roles and responsibilities. The study will employ a self-assessment survey designed to measure the difference in students’ knowledge pre and post course completion regarding the SC core competencies. The NASIG core competencies for SC librarians align with roles and responsibilities of SC librarians as described in previous studies. Therefore, the focus on NASIG core competencies makes the results from this study broadly useful for instructors of SC courses.

Library or iSchool Involvement in Health-Related Informatics Education

Objective: An underexplored area in Library and Information Science (LIS) is the development of educational offerings and partnerships in Health-Related Informatics (HRI) (e.g., bioinformatics, clinical informatics, health informatics). The purpose of this study is to identify which disciplines are collaborating in HRI education and how partnerships developed. Methods: This study was conducted in two parts: a website review and survey. Seventy-seven North American ALA-accredited and iSchool member websites were searched between November 2019-March 2020 for HRI-related educational offerings and which academic units were involved. Two hundred sixteen individuals involved in LIS and/or HRI education were contacted for a 40-question survey that included: their roles and responsibilities regarding HRI education; the alignment of this education with strategic plans or competencies; and how HRI partnerships developed. The survey also asked those who were not currently partnering in HRI education which factors influenced their circumstances. Results: 352 HRI educational offerings existed within ALA-accredited or iSchool programs. A total of 38 (17.5%) responded to the survey. For almost two-thirds of these, there was no indication of partnership in that education (213/352, 60.5%). LIS or iSchool involvement in HRI is just under one-third of all offerings (111/352, 31%). “Health or healthcare” informatics (35) or “biomedical or bioinformatics” were the most common types of HRI offered from the website review and survey. Conclusions: Opportunities exist for LIS programs to form HRI educational partnerships that will provide richer educational offerings for LIS students and health sciences librarians.

Statistics Training in Library Science: Comparing Approaches in Library and Information Science to Sociology Graduate Programs

Library and information science (LIS) research is becoming more quantitative. However, statistics is not extensively taught within LIS research methods courses, and statistics courses are uncommon within LIS programs. Previous research on statistics in LIS revealed that researchers have mainly relied on descriptive statistics in publications. This article argues that LIS’s partner disciplines, such as sociology, emphasize statistical training more so than do LIS programs at the master’s level. Sociology serves as an appropriate comparison to LIS because of its central status in the development of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and its relevance for library science. The author analyzed the curricular requirements of 109 master’s degree programs (47 sociology and 62 LIS programs) and 81 research methods syllabi (60 in sociology and 21 in LIS). The analysis of master’s in LIS (MLIS) and sociology MA curricula revealed that MLIS students took 0.6 research methods courses while sociology MA students took 2.7 methods courses. LIS programs typically required one methods course, whereas sociology MA programs required three. LIS methods courses spent on average 19% of instructional time on statistics, whereas 64% of sociology MA programs’ instruction in methods focused on statistical analysis. 86% of LIS research methods courses covered descriptive statistics and only 38% of LIS courses discussed inferential statistics. Statistical training in LIS programs remains limited. LIS departments could approach statistical training as sociology has done by teaching inferential statistics and other advanced techniques. Thereafter, information professionals can publish more widely and provide improved research support.

A quantitative review of LIS programs accredited by ALA and CILIP under contemporary technology advancement

PurposeAdvancements in technology have led to many changes in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS). As global communications and technology continue to become more available and sophisticated, LIS programs need to prepare students for employment in rapidly changing and globalized LIS professions.Design/methodology/approachData from a total of 63 programs from the American Library Association (ALA) and 32 programs from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) was collected through openly accessible websites of these programs. Areas explored include program name, name and level of the academic unit offering the program, credit hours, required courses, percentage of required courses and capstone measurements used within the different LIS programs.FindingsA majority of programs still preserve the keyword “Library” in their name, but not the academic units offering them. Most programs in ALA and CILIP follow a semester-based program. Research methods, internships, practical experience, combined with traditional library core and information technology requirements were found to constitute the major subjects in general. Comprehensive exams were replaced by e-portfolios among ALA programs while a dissertation remains the preferred choice of capstone requirement for CILIP.Originality/valueScant studies compare accredited LIS programs worldwide, motivating the study of the similarities, differences and trends of LIS programs under the current globalized technology-driven knowledge economy. This paper seeks to fill the literature gap and promote a global discussion and understanding of LIS curricula in different regions of the world, guiding potential students to select their suitable LIS programs.

Evaluating the Use of Journal Prestige as a Metric for Academic Research Faculty: A Case of Library and Information Science Faculty in the United States and Canada

This article addresses concerns about the effect of extradisciplinary researchers on recent rankings of library and information science (LIS) school researchers’ productivity by proposing a measure based on Laura Manzari’s 2013 study of LIS journal prestige. Journal ratings from Manzari’s study are assigned to the publications in each of more than 400 LIS faculty-researcher curricula vitae. A cumulative prestige rating for each researcher’s publications is then calculated, and rankings for faculty members and LIS programs are derived. The findings indicate that the cumulative prestige rating is a strong indicator of professor, comparing favorably with early publications of Budd, while diminishing the impact of shifts toward a greater number of extradisciplinary researchers in LIS education on the rankings of top contributors to LIS literature. These findings are important for offering an alternative perspective of scholarly productivity. This approach may prove beneficial for LIS program directors and committees in making tenure and promotion decisions among their faculty.

Against the Clock: Speed Training in Library and Information Science Education

We may not always like the speed of today’s world, but we still need to prepare students for working in a fast-paced environment. In the library and information science (LIS) professions today, deadlines are becoming ever shorter, yet research into the effects of time pressure in LIS is scarce. This pilot project aims to develop and test a speed-training program to improve LIS students’ ability to work under time pressure. An experiment is conducted where students in the control group receive no speed training while students in the experimental group complete speed-training exercises. Students provide feedback through surveys and a focus group. The results suggest that speed training can help students learn to work more quickly and that students feel positively about speed training. Therefore, it may be worth including explicit speed-training exercises in LIS programs.