Library And Information Studies Education Research Articles

Truth & Information? Preparing Information Organization & Retrieval Students for an AI Future

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a new concept or technology, but has taken the world by storm with the recent advancement of generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Bard. The metadata, cataloging, collections, and retrieval areas of library and information studies (LIS) are already experiencing disruption and soul-searching because of generative AI, but it remains to be seen to what extent the technology can benefit, or even harm, these areas of LIS. The Metadata, Cataloging, & Collections SIG session will include a panel of three educators who will discuss the use of artificial intelligence in information retrieval and cataloging courses, and provide ideas for educators hoping to learn more about the impact of AI and how to incorporate activities and discussions of AI in their courses. Priya Kizhakkethil will report on student perceptions of AI in the LIS curriculum, with a focus on Information Retrieval courses. With the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT, there has been much discussion about its impact on libraries and the work of librarianship. But there is a gap in the literature that addresses how such disruptive technologies should be addressed in the LIS curriculum. This presentation covers a work in progress pilot study seeking to understand LIS student perceptions on the use of generative AI tools as part of their course work. Themes relating to student perceptions on the use of Gen AI tools for an Information Retrieval course will be discussed, which includes the potential ways of using these tools as noted by the students. Vyacheslav (Slava) Zavalin will discuss the critical need for understanding the AI landscape and its application to information organization within LIS. He will demonstrate using Google Gemini, the AI-powered assistant, to create bibliographic examples and then analyze and discuss the accuracy of the records. Karen Snow recently assigned advanced cataloging students an exercise that required them to create a basic MARC/RDA bibliographic record using ChatGPT. The resulting transcripts of their conversations with ChatGPT, and their reflections on the experience, were a fascinating demonstration of the benefits/drawbacks of AI in cataloging work, but also of the importance of educating students on how to effectively use AI. After the presentations, audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and offer their own experiences and ideas concerning this area of LIS education. These presentations align well with the ALISE 2024 conference theme of “The Ethics and Evolution of Truth and Information.”

Cultural Competence in Libraries: Utilizing the Critical Incident Technique and Reflective Journaling to Encourage Reflective Practice

In a political climate in which intellectual freedom and Critical Race Theory (CRT), among other concepts, are under attack, courses with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content are especially relevant. Examining Library and Information Studies (LIS) curriculum within the United States, scholars have repeatedly found DEI content, despite being foundational to the LIS profession, is insufficient in preparing future LIS professionals. Furthermore, once professionals are employed, opportunities for additional training are limited, given the one-shot nature of many professional development opportunities. This article describes one attempt to effectively integrate DEI content into a continuing education course in which participants can incorporate material into their professional activities via the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) and reflective journaling. The article examines existing scholarship regarding LIS education to establish the need for concerted efforts to implement useful and actionable approaches to DEI concepts. It then describes a continuing education course in which the CIT and reflective journaling can be utilized as effective ways to translate coursework into professional practice. The discussion focuses on the specific nature of this course within the context of continuing education and professional development, with suggestions for incorporating course content into required LIS curriculum, and outlines avenues for future research.

Encouraging Cultural Competence Among LIS Professionals via the Critical Incident Technique and Reflective Journaling

In a political climate in which intellectual freedom, particularly regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT) and other diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) concepts are under attack, courses with DEI content are especially relevant. Examining Library and Information Studies (LIS) curriculum within the United States, scholars have repeatedly found DEI content, despite being foundational to the LIS profession, is insufficient in preparing future LIS professionals. Scholars, throughout decades of research within LIS education, have explored various lines of inquiry, including multicultural LIS education (Carter, 1978), recruitment challenges that contribute to a lack of diversity (Childers and Adams, 1972), trainings, and professional development opportunities to better serve diverse populations (Simsova, 1980), and LIS curricula at institutions across the United States (Cohen, 1980). More recent scholarship has provided innovative efforts and approaches regarding recruitment, curriculum, and pedagogy, while also presenting the necessity to expand conceptions of diversity within LIS education (Adkins, Virden, & Yier, 2015; Jaeger et al., 2015; Roy, 2015). Despite extant literature and professional attention to DEI issues, the LIS education, and the profession at large, remains largely White (Bajjaly & Drulia, 2021) and can improve (Chancellor, 2019; DuMont, 1986; Jaeger et al., 2011; Mestre, 2010; Ndumu & Chancellor, 2021). The focus on these issues within LIS education is significant for the training of future LIS professionals as, once employed, opportunities for additional training are limited given the one-shot nature of many professional development opportunities.
 This presentation describes one attempt to effectively incorporate DEI content, specifically cultural competence, into a 4-week continuing education course in which participants can incorporate material into their professional activities via the critical incident technique and reflective journaling. After discussing existing scholarship regarding LIS education to establish the need for concerted efforts to implement useful and actionable approaches to DEI concepts, the presentation describes a continuing education course in which the critical incident technique and reflective journaling are offered as tools to effectively translate coursework into professional practice. A common, although not universal, approach to DEI and cultural competence training within LIS is one-off workshops, with many professional development opportunities limited by nature of their delivery. The present course’s emphasis on continual reflection via journaling and the critical incident technique addresses the limitations of many professional development opportunities.
 The presentation discusses a variety of topics pertinent to LIS curriculum. Instructional modality offers both opportunities and challenges, both of which this presentation addresses. As an online course, striking a balance between asynchronous content with synchronous meetings presents possibilities to check understanding and promote student engagement. As a continuing education course – a form of professional development – necessitates an understanding of educators that students’ schedules are full and, as working professionals, they have demands on their time that affect engagement. includes suggestions for professionals and educators to keep up to date with emerging research (e.g., the move from cultural competence to cultural humility within recent scholarship), incorporating course content into required LIS curriculum, and outlines avenues for future research.

DH Eh? A Survey of Digital Humanities Courses in Canadian LIS Education

Library and librarian involvement in digital humanities (DH) has grown over the past few years. However, it is unclear whether current library and information studies (LIS) programs are properly preparing students for this type of work. This study analyzed course offerings at Canadian ALA-accredited LIS programs. While Canadian ALA-accredited LIS programs offer DH-relevant courses, the number of courses offered and their range/scope vary greatly among institutions. Although many are teaching the technical skills required by the field of DH librarianship, collaboration and project management training remain elusive in most programs.

What are the options for library and information studies education reform in addressing racial inequity in the library profession in the UK?

This work explores international research into library and information studies (LIS) education as part of the diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA) agenda and identifies options for LIS education reform in addressing racial inequity in the library profession in the UK. The paper sets out the UK legal, higher education and LIS education contexts, focussing on the role of the professional association, accreditation and the curriculum, and the library and information workforce, and highlights current practices in DEIA in the UK. Using a methodology drawn from bibliometric approaches, a set of academic and professional articles related to DEIA and the LIS curriculum are analysed and nine interpretative repertoires are then identified and discussed. Four core mature repertoires concentrate on the professional association, the university, LIS faculty and the curriculum. These core clusters are surrounded by emerging repertoires which are more recent and more critical. Each repertoire is discussed, referring to key sources and authors to present a picture of trends and complexity in recent (2000–2022) literature on the topic. The aim of this work is to provide a detailed view of existing practice in LIS education relating to DEIA. LIS schools are a vital part of the professional pathway: without a qualification there is no profession, and university students are more-often-than-not drawn from the more privileged and wealthier sectors of society. It is recommended that LIS schools recruit students and faculty who reflect communities and develop the abilities of students to serve the communities they may or may not reflect. These are categorized into clusters, in an attempt to inform LIS education reform in the UK.

A Case for Critical Data Studies in Library and Information Studies

The proliferation, ubiquity, and growth of data, big data, and digital infrastructure raise a number of questions for library and information studies (LIS) practitioners, researchers, and educators. While some uncritically accept and embrace the idea that big data will fundamentally alter every sector of society including economics, politics, health care, and knowledge production, others are more critical of the data turn. Data can be contradictory in that it can be used for surveillance, impinge on privacy, be used for secondary purposes (often without consent), and can be totalizing in that we continually create data exhaust, it can be hacked, searched, aggregated, and preserved for years. Conversely, data can be used for the public good, to promote progressive social change, and to empower people. The overarching argument presented in this paper is that critical library and information studies must include critical data studies. To develop this argument, this paper explores the ontological nature of data and their contradictory implications and effects in terms of broader society, the academy, and in LIS research, education, and practice. Next, the philosophical foundations and the work being done in the budding area of critical data studies are presented (most notably work by Rob Kitchin). Finally, the intersections between critical data studies and LIS are discussed in terms of research methodologies, philosophical underpinnings, and application of critical social theory, values, and ethics using Dalton and Thatcher's seven data criticisms.

Information literacy in LIS education:

Theoretical and practical principles of information literacy (IL) are generally embedded into the wider course structure of Library and Information Studies (LIS) Master’s programmes. This paper discusses the findings of a qualitative thematic content analysis of library student exam answer texts, which provide a student view of whether it would be appropriate to designate a stand-alone module specifically for the delivery of these principles. The key concepts of IL are currently found embedded within the core programme. It is suggested that the introduction of a distinct module may more appropriately reflect stakeholder requirements, including LIS students’ combined needs as producer-consumers of IL interventions in their study and practice. There is an increasing requirement for them to develop, deliver and evaluate good-practice interventions in the workplace. This work builds on existing discussions around IL as a discipline and the changing role of the librarian. The analysis is substantially informed by the participants’ views. It suggests that while embedding IL in the library school curriculum can address the consumer-IL needs of the participants as students, a more explicit focus will support development of their professional-IL needs.

The view from industry: LIS students on placement

Purpose – This paper aims to report on the outcomes of a survey of organisations in Australia and Slovenia hosting undergraduate Library and Information Studies (LIS) students on professional placement to better understand the reasons behind organisations accepting students, the workload implications and their satisfaction with the process. Design/methodology/approach – Hosting organisations were asked to complete a survey on various aspects of the placement process. Findings – For both countries, hosts reported favourably on their experience, and virtually, all felt that while it was a real commitment of time and resources on their part, it was a responsibility they were happy to take on. There was little difference between the two cohorts, suggesting that the findings from this research may be an accurate picture of the situation for LIS placements hosts more generally. The positive view of the placement and the belief in its role in LIS education is further strengthened by this study. Research limitations/implications – The research suggests that hosting students is not seen as an onerous task, but one which brings benefits to both parties. This will be useful in promoting student placements when looking for new host opportunities. Originality/value – This study has added to the limited literature in the LIS field on the experience of host organisations. Obtaining similar results across two countries added to the reliability of the findings which will help inform those planning future student placements.

Library and Information Studies Press and Freedom of Expression

Analysis of the literature of library and information studies (LIS) reveals that6 the role of Practicum in LIS education has come full circle. Today, as in the early days of the profession, Practicum is a core element of LIS education, for both pedagogical and practical reasons. Practicum links theory and practice and extends learning options. Many students enroll in Practicum to gain work experience to.

"I Guess We'll Just Have to Wait for the Movie to Come Out"

Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making. It is usually applied to governments, corporations and other large organizations.-WikipediaThe first gathering of members of the International Center for Information (ICIE), organized by founder Dr. Rafael Capurro, occurred in Karlsruhe, Germany in fall 2004. While there, a loosely formed subgroup of North American library and information studies (LIS) professors (including Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan, Dr. Tom Froehlich, Dr. Martha [Marti] Smith, Dr. Wallace [Wally] Koehler, Dr. Johannes [Hannes] Britz, Dr. Toni Carbo, and Dr. Toni Samek) spoke impromptu about creating a teaching and learning venue for information ethics within the context of the library and information studies community back home. Almost immediately, a plan was set in motion to develop a grassroots contribution to the imminent ALISE annual conference in Boston. This collective effort resulted in a January 2005 conference panel, Activism in the Context of Information Ethics, delivered by Dr. Marti Smith (Drexel University), Dr. Toni Carbo (University of Pittsburgh), Dr. Pnina Shachaf (University of Indiana-Bloomington), and Dr. Toni Samek (University of Alberta).In late February 2005, Samek posted the following message to the JESSE listserv (a popular communications tool for library and information studies educators with a heavy concentration of North American subscribers): Since the conference in Boston, a number of us have communicated by e-mail about creating a new SIG on Information to serve as a kind of partner to the newly minted SIG on Information Policy. In order to formally propose a new SIG on Information to the ALISE Board (which next meets in April), a minimum of 25 association members must endorse the proposal. ... The idea behind the proposed SIG on Information is to give critical attention to 'ethical reflection' in the context of LIS education. At this point in our history, there is a real interest in creating a consistent formal dedicated space in the [ALISE] conference program for information ethics and related areas such as core values, the global information justice movement, human rights and information work, and so on.1 The listserv post was forwarded to the ALISE members' list and a series of responses ensued, beginning with comments from Dr. Lynn Connaway, who wrote from the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC): endorse a SIG on Information Ethics. When I taught the Foundations course at the University of Denver, the majority of the class was spent discussing ethics in regard to information policy.2 Charles Harmon (Director of Publishing, Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc. New York) wrote: Please list me as an ALISE member in support of this SIG. I chaired the American Library Assoc. Committee on Professional for four years and believe ethics is an imperative area for LIS education.3 The full set of replies served to form a picture illustrating the growing presence of information ethics educators and education in the LIS context. For example: Please include my name in support of the new SIG. In regards to courses on ethics and information, [the] UCLA LIS school just introduced a new and required! course in their program on this topic. This was made possible through the grassroots work of students and several faculty members spearheaded by Clara Chu.4Both teachers and students expressed their desire to engage in a community of information ethics. For example: am teaching a course called Ethics and Critical Thinking for Information Professionals for the first time ever during our interim session. I would welcome and participate in discussions in this arena.5 And Bringing information ethics into almost every aspect of the curriculum, as opposed to making it an easily avoided elective, would go a long way to exposing students across all of the various programs-informatics, MLIS, information management, doctoral-to the challenges of information ethics in today's society. …

Online Programs and Geographic Proximity are Key Determinants of Information Professionals’ Interest in Pursuing Post-Master’s Education at the Doctoral Level

A Review of: Powell, Ronald R. and Susan E. Boling. “Post-Master’s Educational Needs of Information Professionals.” Journal of Access Services 3.4 (2005): 29-43. Objective – To investigate post-master’s educational needs and interests of information professionals. Design – Survey research using print and electronic questionnaires. Setting – The geographic area surrounding Wayne State University in Michigan, United States of America. Subjects – Members of the library associations of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Methods – Systematic random samples were derived from the membership lists of the library associations in Ohio, Indiana, and Southwestern Ontario. Paper questionnaires were mailed to those selected. Michigan Library Association’s official policy barred the release of its membership list to researchers. Consequently, announcements of the survey were placed in three successive issues of the Association’s electronic newsletter. Interested members were directed to a web site to complete an electronic version of the questionnaire. This option was also extended to members of the other three library associations. The overall research question was investigated through specific questions that sought to ascertain the overall level of interest in professional library and information studies (LIS) education, levels of interest in specific types of programs, factors that favoured or deterred enrolment in doctoral programs, as well as the fields of study that were preferred for combination with LIS in doctoral programs. With the exception of demographic type questions (e.g., place of residence and educational qualifications) and two questions that required open ended responses, the questionnaire design encompassed questions with Likert scale type responses. Analysis of the responses included descriptive statistics, the use of Pearson chi-square to determine statistically significant relationships, and, to a lesser extent, content analysis. Main Results – A total of 270 questionnaires (33%) were returned from three populations: Ohio, Indiana, and Ontario. A self-selected sample of 101 members (6%) of the Michigan Library Association responded. In general, almost 80% of the respondents admitted some importance to adding to their LIS qualification. However, only 41% felt that this was important or extremely important. From a choice of six educational offerings, namely, continuing education activities, non-degree master’s coursework, a second master’s degree, post-master’s certification, doctoral programs, and other, continuing education activities was the most valued, by 65.5% of the respondents. Participants were asked about their reasons, and the importance of these, for considering or deciding to enrol in an LIS doctoral program. The yearning to acquire knowledge was reported by 69.7% as the major reason, followed by 45.8% of the respondents who cited the wish to increase their income potential. In terms of major factors, prestige received the lowest rating, 21.1%. The time involved (73.8%), cost (66.3%), and distance from the program (63.2%) were cited as the major deterrents to enrolling in doctoral programs. When asked about the likelihood of pursuing a doctoral LIS program in combination with business administration, computer science, or without any combination, “not likely” was the most popular choice. Those who were very likely or likely to pursue a joint program totalled approximately 30% of the respondents, while 37% indicated an interest in undertaking a doctorate in LIS only. The most frequent reasons proffered by those who selected “not likely” or “definitely not” for any of the three doctoral offerings included lack of interest, mitigating factors (e.g. time, cost, age, and program location), unfavourable cost/benefit analysis, preference for another area of knowledge, and the view that Ph.D.s were only useful for university faculty. Given the option to name subject areas that they desired to see combined with LIS in a doctoral program, 23 of 101 respondents proposed education, while 19 opted for public administration. A question inviting any other comments on the issue of post-master’s education yielded a predominant desire for “non traditional instruction,” particularly online courses as well as classes held in convenient locations. In terms of relationships between geographic location and factors that influenced interest in enrolling in a doctoral program, the desire “to become a more effective manager,” and “other” were statistically significant. The analysis also revealed a strong positive relationship between willingness to pursue an LIS-only doctoral program and the availability of such a program in geographic proximity. Similarly, there was a strong relationship between willingness to pursue an LIS program in close vicinity and the importance that was given to further LIS education. Conclusion – Online instruction and geographic proximity are key determinants of information professionals’ interest in pursuing post-master’s education at the doctoral level. Continuing education activities, non-degree coursework, and certificate programs are preferred over doctoral LIS programs, despite the finding that the major reason for enrolling in doctoral LIS programs is to fulfill the desire for knowledge acquisition. Schools offering Library and Information Science studies need to explore options for providing distance-education doctoral LIS programs as a means of reversing the current shortage of LIS faculty.

The current status and challenges of collaboration in library and information studies (LIS) education and training in Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the current status and challenges of collaboration in library and information education and training in Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe paper largely draws examples from experiential knowledge and observation; basic bibliometric analysis; and studying related institutional documents as well as African studies in the domain.FindingsMost of the library and information studies (LIS) schools are based in Anglophone Africa and located within universities. Common trends of LIS education are shared by most LIS schools in Africa. Major challenges facing LIS education include the regulation of student numbers, knowledge and diversification of LIS job markets, funding of LIS schools, the development of technology infrastructures both in quantity and quality, allowing efficient access and the continued development of education through short courses that provide new knowledge, skills and attitudes to LIS workers. Collaboration of LIS schools in the region is weak and largely informal. There is hardly any research collaboration amongst LIS schools in Africa.Research limitations/implicationsOpportunities for collaboration that exist require initiatives, involvement and leadership. Organizing LIS schools workshops and pre/post conferences during national, regional and international conferences is an excellent way to begin unravelling a considerable portion of the current collaborative plight by engaging relevant stakeholders.Originality/valueThe paper raises primary challenges and opportunities for collaboration in LIS education and training in Africa thereby providing useful, current information that should inform LIS educators, researchers, students and other stakeholders on the status and challenges of collaboration in LIS education on the continent.

Current demand and future need for undergraduate LIS education in Australia

Through an analysis of the results of a survey of Australian employers of Library and Information Studies (LIS) graduates, this paper explores the current demand and future need for undergraduate LIS education in Australia. In the context of recent calls for adopting a purely postgraduate level of entry to the profession, the overwhelming majority of respondents to the survey clearly believe that the education provided in LIS programs in Australia does equip graduates with the attributes required of professional librarians in their organisation, and that this does not depend on the level of the qualification. Some further discussion of graduate attributes and curriculum issues indicates that there is a need for reform of LIS education – as well as a requirement to build the number of available graduates as the profession seeks to renew itself.

Defining fundamentals and meeting expectations: Trends in LIS education in Australia

The current state of Australian library and information studies (LIS) education is characterised by unresolved tensions, only some of which have been accommodated. Our objective in this paper is to ascertain current trends in LIS education in Australia, rather than to compile an inventory of current programs and courses. We focus on a framework of tensions whose accommodation by the Australian LIS community form the trends. Australia has no central data source for LIS education comparable to the statistics compiled by ALISE (the Association of Library and Information Science Educators) about LIS schools in Canada and the United States. Consequently our evidence comes from a range of sources, with varying degrees of validity. Some of it is based on our experience of LIS education in Australia, while other evidence is taken from material produced by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and other sources.

Perspectives of Five Library and Information Studies Students Involved in Service Learning at a Community-Based Literacy Program

Literacy education may be a stronger issue today than ever for public libraries in serving those who lack access to print and electronic sources because of limited literacy skills. Case studies of five library and information studies (LIS) students who participated in an interdisciplinary service learning course on community service and literacy are presented in this article. The students worked closely with adult learners in a community literacy agency and attended class once a week to discuss their experiences and their reactions to the readings and lectures. Their problematic experiences and insights are examined through sources such as their journals, reflection papers, and interviews. Findings and implications about how LIS students learn about the unique learning and communication styles of adult learners who have different backgrounds from themselves, the ways they perceive the roles of the public library in the lives of adult learners, and for integrating literacy education with service learning into LIS education are presented.

Training for Library and Information Studies: a comparative overview of LIS education in Africa

A comparison of manpower development and training for library and information services by the Departments of Library and Information Studies (LIS) in Africa is reviewed. The curricula, programmes, accreditation, resources, fieldwork, continuing educa

The Panda Syndrome: An Ecology of LIS Education

The fundamental changes that are shaping the future environment of educational programs in library and information studies (LIS) are explored in the context of two overlapping ecosystems, the rapidly changing information universe in which the LIS profession operates and the university settings in which the LIS educational programs are housed. We use ecological theory-biological, organizational, and professional- and the sociological theory of Pierre Bourdieu to describe the radical nature of the change facing LIS education and to identify adaptive strategies. We warn that survival of LIS education does not necessarily mean the survival of current programs, and certainly not in their current forms. We warn that the increasing value of information is bringing other professions into the information field and changing the boundaries and rules of competition. We suggest that LIS education needs to further substitute an information-centered focus for its traditional institutional focus. Finally, we suggest that the habitus or system of dispositions of LIS, derived from libraries and the public sector, may disadvantage LIS in its competition with professions and their associated educational programs that are more accustomed to competition for domain. Because habitus consists of largely unexamined assumptions and interpretations, an awareness of it is the essential first step to determining whether it is conducive to the survival of a profession's knowledge basis, values, and practices

Building Useful Theory: Tacit Knowledge, Practitioner Reports, and the Culture of LIS Inquiry

It is asserted that a greater understanding of tacit knowledge, or the private knowledge of experts, has the potential to transform the nature and use of research in library and information studies (LIS). Drawing on LIS and higher education literatures, the work of a cross-disciplinary spectrum of North American and European inquirers into tacit knowledge, and building on foundations laid by Georg Simmel and other theorists of the stranger, this paper addresses the neglect by practitioners of faculty research; practitioner use of the LIS literature; the existence of LIS education and LIS practice as distinct tacit knowledge arenas operating with often-conflicting definitions of success; the certainty that all researchers are strangers in various professional contexts and the implications of this aphorism; and the character and characteristics of the effective tacit knowledge researcher in LIS.

The Panda Syndrome II: Innovation, Discontinuous Change, and LIS Education

This article explores the notion of punctuated equilibria in ecological theory and its application to library and information studies (LIS) educational institutions and the LIS profession. Two separate lenses are used to explicate the roles of incremental and discontinuous change in the life of organizations in general and LIS organizations in particular. The first lens is the ecological model of organizational change and renewal established by Tushman and O'Reilly who provide a framework for examining the inevitable discontinuities produced through significant innovations,which they define as technologies and services that produce a shift in the standard practices of a community that makes it more effective. The second lens is Denning's research paths to innovation. Denning's perspective of research in the academy questions the existing emphasis on the generation of new ideas as the only true path to meaningful innovation. This article asks whether LIS educational institutions are educating professionals capable of functioning in the face of the inevitable discontinuities brought about through significant innovation. Equally significant, this article asks whether LIS professionals are capable of functioning as change agents in the processes of discontinuous change.

Computers in the teaching of library and information studies in the United Kingdom

Computers came early into the library world, and their use is extensive both in libraries and in library and information studies (LIS) education. Paradoxically, there is little use of CAL, partly because LIS education forms too small a market, but mainly because LIS educators believe that it is their duty to introduce their students to real-world software. However, there are prospects for increased computer use in the following categories: (i) training in basic computing skills; (ii) training of students of all subjects in information skills and library use; (iii) training of LIS students in real-life library and information systems, by using simulations and tutorials; (iv) use of the academic network for distance learning, especially by part-time students.