Exploring the competencies of information professionals for knowledge management in the information institutions of Bangladesh

The aim of the study is to explore the views of information professionals for knowledge management (KM) in the libraries/information institutions of Bangladesh.

This paper seeks to address the following research questions: How the information professionals of Bangladesh perceive the views of KM? What are likely to be the skills required by the information professionals of Bangladesh for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh? and what are likely to be the critical success factors for encouraging KM in the information institutions of Bangladesh?

The methodology includes a quantitative approach. The study has been conducted through a survey using a pre-structured questionnaire. A short and structured questionnaire was sent to 50 information professionals who had been working in different libraries in Bangladesh through email and/or by postal mail. The respondents were selected from six divisions of Bangladesh (25 respondents from Dhaka division, 5 each in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Sylhet divisions). Out of the 50 individuals sent the survey we received 30 responses, for a response rate 60%.

The results of the study show that that 93.24% of the respondents first read about KM in the literature, but none had taken any courses on KM. Only 6.76% of the respondents had attended a workshop on KM. Findings also yield most professionals believed that several competencies including those in: communication, facilitation, coaching, mentoring, networking, negotiating, consensus building, and team working were essential for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh. This paper also suggests some critical success factors for encouraging the information professionals to KM in the libraries of Bangladesh. It investigates the original views of the library and information professionals of Bangladesh regarding the skills and competences of information professionals for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh.

The department of Information Science and Library Management of Dhaka University and Rajshahi University should introduce KM course(s) either in the graduate level or in the post-graduate level.     

Barcode technology and its use and applications: A study of selected libraries of Bangladesh

This study explored the usage and applications of barcode technologies through a survey carried out in eight libraries in Dhaka City of Bangladesh. The survey included the following: Inception year, software used to barcode, areas in which barcodes are being used in libraries, training of library staff, and satisfaction of users and information professionals. The merits and demerits of barcode technologies are presented.     

Training at the postgraduate level for medical librarians: a review.

Postgraduate education for medical librarians is approachable from several perspectives, including internships, certificate programs, and continuing education programs. The diverse population of medical library personnel calls for a varied yet coordinated system of postgraduate education involving the Medical Library Association, regional medical libraries, library schools, and the National Library of Medical, in addition to active participation by all librarians in the health sciences field. Basic philosophies for each of the major types of programs are discussed and recommendations for future training of health sciences librarians are provided.     

Exploring the competencies of information professionals for knowledge management in the information institutions of Bangladesh

Aim of the study

The aim of the study is to explore the views of information professionals for knowledge management (KM) in the libraries/information institutions of Bangladesh.

Research questions

This paper seeks to address the following research questions: How the information professionals of Bangladesh perceive the views of KM? What are likely to be the skills required by the information professionals of Bangladesh for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh? and what are likely to be the critical success factors for encouraging KM in the information institutions of Bangladesh?

Method

The methodology includes a quantitative approach. The study has been conducted through a survey using a pre-structured questionnaire. A short and structured questionnaire was sent to 50 information professionals who had been working in different libraries in Bangladesh through email and/or by postal mail. The respondents were selected from six divisions of Bangladesh (25 respondents from Dhaka division, 5 each in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barishal and Sylhet divisions). Out of the 50 individuals sent the survey we received 30 responses, for a response rate 60%.

Findings

The results of the study show that that 93.24% of the respondents first read about KM in the literature, but none had taken any courses on KM. Only 6.76% of the respondents had attended a workshop on KM. Findings also yield most professionals believed that several competencies including those in: communication, facilitation, coaching, mentoring, networking, negotiating, consensus building, and team working were essential for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh. This paper also suggests some critical success factors for encouraging the information professionals to KM in the libraries of Bangladesh. It investigates the original views of the library and information professionals of Bangladesh regarding the skills and competences of information professionals for KM in the libraries of Bangladesh.

Recommendations of the study

The department of Information Science and Library Management of Dhaka University and Rajshahi University should introduce KM course(s) either in the graduate level or in the post-graduate level.     

Librarianship in six Southwest Asian countries

Abstract

Library education in Jordan falls into three categories: professional, at the post-graduate level, subprofessional, at the community colleges level, and in-service training. The primary institution concerned with in-service training is JLA. Detailed accounts of programmes, syllabus, curriculum and course contents offered at all levels are given. The historical account of the library movement in Jordan indicates that Jordan’s libraries are in transition from traditional to advanced library and information functions and practice. Continuous course evaluations and assessments resulted in the development of curricula endeavouring to advance trends in library and information science. Thus, more libraries are implementing computer systems. The post-graduate curriculum introduces courses on advanced topics in information science and technology besides library automation. JLA is shifting its emphasis towards specialized courses on computerization and library software packages such as CDS/ISIS. Community colleges’ library education has also changed to include advanced topics.

Statistical analysis of students and trainees at all levels is given. The impact of information technology on several library aspects and information services is highlighted to disclose what should be incorporated into the new library education curricula to equip the future generation of library and information professionals to practise the profession in Jordan.     

我国图书馆学教育与图书馆学学生就业问题专家访谈录

针对图书馆学教育应如何改革以及图书馆需要什么样的人才这两个热点问题,对国内一些著名专家学者进行访谈。专家学者对如何改善高考招生困境、图书馆学教育层次化、教学方式多样化、如何提高教师素质、如何进行用人制度的改革、图书馆学学生入职图书馆的优劣势、图书馆学教育的培养目标、图书馆学核心课程与实际工作的关系、图书馆员如何规划职业生涯等诸多问题进行深入探讨。以期为我国图书馆事业的发展提供切实可行的建议。     

The Reserve Department Revisited

The Future Voices in Public Services column is a forum for students in graduate library and information science programs to discuss key issues they see in academic library public services, to envision what they feel librarians in public service have to offer to academia, to tell us of their visions for the profession, or to tell us of research that is going on in library schools. We hope to provide fresh perspectives from those entering our field, in both the United States and other countries. Interested faculty of graduate library and information science programs who would like their students' ideas represented in these pages are invited to contact Nancy H. Dewald at nxd7@psu.edu.

Heather Dodge is a recent graduate of Long Island University's Palmer School of Library and Information Science and has completed an additional Master's degree in Humanities and Social Thought from NYU's Draper Program for Humanities and Social Thought. In this column, she discusses the effective development of chat reference competencies.

The ALA-Accredited Palmer School of Library and Information Science was established in 1959 at Long Island University's (LIU) Post campus. Palmer's mission is to empower information professionals through education, research and achievement. The Palmer School offers a Doctorate in Information Studies; the Master of Science in Library and Information Science with optional concentrations in Archives and Records Management, Rare Books and Special Collections; Advanced Certificates in both Archives and Records Management and in Public Library Administration. The School also offers a Masters in Science in School Library Media. The Archives and Records Management certificate can be taken post-Master's or concurrently as part of the MSLIS program and is now offered both face-to-face and online.     

Education for a Law Librarianship:

The current era of planning for library service in the University of California began in the mid-1970s with the development of the Universitywide plan. Although the organization and academic programs of each of the nine campuses are independently administered by campus chancellors, the libraries are centrally budgeted. Library planning at UCLA to match campus-specific needs has required, therefore, the creation of a sophisticated complex of committees, task groups and external organizational relationships for various staff members. Planning is a primary continuing function of the administration of the Library.     

The relationships of medical libraries to Regional Medical Program planning

The development of Regional Medical Program legislation is summarized and the activities of the new Division of Regional Medical Programs of the National Institutes of Health are described. The first grants for regional medical programs were activated 1 July 1966, and as of 30 June 1967, forty-nine had been awarded out of a possible total of fifty-five. The importance of excellent medical library facilities within each region, especially in all major teaching hospitals, with extensions down to the level of the community hospitals, was emphasized, and the concept of the community hospital as a learning center utilizing the most modern library concepts and teaching devices was commended. The Medical Library Association was asked whether training programs were being developed which would produce the numbers of personnel needed to staff the increased number of medical libraries of the future and whether new training programs were needed for service at the community hospital level.     

Project Management Techniques at the Complutense University: Academic Librarians' Perceptions

This study examines how academic librarians at the Complutense University (Spain) perceive project management techniques that are becoming increasingly popular in library and information centers due to the need to comply with their strategic planning and services. To reach this goal, a quantitative and qualitative methodology was applied and a survey, in the form of a questionnaire, was used as a data gathering tool. The response rate was 31.2%. The key findings are based on respondents' education regarding project management skills and their expertise managing projects, as well as the presence of project management courses in the Library and Information Science Spanish curriculum. This study revealed that over one third of the academic staff completed their project management training by self-directed learning. Additionally, over half of them stated that they had not participated in any library project in the last five years, and almost half of the library staff concluded that project management techniques are quite important as formal courses in the Library and Information Science university programs. The study is interesting and revealing for those library and information services professionals who are facing day-to-day to users' demands and Library and Information Science challenges.     

Impact of the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Service on hospital library development

A study was designed to evaluate the progress of hospital libraries within Region 7 since the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Services (PSRMLS) began in 1969. Library progress was defined as an increase in extent and types of services and resources offered. The study assessed the impact of Regional Medical Library programs on hospital libraries and compared resources and services reported in 1969, 1971, and 1984. The 1984 data were also measured against a set of core library services and resources that should be provided by a full-service hospital library. In addition to assessing the quality of PSRMLS programs and their effect on Region 7 hospital libraries, the study documented extensive growth in staffing, collection size, and services. PSRMLS programs were highly rated by the respondents, who also indicated that participation in PSRMLS programs improved specific library resources and services.     

Report of a cooperative venture between the China Medical University library and the medical library of McGill University

In March/April 1986, the medical library at McGill University in Montreal, Canada signed a cooperative agreement with the China Medical University (CMU) Library in Shenyang, China. This paper analyzes the operations of the CMU library within the context of the Chinese system of medical education, health care delivery, and medical librarianship. The CMU library is described in terms of collections, cataloging procedures, filing, public services (reference, bibliographic instruction, circulation, copy service), interlibrary loans, networking, conservation of materials, and personnel. Some interesting comparisons are made between the two libraries with respect to holdings, services provided, and training of staff. The plans for future cooperation are outlined.     

Profesional medical library education in the United States in relation to the qualifications of medical library manpower in Ohio

THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR MEDICAL LIBRARY PRACTICE IN THE UNITED STATES CONSISTS OF FOUR MAJOR COMPONENTS: graduate degree programs in library science with specialization in medical librarianship; graduate degree programs in library science with no such specialization; postgraduate internships in medical libraries; continuing education programs. Data are presented illustrating the flow of graduates along these several educational pathways into medical library practice.The relevance of these educational components to the current medical library work force is discussed with reference to manpower data compiled for Ohio. The total number of medical library personnel in Ohio in 1968 is 316. Of this total, only forty-two (approximately 14 percent) have received any formal library training. Seventy persons have only a high school education. From these figures, it is concluded that there is no standard or essential qualification which is universally accepted as educational preparation for work in medical libraries; that the comparative sophistication of the educational programs in medical librarianship has yet to be reflected widely in general medical library practice; that an increasingly large number of non-professional or ancillary personnel are being, and will continue to be, utilized in medical libraries; that large numbers of untrained persons have sole responsibility for medical libraries; and that appropriate educational programs will have to be designed specifically for this type of personnel.     

Propagating Your Story with Pinterest: Possibilities for Academic Libraries

Abstract

This article explores ways that academic libraries can promote their resources and services, as well as their roles in their communities with the help of Pinterest. It is the first study to examine the usage of Pinterest in an academic library of Bangladesh. Academic libraries have many options for using Pinterest to enhance resources and services. It is a versatile way for academic libraries to connect with patrons as well as reach patrons to enlighten about the significance of the library’s roles in communities. This article provides a literature review giving a special focus on the opportunities of using Pinterest for academic libraries. In addition, the author provides examples of successful ways of using the Pinterest account of East West University library, Dhaka, Bangladesh.     

LIS Training for Support Staff: An Initial Review of Associate's and Certificate Programs In The U.S.

ABSTRACT

The author presents the results of a review and analysis of thirty-five colleges and universities in the United States that currently offer an Associate's degree and/or vocational certificate(s) in Library and Information Science. These programs, which are geared primarily to existing library support staff who seek additional training, have been created independently of each other and without a national standard to guide the curriculum. Although the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association's Library Support Staff Certification offers guidelines for the educational content of Associate's level LIS programs, a comparison reveals significant gaps. Furthermore, the ALA-APA program currently approves courses at only three institutions in the nation, and certifies graduates from only fourteen. The author identifies areas of misalignment between the Library Support Staff Certification and existing LIS programs and suggests directions for future improvement.

Column Editor’s Note Community college libraries are deeply underrepresented in the professional literature and organizations of academic librarianship. As a result, the challenges and successes that take place in the community college world are largely invisible to others. This JLA column lifts the curtain to reveal the uniqueness of community college libraries as described by their most passionate advocates: the librarians who work there. Articles in this column pay tribute to the commitment and creativity of community college librarians by providing a platform where they can share their professional perspectives and stories. Want to write for this column? Interested authors are invited to submit articles to the editor at kimreed@cwidaho.cc.     

Fees for service in medical library networks

In 1969 the Cleveland Health Sciences Library began an Institutional Membership. This was to be a fee-for-service arrangement to provide for library service, consultation on library and related matters, and development of educational programs for a wide range of institutional staff. Over fifty institutions now belong. Experience suggests that serious questions are raised by such a relationship between a resource library and libraries in a number of institutions. The membership involves a per capita cost for Cleveland hospitals with house staff, and a cost-plus-fixed-fee for others. Total access has been provided in hopes that experience in use can lead to the development of costs and policies.     

The Relevance of Archival Theory and Practice for Library Education

Archivists during the past decade have been greatly concerned with archival education and professional development and the proper context of archives training programs: History, Library Science, or independent Archival Science degree programs. Library schools offer the most reasonable possibilities because of their move toward new information technology and management strategies and a broadening of the older library-centered core. If their curricula can accommodate the differences between libraries and archives and alter their dominant focus on the book and traditional library procedures such as cataloging, then archival concerns can be divergent professional vantage points, alternative strategies and multi-disciplinary discussion about common issues such as the organization of information, shared problems and policy implementation. Archivists are at a crossroads, with choices to remain separate and exclusive or to work for alliances and cooperation. Technological developments make the latter choice imperative.     

Using NLM Exhibits and Events to Engage Library Users and Reach the Community

In an effort to reach out to library users and make the library a more relevant, welcoming place, the University of Florida's Health Science Center Library hosted exhibits from the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Traveling Exhibition Program. From 2010 through 2012, the library hosted four NLM exhibits and created event series for each. Through reflection and use of a participant survey, lessons were learned concerning creating relevant programs, marketing events, and forming new partnerships. Each successive exhibit added events and activities to address different audiences. A survey of libraries that have hosted NLM exhibits highlights lessons learned at those institutions.     

图书情报硕士“双学位”教育的一点思考

图书情报专业硕士学位教育的开展,将给我国图书情报高级人才培养带来新的挑战,包括:如何坚持学位教育的"职业性与学术性的统一";如何引导学生合理定位;如何满足用人单位、社会群体、学生个人各方的多元价值期待;如何避免"穿新鞋,走老路".本文论述了学位教育学术性和专业性的内涵与区别,探索了两者在培养目标、课程设置、教学方式、学位论文和师资队伍方面的区别,强调管理的作用.呼吁在推进专业硕士学位的同时,注意处理好两者的关系.参考文献11.     

Serials Management in the New Shanghai Library

Abstract

With a total floor space of 83,000 square meters, the new Shanghai Library, which opened on 20 December 1996, is among the top ten largest libraries in the world. The library was perhaps the first in China to implement international standards. In the early 1980s the Shanghai Library began cataloguing foreign books and periodicals following Western practices. In 1980, the library compiled a draft set of cataloguing rules for foreign serials based on ISBD(S). The library and the Library Society of Shanghai then organised a number of training classes for serials librarians from all over the country. Earlier, in December 1979, the Sixth Subcommittee of the National Document Standardisation Committee had begun compiling a set of cataloguing rules for serials. A draft based on ISBD(S), written by staff of the library, was put forward to the Fuzhou (city) Meeting in March 1983. After several discussions and revisions the National Standard Bureau finally approved the rules (GB 3792.3-85). In order to further the stardardisation of serials management, the Shanghai Library has issued its catalogue cards for serials to other libraries and information units. The catalogue cards have been widely distributed to the Chinese library community. Because of these developments, the library has become a de facto centre of serials research in the country.