Education for information professionals in the UK

During the last 10 years, there have been significant changes in LIS education in the United Kingdom. In this paper we have analysed the current provision of education for information professionals at 16 universities in the United Kingdom and set this against the trends and changes of the past decade. In addition to documentary sources, we have conducted a brief survey of the LIS education providers. We conclude that there has been a shift towards postgraduate education for information professionals. We also note that there has also been significant expansion of undergraduate education in information management, almost none of which has been in the form of courses accredited by the principal UK professional body, CILIP.     

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.     

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.     

SCISTER act: delivering training in information skills for social-care professionals

PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate a programme of information skills training for social-care practitioners and health-care librarians. SETTING: Two one-day training courses run separately for 13 social-care practitioners and 10 health-care librarians in the Trent geographic region within Northern England. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative and quantitative feedback collected through questionnaires supplemented by participant observation. RESULTS: While generally feedback was favourable, the courses were overly ambitious. More training sessions of shorter duration would offer participants opportunities to practise and use the skills they have acquired. Social-care practitioners responded more positively to skills associated with appraising qualitative research than with randomised controlled trials. Librarians appreciated the opportunity to learn about unfamiliar social-care resources. Both practitioners and health-care librarians reported that they acquired skills to support evidence-based social care as a result of the training intervention. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Involvement of a multi-disciplinary team and support from a social-care information provider maximized the impact of this experimental training intervention.     

Health check for Latvia: opportunities for information professionals in a new democracy

Background: This paper outlines developments in medical information in Latvia since independence from the former USSR in 1991, and analyses the health information gap faced by professionals. Objectives: To explore international initiatives and co‐operation in health information provision in Latvia; to describe the activities of Latvian medical librarians at national, regional and international level; to look at health information provision by specialist information centres; and to discuss the role of librarians in health information provision in public libraries. Methods: An extensive search was made of databases and medical library and health information centre staff were interviewed; a questionnaire survey of librarians was carried out. Results: International initiatives and co‐operation by medical librarians have extended their services at national, regional and international level. Health information portals exist, with online contacts and links to smaller health centres and organizations, but rarely employ qualified librarians or information professionals. Ninety‐three per cent of public librarians had provided health information, with 79% using the Internet. The most popular sources of health information were magazines, books, local pharmacies and the Internet, but mostly for healthy lifestyle, not medical problems. Conclusions: E‐health and medical informatics are high government priorities. Medical librarians are actively involved in these initiatives.     

Finding the skills for tomorrow: Information literacy and museum information professionals

This paper presents results from 21 semi-structured interviews with museum information professionals who were asked about their experiences working with information resources, tools, and technologies in museums. The interviews were analyzed to develop an understanding of the information literacy skills of museum information professionals. This paper presents the results of this analysis, and discusses the state of information literacy in museums, and the increasing need for museum information professionals to possess information literacy skills. The results illustrate how information literacy is defined by information professionals in museums, and how perceptions of information literacy and its importance to museums have changed over time.     

Research governance: implications for health library and information professionals

The Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care published by the Department of Health in 2001 provides a model of best practice and a framework for research in the health and social care sector. This article reviews the Department of Health Research Governance Framework, discusses the implications of research governance for library and information professionals undertaking research in the health- and social-care sector and recommends strategies for best practice within the information profession relating to research governance. The scope of the Framework document that covers both clinical and non-clinical research is outlined. Any research involving, amongst other issues, patients, NHS staff and use or access to NHS premises may require ethics committee approval. Particular reference is made to the roles, responsibilities and professional conduct and the systems needed to support effective research practice. Issues such as these combine to encourage the development of a quality research culture which supports best practice. Questions arise regarding the training and experience of researchers, and access to the necessary information and support. The use of the Framework to guide research practice complements the quality issues within the evidence-based practice movement and supports the ongoing development of a quality research culture. Recommendations are given in relation to the document's five domains of ethics, science, information, health and safety and finance and intellectual property. Practical recommendations are offered for incorporating research governance into research practice in ways which conform to the Framework's standards and which are particularly relevant for research practitioners in information science. Concluding comments support the use of the Research Governance Framework as a model for best practice.     

Integration of information professionals in the newsroom: Two organizational models for research services

Closings have led some to suggest that news libraries are in crisis and require significant changes. In an effort to provide better service, some news libraries assign news librarians, or researchers, to editorial teams, increasing their visibility among the reporters they serve. Other organizations maintain centralized research services, focusing instead on expanding their influence as a team. This article describes a study of four news organizations, two that have adopted the integrated team model and two that provide centralized information services exclusively. Although only minor differences are observed based upon the organizational model in place, there is some evidence that news researchers who are proactive and integrated within the organizational function are more valued by these journalists.     

Providing consumer health information via health professionals

The Health Education Center in Pittsburgh, a community-based health promotion agency which provides library services to health professionals, students, and the lay public, received a resource grant in 1981 from the National Library of Medicine to study professionals' awareness of consumer health information (CHI) materials for their patients and clients. A survey of telephone patrons and on-site library patrons provided details on health professionals' use of the CHI resource center: their areas of interest, the material formats they preferred, and the intended use of the materials. Health professionals' demand for information about consumer-oriented materials and their satisfaction with the HEC library suggest that such a resource can be a valuable asset to a community.     

Study to assess the compensation and skills of medical library professionals relative to information technology professionals

PURPOSE: The study seeks to determine how medical library professionals performing information-technology (IT) roles are compensated and how their positions are designed compared to information technology staff in their institutions. METHODS: 550 medical library directors in hospital and academic medical libraries were surveyed. The data was then compared to survey data from other compensation studies of the IT industry. RESULTS: There is a gap in compensation between medical library professionals and IT professionals performing similar functions using information technology. Technology-intense library jobs are compensated at higher levels than more traditional jobs. CONCLUSIONS: To compete with IT salaries, managers of medical library professionals will need to be ever more cognizant of the employment practices of IT professionals in nonmedical library disciplines. It is typically in the medical library's best interest to ensure that IT-related jobs, accountabilities, and capabilities of the medical library are known and understood by others, especially in the human resources and information technology staff departments.     

Evidence into Practice: an information service for primary care professionals

This paper describes the development of the Primary Care Information Service (PCIS) in South Humber Health Authority—a practical example of an information service which aims to make it easier for primary care practitioners to have access to information services and resources, both by electronic and more traditional means. Also, issues to consider when establishing a service for primary care professionals, including barriers to be overcome, are outlined, and an examination is made of how the service has been developed around principles of evidence-based medicine. Finally, the achievements to-date are considered.