Beyond the Classroom: Fostering Soft Skills in Pre-Professional LIS Organizations

Are LIS graduates being adequately prepared to work in the information workplace? While students are absorbing valuable knowledge, library school curricula do not foster the essential soft skills students need to thrive in their post-graduate careers. However by being an active member of a graduate student organization, future LIS professionals can gain and hone effective soft skills, such as communication, initiative, curiosity, understanding, and the means to deal with mistakes, while adopting responsibilities that will all ultimately translate to success in the professional workplace, particularly in their first positions following graduation.     

The Profile of a Modern Filipino Librarian: An Examination of Perceived Competencies

ABSTRACT

This research created a profile of a modern LIS professional by discussing the competencies and skills essential in successfully conducting one's duties. Through a series of focus group discussions and interviews, the researcher identified essential competencies modern LIS professionals should possess. Aside from traditional skills such as cataloging and classification; indexing and abstracting; and library management, non-traditional competencies such as communication skills, advocacy skills, teaching skills, and technological skills were revealed to be vital competencies. These were identified and further supported by discussions of actual library work experiences. In the end, a profile was created it was concluded that a modern LIS professional should be pro-active; an effective communicator; well-informed; adaptable; and should advocate causes relevant to the practice of librarianship.     

Information Literacy in the Reference Environment

Summary

The academic information environment is changing greatly as we enter the millennium. These changes are affecting libraries and, specifically, reference services. In the past and even in recent times librarians have been concerned with library orientation, library instruction, and bibliographic instruction. Now they have to worry about teaching students and others viable information and computer skills to cope effectively in the information society. Reference work as practiced this century will undergo major changes in the electronic information environment, and the teaching of effective information skills will become a very important component of reference services. The challenges thus presented to academic librarians will be great but success in this area will mean effective professional survival.     

“We Do It, but They Don't”: Multiple Categorizations and Work Team Communication

The present study adopted an intergroup approach to information sharing and ratings of work team communication in a public hospital (N = 142) undergoing large-scale restructuring. Consistent with predictions, ratings of communication followed a double ingroup serving bias: while team members reported sending about the same levels of information to double ingroup members (same work team/same occupational group) as they did to partial ingroup members (same work team/different occupational group), they reported receiving less information from partial ingroup members than from double ingroup members and rated the communication that they received from partial ingroup members as less effective. We discuss the implication of these results for the management of information sharing and organizational communication.     

“We Do It,but They Don't”: Multiple Categorizations and Work Team Communication

The present study adopted an intergroup approach to information sharing and ratings of work team communication in a public hospital (N?=?142) undergoing large-scale restructuring. Consistent with predictions, ratings of communication followed a double ingroup serving bias: while team members reported sending about the same levels of information to double ingroup members (same work team/same occupational group) as they did to partial ingroup members (same work team/different occupational group), they reported receiving less information from partial ingroup members than from double ingroup members and rated the communication that they received from partial ingroup members as less effective. We discuss the implication of these results for the management of information sharing and organizational communication.     

The impact of sex,gender, and cognitive complexity on the perceived importance of teacher communication skills

The current study examines student perceptions of the importance of selected communication skills for the teacher‐student relationship. Seven of eight communication skills identified in previous research (Burleson & Samter, 1990; Frymier & Houser, 2000) were perceived by students to be important in the teacher‐student relationship. These included referential, ego supportive, regulative, persuasive, conversational, narrative, and conflict management skills. This study sought to explain differences in student perceptions by examining student biological sex, psychological gender, and cognitive complexity. Psychological gender was superior to biological sex as a predictor of six of eight communication skills. Masculine/instrumental individuals reported expectations for teachers' use of persuasive, conversational, and narrative communication skills, while feminine/expressive individuals perceived ego supportive, regulative, and referential skills as important to effective teaching. Finally, cognitive complexity was positively associated with regulative skill and negatively related to narrative and persuasive skills. Implications for instructional research and effective teaching are discussed.     

Staff development in the electronic library: lessons for the health sector from the IMPEL2 eLib project

This paper proposes that the health sector has much to learn from higher education as regards information provision in the electronic age. Information Technology for Library and Information Services is less developed in the NHS than in higher education. Staff training and development is identified as a key issue in supporting the transition to electronic delivery of Library and Information Services. The Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib), developing electronic services in higher education, is outlined, with emphasis on the IMPEL2 Project and its methodology. Findings from the Staff Training and Development strand of IMPEL2 are presented. This study identified that attention should be most keenly focused on two areas, IT skills and skills to support changing roles. A number of success factors in training and development are highlighted. The paper concludes that release of resources from eLib to support staff development must be paralleled in the health sector if effective electronic services are to be developed.     

Starbucks in the Stacks

Summary

Teams can be effective tools to evaluate electronic collections and implement new services. With rapidly changing technologies and the availability of new options, teams provide a way to share information, learn new skills, and develop a greater appreciation for the work, concerns, and needs of staff throughout the library. This communication and involvement can be critical to implementing new library services.     

Beyond student instruction: information skills for staff

Following the work of the Big Blue project, which examined information skills training provision for students in higher and further education, the Big Blue Connect project investigated the information seeking skills and needs of academic, managerial, administrative and technical staff within their work environments in further education and higher education institutions. Skills required by broad categories of staff were identified. Staff of all types use only a small number of the wide range of resources available to them, rely increasingly on the web and do not perceive themselves as having problems finding and handling information. A serious need for training and development is identified.     

协作型:人才学视野中的图书馆员及其角色定位

按人才学对新世纪人才类型的不同划分,现代图书馆员显然是一种具备良好人文素养和专业技能,在图书馆事业与图书馆工作中通过文献采集、资源整合、信息发布、知识导航、信息咨询等为读者提供有效服务,通过协助、协同、协调等方式满足各类信息需要的文献资源协作型人才。     

A computer literacy skills profile of pharmacists residing in two counties of England

Background: Pharmacy is an information intensive profession and a pharmacist has to be proficient in health care information management. The advance in information technology and the use of computers to access, retrieve and analyse this information is increasingly important. Yet little is known about pharmacists’ computer literacy or information technology skills. Objectives: To gain a better understanding of pharmacists’ basic computer skills and their ability to use standard software. Methods: Self‐administered postal survey to 747 registered pharmacists residing in two counties of England. Results: A total of 386 (52%) pharmacists responded after two mailings. Most responding pharmacists used computers at work and at home. They believed their basic computing skills to be high, although acknowledged that they were skill deficient in using certain software packages. Internet use at work was low (43%) as too was awareness and use of online medical databases; this was reflected in online medical database training being identified as of greatest need. Conclusions: Pharmacists were confident in operating computer systems but identified a training need for particular software applications. Of concern is the limited knowledge they possessed and access they had on medical databases.     

Integrating evidence-based practice and information literacy skills in teaching physical and occupational therapy students

Background: To ensure that physical and occupational therapy graduates develop evidence‐based practice (EBP) competencies, their academic training must promote EBP skills, such as posing a clinical question and retrieving relevant literature, and the information literacy skills needed to practice these EBP skills. Objective: This article describes the collaborative process and outcome of integrating EBP and information literacy early in a professional physical therapy and occupational therapy programme. Methods: The liaison librarian and a faculty member designed an instructional activity that included a lecture, workshop and assignment that integrated EBP skills and information literacy skills in the first year of the programme. The assignment was designed to assess students’ ability to conduct a search independently. Results: The lecture and workshop were successful in their objectives, as 101 of the 104 students received at least 8 out of 10 points on the search assignment. Conclusions: The teaching activities developed for the students in this course appear to have achieved the goal of teaching students the EBP research cycle so that they might begin to emulate it. The collaboration between the faculty member and the librarian was integral to the success of this endeavour. Future work will include the evaluation of students’ long‐term retention of information literacy objectives.     

Synthesizing Pedagogies and Engaging Students: Creating Blended eLearning Strategies for Library Research and Writing Instruction

Twenty-first century students need consideration, ideas, and face-to-face work to enable their success in acquiring new information. Twenty-first century skills are generally described as core competencies such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving. Collaborative work between the classroom instructor and the librarian builds digital reference and research materials to follow a scaffolded research project specifically from start to finish. This article identifies reference opportunities and the importance of online and face-to-face student support. Instead of a linear approach to information literacy, this article demonstrates a chunked eLearning in-context performance support style.     

Learning resource needs of UK NHS support staff

BACKGROUND: A report on the findings of research into the learning resource needs of support staff conducted at York Hospital. METHODS: A qualitative method of focus groups was used to explore the views and experiences of support staff. This provided a rich source of data and allowed an often overlooked group to give their own experiences of learning and libraries. This was supplemented by one-to-one interviews using more in-depth questions. A literacy and numeracy test gave a general picture of essential skill levels within the sample group. RESULTS: An improvement in communication to support staff needs to take place to ensure that all support staff know about the library, how and where to access training and obtain a network computer password. The project confirmed the need to expand library resources for support staff. It was found that there were no obvious essential skills resources within the Trust and a lack of awareness of essential skill issues. CONCLUSION: The learning needs of support staff need to be addressed sensitively. Many have had unfavourable experiences. Lack of access to computers and information technology (IT) training contributed to the group favouring written communication. More work needs to be done on essential skills for all staff.     

The User and the Library

A library's success depends in large part on communication it shares with its users. Formal theory of communication information can be useful in examining the process, which is central to library use. Communication models are presented which display graphically elements of the process. The places of the library and the librarian in the models are discussed. Also presented are the concept of information (particularly as it relates to libraries)and data on information output. The key to all discussion is the library-user exchange and the importance of effective communication to public service in libraries.     

Educational workshop improved information-seeking skills,knowledge, attitudes and the search outcome of hospital clinicians: a randomised controlled trial

A double-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted on a group of Hong Kong hospital clinicians. The objective was to test if a three-hour educational workshop (with supervised hands-on practice) is more effective (than no training) to improve clinical question formulation, information-seeking skills, knowledge, attitudes, and search outcomes. The design was a post-test-only control group; recruitment by stratified randomization (by profession), blocked at 800. End-user training was more effective than no training in improving clinical question formulation, in raising awareness, knowledge, confidence and use of databases, but had made no impact on preference for secondary databases. It changed the attitude of clinicians to become more positive towards the use of electronic information services (EIS). Participants had higher search performance and outcomes (satisfaction with information obtained (NNT = 3), EIS satisfaction (NNT = 3) and success in problem solving (NNT = 4)). The workshop improved knowledge and skills in evidence-based searching, but this effect gradually eroded with time. Search logs confirmed that follow-up is required if effects are to be sustained. Longer effects on search behaviours appear to be positive. A randomised controlled trial is valuable in identifying cause-and-effect relations and to quantify the magnitude of the effects for management decision-making.     

Assessing Information Literacy Instruction in the Basic Communication Course

Information literacy is becoming a key component of general education programs nationwide. As a critical part of most general education programs, the basic communication course is on the frontlines of the charge to teach information literacy skills to first-year students. Thus, the information literacy skills of basic course students should be assessed to track the effectiveness of instruction and pedagogical practices. The present study used a pretest/posttest design with experimental and control groups to assess the effectiveness of information literacy instruction in the basic course. As predicted, students in the experimental group outperformed students in the control group on the information literacy measure. Results of the present study have implications for basic course directors and instructors, general education curriculum specialists, and librarians.     

Scrum: Enhancing Student Team Organization and Collaboration

Courses: Any communication course requiring a semester-long team project.

Objectives: After using the Scrum approach to plan and manage a group project, students will have increased awareness of collaborative needs, improved skills for sharing information in non-evaluative ways, improved time management skills, and enhanced ability to assess their group dynamic constructively.     

Interdisciplinary Synergy: A Partnership Between Business and Library Faculty and Its Effects on Students’ Information Literacy

In today's information-rich environment, business faculty are challenged to teach students how to conduct effective business research and evaluate information critically. We describe collaboration between business professors and reference librarians in an introductory business course. Students were surveyed before and after completion of a Business Discovery Project requiring use of print and electronic sources in writing a research paper on a publicly traded company. Student perceptions indicated increased abilities in communication skills, research skills, use of business information sources, and composition skills; paired t tests showed these increases to be significant.     

First Year in Higher Education (FYHE) and the Coursework Post-Graduate Student

Research surrounding the First Year in Higher Education has identified and defined the need to support the transition of students during their first year in a tertiary institution. This support not only assists in acculturating students to the Higher Education environment, but also aims to ensure that students develop the foundational skills required for academic success; which enables higher progression and retention rates. However, most of the efforts to date have focused on undergraduate students. The authors assert that postgraduate coursework students require similar support structures. Data collected over a three year study compares the self-reported information literacy skills of postgraduate students within a Faculty of Business to undergraduate students in the same faculty. The data is situated within a broader review of the literature and some recommendations for academic librarians and academic skills advisers are offered.