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.     

Crisis-Management Content in LIS Curricula: Developing a Model for Future Improvement

Abstract

Although the field of crisis management has grown considerably, academic curricula do not seem to have kept pace. This study investigates how library and information science (LIS) programs are addressing the need to provide adequate and relevant crisis management course content, so as to better empower librarians and other information professionals during community-based disasters and unpredictable circumstances. Twenty-eight ALA-accredited MLIS programs were evaluated. A four-phase model for evaluating crisis management content in LIS education (CM-LIS) has been developed. Crisis management topics were identified and categorized under the four phases: landscape survey, strategic planning, crisis management, and organizational learning. Six broad LIS subject modules were also identified to analyze the percentage of coverage of these topics. In the 264 course syllabi evaluated, curricula indirectly prepare librarians on how to meet and respond to crises and disasters within their communities; however, in many cases, this is given low priority. There is not a strong consideration for natural disasters and the societal calamities and unrest that dominate the media and occupy the minds of individual communities. This study gives insight into crisis-management education within LIS graduate degrees and should stimulate additional research to further investigate the preparedness of librarians and other information professionals to interact with communities in need in times of crises.     

JSTOR

SUMMARY

JSTOR has become a standard offering at most U.S. universities and colleges, as well as a growing number of higher education institutions outside the U.S. This paper will track the growth of JSTOR since its inception in 1995 as an experimental digitization project to today as an archive of over 500 scholarly titles in 40 disciplines. We will consider the two threads of JSTOR's mission-to safeguard titles in a digital form, and to provide access to them as broadly as possibleand assess the value the project has provided to the academic community. In addition, there will be some discussion of future directions and challenges for JSTOR.     

The True Benefit of Faculty Status for Academic Reference Librarians

Faculty status means having the same privileges of rank, promotion, tenure, compensation, leaves, and research funds as other faculty. Arguments against faculty status include that focusing on status detracts from librarians' mission of providing access to information; that the rigorous requirements of faculty status are not something that librarians are prepared or qualified to pursue; and that good librarians would be just as good without faculty status. These arguments can also be used in favor of faculty status, especially as it relates to increasing the quantity and quality of library and information science literature and contributions by academic librarians.     

从专业教育视野看参考咨询与信息服务过程模型

二十多年来,参考咨询与信息服务日益介入电子世界,而逐渐远离图书馆的参考咨询台和纸质馆藏.本文介绍一项基于不断变化的环境针对参考咨询与信息服务进行的研究,旨在分析两个研究问题:①从用户和馆员行为及其所利用信息源的角度来看,当前参考咨询与信息服务活动有哪些趋势?②当前参考咨询过程的基本模型是什么?作者通过焦点访谈法搜集承担参考咨询与信息服务专业课程教师的意见,并通过自由讨论的形式征集其他专业课程教师和博士研究生有关虚拟参考咨询教育的看法.研究结果表明,参考咨询模型具有明显的互动性和合作性,其中参考馆员和用户均扮演信息获取、信息接收和信息生成的角色.论文提出参考咨询过程的模型,并分析这一模型对参考咨询与信息服务活动产生的影响.图1.参考文献63.     

奥运类图书出版形势分析与趋势预测

<中国图书分类法>中没有"奥运"图书类别的,但它横空出世,而且在体育图书出版实践以及对我国体育事业的发展进程都发挥了一定的作用.为了在今后的出版传播中能正确、高效地发挥作用,在目前"奥运"类图书出版现状的基础上,使用内容分析法、数理统计分析法、逻辑分析法等对收集到的数据进行研究.总结出"奥运"图书类的出版有着奥运年出版的规律和两条发展路线、发展不稳定性的特点,并在此基础上预测了2008年北京奥运年它的出版特点以及2008年后出版趋势.     

网络免费学术性期刊资源的采集

图书馆可以通过搜索引擎、检索工具在互联网的学术性期刊网站上对免费学术性期刊资源进行采集.图书馆应注意期刊的先进性,合法地合理地科学地对免费学术性期刊资源进行采集.     

高校图书馆如何选择网上出版物

通过三大方面确保高校图书馆选好网上出版物。即确立正确的选取指导思想、制定科学合理的选取方针、确保馆内选取人员相应的素质。     

网络出版物呈缴制度研究

本文简要介绍了国外网络出版物呈缴制度的现状,分析了我国在建立网络出版物呈缴制度时面临的问题,并提出了一些解决的对策。