Library and Information Studies in Malta

This examination of the membership trends of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), from 1986-87 to 1996-97 as shown in its annual directory suggests that: 1) membership has been in decline since 1993, its peak year; 2) assistant professors are in more severe decline than other faculty ranks; 3) part-time faculty and retired faculty are among the fastest growing groups in the field of library and information science (LIS) education; and 4) the market share that ALISE enjoyed at its height was comparable to other professional associations.

The knowledge life cycle is applied to two core capabilities of library and information science (LIS) education – teaching, and research and development. The knowledge claim validation, invalidation and integration steps of the knowledge life cycle are translated to learning, unlearning and relearning processes. Mixed methods are used to determine the extent and nature of learning, unlearning and relearning among academic faculty in graduate level library and information science programs. Mixed methods include (1) targeted interviews, (2) manual review of curriculum scope and coverage at seven universities, (3) semantic analysis of the content of 1,711 course syllabi, and (4) machine based analysis of learning, unlearning and relearning semantic markers in 432 journal articles drawn from twelve peer-reviewed journals. The research results provide a foundation for an open and national survey of LIS faculty in 2015. Research results suggest that there is evidence of learning, relearning and unlearning in teaching methods, but only evidence of learning in curriculum and course development, and research. Unlearning practices appear to be scarce in the field. This has implications for the disciplines ability to generate new knowledge and remain competitive in the knowledge economy.

Connie Van Fleet is well known to RUSO readers. She edited the journal (in conjunction with Danny P Wallace) for twelve years. Upon completing her final term as editor, she assumed leadership for the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE). ALISE is the premier organization for faculty teaching in graduate programs in library and information science in North America. Connie graciously took time out of her busy schedule to respond to my questions about library education and LIS students. All of a sudden librarianship is becoming portrayed as a hot occupation. Last spring, U.S. News & World Report (see Best Careers for 2007, in the issue dated March 19, 2007) ranked librarianship as one of the top twenty-five careers for 2007. This summer, the New York Times (see A Hipper Crowd of Shushers, in the July 8, 2007 issue) ran a story on how librarianship is becoming a career choice for Generation Xers. Have library schools noticed a marked increase in applications over the last year or two? I loved those articles and really got quite a kick out of sharing the NYT piece with my students. It's great to see librarianship getting attention and respect. I think those articles, however, reflect recognition of a trend, rather than drive enrollment figures. Enrollment in ALA-accredited programs has been increasing steadily since an inexplicable dip in 1999. In fact, according to the ALISE statistics, enrollment in accredited masters' programs grew by about 8% per year between 1999 and 2006, resulting in an increase of over 65%. The 2007 statistics have just been collected from the schools and have not yet been analyzed, but it is my sense that this upward trend is continuing. Who is attending graduate programs in library and information science these days? Is there a demographic profile of the typical student enrolled in a master's degree program? Is librarianship a second career for many individuals? There is a very diverse group of individuals who attend graduate programs in library and information science for a variety of reasons. The profession may still be overwhelmingly female and white, but we are seeing more men and ethnic groups represented in the program. I think the data gathered in Fall 2006 probably gives a pretty accurate picture of this year's class. It shows that enrollment in MLIS programs was 71% female and 29% male. Of those students for whom ethnicity data is reported (such reporting is illegal in Canada), 74% of the students were identified as white, with about 4.4% black, 4.34% Hispanic, and 3.37% Asian. Nearly 5% were international students. Perhaps the most dramatic change is in the age of those attending graduate programs in library and information science: 40% were under the age of 30; 69% were under 40; and 87% under 50 years old. The majority (73.7%) of students reside in the state or province in which they attend school. Librarianship still remains a second career for many individuals. We don't have statistics on students who come into our programs with advanced degrees or from other careers, but my experience at three different universities and my impression from speaking with other faculty indicate that a number of students come to us from a variety of professions, including law, music, education, business, and retail sales. We also see a number of library workers who enroll in school for advancement or professional development. It appears that there has been an explosion in online course offerings in library and information science. Are there data on how many students are enrolled in distance versus residential programs? Are there some master's degree programs that are a hybrid? Has ALISE or any other body sponsored research evaluating the quality of online programs? We don't have figures that indicate the balance of enrollment in distance and residential programs that have been aggregated on the national level, nor do we have directly comparable data on those enrollments. …

ALISE is 101 years old. That's old by any measure. We have been celebrating the first hundred years, happily rejoicing in our longevity and congratulating ourselves on still being a vibrant and relevant association. We are more than halfway to our goal for the ALISE Centennial Fund and it is not too late to contribute. We are grateful to the all the donors to Centennial Leadership Gifts of over $3200i, the Leadership Gifts of $500-$3200ii, and for the Supporting Gifts. It is very affirming to know that our association is loved and supported.In the January 2015 issue of JELIS, Diane Sonnenwald wrote a great piece on Looking Back, Moving Forward that included current commentaries on some of our seminal and classic articles, reflecting on accomplishments and challenges to library and information science education. She summarized that social challenges are more complex now, that information access to scientific data requires digital curation and we have new ways of interacting with cultural information. In addition, higher education continues to change to meet the demands of increasingly diverse stakeholders. All of which leaves us with challenges and opportunities for the future of education in library and information science.The ALISE mission states that we promote innovation and excellence in research, teaching and service for education and scholars in Library and Information Science and cognate disciplines internationally through leadership, collaboration, advocacy, and knowledge creation (ALISE, 2014, emphasis mine). Our vision emphasizing that we are a global leader brings to our attention that although we state we are international in scope, the reality is that we have a long way to go. I encourage you to look back at Diane's words in JELIS Vol. 56, No.1, January 2015 as she makes such a cogent argument for why thinking globally is good for all of us. What better way to start the next 100 years than with a renewed focus on expanding our association to include our international colleagues.Past-president Clara Chu has served this mission well. She has been instrumental in securing our place in IFLA and making sure that the United Nations included literacy and access to information as one of the rights of individuals worldwide. She served as ALISE's 2015 IFLA representative, attended the IFLA conference in Cape Town and the 2016 IFLA National Committee Conference meeting to help plan the Ohio meeting in 2016. She represented ALISE at the US Caucus meeting, voted at the IFLA General Assembly and attended the Closing Ceremony. She also organized the ALISE members dinner get-together. This year Clara did that work jointly with the Chinese American Librarians Association, and tweeted about the event.Also, at the IFLA Section on Education and Section on Library Theory and Research meetings there was discussion about an IFLA 2016 satellite meeting (i.e., IFLA pre-conference) focused on Quality of LIS Education (i.e., accreditation). Seamus Ross and Patty Overall-Montiel, serve on the Standing Committees of these Sections, respectively. The planning committee has contacted Clara Chu and Lynn Connaway to assist and once the committee is set, they will be approaching ALISE about co-sponsoring the conference.An IFLA pre-conference focused on accreditation will fit perfectly with the work accomplished by a joint committee of ALA's Executive Committee and ALISE's CARE (Committee on Accreditation Reform in Education). To date there have been several important actions from these groups. First, the ALA Executive Board approved the change in the process of appointment of members to the ALA Committee on Accreditation, as described below:The Task Force made three additional recommendations related to the process of appointment and the composition of the committee:1.That the composition of COA includes a designation for one position to be held by a Dean/Director/Chair of a library or information science program. …

The paper examines how academic social media utilisation can enhance research activities of Library and Information Science educators in Nigerian universities. The study highlighted the various research activities of Library and Information Science educators such as information gathering, collaboration, and dissemination of research findings and measurement of impacts. In addition, the authors elaborated on the benefits of academic social media such as Research gate, Academia.edu, Google Scholar, LinkedIn, Open Researcher Contributor Identity and Mendeley to include profile creation, information gathering, search for potential collaborators, instant research result dissemination, measurement of impact and management of research. The study stated that factors such as social influence, technical factors and personal factors can influence use of academic social media platforms.
 Keywords: Social media, Academics, Research Library and Information Science, Educators

Eswatini has been impacting and sourcing Library and information science education in training from foreign institutions due to a shortage of institutions offering Library and Information Science (LIS) training. The relevance of sending people for training in other countries has been a great concern for the government of Eswatini. The expense and complexity of sending employees out of the country for training have caused problem many organizations due to their absence from the office. This study, therefore, investigates the development of an open distance e-learning (ODeL) curriculum for the LIS program in Eswatini and proposes strategies in this regard.

In a society that is increasingly diverse in culture, language, and technology, the field of information science education has continued to evolve and respond to the changing information environment. The iSchool movement has attracted a good number of library and information science programs, as well as programs in computer science, while many library and information science programs have revised their mission and curricula to meet the information needs of a pluralistic world without changing the name of their programs (they are often referred to as the LIS Schools). Although iSchools and LIS Schools may seem dichotomous, many of these schools share the history of library and information science education and may have more in common than their names imply. The proposed panel is designed to shed light on the diversity and commonality of information science education in the 21st century by examining the similarities and differences of these two types of schools (including their relationship to the tradition of library and information science education) and the extent to which these schools are meeting the needs of a pluralistic world.The panel will have two parts. Part One is a report on the curricula offered at ALA‐accredited LIS schools and iSchools. In Part Two panelists will respond to the curriculum analysis report and address these topics: Their school's relationship to the tradition of library and information science education. Their experience in changing from an LIS School to an iSchool. Their rationale for remaining an LIS School and how they have changed their programs to meet the need of a pluralistic society. Their perspectives on how they are meeting market needs. Their experience in recruiting new students and placing graduates in libraries and non‐library information environments.

This paper describes a course on database construction which is given at the Department of Library and Information Studies, Faculty of Information and Communication, General Polytechnic of Amsterdam. The course is based on the results of an experimen

This paper presents the current scenario of library and information science (LIS) education in India, with special reference to open and distance mode. In the centenary year of LIS education in India, it is important to evaluate the existing system. SWOT analysis is a tool to evaluate the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats of Indigenous LIS education in distance mode. The analysis is carried out in the light of national-level practices and perspective. Analysis of SWOT results in few strategies, which can be useful for contemporary open and distance education centres in India.

Library and information science education in Nigeria: Curricula contents versus cultural realities

Library and information science education in Nigeria: Curricula contents versus cultural realities

A comparative study of library and information science education: China and the United States

The processes of digitisation in society have an impact on the technological, socio-economic, and demographic aspects of developing and implementing educational programs in the library and information sector. This results in an increased role for libraries, archives, and management structures as educational centers. The article aims to study the patterns of influence that the digitisation of society has on the technological, socio-economic, and demographic aspects of developing and implementing educational programs in library and information science at foreign educational institutions. Research methods are analysis, synthesis, logical generalisations, synchronous section, and content analysis. The findings reveal that the inclusion of educational components on digitalisation and information literacy in bachelor’s and master’s programs, as well as in postgraduate education programs for continuous professional development of specialists, contributes to improving education quality and adherence to educational standards in library and information science. The competitiveness of educational programs is determined by their alignment with labour market needs. The social desirability and status of the library and information science field are contingent upon shifting away from conventional notions regarding its societal function. The institutional functions of academic libraries are evolving as they engage in scientific research as research partners and provide scientific communication services. Innovative pedagogy in library and information science entails adherence to the values of social equity, diversity and inclusivity, and accessible education and research. Libraries are acquiring a dominant status as information and analytical centers. Digital technologies profoundly change the nature of the professional activities of library and archive workers. These trends drive the transformation of higher education towards international educational standards and modernisation of professional education content. The practical significance of the study is that its results can be used to improve and revise educational programs in library and information activities

From the old days, a librarian has been expected to have some knowledge of the subject his library aimes to cover, and of one or two foreign languages, besides his knowledge of library science.It is not quite unusual today for someone with some natural science background and library science education to seek a job at a medical library. However, it would be yet an exceptional case, if a medical doctor becomes a professional librarian. Accordingly, a course of elementary knowledge in medical science and its terminology is necessary for education of medical librarians.About 60 per cent of the books and journals in medical libraries in Japan are in foreign languages. And English is predominant as an international language in the medical science fields.Besides the knowledge of general library science a medical librarian is expected to have additional knowledge of medical library administration and of medical bibliography.Because of the development of MEDLARS, medical libraries in the United States became more active in literature search and other information services. And the Knowledge relating to these activities is getting to be another necessary requirement for medical librarians.In Japan, a nation wide network of interlibrary loan service among medical libraries has been well established by the effort of the Japan Medical Library Association. However, but when it comes to information service, even though the International Medical Information Center, Inc. (IMIC) is handling more than 700 manual search requests a year, and the Japan Information Center for Science and Technology (JICST) began its service as a MEDLARS search center for this country from June 1972, no systematic (nation wide) service exists.Computer applications in various medical information activities are being developed rapidly, but the Japanese medical librarians are left behind of this development. In the United States, as is it was shown in the effort of the Curriculum Committee of the Special Interest Group/Education for Information Science of the American Society for Information Science in determining the core curriculum of education for librarians and information specialists, the need for more advanced information services which require the knowledge of behavior science, computer science, system theory, mathematics, linguistics and traditional library and information science is fully realized.The IMIC is providing the scientists and other workers in the field of health science with various information services, such as retrospective and current awareness literature search, translation, indexing, abstracting and other similar activities. The core of the knowledge needed for the staff of the IMIC are elementary knowledge of health science and its terminology, and English, in addition to the basic theory of library and information science. The skill and knowledge of literature search technology is also required for the people who work at the various sections of the Literature Information Service Division of the IMIC.Among other knowledge and skills considered necessary for the Center’s staff, elementary of system theory and of computer science are regarded as more important ones.At the moment, in Japan, no library school is teaching any special course for medical librarians, but the course is necessary if medical libraries are expected to serve their clients satisfactorily in the new field of information service.In the United States, in 1968, there were already 17 library schools offering some specialized courses for education of medical librarians. These courses can be classified into three groups; those designed to provide a general introduction to medical librarianship, those devoted primarily to medical bibliography, and those developed to provide instruction in depth in specialized aspects of medical librarianship.The School of Library and Information Science of Keio University at the moment does not provide any specialized course for education of medical librarians. When we think about the fact that more than one fifth of their graduates work at medical libraries, it would be desirable for the school to establish such courses for medical librarians as those presently given by some of the American library schools.

Library and Information Services in Pakistan