Library systems and digital services are in rapid development and of increasing importance to meeting the needs of users, and systems librarianship is at the forefront of this development, with ever-changing expectations of expertise and areas of responsibility. The aim of this study was to determine how well library and information science (LIS)…

Librarianship is constantly confronted with unexpected and quickly evolving sociotechnical challenges, yet the documents that define the core professional competencies for librarians are infrequently updated. Based upon survey responses collected from 383 working librarians located in the United States, we describe a set of gaps between current…

In the context of an evolving digitally-oriented library and/or information science (LIS) discipline and framed by Andrew Abbott's Chaos of Disciplines theory, this article presents an epistemological overview of evolving competency requirements for a global digital information environment and the implications of this for future LIS education. In…

The author was assigned the task to comment on the broad topic: "New sciences, technologies, and media--impact on education for librarianship (or libraries)." The author choose to emphasize "information science." Narrowing the subject down even further, in this article the author emphasizes some of the aspects of the…

People use the words "profession" and "professional" in a multitude of ways. This article provides an extensive discussion about the idea of "profession." The author discusses how librarianship stacks up against the established professions and explores whether librarianship is considered as a profession. The author argues that librarianship is not…

Arguing that librarianship is an institutionalized profession (i.e., the library, rather than the librarian, has been the focus of attention), this essay notes the process of deinstitutionalization (information brokers, effect of computer technology), the future of the librarian, and education for the profession. Nine footnotes are given. (EJS)

Reviews the current state of assessment of competencies for school media programs, describes a procedure for categorizing assessment strategies, and presents an approach to determine which competencies and assessment strategies are used in professional courses. A case study of a program at Syracuse University and 11 references are included. (EJS)

Many institutions of higher learning are revising course descriptions to include competencies (statements of objectives) and performance indicators (statements of activities the learner must perform to prove that he/she has learned the material). A course syllabus for "Library Organization and Administration," one of nine courses offered…

This study investigates the relationship between nine selected library school characteristics and the offering or requiring of 13 identified instructional design competencies for master's level school library media program students. Responses to a questionnaire sent to 43 library schools indicate that none of the selected characteristics were…

A survey of 452 special librarians was conducted by the Special Libraries Association to identify what they want new graduates to know. Communication skills, reference skills, and an attitude of service were considered by respondents to be more important than second master's degrees and management skills. (Author/EM)

Views problems facing school librarians and discusses media courses which library schools should offer to meet current demands made of media specialists. Competency-based education leading to certification and courses necessary to provide basic skills of librarianship are also discussed. Fourteen references are provided. (EJS)

Discusses highlights of a survey undertaken to determine practitioner attitudes toward specific courses in the present M.L.S. program. Topics highlighted include training and/or education, elective courses suggested by respondents, professional competency, American Library Association and Office of Personnel Management viewpoints, and continuing…

Based on vision of reduced mechanical and production concerns for academic librarians within next decade, this article describes required skills, knowledge, attitudes, and abilities in areas of intellect and human relations; suggests revised educational requirements for academic librarians. Eighteen recommendations and 43 references appended.…

Marchant's essay and reactions to it by five library educators and librarians discuss the pros and cons of extending the MLS (Master of Library Science) program in response to requests by directors of university libraries for increased instruction in evaluation, decision-making, administration, and automation, without reduction in traditional…

Presents results of survey assessing the opinions of 76 Association of Research Libraries library directors concerning 19 educational competencies for research librarians. Results are analyzed regarding importance of competencies, their need in different positions, their possession by beginning librarians, and the adequacy of instruction in…