Despite evidence suggesting that current LIS curricula might be inadequate to prepare students for the realities of today's public library youth services work, little research has addressed potential changes to the LIS curricula in this area. This paper reports findings from the second phase of an IMLS-funded project exploring how LIS programs…

The primary goal of this study was to identify gaps in curriculum coverage and required skills for research support services (RSS) in university libraries in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to meet its objective. To collect data for the quantitative strand, across-sectional survey with a…

In the face of a changing landscape of youth services, LIS education can push the field of librarianship forward by adopting research-based frameworks that are directly applicable to the profession. We combined the Connected Learning framework with Radical Change theory and Outcome-Based Planning and Evaluation (OBPE) to establish the structure…

Youth services faculty in LIS programs have seen significant changes in the last ten years in the content they teach and the variety of methods by which they deliver instruction. However, youth services education continues to be understudied and this study takes a first look at several gaps in the LIS education literature: youth services faculty…

Discusses changes in the information science field based on personal reminiscences and suggests an agenda for the future. Topics addressed include information relevance; the reference process, including question negotiation; curriculum changes in information science; the value of information; and how people use information. (LRW)

The paper traces the inability of the curricula of LIS schools in Africa to respond to the immediate job environment in Africa. The main weakness of the curricula is that they reflect essentially the curricula of LIS schools in the Western World. Thus, while most of the LIS curricula are relevant to the traditional library setting, the curricula…

A series of articles focuses on artificial intelligence research and development to enhance information systems and services. Topics discussed include knowledge base designs, expert system development tools, natural language processing, expert systems for reference services, and the role that artificial intelligence concepts should have in…

Graduate programs must examine the curriculum for reference and information access professionals. Greater access to information sources by users has highlighted the need for reference and information professionals to develop new skills including more technological knowledge, a better understanding of user information-seeking, new instructional…

Describes results of a survey of American Library Association-accredited schools of library and information science in the United States and Canada that was conducted to determine the prevalence of and attitudes toward coursework on providing library services to students in off-campus and distance education programs. (Contains 26 references.) (LRW)

Considers the preparation of future professionals who know and understand the nature of information and how it is used and managed in the larger context of political, economic, social, and technological issues. Discusses curriculum for information studies; its interdisciplinarity; faculty; theory versus practice; distributed learning; continuing…

Seven articles discuss the competencies needed by library and information science school graduates. Surveys of needed competencies are compared, a model of the information activities of a research library of the future is proposed, staffing and educational requirements are discussed, and a need for new philosophies of user services is suggested.…