Library and Information Science: The fight continues; Library Journal, October 23, 2024

  J.B. Levine, Library Journal; Library and Information Science: The fight continues

"Keeping up with the constantly changing technological and information landscape has presented a major challenge to the field of library science. But the ongoing fight for intellectual freedom presents an even bigger challenge—and a more insidious one, that goes to the very heart of librarianship and its enduring values.

“We are in the midst of an unprecedented, well-funded, and well-organized attack on intellectual freedom,” says Don Hamerly, professor and director, Dominican University School of Information Studies (SOIS). “The fundamental core values, ethics, and competencies that MLIS programs teach have not changed, but the world of information changes in dramatic and unpredictable ways that challenge the ability of librarians and other information professionals to exercise professionally what they learn in their graduate programs.”

The role of libraries—and librarians—is transforming. Since their extended societal role in their communities during the pandemic, librarians have been at the forefront of the “culture wars,” helping patrons learn how to access information they can trust, mentoring and helping them improve their digital and information literacy skills, and advocating for informational and intellectual freedom.

As the information landscape continues to evolve, the programs that are training library professionals must as well. “MLIS programs must prepare our future LIS professionals for this period of rapid change by grounding them in the core democratic values of the field and empowering them with robust and agile skills to meet the broader array of community and individual demands,“ says Anthony Chow, PhD, Director and Full Professor, San Jose State University School of Information.

Here are some of the leading library and information science (MLIS) master’s degree programs that are stepping up to meet these challenges."

ALA Vows to Defend Core Values; American Libraries, November 6, 2024

 American Libraries; ALA Vows to Defend Core Values

"On November 6, the American Library Association (ALA) issued a statement following the results of the 2024 US election. The full statement reads as follows:

In response to the results of the 2024 US election, ALA vowed to continue its defense of the core values of librarianship in the face of political threats.

“We know that many of our members are concerned that the election results portend attacks on libraries, library workers, and readers,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “Whatever happens, ALA will stand up for all Americans’ freedom to read—and we will need everyone who loves libraries to stand with us.”"

2024 ALA Award Winners; American Libraries: Honoring excellence and leadership in the profession, September 3, 2024

 American Libraries; 2024 ALA Award Winners: Honoring excellence and leadership in the profession

"Every year, the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes the achievements of more than 200 individuals and institutions with an array of awards honoring their service to librarians and librarianship. Winners are chosen by juries of their colleagues and peers and embody the best of the profession’s leadership, vision, and service as well as a continued commitment to outreach and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

Award recipients were honored at a June 30 ceremony and reception during ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego. This selection represents only some of those recognized in 2024. Complete list of winners."

Books always have been at the heart of Mt. Lebanon library director; South Hills Almanac, 6/27/16

Luke Campbell, South Hills Almanac; Books always have been at the heart of Mt. Lebanon library director:

"As comedian Drew Carey sat in the contestant’s chair of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” playing for a donation to the Ohio Public Library, he confidently and correctly answered a $500,000 question.

Fifty thousand dollars of the winnings were split among 10 people pursuing a career in teen librarianship, a path Vittek applied to pursue at Kent State University only a few months before.

“I applied for Kent State’s master of library and information science program at about that same time,” said Vittek. “I was not in a good place at the time. I didn’t want to leave my mothe. [sic] But to get into library school, to get that scholarship and to also be awarded a graduate assistantship that made my tuition free, it was just a natural fit.”

Her subsequent career eventually led her to taking over the director’s position in Mt. Lebanon, where the library last year had about 359,000 visitors and lent more than 588,00 physical items.

“Establishing a connection is the most important part of the job,” Vittek said. “You can go to any library and check out a book, attend a program or use the computer, but to have a personal connection and feeling that this is my library, my community and my home. That is why I want to have personal connections."

Better Together: The Cohort Model of Professional Development; Library Journal, 12/3/15

April Witteveen, Library Journal; Better Together: The Cohort Model of Professional Development:

"Higher ed is changing fast right now, and so is librarianship. Traditional in-person library and information science (LIS) education provided students with a robust network of peers for support. Over the last couple of decades, however, trends in higher education have reduced that automatic peer group—not only asynchronous online courses but also “unbundling,” in which students take classes at their own pace and from a variety of institutions. Postgraduate professional development opportunities, ranging from one-day conferences to workshops to certificate programs, were already more isolated, and these, too, have felt the further distancing impact of the digital shift. In addition, the proliferation of new competencies in librarianship can mean that a given librarian’s coworkers may have few if any points of overlap with what they do every day or need to learn—especially if they’re the sole representative on staff of a new library function.

Fortunately, there’s a movement afoot offering learners increased peer support without forgoing the benefits of self-directed and distance learning. Back in 2004, in a College Quarterly article titled “Cohort Based Learning: Application to Learning Organizations and Student Academic Success,” Kristine Fenning defined the term, noting that a paradigm shift toward learning communities, particularly those supported by a cohort-based framework, was under way. The cohort model has gained significant traction in higher ed. Cohorts are also growing in popularity across the LIS field, creating new venues for professional development and project management at multiple points in career paths, from MLS graduates just starting out to seasoned library leaders."