Professional Development Beyond LIS Education: Building Bridges

Western University
From the SelectedWorks of Marni Harrington
May 30, 2014
Professional Development Beyond LIS
Education: Building Bridges for Success
Annick Lapalme, University of Western Ontario
Marni R. Harrington, University of Western Ontario
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/marni_harrington/17/
Professional Development Beyond LIS Education: Building Bridges for Success
La formation continue après des études en bibliothéconomie et sciences de l’information: une passerelle vers la réussite
Abstract: Library and Information Science graduate students are advocates of lifelong learning and access
to information. But what happens after graduating from a Canadian LIS-accredited institution? Does access
to LIS resources continue for recent graduates to support lifelong learning? Continuing education often
means self-directed learning, which includes staying abreast of research and publications available only
through costly bibliographic databases. Questions are raised about access for LIS grads and professionals:
Who has access to LIS resources and how is it supported?
Annick Lapalme
Marni Harrington
Commission scolaire des
Premières-Seigneuries
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
Québec, Québec
Method
• A systematic, environmental scan was conducted to collect institutional and association data.
• All Canadian ALA-accredited programs were included for an exhaustive comparison.*
• A sub-set of Canadian cities and public libraries was chosen based on population size, language, and
location to reflect a cross-Canada sample.
Who provides access to resources
to benefit life-long learning for
library and information
professionals?
Findings
•
•
•
•
Résumé: Les diplômés en bibliothéconomie et sciences de l’information (BSI) préconisent l’apprentissage
tout au long de la vie et l’accès à l’information. Mais qu’arrive-t-il après l’obtention d’un diplôme d’une
institution canadienne accréditée en BSI? Est-ce que les nouveaux diplômés continuent d’avoir accès aux
ressources en BSI afin de poursuivre leur formation et l’acquisition de connaissances? Le développement
professionnel par l’éducation permanente équivaut souvent à un apprentissage autonome et à se tenir au
fait des plus récentes recherches et publications ce qui ne peut se faire que par l’accès à de coûteuses bases
de données. Plusieurs questions se posent : notamment,
qui a accès aux ressources en BSI et comment assure-t-on leur partage?
•
•
Canadian
LIS
Programs
L’accès aux ressources en BSI est essentiel pour tous les
professionnels de l’information, et pas seulement pour les
nouveaux diplômés, pour plusieurs raisons :
• se perfectionner en vue de l’obtention d’un nouveau poste
• permettre aux professionnels qui travaillent en milieux
ruraux d’avoir accès à de plus vastes collections
• favoriser la formation professionnelle par l’apprentissage
autonome
• faciliter la recherche et la rédaction d’articles pour
publication
no
Maitrise en sciences de
l'information
no
University of Toronto
Master of Information
no
University of Western
Ontario
Master of Library and Information
Science
no
Université de Montréal
University of Alberta
Master of Library and Information
Studies
University of British
Columbia
Master of Library and Information
Studies
no
(*Note: this work pre-dates University of Ottawa’s
ALA accreditation.)
We strive for excellence in the profession
by maintaining and enhancing our own
knowledge and skills…
(http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics)
Free



no
• University library and LIS-program
websites searched for post-grad
access to program-level resources
ALA – Code of Ethics
University of
Toronto

University of
Western
Ontario
University of
Alberta
University of
British
Columbia



Content
Public Libraries
(sample from
large Canadian
cities)
$50/6 months
$30/6 months
$70/yr1
$145/yr2
$200/yr3
$22.604
$135.60/yr5
*Depends on choice of card
1)Alumni Reader Card: Stacks, loans
2) Alumni Research Reader Card: stacks, loans,
renewals, holds
3)OISE Alumni Reader Card: stacks, loans,
renewals, holds, loans from OISE Curriculum
Resource collection
4)Alumni ID card: stacks, no loan
5) Databases: ProQuest Central Alumni;
Business Source Alumni Edition
Free
Free
Free
Create / maintain a RefWorks account
• Alumni association documents and library
websites searched to determine access to
library resources
Halifax Public
Library
Bibliotheques et
Archives
Nationales du
Québec
Toronto Public
Library
Winnipeg Public
Library
Calgary Public
Library
Vancouver Public
Library
Free
Free
10
65
18
45
0
95
61
-
12
1109
x
x
p
p
4. Are provincial agreements available to
provide access to LIS books and articles?
Province
Newfoundland &
Labrador
Public
Libraries
Master of Library and Information
Studies
McGill University
Dalhousie
University
McGill
University
Université de
Montréal
Cost
Sample of
LIS book sample (# of titles)
Professional
(Searched by SUBJECT – Feb 2014)
Periodicals
Library Journal
no
Physical
Access
Information
Management
Master of Library and Information
Studies
Canadian LIS
Universities
3. Do Canadian public libraries in major city
centres collect LIS subject-specific materials?
Library
management
Access
• Faire un sondage auprès des professionnels en bibliothéconomie et en sciences de l’information au sujet
de l’accès aux ressources en BSI et de leur utilisation aux différentes étapes de leur carrière afin de mieux
comprendre leurs besoins.
• Développer une bibliothèque numérique soutenue par une association de bibliothèques canadienne pour
que tous les professionnels des sciences de l’information à travers le Canada aient accès à un vaste
éventail de ressources.
Canadian and
Provincial
Associations
Library
program*
Dalhousie University
ALA-Accredited Degrees
De façon générale, l’accès aux ressources est problématique pour les professionnels en BSI, peu importe
où ils en sont dans leur carrière.
Ce sont des accords provinciaux qui peuvent aider à résoudre ce problème et non les universités offrant
la maîtrise en BSI, ni les associations professionnelles.
Sans des accords provinciaux, l’accès aux ressources est coûteux.
En dehors des universités, l’accès aux publications scientifiques est dispendieux.
Prochaines étapes
Provincial
Agreements
Collection
development
Canadian LIS Programs
2. Do alumni privileges of Canadian ALA-accredited
universities offer access to LIS books and articles?
•
•
Public
Libraries
Access
1. What is available to graduates from
ALA-accredited programs?
•
Canadian LIS
Universities
Research Questions
1. Do graduates from Canadian ALA-Accredited programs retain access to LIS resources?
2. Do alumni privileges of Canadian ALA-accredited universities offer access to LIS resources?
3. Do Canadian public libraries in major cities collect LIS subject-specific materials?
4. Are provincial agreements available to provide access to LIS resources?
5. Do Canadian library associations offer access to LIS resources?
Survey working information professionals about access and use of LIS resource during different career
stages to better understand their needs
Develop a digital library for Canadian information professionals, supported by a Canadian library
association to ensure access to a wide-range of LIS resources from anywhere in Canada
Conclusions
•
Catalog*
Access to LIS resources for library and information
professionals is essential beyond recent graduates, including:
• applying for new positions
• working in a rural setting with limited access to large library
collections
• expanding professional development opportunities through
self-directed learning
• researching and writing for publication
Future Work
Information
literacy
Why is this important?
Generally, there is a lack of convenient access for LIS professionals at all stages of their career.
Provincial agreements may assist with lack of access, not LIS schools or associations.
Beyond provincial agreements, access is only available through payment.
Outside academic settings, access to scholarly work is costly.
p
p
Cost
Agreements (details from public library web sites)
Library Associations Content
Other Privileges
Cost (range)
Free
Borrow anywhere, return anywhere
-includes access to college, university, government
libraries
British Columbia
Library Association
BCLA Browser (OA)
Discount: continuing
education workshops
Free for students
$25 - $140
Library Association of
Alberta
Archives – Letter of the
LAA (2003-2010, OA)
Discount: LAA sponsored and
co-sponsored workshops
$20 - $105
Ontario Library
Association
Access Magazine (not
current issue, OA)
Library Literature
Database Wilson Web
Discount: OLA store
12% discount on iSchool
continuing education
$20 - $100
Québec Library
Association
ABQLA Bulletin (OA)
Atlantic Provinces
Library Association
APLA Bulletin (OA)
Discount: workshops
Feliciter (OA)
Discount: IFLA conference,
most CLA and ALA
publications
Prince Edward
Island
Free
New Brunswick
Free
Borrow anywhere, return anywhere
Free
Borrow anywhere, return anywhere
-includes access to college, university, government
libraries
Nova Scotia
Québec (BaNQ)
Free
Ontario
n/a
Manitoba
n/a
Saskatchewan
Free
Free
139
58
24
223
209
e
e
e
Free
23
3
13
98
15
x
x
x
$ over
13yrs
26
31
7
136
46
x
p
p
Alberta
Free
Free
61
45
42
736
179
e
e
e
British Columbia
Free
• A sample of LIS-related books found using
five broad subject categories
• Availability of three LIS professional
periodical titles also sampled (Feb 2014)
5. Do Canadian and provincial library associations
offer access to LIS books and articles?
Borrow anywhere, return anywhere
BaNQ loans to other Québec libraries
Canadian Library
Association
In-person loans (varying restrictions)
Borrow anywhere, return anywhere (must have local
library card)
-applies to all TAL libraries (public and academic)
Borrow anywhere, return to participating BC OneCard
libraries
• Multiple sources used to find
information about provincial
agreements, including public library
websites, university alumni
information, and provincial
consortium (Feb 2014)
$30 - $105
Free for students
$25-$55
$25 - $200
• A sample of library associations chosen to
include largest Canadian associations, with a
cross-country representation
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