Foundations of the Professional

ILS 503: Foundations of Librarianship

• Knows the ethics, values and foundational principles of the library and information professions.

• Understands the role of library and information professionals in the promotion of democratic principles, intellectual freedom, and diversity of thought.

ILS 503: and ILS 504: Reference and Information Resources and Services

• Knows the current types of library (school, public, academic, special, etc.) and closely related information agencies.

• Understands the national and international social, public, information, economic, and cultural policies and trends of significance to the library and information profession.

• Understands the legal framework within which libraries and information agencies operate. That framework includes laws relating to copyright, privacy, freedom of expression, equal rights (e.g. the Americans with Disabilities Act), and intellectual property.

• The importance of effective advocacy for libraries, librarians, other library workers, and library services.

ILS 561: Public Libraries

• The techniques used to analyze complex problems and create appropriate solutions.

IDS 553 Grant Writing & Funding Sources, ILS: 580 Research In Information And Library Science, and AOT 690: Storytelling Institute

• Effective communication techniques (verbal and written).

• Certification and/or licensure requirements of specialized areas of the profession.

ILS 561: Case studies of situations public librarians may encounter, such as problem patrons and how to present additional staff requests, illustrate my ability to analyze situations and take appropriate actions.

AOT 690: After examining various storytelling methods, my public speaking skills were polished during in-class story development and role-play as explained in my storytelling journal.

Information Resources

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ILS 519: Collection Development

• Knows the basic concepts, terminology, literature and issues related to the creation, evaluation, and selection of specific items or collections of information

• Has a conceptual grasp of the prevailing methods for the acquisition and disposition of resources, including purchasing, processing, storing, and de-selection, of specific items or collections of information resources.

• Understands the Concepts, issues, and methods related to the management and maintenance of collections, including preservation and conservation, of various collections.

• Has knowledge of the basic principles of storing, preserving and conserving information.

Organization of Recorded Knowledge and Information

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ILS 506: Information Analysis and Organization

• Can apply the basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge and information structures.

• Has the developmental, descriptive, and evaluative skills needed to organize recorded knowledge and information resources.

• Understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures.

This competency is illustrated by my creation of a single author shelflist. My analysis of different OPACs solidified my understanding of how to organize information with appropriate cataloging records to be easily understood and retrievable by all users.

Technological Knowledge and Skills

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ILS 501: Introduction to Information Science and Technology and ILS: 599 International Perspective on Digital Libraries

• Demonstrates a comprehension of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities.

• ILS 501: Has basic knowledge of the concepts and processes related to the assessment and evaluation of the specifications, economic impact and efficacy of technology-based products and services.

• ILS 599: Understands and can apply the principles of techniques used to continuously track and analyze emerging technologies to recognize relevant innovations.

• ILS 599: Demonstrates proficiency in the use of standard information and communication technology and tools consistent with prevailing service norms and professional applications.

ILS 501: The collaborative preparation and teaching of the hardware unit helped me understand and explain technologies and their influence in libraries. My meteorite paper demonstrates my understanding of variances in recall and retrieval precision.

ILS 599: The special topics paper (PDF) demonstrated that in rapidly changing fiscal environments, libraries can remain viable by locating the appropriate investment avenues to improve resources and services to meet users' needs and to create a valuable, dynamic space, serving the global community as its primary source of information.

Reference and User Services

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ILS 504: Reference and Information Resources and Services and ILS 537: Information Seeking Behavior

• ILS 504: Knows and demonstrates service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users.

• ILS: 504, ILS: 537: Can retrieve, evaluate and synthesize information from diverse sources for use by individuals or groups.

• ILS 504: Can interact with individuals or groups of users to provide consultation, mediation or guidance in their use of information resources.

• ILS 537: Understands the principles and methods of advocacy used to reach specific audiences to promote and explain concepts and services.

• ILS 504: Can recognize and respond to diversity in user needs, communities, and preferences for resources and services.

• ILS 537: Can relate assessments of emerging or chronic situations, circumstances or conditions to the design and implementation of appropriate service and resource responses

By basing the curriculum on the Reference Process Flowchart (PDF), and in-class role-play, I can use the reference interview process to assist in understanding users’ needs. The successful completion of evaluation for selection of reference resources how to locate information in electronic, Internet and ready reference resources as well as pathfinders will enable me to provide guidance to patrons when locating information in various forms.

Additional knowledge from ILS 537 Information Seeking Behavior gave me a greater understanding of the user's/seeker's cognitive and behavioral processes used during an analytical or recreational search and how this information can be utilized to create a more user friendly electronic information system (PDF). The evaluation of Marchionini's information seeking model in a crisis situation (PDF) illustrated how advances in electronic communication technology has allowed the seeker to interact with electronic communication services to create instantaneous information systems that closely reflect the human-computer interaction (HCI).

Research

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ILS 580: Research in Information and Library Science

• Understands the nature of research, research methods and research findings within the library and information fields and has an awareness of current literature in these and related areas.

• Is familiar with the fundamentals of research, survey and data collection designs of current or potential value to library and information settings.

ILS 580: The study to evaluate my client library’s programs and services included detailed background research, selection and creation of data collection methods, and statistical analysis delivered to my client in the special project report. 

Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning

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ILS 504 Reference and Information Resources and Services, ILS 537: Information Seeking Behavior in Electronic Environments, and ILS 599: International Perspectives on Digital LIbraries

• ILS 537: Can interact with individuals or groups of users to provide consultation, mediation or guidance in their use of information resources.

• ILS 537: Knows basic learning theories, instructional methods, and achievement measures, and can apply them to learning situations within libraries and other information providing entities.

• ILS 537: Understands the principles related to the teaching and learning of information seeking, evaluating and using concepts, processes and skills.

• ILS 537: Appreciates the importance of continuing education and lifelong learning as principles of quality service, promotion of library services, and as personal guidelines for continuous professional development.

ILS 504: As previously discussed, this course enabled me to understand that asking questions to determine users' needs facilitates a successful search.

ILS 537: The in-depth study of Marchionini's information seeking model (PDF) as well as ILS 599, Summer Study Abroad Course (PDF), helped me understand how willing libraries are across the world to share information about their systems and that libraries, regardless of their size, face the same challenges to serve their user base and that it is imperative for libraries to remain flexible and current with technology to maintain their value to their users.

Administration and Management

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ILS 561 Public Libraries, ILS 580: Research in Information and Library Science, ILS 568: Library Public Relations

• ILS 561: Knows fundamental principles of planning, management and the evaluation of libraries and other information agencies.

• ILS 503: Understands currently prevailing types of library and information professions, and information providing settings.

• ILS 580: Understands the concepts behind, and methods for, assessment and evaluation of library services and their outcomes.

• ILS 561: Understand the principles of effective personnel practices and human resource development.

• ILS 561: Demonstrates understanding of the concepts behind, issues relating to, and methods for, principled transformational leadership.

• ILS 561: Knowledge of how change occurs, and how institutional and individual change strategies and options are developed.

• ILS 568: Demonstrates oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations, and professional level presentations.

• ILS 568: Has a grasp of concepts behind, and methods for, developing partnerships, collaborations, networks and other structures within a community of stakeholders.

• ILS 561: Demonstrates the ability to serve a diversity of stakeholders.

• ILS 568: Understands the basic principles related to reaching specific audiences and promoting concepts or services.

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ILS 561: In addition to the coursework discussed for the Foundations of the Profession competency, my coursework included creating a new library building project timeline, and case study work involving improper use of library finance (PDF), challenges to programs, personnel performance issues, and whether security guards should carry guns. Also, I researched ten web sites to source supplemental resources(PDF) to support a diverse population.

ILS 580: My special project was a cost benefit analysis of the effectiveness and value of a medium-sized public library's program and services. The results of the study can be found on the special project page.

ILS 568: The final project for this course required creating a month of programs in conjunction with a local not-for-profit organization. The project included press releases, press kit, fliers, presentation to local organizations to promote the events and bus placards.

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