A competency framework for digital curation and data science

"Aligning Digital Preservation across Nations" was a full-day invitational workshop held in conjunction with the International Digital Curation Conference (IDCC) 2013 in Amsterdam on 14 January 2013. The workshop was designed to advance discussion and collective action for digital preservation across national boundaries, including plans and priorities for an Aligning National Approaches to Digital Preservation (ANADP) II conference to be held November 18-20, 2013, Barcelona, Spain, as well as strategies for establishing a sustainable social infrastructure for continuing events and activities. Participants were offered the opportunity to submit position papers in advance and then give short talks about those papers at the workshop. The position papers served as a foundation for further discussion and deliberation throughout the day

Professional education for a digital world

Reviews developments in initial professional education for library and information work in relation to contemporary university library practice in the digital world, with particular reference to the impact of technology on content and delivery. Discusses connections between professional education and library practice, generalist versus specialist programmes and pathways, education for digital library environments and preparation for data management. Concludes that the current trend of locating library education programmes in schools with broader portfolios covering information technology and/or business offers valuable opportunities to extend module choice for students, particularly in relation to the technical skills and understanding needed for digital library environments

Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning

Reviews trends in the continuing professional development (CPD) of library and information staff in relation to contemporary university library practice in the digital world, highlighting the impact of technology on content and delivery. Discusses current drivers of CPD, multiple routes to professional development, technological impacts on work and learning, mentoring and reflection as professional meta-competencies, leadership institutes and organisational development programmes, and practitioner doctorates as advanced professional development. Concludes that CPD is particularly important because of continuing rapid technology-driven change and that education, research and development activities should be seen as a continuum informing, enhancing and advancing university library practice

Introduction

This issue of Library Trends, on the theme of Research Into Practice, has been designed with two aims in mind. Published in 2013, it marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Information School (iSchool) at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom by presenting a selection of papers that demonstrate the creativity and variety of research undertaken in the field of librarianship and share a unifying concern to make links, as well as establish meaningful connections, between research and practice. The issue is dedicated to Bob Usherwood, now an emeritus professor in the school, whose work and legacy at Sheffield are distinguished by an exemplary commitment to putting research into practice, and it is especially pleasing for us to be able offer this tribute to Bob in the year when he is due to celebrate his seventieth birthday. We also believe that an issue on this theme is timely and important for our profession. There has been a strong drive lately to promote evidence-based practice in library and information work and to develop a research culture in the practitioner community, exemplified in the United Kingdom by the DREaM project, amid continuing concerns about the disconnect between the research and practitioner communities

Academic libraries in the information society

The way that higher education library services are viewed, planned and managed must change radically if they are to survive and thrive in the future. Advances in technology, economic and political pressures, and socio‐demographic factors have combined to create an environment posing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. The Joint Funding Councils′ Libraries Review has highlighted the need for stronger management and more confident involvement in institutional planning and organizational change. Electronic communication will transform service provision, with significant shifts towards distributed networked services, empowering the end‐user and offering new roles and responsibilities to information intermediaries. Effective communication between library, computing and academic staff will be essential to ensure relevant and responsive services. New resource models will be required to take account of diverse customer needs and different modes of delivery. Organizational structures and management styles must change to meet future needs and human resource development must be given higher priority. Bold leadership will enable libraries to enhance their strategic role and respond positively to environmental change

Management development in the networked library

Information technology has transformed library and information services. Distinctive features of the electronic library include the shift towards self-service modes of delivery, with distributed access to networked resources, and a focus on the end user and tailored provision to meet particular client needs. Implicit in this model is a switch from print-based materials to new multimedia sources. The role of information specialists is changing from searcher/information provider to facilitator, adviser, or consultant in information management. User education trends reflect these developments with the integration of information skills instruction into the teaching/learning process associated with project work and specific assignments. The impact of the convergence of computing and telecommunications technologies extends beyond information systems and service strategies. New patterns of service require new styles of provision, necessitating new imperatives for staff development and training, as well as a review of organizational structures that may no longer be relevant. Management styles are changing alongside service developments, typically featuring flatter, more flexible structures; wider participation in policy-making and decision-taking; the use of task forces to review and develop services; devolved financial responsibility and improved planning and performance measurement. Total Quality Management is a philosophy ideally suited to the library of the future

Book review: Understanding and communicating social informatics [by R. Kling, H. Rosenbaum and S. Sawyer]

Review of Understanding and Communicating Social Informatics: A Framework for Studying and Teaching the Human Contexts of Information and Communication Technologies, by Rob Kling (who died in 2003), Howard Rosenbaum, and Steve Sawyer, presented as the first monograph on the subject, “an overview, designed to be short, readable in pieces, and directed to our colleagues and those who wish to engage with the concepts and issues of computing from a social perspective.” Social informatics (SI) is a recently named subject domain, referred to as an inter-, multi-, or trans-disciplinary field, and the book does not fit easily into any recognizable publication genre. Concludes that it is a landmark text that is easy to navigate and fills a gap, but its overt mission to promote and reposition the domain threatens to unbalance the content. It is recommended to anyone who wants a fuller understanding of SI research, its approaches and applications

Subject librarians: Engaging with the learning and teaching environment

Subject librarians (also known as liaison librarians, information specialists, learning advisors, and reference librarians) play a pivotal role in academic libraries, but their role has been challenged in cash-strapped times, making its survival and continuing evolution a topic deserving a full-length book. However, the breadth of coverage, depth of treatment, and quality of writing of the chapters vary here, from the mediocre to the outstanding. Commendable examples include a discussion of various aspects of subject librarian activity, highlighting the importance of continuing professional development; two chapters covering learning and teaching developments, and the changing roles and relationships arising; a well-referenced chapter on supporting researchers; and a superb evaluation and synthesis of the literature on support for international students. The book will be most valuable to librarianship students and practitioners new to this role, but the chapters on support for research and international students offer useful reviews for seasoned professionals too

An interview with Sheila Corrall: Interview by Margaret Adolphus

Contribution to a website series of Information Management Guru Interviews, where “leading industry and subject specialists share their experiences and opinions with Emerald.” Outlines the career background of the interviewee and discusses her views on various issues facing the library and information profession, with reference to current research in the field by herself and others. Topics covered include the changing role of librarians in the Web 2.0 environment, and the skills needed in hybrid professional roles; strategic aspects of information literacy development; strategic management of a department of information studies; the transition by the interviewee from a senior administrative role to an academic position as a university professor; the involvement of librarians in e-learning, particularly their contributions to virtual learning environments/course management systems; leadership issues in the library profession; and the value of the core skills of library and information professionals in preparing practitioners for varied and rewarding career paths