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

Educating the academic librarian as a blended professional: a review and case study

Purpose This paper aims to explore the phenomenon of the hybrid information specialist in the academic library setting. It does this in relation to curriculum development for preparatory and continuing professional education for librarianship and makes particular reference to the contemporary iSchools movement. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews trends and developments in academic information services and the information science academy in the context of continuing technological advances and educational change. It presents a case study of curriculum development and portfolio renewal, using the specialist roles of digital library manager and information literacy educator to show how the principles of interactive planning can be applied in articulating an academic strategy to meet the changing demands of educational institutions, professional bodies and employers. Findings There are significant parallels between professional education and professional practice in the shifting boundaries, expanded portfolios and challenged identities evident in the current information marketplace. A combination of continuous incremental development with periodic fundamental review enables professional educators to meet the changing mandates of different stakeholder groups. When combined with a strong professional focus, the breadth and depth of multidisciplinary expertise found in a researchled iSchool facilitates the design of specialised pathways and programmes for practitioners moving into blended roles. Practical implications Practitioners intent on careers in academic libraries should consider the opportunities and demands of hybrid blended roles when choosing educational programmes and pathways. Originality/value The paper provides a conceptual framework to illustrate the nature of emergent professional roles and current challenges facing professional educators. Ackoff's interactive planning theory is used to illuminate the problem of academic planning in complex pluralist contexts. © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved

Educating the academic librarian as a blended professional : a review and case study

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Information literacy strategy development in higher education: An exploratory study

Information literacy (IL) is recognised internationally as an essential competence for participation in education, employment and society. Communities and organisations need strategies to ensure their members are efficient and effective information users. An investigation of formal IL strategies in UK universities was initiated to examine their content and presentation. The study breaks new ground in undertaking an in-depth qualitative analysis of 10 institutional cases, evaluating IL practice from a strategic management perspective and discussing how corporate strategy concepts and models could increase effectiveness in this emerging area of professional practice. Its insights and suggestions contribute to the development of IL and related strategies at both conceptual and practical levels. The study found that all the strategies aimed to integrate IL into subject curricula by engaging stakeholders in collaborative partnerships. Common approaches included the adoption of professional standards and development of new methods of delivery, including e-learning. The majority of strategies covered IL of academic and other staff in addition to students. Most strategy documents provided extensive contextualisation, demonstrating the relevance of IL to corporate concerns; many included case studies of good practice. Few documents conformed to strategic planning norms: none provided mission or vision statements and several contained poorly specified objectives. The study concluded that corporate strategy tools, such as stakeholder mapping, portfolio analysis and customisation models, could strengthen IL strategies. Future research could test the use of such analytical techniques to advance IL strategies in higher education and other sectors. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Designing libraries for research collaboration in the network world: An exploratory study

Advances in technology and changes in higher education and research are forcing libraries to rethink the services they offer to researchers and how they are presented. Librarians are moving into "higher end support" and adopting new service models based on "deep collaboration" with academic partners. The internal arrangements that form the design of an organization can determine whether it achieves its mission under particular conditions. The present study explores how libraries in 24 leading UK research universities are organizing resources and services to support the research enterprise. Qualitative data were collected from institutional websites and other public domain sources and were analysed using matrix techniques. The results show a trend away from integrated library and computing service organizations; variety in institutional reporting lines, but predominantly in large professional service groups; consistency in internal library groupings, but variation in portfolio and job titles; expansion of specialist positions, with new functional roles complementing traditional subject liaisons; and dedicated spaces, working groups, and integrated websites promoting boundary-spanning activities. The findings confirm and extend prior work and are being used to design a large scale international survey

Getting research into policy and practice: A review of the work of bob Usherwood

Professor Bob Usherwood is a leading scholar in the field of public librarianship who spent three decades of his working life at the University of Sheffield, where he founded the Centre for the Public Library and Information in Society to pursue the mission of "Getting Research Into Policy and Practice." His career took him from librarian and chief officer to faculty member and a personal chair and included important roles in professional organizations, such as president of The Library Association. Usherwood's published output of books, research reports, journal articles, and other material is selectively reviewed, concentrating on publications related to his personal research and funded projects. His research interests are in three interrelated areas: library and information service management, public policy decisions and their effects on libraries, and the impact of libraries on individuals and communities. A distinctive feature is his use of different publication venues to reach diverse audiences and the promotion of qualitative methodologies to demonstrate the value and impact of libraries. Major concerns identified in his work include library values, public service, professional engagement, intellectual standards, and literary excellence, which are issues of continuing relevance for researchers, practitioners, and managers of library services today. © 2013 The Board of Trustees, University of Illinois

Education alignment

This essay reviews recent developments in embedding data management and curation skills into information technology, library and information science, and research-based postgraduate courses in various national contexts. The essay also investigates means of joining up formal education with professional development training opportunities more coherently. The potential for using professional internships as a means of improving communication and understanding between disciplines is also explored. A key aim of this essay is to identify what level of complementarity is needed across various disciplines to most effectively and efficiently support the entire data curation lifecycle