The effects of ALA accreditation standards on library education programs accredited by the American Library Association

Abstract Objective – To examine the fit between libraries’ needs for evaluation skills, and library education and professional development opportunities. Many library position descriptions and many areas of library science education focus on professional skills and activities, such as delivering information literacy, designing programs, and managing resources. Only some positions, some parts of positions, and some areas of education specifically address assessment/evaluation skills. The growth of the Library Assessment Conference, the establishment of the ARL-ASSESS listserv, and other evidence indicates that assessment skills are increasingly important. Method – Four bodies of evidence were examined for the prevalence of assessment needs and assessment education: the American Library Association core competencies; job ads from large public and academic libraries; professional development courses and sessions offered by American Library Association (ALA) divisions and state library associations; and course requirements contained in ALA-accredited Masters of Library Science (MLS) programs. Results – While one-third of job postings made some mention of evaluation responsibilities, less than 10% of conference or continuing education offerings addressed assessment skills. In addition, management as a topic is a widespread requirement in MLS programs (78%), while research (58%) and assessment (15%) far less common. Conclusions – Overall, there seems to be more need for assessment/evaluation skills than there are structured offerings to educate people in developing those skills. In addition, roles are changing: some of the most professional-level activities of graduate-degreed librarians involve planning, education, and assessment. MLS students need to understand that these macro skills are essential to leadership, and current librarians need opportunities to add to their skill sets.

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A Review of Progress in Digital Library Education

Handbook of Research on Digital Libraries ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-879-6.ch055 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 533-542 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yongqing Ma ◽

Warwick Clegg ◽

Ann O’Brien

Keyword(s):

Digital Library ◽

American Library Association ◽

Current Status ◽

American Library ◽

Library Education ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Information Professionals ◽

Standard Models

In this entry, we review the history, development and current status of digital library (DL) courses and programmes now being offered, mainly by universities/institutions with accredited programmes or courses by CILIP (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) and ALA (American Library Association), and review the latest thinking and potential curriculum developments on the topic of how best to educate and train digital librarians. Trends in digital library education (DLE) are presented including: Data from four major and earlier studies relating to DLE, Main survey date: institutions offering DL programmes /courses as at the end of October 2006, Recent developments of DL curriculum (potential standard models) as at the end of June 2007.

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The American Library Association: The landmarks of international library and bibliographic cooperation (1876–1976)

Scientific and Technical Libraries ◽

10.33186/1027-3689-2021-5-129-144 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 129-144

Author(s):

P. V. Prikhozhev

Keyword(s):

Information Exchange ◽

Critical Role ◽

American Library Association ◽

National Library ◽

American Library ◽

Library Education ◽

The World ◽

Library Associations ◽

Library Development ◽

Democratic Principles

During the first 100 years of its existence, the American Library Association (ALA), the oldest national library association in the world, contributed much to the international library and bibliographic cooperation. The author describes the key areas of ALA international activity during the period under review. He identifies the following areas: support of building national library associations of other countries, projects and programs of international information exchange, promotion of basic democratic principles of libraries’ work, shared cataloguing, building the professional library education system, creation of the library periodicals and others. Based on the facts revealed in the periodicals, the author claims that national library associations are among the key instruments of library development both on the national and international levels. The fact that the American Library Association played a critical role in interlibrary relations strengthening during the described period evidences the association’s importance in the process of international library cooperation development.

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Professional Associations and Library Education

RBM A Journal of Rare Books Manuscripts and Cultural Heritage ◽

10.5860/rbm.11.1.330 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 32-46

Author(s):

Beverly P. Lynch

Keyword(s):

General Education ◽

Professional Associations ◽

American Library Association ◽

Education And Training ◽

American Library ◽

Library Education ◽

The World ◽

Rare Books ◽

Standardized Curriculum ◽

And Training

The American Library Association (ALA), the oldest and largest professional library association in the world, has played a central role in the development of all aspects of the profession. This paper emphasizes the development of education and training for the specializations of rare books and manuscripts but will comment upon the influence of ALA on the general education for the field. The ALA model has influenced the development of a standardized curriculum, has recognized specializations that emerge in the field, and has required an educated, research-oriented faculty to provide instruction while also recognizing that expert professionals in the field have . . .

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La libertad intelectual como principio fundamental de la Biblioteconomía y Documentación: estudio comparado latinoamericano

10.31237/osf.io/2kczb ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Alonso Estrada-Cuzcano

Keyword(s):

American Library Association ◽

American Library ◽

Derechos Humanos ◽

Library Associations

Se revisan las fuentes internacionales sobre el acceso y libertad de información; así como los contenidos de las constituciones latinoamericanas. Existen coincidencias entre los investigadores en determinar que el artículo 19 de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos (DUDH) es el hito fundamental en este tipo de libertades. Desde entonces ha surgido una serie de figuras jurídicas relativas al acceso y libertad de información: hábeas data, autodeterminación informativa, acceso a la información pública, información de dominio público, el acceso y servicio universal, entre otras.A partir de la DUDH y como una vertiente se va configurando la “libertad intelectual”, que se considera un principio fundamental en la Biblioteconomía y Documentación y que tiene como elementos fundamentales a la privacidad y confidencialidad y al acceso equitativo a la información, que han adquirido importancia especialmente en entornos digitales. Se realiza una aproximación histórica de dos instituciones pioneras en la enunciación de la libertad intelectual: American Library Association (ALA) y la Internacional Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).Incluye un estudio comparado de cinco países latinoamericanos: Argentina, Brasil, México, Chile y Perú, que tiene como finalidad demostrar que hay tres elemento fundamentales para que la libertad intelectual pueda desarrollarse. El primer elemento es el Estado, que promulga leyes y elabora los planes y políticas de gobierno; el segundo elemento son los gremios o colectivos profesionales, que deben incluir en sus códigos de ética este principio y, finalmente, la formación académica, que debe incluir en los planes de estudio a la libertad intelectual en su vertiente jurídica y ética.

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