Summary of
Opening Remarks and Session One

Opening Remarks

Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Dimchev, University of Sofia:  

Discussed countries that conference participants represent. This is the first conference of this kind. We are aware of the need for human contacts that make us more tolerant, that make us friends. We need to determine the most relevant route. This conference represents a step in the right direction.

Recognizes the leadership of Herbert Achleitner in establishing this conference. Presented a gift, an icon symbolizing Bulgaria and the university and appreciation for working with Emporia State University.

Ministry of Culture:

In the library, unlike the media, you have the right of choice. Hopes the conference will address all the problems of access. Mentioned the Roma people of Bulgaria who have less access to information resources.

Professor Dr. Herbert K. Achleitner, Emporia State University:  

This conference gives us a picture of the breadth and depth of the challenge our profession has in building a global society with positive values. We are all learning in this process. He has spent time previously in Bulgaria. It made him aware of the enormity of the task that we face.

He thanked the institutions that helped to make this conference possible, including the Sofia Library School, the Sofia Library, the University of Kansas and Emporia State University as well as other organizations.

Dr. Achleitner thanked Roger Wyatt, the students, and graduates who are assisting with organization and production of the conference.

Dean Robert Grover, ESU School of Library and Information Management:  

While the theme of the conference is technology, the theme of our school and our profession is people. He is sure we will learn as much from each other talking outside the sessions, at dinner and during the breaks, as we do during the sessions. Herbert has said that this is his last conference, but Dean Grover believes the momentum has been established so that the work must continue.

SESSION ONE

PERSPECTIVES IN LIBRARY EDUCATION I
Convened by Terry Weech, Professor, University of Illinois

Robert Grover, "Trends in Library and Information Science Management."

Current trends in library and information studies (LIS) education are identified in the KALIPER Project, the most extensive study of the library field since 1923.

The 2-year study identified 6 trends:

Trend 1: In our institutions we are going beyond the study of libraries to the study of information.

Common to all info professionals:

• Work with individuals
• Work with groups
• Organize information
• Manage an information agency

What information professionals do

• Conduct a needs assessment
• Design an info service
• Implement that service or system
• Evaluate that service

Trend 2: Core knowledge has been identified in LIS curricula. The core is centered on cognitive and social aspects of how information is created, organized, disseminated, and used.

At ESU, this core has 4 elements: (1)The psychology of information use; (2) how knowledge is created, disseminated, utilized and preserved; (3) systems for organizing information, and (4) management of information organizations.

Trend 3: Infusing new technology into curricula.

Trend 4: LIS schools are experimenting with the structure of specialization, including:

• Certificates in school media, medical, archives, law, management.
• Dual degree options
• Entry requirements for specialization
• Graduation portfolios

Trend 5: Offering instruction in different formats

For example, Emporia offers courses via weekend intensive classes, Internet-based classes, and a combination of media.

Trend 6: LIS schools are expanding their curricula to include undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees.

Several new programs have been developed at SLIM, for example: an interdisciplinary Information Resources Studies partnership with other departments on campus.

LIS schools are training people not just to be librarians but to be information professionals in other fields such as business and government. Our theory-based program is designed to prepare people for the future.

Terry Weech: A recent Library Journal article indicated that 90% of LIS students still work in libraries. We don't have much information about alternative placements of students, alternative careers. Anecdotal evidence suggests graduates are often frustrated with alternative careers and the professional recognition they receive. We need to provide truth in advertising at library schools concerning this issue.

Prof. Roel Rietberg, University of Applied Sciences, Ijselland, “Organizational Aspects of the Deventer Curriculum”:

A new name for school based on a reorganization 4 years ago. One thing changes: ongoing change. A fundamental change of your entire program, a new paradigm, results in totally different content, structure, way of examining and evaluating your institution.

The School had to deal with decreasing number of students. Had to rebuild the first year curriculum. Required a need for an extroverted attitude toward attracting new students. Resulting were implications for accreditation and a study of the program. One institute had to close its doors - could not comply with recommendations.

Pressure from outside is high - a working field advisory board should develop a new professional profile and corresponding reforms in the education program. Deventer was successful in adapting to change for institutions within the Netherlands.

How do we come to a new program?

Step 1: Redefinition

Step 2: Translating final attainment level criteria in preliminary learning targets (all staff members), e.g., "An info professional gives advice to the management about the selection & costs of info resources.

Step 3: Bundling, sorting learning targets into modules (curriculum board)

Step 4: translate learning goals into modules

Prof. Martin Van Veen, University of Applied Sciences, Ijselland, “The Knowledge Society and the Curriculum of the Deventer Library School.”

To reinvent the school, the following questions were addressed:

• What are the dominant developments in the profession?
• In what kind of organizations and functions do information professionals operate?
• What should the competencies be of a young information professional?

The development of the professional profile:

• Ability to anticipate
• Ability to create
• Ability to learn
• Ability to learn
• Ability to respond
• Ability to produce
• Ability to last

Knowledge & Systems > Structures & processes > Market & strategy > People & motivation.

To develop the professional profile, specific professional competencies were identified:

• Absorption of knowledge
• Creation of knowledge
• Distribution of knowledge
• Exploitation of knowledge
• The context of the flow of knowledge: the organization

Jitka Hurych - I believe in change, but why take "Library" out of the name?

Reitberg - Only 5% of students getting jobs in libraries. Also, there's a marketing reason: "Library" does not attract students.  There's a wide variety of information professionals.

Weech - With only 5% placed in libraries, he can understand the choice, but in the US library education is booming - due to expansion, retirements. Is the content still focused on skills or theory?

Van Veen - Much more focused on technology and the concept of knowledge. Trying to become more focused on the organizational context and on people.

Reitberg - As one of the 6 former schools of education, trying to establish a distinctive identity that is results-oriented.

Grover - Actually Deventer model is similar to the Emporia model.

Weech - At Illinois, the curriculum is flexible with lots of choice of courses and only a few requirements. Marketing issues in terms of naming courses and advising students to pursue less traditional courses rather than following a strictly traditional set of courses.

  HM

INFORMATION LITERACY AND THE CITIZEN
Convener: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tatiana Yanakieva

Dr. Barbara Hull, University of Teesside (UK). "Can Librarians Help the Socially excluded to Surmount the Barriers to Electronic Information?"

She is a practicing social science librarian in the northeast of England. She is interested in people. Following are trends that are a concern.

1.         Change in the role of librarians. Shifting from roles as "custodians" to becoming "facilitators." Must be aware of client group and there's much research on the effect of gender, age, and social background on service.

  2.         Impact of the digital divide. It is linked to social class and income. In Britain in 2000- 48% of Internet users are professional'/managerial. In Canada in 1995, 86% in $100,000 income bracket are computer owners, 28% in $20,0000 income bracket--the lowest bracket. A report last year in the U.S. indicated that for college graduates 16 times more likely to have inherent access than high school; for high income urban household, 20 more times.

Barriers to libraries as agents of lifelong learning: Library and Information Commission funded project involved 940 students.  940 students from a "new ' university in North east England; 2 further education colleges.

Barriers to libraries project showed a that PC ownership was higher among professional/managerial classes than other classes. 62% have personal computer in their own home.

Distribution of PC ownership b y age indicated that students age 19-21 had the highest percentage of computer ownership.

39% of PC owners use both the public library and into institutional library, probably a reflection of class. Use of the public libraries is heavier among professional classes than the working classes, which they were intended to help.

People who have access to their computer make more use of services in libraries than people who don't. Consequently, people who have access to the Internet use libraries more; in fact, they use  OPACS. CD-ROM s, the Internet, and e-mail more than non-owners of PC's.

LRC services never used  (OPAC, CDROMS, INTERNET, EMAIL)  were greater among PC owners than nonowners.

3.  Extent of remedial effect of libraries :  Librarians are being asked to almost ask as social workers to change the effects of disadvantage. They must b e aware of clients' possible "baggage,", i.e., lack of previous "library career"; poor literacy and numeracy skills.

Aims of library provision: the UK  Library and Information Commission promotes "the principle of equal access or information." The houses that children came from: the more books in the house, the more interest in education. Our keys to success: have a full awareness of the environment in which we operate; strengthen partnerships with other agencies; offer war m and sincere quality of access.

Rob Davies, MDR Partners (UK), "Public libraries, Public Information, Digital Literacy and the Citizen."

e-Europe Targets for the future:

• All school are linked to the Internet by 2001
• All teachers should be competent in information society skills
• All workers have the opportunity to achieve the key new skill of information society literacy
• Establish public inhere net access points, plus on-site information society literacy training

Europe's public libraries have a vital role to play in the emergence of Europe. While some public libraries have made changes in the last few years, there is a need to spread these changes throughout Europe. Many libraries offer traditional services and must work must be done to enhance infrastructure, train staff, for these changes. This paper presents some of the projects underway.  

PULMAN:  (acronym has no meaning) begins Feb. 2001. PULMAN has not been defined. Trying to extend importance of libraries and to establish innovative roles. Will establish digital guidelines manuals in lifelong learning, social inclusion, digital literacy, and other areas, including technical areas of resources, multimedia digitalservice delivery, development in integrated library systems, etc. These manuals will be in electronic form and translated for use in a variety of languages.

It will support and extend dialog between professionals and policy makers. Will target policy makers at local, national, and supernational levels. Will seek to link local libraries with other information agencies, e.g., museums.

PULMAN will cover south, central, and eastern Europe, encompassing 13 countries. Will take 2 years. Involved will be the overarching professional library association in Europe. PULMAN will support good practice in libraries in Europe. Will help insure the contribution of libraries to the development of e-Europe.

Public Sector Information (PSI) is intended to contribute to the better use of informed computer-literate citizens and businesses in the everyday life, administration and political participation.  Barriers to PSI: defining the public sector and of PSI. There is a lack of rules and principles in Europe on conditions for exploitation. Information is frequently fragmented; no one ministry or agency is responsible overall for PSIK.

Policies are not clearly articulated. Needed is a system for organizing information for people to retrieve and use in their private lives.

PSInet, which will begin early in 2001 is intended to provide a definition of public sector information, identify countries where PSI isn't available, determine standards, and define business models that would be uses. It will develop a research agenda and prepare a network for public sector information.

Ioannis Trohopoulos,  Public Library (Greece)

Begun in 1997, ISTAR is intended to develop pilot services for promoting awareness : public access to the Internet of library workstations; networked cd-rom provision, public email access, word processing and spreadsheet workstations, library website, office packages awareness sessions. Benefits: for libraries a proven method of planning and implementing new services, local partnerships, and new customers. For citizens, new skills and access to training opportunities.

In Greece public libraries are not well developed. Slow penetration of technology in Greece. Contributing to success of the project in Greece: partnerships between the public library and Chamber of Commerce, trade union, and other municipalities.  There was a successful infrastructure.  Within Greece they were able to attract people not using the library and PC's and have them use the Internet in the library. This success is the result of energetic marketing and careful design of web sites. The library designed web sites for several private organizations. The Veria Public Library have offered many training sessions.

Future of ISTAR: promote the role of the public library as a main provider of information society literacy services for citizens. What ISTAR will do: marketing and business planning manuals, training programs, etc. Service will be delivered via website, training workshops, group workshops, newsletter, and material translated into national languages and supported by a local agent. Audience: sponsoring miniseries and regional authorities, professional and trade associations, individual public library authorities, foundations.

Core services will have a charge, and an additional charge will be levied for other services.

Questions:

Terry Weech: How do you hope to sustain the financial support of these projects?   Davies: PSINET is patterned after the North American practices to get ideas. Services themselves must be self sustainable. Must be demonstrated as priorities and budgeted for.

Must be seen as priorities by funding bodies. The time is right, and there is a good chance for that. PULMAN does not be sustainable.

Jasmina Ninkov, City Library of Belgrade, “Internet Revolution and Libraries: Was Borges Right?”

The Internet is having a large impact on society and most of the impact is from 15 countries. The Internet will have 720 million users by 2005 throughout the world. Books and libraries from ancient times have served people. Over time libraries have resisted changes but technology has transformed librarians and their organization. The Important question now is how the user will be affected.

Widespread use of the Internet is inevitable. The library profession must now be adjusted to adapt to the new technology. Libraries must carry the Internet as a service. Most public libraries today, especially in eastern Europe, have no strategies or plans for marketing libraries. Most important question is what libraries will market. The Internet is not a recreational item; it is important for business. We must think about business as we promote the Internet. In Serbia, on a few libraries are prepared for the 21st century. Events of the last 10 years have had a financial effect on libraries. Must integrate the new technology into the traditional book functions of libraries. Libraries are not just super markets for information, they are much more and the Internet can be used for marketing.

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