Librarians' Forum

As the School of Information rightly puts it, “librarians have long been respected both for their ability to organize information and their commitment to providing access to the world's knowledge.” (Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.si.umich.edu/msi/lis.htm). Moreover, whether by design or by default, academic libraries are taking the lead as coordinators of information literacy. At the University of Michigan, for example, this service is comparable to those offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning, Sweetland Writing Center, Computing on Campus, or the Digital Media Commons. Information literacy promotes pedagogy focused on the development of effective research, critical thinking, and writing or other communication skills.

The implications for training and development are twofold:
1) LIS graduates should not only be familiar with the concept of information literacy but also be conversant with instruction techniques.
2) LIS programs can partner with librarians and faculty to create forums for partnership and research. Funds can be raised through tuition in the case of continuing education and in research grants.

Indeed, I think that instruction skills will be skill most in demand in the future library, to a large extent for public services librarians in both academic and public settings. Chuck Ransom raised a critical issue, and that was communication with and understanding of diverse patrons and peers. This not only is critical at reference desks, but in the classroom, as well. Librarians must develop a knowledge base about a wide range of cultures, in order to be effective teachers and subject specialists. It is incumbent upon us to reach out to diverse communities, develop partnerships with multicultural groups both on campus and off, and develop practice skills that are sensitive and relevant to the needs of diverse populations.

A jointly sponsored Librarians' Forum/Instructor college session is planned (Feb/March) during which we will examine how cultural and racial differences impact and shape academic motivation and performance. By becoming more aware of the current research in this area, we take the first step towards improving the quality of instruction provided to our broadly culturally diverse set of library users.

More information about this session can be found on the Instructor College page:

http://www.lib.umich.edu/icollege/events/upcoming/02-13-08.html