jelis47

Journal of Education for Library and Information Science (JELIS)

ISSN 0748-5786

Developing the ICT Infrastructure for Africa: Overview of Barriers to Harnessing the Full Power of the Internet: Daniel Gelaw Alemneh & Samantha KellyHastings
The synergies of numerous emerging trends are shaping creation, access, use and preservation of information resources. The digital library environment provides scholars with access to more diverse and previously unavailable contents that span myriad technologies across institutions and nations. Although the uses of Internet technologies provide new directions for scholarship, there are discrepancies among nations and regions. These technologies have not been fully exploited in Africa in particular. As research and scientific inquiry depend on both the availability of heterogeneous resources from multiple sources and their openness to easy and continued access, addressing the universal access issue is paramount. This article discusses and provides an overview of some of the barriers or principal factors most likely to influence Africa’s efforts in harnessing the full power of the Internet.

The Library Internship and Expo as a Pathway to Diversity: A Case Study: Curt Asher & Johanna Olson Alexander
College and university libraries need to develop undergraduate internships to encourage low-income and ethnic-minority students to enter the library profession. Such internships can be run on limited budgets. This article presents a case-study model for an internship program and its related promotional efforts currently in place at California State University, Bakersfield. The article discusses the need for greater ethnic diversity in libraries and the value of internships as a tool to confront minority underrepresentation in the library profession.

Effective Assessment of Online Discourse in IS Courses: Susan L. Stansberry
Since the use of online instruction is a necessity in Library and Information Science (LIS) education, and since asynchronous discussion is the most popular pedagogical technique employed by online instructors, an alternative assessment means for evaluating student learning is imperative. This study sought to further research on effective assessment of online discourse in LIS education by analyzing the quality of student knowledge construction and learning in relation to the type of questions posed by the instructor and the nature of student interaction using a combination of two theoretical frameworks.

Cataloging Electronic Resources and Metadata: Employers' Expectations as Reflected in American Libraries and AutoCAT, 2000–2005: Sylvia D. Hall-Ellis
The institutional roles of libraries evolved from that of local resource repositories to global gateways for access by the new millennium. Twenty-first century library users demand access to electronic materials. Library school students and employers articulate expectations for entry-level cataloger positions that include understandings and familiarities with a theoretical basis for cataloging e-resources. Therefore, entry-level catalog librarian position announcements provide insight into requirements regarding graduate education, expertise, and preferred preparations for these positions. This empirical research study explores 266 entry-level cataloger position announcements published during a five-year period in order to determine the importance of cataloging e-resources as articulated by employers. A rigorous content analysis methodology enabled the researcher to identify employers’ expectations and requirements among public, special, and academic libraries. Recommendations include the expansion of cataloging courses, addition of metadata schema to LIS course offerings, and the need for increased numbers of faculty teaching in these areas.

Draft Proposed ALA Core Competencies Compared to ALA-Accredited, Candidate, and Precandidate Program Curricula: A Preliminary Analysis: Renee McKinney
This research shows that ALA-accredited programs have curricula in line with the latest draft proposed ALA core competencies.2 Of the 56 institutions hosting ALA-accredited programs, 53 (94.6%) have courses to address all eight (8) core competencies. Were the draft proposed core competencies to be adopted by ALA, under the flexible language of the Standards, programs would be able to continue to deliver courses consistent with the core competencies in the same manner as they currently do. The American Library Association’s descriptive accreditation standards allow programs to accomplish their goals in a manner that is “[c]onsistent with the values of the parent institution and the culture and mission of the school, [and] program goals and objectives.” (Standard I) The ALA Standards require that an accredited program’s mission, goals, and objectives reflect “the philosophy, principles, and ethics of the field” (Standard I) and that its curriculum “foster development of the competencies necessary for productive careers.” (Standard III) ALA-accredited programs are meeting those requirements and the many others that the Standards require.