The primary goal of this study was to identify gaps in curriculum coverage and required skills for research support services (RSS) in university libraries in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to meet its objective. To collect data for the quantitative strand, across-sectional survey with a…

This article reports on the third phase of a project studying the integration of information behavior theories and concepts into professional education for reference and information service (RIS). It also provides a synthesis of the results of all studies in the project, including a syllabus study, an interview study, and the survey. Results of…

In this article, the author explores why a school librarian's value should be wrapped up in books. First, reading is a foundational skill, and memories are built around who people are before and who they are after reading a book. School librarians get to be a part of that transformation. Second, books still make up the heart of a physical library,…

Reference librarians are exposed to the literature of different disciplines in a number of ways including advanced degrees, on the job training, and intellectual inquisitiveness. As students, many reference librarians were also exposed to library science programs offering coursework specializing in information sources and research within other…

The ability to navigate the vast ocean of available information and perform reference services in digital environments is an essential component of the job for most of today's reference librarians, especially those working in academic libraries. Reference librarians face a challenge: they must be highly skilled at searching for, locating, and…

Thanks in part to technology, the boundaries of library positions are dissolving. It is no longer practical to discuss the profession in terms of traditional library types, and in today's library, the relationship between librarians and technology is stronger than ever. In this informative volume, veteran author Laura Townsend Kane interviews…

Fourteen scholarly papers and eight abstracts comprise the content of the twenty-second annual Brick & Click Libraries Conference, held annually at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. The proceedings, authored by academic librarians and presented at the conference, portray the contemporary and future face of…

Library schools must produce new generations of librarians and information specialists with a clear vision of the characteristics and potential of full information delivery systems. (Author/PF)

A new course at the University of California School of Library Service, Los Angeles, which involves actual library reference desk experience is described. (2 references) (NH)

A century ago, a woman named Mary E. Hall convinced school leaders of the need for the professional school librarian--a librarian who cultivated a love of reading, academic achievement, and independent learning skills. After graduating from New York City's Pratt Institute Library School in 1895, Hall developed her vision for the high school…

Library Schools can devise improved techniques in reference librarianship and can encourage a research orientation by better understanding the structure of the literature and the way librarians operate within that structure. (8 references) (MM)

Highlights findings from the Library and Information Science Students' Attitudes, Demographics and Aspirations survey that pertain to reference and information service. Tables and discussion present data on the most desirable types of positions and libraries, students' demographics and ethnicity, prior type-of-library experience, and the search…

Discusses the relationship between online searching and reference librarianship and the need to examine the educational theories of both together. The need to discover success factors of online searchers and apply that knowledge to the selection and training of reference librarians is also explored. Twenty-one references are provided. (EJS)

Discusses the results of a survey of academic reference librarians, library schools, and professional associations for information professionals in the United Kingdom that examined ethical issues in academic reference librarians' work, how professional associations relate to these matters, and how well library schools are preparing information…

Presents views of eight library jobs considered to be among the most desirable based on an informal poll of over 50 librarians. Directors of public libraries, the Librarian of Congress, state librarians, special librarians, and reference librarians are profiled, and a list of 22 additional desirable jobs is included. (LRW)