Library and Information Science Education
at the Faculty of Sociology,
Toyo University
Bin Umino
Faculty of Sociology
Toyo University
Symposium of Japan Society of Library and Information Science“Education of LIS, Today and tomorrow”
March 9, 20191

Table of Contents
1. Points of the presentation
2. History of the department and our point ofview
3. Curriculum of the department
4. Careers of graduates
5. Issues and outlook

2

Points of the Presentation• Practice of LIS education at the Department ofMedia and Communications, Faculty of Sociology,
Toyo University• No librarian course• How do we practice education of LIS without alibrarian course? What is our viewpoint?
32. History of the Department andour Point of View

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History of the Department• In 1959 Dept. of Applied Sociology, Faculty of Sociology（major in library science）- 3 majors＝ library science, mass communication, socialpsychology- Library(information) related subjects, about 50- Produced many librarians to universities and public libraries- Aimed to be an independent department since its start•

Difficulty to find jobs in libraries from the latter half of 1980’s
5History of the Department• In the latter half of 1990’s

Started discussion about reorganization of thefaculty-Building an independent department for training of librarians does not meetthe needs of times-Recognition of oversupply of “librarian” certificates, inflationary situation-No problem of librarian supply even our university stops training oflibrarian-Needs to provide students with education program that fits more the times-Decision to establish a new department by specialized in library scienceand specialized in mass communication
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History of the Department• In 2000 Media Communication Department,Sociology Faculty– A new department provides special subjects ofinformation study (library information study) torealize a new academic plan
– All subjects for librarian training are closed.

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Curriculum Policy of the Department(excerpt)• To know social significance and function of current media, and to learn
theory of academic knowledge and theory of analysis of present state• To know historical development and progress of media’s past, and to study
view for objective knowledge and view for historical recognition• To learn social outlook and issues of media’s future, and to study andmaster methods to have creative knowledge and to solve problems• To study and master skills in planning, making, publishing information invarious forms through utilizing media• To study and master necessary skills in retrieving, analyzing, and evaluating
various forms of information through utilizing media

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Professional Disciplines of the Department• Informatics– Study of the world and society through information
concept• Social informatics– study of diversified information phenomena in society• Mass communication– Study of function and impact of mass media

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From Library and Information Studyto Informatics• informatics– Not bearing “library”– Not information engineering (information science), butrelated area
– Not social information, but related area
– Study of the world/society through information concept– In English, “informatics”

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３．Curriculum of the Department

11Composition of the Current Faculty
Members• Quota 16= 11 experts+4 language specialists+1 assistantprofessor– Informatics

4 (+ 1 assistant professor )– Mass communication4– Social informatics

3– Language(Chinese, English) 2– Language (foreign nationals with fixed term) 2・ Two researchers are recruited as tenured languagespecialists whose professional discipline meets thedepartment.
12Specialized Subjects• Introductory subjects-Principles of Informatics A(required) / B( elective)-Principles of social informatics A (required) / B( elective)-Principles of mass communication A( required) / B( elective)• Seminar- Introductory Seminar on Media and Communications（required forfreshman）- Seminar on Media and Communications I（elective for sophomore）- Seminar on Media and Communications II（ elective for junior）- Seminar on Media and Communications III（ elective for senior）
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Principles of Informatics A / B• Information and humanity• Digitized expression of information- bit sequence, A/D conversion• Information and knowledge• Social transmission of information /knowledge– media, information organization• Potentiality and risks of informationsociety– sufficient and excessive
information/ utilization andmisuse/sharing and monopoly• Deep layer of information society– change in me / relation withothers caused by informatization,society sift to consuming society
by informatization• Uneven distribution of information– living beings and information,social information• Material object / energy /information– Greek philosophy, modern
science, the theory of
relativity, cybernetics, Turing
Machine• Quantification of information– self information, entropy• Sign / language / knowledge asinformation– signal and symbol, Artificial
Intelligence• Definition of concept of14information

実習科目
情報学系

社会情報学系

マスコミュニケーション学系

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Principles of Informatics
Intellectual Property/ Information
Law
Social Information Systems
Information and Languages
Specialized subjects

Required by ministry

Information and MediaInformation Organization
Information Analysis
Mathematical Science
Informetrics
Information Modeling
Web Information Systems
Database Theory and PracticeInformation Network and PracticeHistory of information and Media
A/B16

４．Careers of Graduates

17Careers of Graduates
By industry Graduation from Mar. ２０１３～Mar. ２０１７

18%
media

19%
Information/communication

Civil
servant

Others18

Careers of Graduates (Business Type)• Mass communication area
TV stations, TV program making companies, newspaper
companies, advertising agencies, publishing companies,
editing production companies, net journalists,,,• Contents (video/ music) area
video game companies, animation companies, musiccompanies,,,• ICT areasystem integrator, SI, companies, web related companies, database related companies, printing related companies,,,• OthersCompanies, civil servants, teachers of junior/high school,graduate school,,,
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５．Issues and Outlook

20Issues and Outlook• Social change– Further development of informatization (digitization,networking)• Decrease of social function of printed materials– introduction of Artificial Intelligence, AI, into various areas• Trend of job placement (exit)– Shrinkage of existing mass communication industry• publication, newspaper, TV– Increased demand from contents making industry- Increased demand for SE
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Issues and Outlook• Reality of examinees (entrance)– Want to be in entertainment industry, to be an entertainer– Uninterested in mass communication and journalism– Less interested in computer, less savvy about computer skill– Less reading experience• Issues of department operation– Securement of the number of examinees of the department( entrance)– Support for students’ placement (exit)– Differentiation from other faculties/departments– Securement of the number of teachers of informatics

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Issues and Outlook
 Similar consciousness between society (exit) and students (entrance)- Society（employment） ・・・shrinkage of existing mass communicationindustry- Students（examinees） ・・・ lack of interest in mass communication
 Dissimilar consciousness between society (exit) and students (entrance)- Society（employment） ・・・development of informatization- Students（ examinees ） ・・・ lack of interest in computer Providing specialized education of informatics with response toexpectation from both sides- Showing students current situation of digitized society and direction of
its change- Teaching knowledge and skills that are necessary for future leaders ofsociety- In the above education, placing the core discipline of library andinformation science23Core Discipline of Library andInformation Science Conclusive words from “Research Report on Expansion of Education of LIS andits Future Direction” by JLIS

“ The core discipline of library and information science
straddles both singularity and universality ofinformation/knowledge about social reality ofinformation/knowledge.
In other words, LIS is an extremely unique discipline thatentails incalculable substance of information/knowledge andcalculable attribution.
Education/study of LIS will be continuously requested by times
and society to expand its territory flexibly and actively, and towork together with other disciplines while keeping its identity
through holding the core part.”24