The curriculum cannot be stagnant in a world that is undergoing dynamic and transformative change. Library school curricula must also be dynamic, continually adjusting to incorporate development of new skills and knowledge needed to ensure students' success in delivering needed resources and services in a variety of workplaces, including libraries. Just as doctors must continually develop their knowledge and skill in order to provide the best service for their patients, librarians must continually develop their knowledge and skill, beginning in library school, so they may ensure the continued relevance of library catalogs, resources and services for meeting needs of library users. Transferring traditional strengths of the library profession to the electronic information environment requires new skills and knowledge to effectively select, organize, develop and enhance access to resources. Assisting library users will, similarly, require retaining professional knowledge and skills AND acquiring competencies which enable librarians to assist users in accessing and effectively using resources and services delivered using information technology.
Libraries are information intensive workplaces.
Library school curricula should help students develop the professional knowledge and skills needed to critically evaluate operations, services and resources, and should produce creative leaders capable of imagining and implementing new technologies in the service of traditional goals of librarianship. Be sure to include your name and affiliation. Legitimate requests for anonymity will be honored. The Chronicle maintains Colloquy as an open forum where readers can comment on issues. Submissions may be condensed or edited for clarity, but editing is kept to a minimum.