Convergence in Library and Museum Studies Education: Playing Around with Curriculum?

IntroductionIn the case of libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs), the concept of convergence has become commonplace in recent time. Convergence addresses both physical spaces and the services provided. But how new is this concept? What is currently known as convergence within these institutions, should perhaps more accurately be described as reconvergence, as "in the late 1800s and early 1900s, libraries and museums shared space, resources, and personnel" (Given & McTavish, 2010). Later, as the physical locales were separated, so was the service provided by each. Yet now, research-especially about children's play-necessitates a fresh look at convergence in services provided by libraries and museums. This, in turn, asks for a reconsideration of training of museum and library professionals.In this short communication, we consider the changing nature of training professionals in both libraries and museums within this emerging reconvergence of the LAMs. We use the concept of play as a central point of focus-a conceptual converging point where both museums and libraries intersect-to help us explore the possibilities for both training professionals and informing their future practice. First we provide a theoretical framework for our project. We then discuss current research that shows the shifts in focus around the notion of play, specifically in youth services in museums and libraries. Finally, we introduce the beginnings of a project we plan to conduct in tandem with this research.Curriculum Theory: Training ProfessionalsIn the second decade of the 21st century, we find ourselves-in LIS education and its cognate disciplines-grappling with the complexities of both curriculum content and the way we teach it. According to Marcia Bates (2015) LIS should be considered a meta-discipline-a field that cuts across the entire spectrum of traditional disciplines such as the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, and math. LIS can be seen as organizing itself around a particular social purpose or interest and thus providing a lens through which every subject matter can be viewed. A meta-field looks through that lens in order to address practical and professional concerns as well as those that are more theoretical. Reconvergence of the LAMs reflects both a shift in the way we see the landscape of our field, but also a reflection of wider change in LAM organizations and values that underpin them. One such shifting value is the emphasis on play and its role in both library and museum programming.When dealing with any program in LIS, we are referring to two parallel issues that occur simultaneously. First, complexity in the field, and second, complexity in teaching about our field. In the late 20th century, we saw the increasing development and understanding of complex systems in the world (both natural and cultural) (Doll etal., 2005; Gleick, 1987; Hayles, 1991).At the same time, the field of curriculum theory has questioned the traditional pedagogical approach. This traditional approach is linear and hierarchical. It has the assumption of a simple routine order, dichotomous structures, and predictive principles.(Doll, 2012). This traditional approach, according to Doll (2012), constricts creative and human thinking.In reconsidering LIS education, and giving new emphasis to play, it makes sense to "move abductively", as both Charles Peirce and Gregory Bateson assert (Doll 2012). We need to consider that human thinking moves sideways, across, diagonally, and, indeed, skipping from node to node and idea to idea. This way of thinking correlates with how people play or seek information. Bates' cognitive model of information retrieval (2015) alludes to how people learn and is informative to our premise for the need for change in LIS curricula and teaching practice. Students still need essential LIS skills and knowledge but they also should be equipped to handle higher levels of mental complexity and adaptability needed to manage these (Yukawa, 2015). …