Attending: ‘Using Technology to Reach More Students in Tough Times’ which has 5 semesters of data regarding teaching information literacy online.

Bibliographic instruction sessions (aka the one-shot) has some challenges. For example, too much info in too little time, what impact does it really have, etc.

At WSU like BSU the only place students are guaranteed to attend one of these is in their early Eng 101/102 courses.

If one-shots are flawed can they act as a doorway to information literacy not necessarily the whole piece.

Wow, WSU has used at least 4 different course management systems (i.e. blackboard). Currently, using Angel. Didn’t know you universities could flipflop around like that with course management systems.

Beginning to talk about using Angel to reach students with info lit information BEFORE they get into the one-shot.

WSU has an Information Literacy Education Learning Environment (ILE) which is homegrown. They used students to code it for them. (Students can build cool stuff like this if we let them) It is not simply a tutorial but a space where students take quizzes/essays after watching particular online materials. ILE flips the script. Instead of building assignments from the content of tutorials, they select tutorials from the web (or elsewhere) to support the class assignment. As you connect tutorials for the assignment it pulls from banks of questions which assess information literacy. (Hopefully I am explaining this correctly).

Pretty cool stuff.

ALA has gathered advice and resources on getting  job in this tough economic market. Check it out here: http://www.getajob.ala.org/

A colleague has written his two cents concerning about getting an interview at an academic institution.

Preparing for an academic interview – ALA | Get A Job!.

I like what Jonathan has to say. Though, I might quibble on a little point.

I have been on multiple job interviews and a member of a few search committees myself. Truthfully, I really wish libraries would open up their hiring practices beyond the MLIS. I think in some cases (not all) we hurt libraries by limiting to the ALA sanctioned MLIS. We have created our own job security with the MLIS. Get the piece of paper get the job. Pretty much it is a giant bureaucracy with blinders on.  Yet, in some situations the most qualified person for a library position can be drawn from people without an MLIS. This pool of candidates may have greater  experience with technology, computers,  web site creation, public relations, literacy, history, archives,  languages, fund-raising, teaching etc.  These are all skills libraries need to remain relevant to our public. Limiting to only those candidates with an MLIS weeds out these potentially great hires.

I guess the basic question is, is it easier to train someone to be a librarian or is it easier to train a librarian to learn a language, learn JavaScript, learn to teach, learn whatever?

I am not saying ditch the MLIS by any means. Actually, I think libraries under-value it in many respects. Most libraries these days, in my humble observation, concern themselves more with managing resources and draw little from library theory. If you want someone to manage resources, you mind as well just hire someone with a business background or any background that helps the library. If you want someone with vision, an understanding of the cultural role of a library,  and the place libraries reside within communities, get yourself a librarian with an MLIS ASAP!  I, personally, would love to see more library theory being talked about in libraries. Let’s talk about WHY we are developing our collections not simply HOW we manage them.

If it is about selecting the right people to make your organization a better place, why limit your choices? Make some tough choices in your hiring committees, don’t put limitations simply to make your job easier.