Digital Library Education: Some International Course Structure Comparisons

Abstract

Digital Library Education (DLE) is assuming increasing importance and it is clear there is a pressing need from social trends and technology for educational developments in this new and fast moving area [1, 3]. Our latest review of progress in DLE and other recent studies [1, 2] pointed out that the number of library schools offering DL education is still growing. By the end of 2006 (based on modules titles shown on-line), 28% (5/18) of all universities with accredited programmes by CILIP (the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) in the UK and over 60% (34/56) of all library schools by ALA (American Library Association) in the USA and Canada are offering specific DL education. Around 40% of DLE is now either specialized independent or certificate programmes and courses, mainly in North America. However, there is currently no widely accepted formal curriculum framework for digital librarianship [2]. A major difficulty for academics in library and information science (LIS) is how to incorporate all of the DL technologies to their DLE, and no formal widely accepted framework of DLE has yet been established [1, 2, 3, 4]. It is difficult to compare full-scale independent programmes with other programmes that are more traditionally-based but which have modules on DLs [3, 4]. This and others recent studies [1, 2, 5] show there is a pressing need for educators to explore the specific question of what should be the standard framework for DLE in LIS to ensure that students and their employers – can be assured of having an adequate skill set to work confidently and productively in this area. DLE taught in a Computer Science environment benefits from an outline framework from CC2001 but no such framework has yet been promulgated from LIS based programmes [1, 2].