Pedagogical roles for librarians in the changing information environment

Kaisa Sinikara, ThD

Director of Information and Library Services

University of Helsinki

CK V, Turku August 21st 2008

Content

The changing information environment The library in its parent organization

the bond between library and University essential differences in values

The challenges of the pedagogical role of the librarian teacher's perspective and librarian's perspective strengthening the pedagogical role prerequisites of pedagogical tasks challenges of the fourth wave expanding duties

Conclusion: changing metaphors

The first wave: A few early adopters utilize IT

about from the late 60s to the early 80s

the libraries automated some operations

joint catalogues were created (enabling

copying of records).

IT only affected a select few who were

interested in the possibilities.

(See: Lynch, Clifford, From automation to

transformation : Forty years of libraries and information

technology in higher education 2000, 60-68).

The second wave: ILS changes everyone's work in the 1990s

the libraries were often pioneers in

providing IT systems for customers

ILS enabled libraries profit from each

other's work, but it also meant stricter

standardization

as IT affected everyone's work. The

libraries became divided into those who

were able to adopt the new

technology

were in danger of becoming

marginalized and unable to function

in their work environment.

The third wave: The electronic information environment at the turn of the millennium

an essential catalyst for change came from

outside the libraries: the Internet and the

move from printed to electronic resources.

library functions had to be re-evaluated and

reorganized.

Information networks have brought change to

everyone in the universities

The changes have affected the basic values,

conception of time and organizational

hierarchies and values.

The third wave has changes the libraries in

the direction of the networked community

Information environ-ment

change library librarian

1st wave automation of traditional operations

memory of mankind

few IT-experts, traditional skills

2nd wave integrated library systems

standardization, harmonizing operations

ICT affects everyone's tasks, skill level differences, user training

3rd wave electronic library

changes in organization and processes future orientation

librarians as IL teachers

THE LIBRARY AND THE PARENT ORGANISATION

- SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCIES IN VALUES

The framework (Sinikara, Profession, Person and Worldview at a Turning Point, A

Study of University Libraries and Library Staff in the Information Age

1970 – 2005, 2007) http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/en/

Global Library world

The bond between library and university

A broad, common value basis

The universities emphasize truth, critical thinking and

creativity

The libraries emphasize intellectual freedom and

unrestricted access to information

Both value culture and education

The core international values in libraries

stewardship service intellectual freedom rationalism literacy and learning equity of access to recorded

knowledge and information privacy and democracy.

(Gorman, Michael; Our enduring values:

librarianship in the 21st century,

2000)

Essential differences in values

University Competition is part of the university as an academic

institution. Autonomy and freedom are central to the university in

research, teaching and development work Library

The core value of the libraries is service. Service

provides the work ethos on all levels of library work The value "service" manifests in customer service, in

user training and guidance, in increasingly better

databases and in developing better tools for users. The global value - sensible and efficient operations.

Challenges of the pedagogical role of the librarian

we have to know our various partners within our parent

institution.

We have to recognize the library's own values

We have to work boldly to change mental images when

they become obstacles

Teacher's, research worker's and librarian's points of view on information literacy

Researchers and teachers emphasize the socio-cultural

nature of learning, enquiry-based learning and that

learning is always linked to context

the context and theories of each academic field

In the teachers' writings: concern that librarians place too

much fate in standardization and quantified learning and

view IL as an independent skill without the context of the

academic field

problem-based learning, evidence-based learning.

Prerequisites of pedagogical tasks

The role of the teacher has changed during the past few

years, both in education and in information retrieval

instructor/teacher/planning officer, provider of

services/expert, leader/manager, researcher, student,

educator (see Leckie, Pettigrew & Sylvain 1996; Jokiniemi

2006, Sevón 2007

The library directors must support IL and must be

committed to renewing their policies

An example: University library directors in Finland have facilitated the development:

IL and teaching as a function of the library has been

included in significant strategic plans

the directors have acknowledged that tasks and staff

structure have to be systematically changed

the directors have defined the skills and knowledge

needed in the future libraries (competence map)

Core Competences in University Library Network by 2010

Service

OrganisingSecuring

usability

Acquisition

Support for production of

information resources

Pedagogical competence

International relationships

Operational environment

Control over information resources

Knowledge of collections and their contents

Strategic competence

COOPERATION

AND

CUSTOMER

COMPETENCE

COMMUNICATION

LeadershipFinancial competence Juridical competence

Process competence Marketing competence

Information technology and systems

Creative working attitude

Pedagogic competence is defined as follows on the competence map :

The ability to plan both occasional training and extended

courses Knowledge of the basic principles of learning and ability to

take them into account in planning and executing tuition Ability to organize orientation and training courses that

promote learning Profound knowledge of the principles of IL and the ability

to utilize them while teaching to promote scientific thought

and activity Knowledge of networked learning The ability to produce materials for learning The ability to accommodate various customer groups with

different needs and capabilities

CHALLENCES OF THE FOURTH WAVE

The New Library 2010 – at the University of Helsinki

Challenges of the fourth wave

The ongoing e-science expansion refers to research

conducted with the aid of networked supercomputers (the

internet of the internet); (www.prace-project.eu) Immense digitization schemed for cultural heritage and library

collections, developing the European digital library Open Access publishing and the development of institutional

repositories Web 2.0 (swarm intelligence) The Google-generation - the tools and technology have been

mastered, but not necessarily the content

See http://www.bl.uk/news/2008/pressrelease20080116.html

Organizational change, demands for greater efficiency.

Challenges of the fourth wave (2)

the ways that information is now produced and utilized a

revolutionary change (See Tuominen, Savolainen & Talja

2005, Tuominen 2007). A fundamental change is the erosion of information

contexts, information is produced collectively The born-digital document types and genres (such as e-

mail, wikis, blogs, RSS –feeds), SecondLife and social

networks are changing the information environment. The author may, if he wishes, use a pseudonym or a

pseudo identity It is increasingly difficult to evaluate information based

who the author is or on his affiliations.

Challenges of the fourth wave (3)

Information literacy practices are closely entwined with

social filtering solutions and services. They form an emerging social information ecosystem that

is a precondition for practicing IL effectively in the future Therefore we information professionals have to be active

in developing this ecosystem. We should give our users frames of reference to think,

reflect and act in current and emerging information

environments.

Automatic Individual Collective

positive Search engines Personal bookmarks, interest profiles, RSS feed aggregators

Social bookmarks (Del.ici.ous, Flickr)directories, wikis, participatory news sites

negative spam filters, blocking software, offensive content filters, security toolbars

lists of email addresses to be blocked

lists of parodies and spoof sites, lists of counterfeit and phishing sites

Sociotechnic filtering (See: Tuominen 2007, 6-12)

How the changes in the environment challenge the libraries?

Many University Libraries have a traditional modelLibrary pulls readers into library space

In a networked and global environment, library is just one content provider

Many researchers hardly ever set foot into a physical library spaceDigital material is pushed to them electronically at their

desktop Should the Library push stuff out to where the student is (e.g.

Facebook)?Thanks to Paul Ayris (UCL) for this discussion

We have to view the pedagogical role as extending further than just a library task of teaching

We need to broaden our definition of pedagogy beyond

the teaching of information literacy sessions and think

critically about how we describe our pedagogical work In a changing information environment the pedagogical

role entails extensive and reflective cooperation, learning

about the context of development work and pedagogical

theories, preparing information and learning materials and

acquiring communication skills. Open Access, digital research data and e-science: the

libraries must be active and participate in the

development work while expanding their own skills. Lifelong learning, equality and global wellbeing.

Information environment

change library librarian

1st wave automation of traditional operations

memory of mankind few IT-experts, traditional skills

2nd wave integrated library systems

standardization, harmonizing operations

ICT affects everyone's tasks, skill level differences, user training

3rd wave electronic library changes in organization and processes future orientation

librarians as IL teachers

4th wave? e-science

Interactivity

increased focus on the customer

networks librarians as a part of teaching and research processes,

creative solutions

Conclusion: Changing metaphors

In the 21st Century the future has become a central

metaphor Future orientation also means risks and the need to

accept uncertainty as a basis for developing operations. It

is imperative to find new, creative solutions instead of

traditions. In the 21st Century, future orientation will also determine

the ideal of the librarian. The basic values of the libraries: service, intellectual

freedom and equality provide an excellent starting point.

Should creativity be added to these?

Conclusion: Changing metaphors

Enthusiasm and persistence help us create the future and a positive pedagogical role for the libraries in a changing information society

Thank you for your attention!

Kaisa Sinikara

kaisa.sinikara@helsinki.fi

University of Helsinki

Finland

IL-website

http//www.helsinki.fi/infolukutaito

UH Libraries:

http//www.helsinki.fi/kirjastot/eng