Fall+2004+Q+2+answer

Fall 2004 Question 2


 * Research, publication, and sharing are important attributes of a profession. Research should inform and improve practice resulting in best practice.

Select a type of information agency to frame your answers to the following questions. How important is it for information professionals in the field to be familiar with their research literature and be currently aware? How important is it for information professionals to conduct research as part of their day-to-day responsibilities? Provide a rationale for your responses to these questions.**

//Academic Library Setting://

//It is important for information professionals to “keep up” because://

//1) the clientele is increasingly techno savvy. This is the generation that has been raised on IM’ing and Facebook and texting. Information Professionals must stay ahead of the curve in order to better meet the needs and engage their students//

//2) If Information professionals want to continue to be relivant in this “googlized” world, we must stay ahead of the curve.//

//3) The needs of our constituents change. At one point, the card catalog was enough for people… then it was paper indexes… today… with so many types of education (DE for one), technology has come to the fore front. Patrons want immediate access to information all at the click of a mouse.//

//4) no matter what the information professionals area of expertise is, access is always the key. Providing better access both theoretically and in reality is a must. No matter if the IP is a CD librarian, Materials Porcessing/Cataloging, etc.//

//5) with budgets tight, IP’s must constantly evaluate what is feasible and get the “best bang for your buck!”//

//6) It is imperative to collaborate with colleagues in order to meet the needs of all our patrons. IP’s must be willing to listen to teaching faculty in order to evaluate what is needed to support the classroom learning experience and to enhance it.//