Common Coordinated Curriculum
for
Informational Services
by
Mina Pease, Librarian/Records Manager
Legal Aid Society of Westchester County
White Plains, New York
paper originally prepared for
Reconsidering: library and information
science education
Conference organized by Association of
Library Information Science Education,
January 9 -12, 2001 Washington, D.C.
Revised January 2006.
Pease
Jan, 06
Page ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Prefatory Note
1
Introductory Note
3
Curriculum outline with Notes
7
assimilation/instigation
7
production/reproduction
9
distribution/dissemination
11
insertion
12
administration/management
14
Program: organization/structure
16
masters/doctoral requirements
16
research/practicum
17
degrees - informational services
17
Epilog: issues
18
parameters
18
implementation
19
worthwhile quotient
20
Footnotes
21
Appendix
24
introduction
cycle diagram
Appendix 2
24
28
33
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Prefatory Note
The complete study is still a work-in-progress. Some three/four chapters have been
drafted but considerable more effort is needed. The working title is ‘In the Know’ a
study of the accessibility of information\1. The usage of the term ‘accessibility is not as
used in a website. A ‘Google search’ of the term indicates the design of and
standards for web sites. For this study, accessibility refers to the quantity and quality of
access (access search (question/answer) and access research (analysis/comparison))
to an informational item. To define quantity and quality of access, this study will
examine the policies, practices, procedures, processes of the informational services
(editorial, bibliographic and archival) the ‘4 P’s’. This examination is framed on the
Informational Item Cycle@ which has been developed by the instigator as a framework
on which to analyze and compare the 4 P’s of the informational services. The ultimate
goal being defining an adequate and satisfactory standard for access to informational items.
A segment of the complete study presented in this paper is a proposal for a ‘common
coordinated curriculum’ for the informational services. The Informational Item Cycle@
also frames the analysis and comparison of the educational programs for the
I
informational services and the organization and structure of the proposed ‘common
coordinated curriculum’. An introduction to and a outline of the Cycle is appended to
this paper\2.
Can the ‘forest’ (common coordinated curriculum) be put forward (organized/structured)
before the trees (the courses) have been planted (analyzed/compared)? The
instigator’s view is yes. Curriculums ‘teach’ the courses, whereas the practitioners
‘
establish’ the 4 P’s that are to be taught in the courses. The same for the adequate
and satisfactory standard of access. The curriculum ‘teaches’ about standards – who
sets them, history, etc. - but the practitioners ‘establish’ the standards.
This paper, entitled “Common Coordinated Curriculum for Informational Services’@”,
was prepared to be presented for the conference organized by the Association of
Library and Information Science Education, January the 9th through the 12th, 2001,
Washington D.C. The conference was entitled ‘reconsidering library and information
science education’. The item was not accepted for presentation for various reasons,
among them, it was submitted without an abstract and it was ‘late’. However it was
accepted, but then rejected, for possible publication in the Journal of Library Information
Science Education. The items instigator did not receive the comments of the referees
until January 2002. After an exchange of letters with the then editor, Joseph Mitka, I
withdrew my permission to publish and requested a return of the two copies of the
manuscript. One of the two was received in March 2022. The other was, according to a
letter from Mitka dated 21 March 02, mailed to the referees and ‘we have no further
information for you’ – unavailable my presumption.
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Jan 06
The instigator determined then, on March 2002, to attempt a re-draft and submit the item
for publication elsewhere. Because of a series of events – both private a pedestrian/car
accident, a serious flood in the archives of my place of employment, a heart attack and
lastly a 2005 renovation of the office involving dismantling of the firm’s library and putting
it back together; and public, namely September 11th - considerable time has elapsed.
Therefore, more than a re-draft, more likely a re-write, is in order.
The instigator would make one comment about the item as submitted to JLISE. The title,
as stated above, to the ALISE 2001 was ‘reconsidering library and information science
education’. The purpose was, in this instigator’s view, to focus on the ‘forest’. On this
basis the manuscript was submitted. Those papers, as shown in ALISE’s internet site,
that were accepted that year would indicate this instigator’s view was in error. The
interest was on the ‘trees’. The focus of this paper, then, is the forest, a proposal
concerning its organization and structure.
For this paper, the ‘forest’ (Common Coordinated Curriculum@, hereafter CCC) is
organized/structured on the basis of the Informational Item Cycle@ with the ‘trees’
(courses) grouped as segments of the cycle. The reader should refer to a outline of the
cycle appended to this paper. The segments are as follows:
1)
assimilation/instigation
2)
production/reproduction
3)
dissemination/distribution
4)
insertion
5)
administration/management
The introduction takes up two considerations which are/will be discussed in depth in the
larger project referred to in the first paragraph of the prefatory note. They are the
interrelatedness of existing educational programs and their relevance to a ‘common
coordinated education program’. Additional considerations of 1) program requirements
(3/4 years, internship, etc.), and 2) implementation are taken up in the epilog
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Introductory Note
The interrelatedness of the informational services curriculums (editorial, bibliographic and
archival) is substantiated in part by the Informational Item Cycle@. As interrelated as the
policies and practices of these services are shown to be by the Cycle, their existing
educational programs have a generally separate, but also interlinked, organization and
structure.
Bibliographers (the more well-known term is ‘librarians’) concerned with existing educational
programs, are aware of the programs listed in Peterson’s\3. A perusal of the listing
indicates that for each institution there is little indication of an organized and structured
curriculum. Certainly, any commonness or coordination is not readily apparent. The listings
do show an effort to offer archival and/or records management programs. No similar effort
for editorial programs is indicated. As is indicated by the 2001 ALISE program, these
institutions either do have or are planning to have changes in courses. In the internet
announcement of the publication of a new edition of ALISE’s Directory of LIS Programs and
Faculty in the United States and Canada, 2005, there is an indication of course changes.
To quote from the announcement, “This information was last published as part of the 19992000 annual membership directory. A completely new subject classification for research
areas has been developed for the new edition and should be the definitive source for
identifying research and teaching specialties across the U.S. community.”\4 Preceding this
statement is the following statement. “This publication includes a complete listing of the
faculty of 57 library and information science schools along with teaching and research areas
of each faculty member in accordance with ALISE’s LIS Research Areas Classification
Scheme.”\5 ALISE uses the term ‘research areas’. The text found on the ALISE web site
(see footnote #5) and reproduced in this paper as appendix two, seems to emphasize
‘research areas’ as opposed to ‘courses’. ALISE does refer to it as a “... definitive source
for identifying research and teaching specialities ...”. The ALISE classification could frame a
‘common coordinated curriculum’, but this instigator believes a better frame is the
policies/practices of the informational services as shown in the diagram (text - see
appendix one) of the spin of the Informational Item Cycle@.
A reprise of bibliographic
education in the United States appears in Gates, chapter 10 (see footnote #24). The
emphasis has been on the post-graduate masters degree, requiring preparation (higher,
4yrs) in general education. Accreditation of the masters is under the auspices of the
American Library Association Office of Accreditation. Present accreditation standards were
(1972, revised) adopted
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by ALA in January 1993. ALA does not accredit doctoral programs, these are accredited by
the academic institution.
For the post master degree. a certification program for practicing public librarians,
supervisory level, is underway as a joint program of the American Library Association
and the Allied Professional Association. A salary survey is underway for non-masters
personnel, but as yet, no training programs for such personnel. (Most of this paragraph is
from ALA/APA leaflet and other materials gathered at the ALA Midwinter Conference,
January 2006).
Archival (using the term to include records management) education programs are at present
mainly training sessions with some reference to post graduate studies. Generally,
practitioners whose educational background includes an undergraduate degree - likely a
four-year, maybe a two-year community college degree are considered eligible for
archival/records management positions. Subject majors/minors are not specified. But, for
example, a archivist for an engineering corporate entity would likely be expected to have
taken engineering courses. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in its
internet site\7 puts forward a well-organized and structured training program. “Participants
may take examinations upon completion of Knowledge Areas Two through Six. Those who
successfully pass all five examinations will receive NARA’s Certificate of Federal Records
Management Training signed by the Archivist of the United States.”\8 “NARA’s Certificate
of Federal Records Management Training does not result in the CRM designation as
established by the Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM).”\9 “Participants in
NARA’s records management courses will receive a comprehensive overview of managing
information by performing practical task-oriented, hands-on exercises throughout each
course. The courses focus on using records management as a tool for supporting agency
business processes. Upon completion of these courses, participants will have the
information and skills necessary to perform their records management duties more efficiently
and effectively.”\10 NARA also offers specialized courses, e.g. Electronic Records
Management course, and a ‘special one hour web based introduction to records
management appropriate for all Federal employees ...\11
The American Records Management Association, now ARMA International, provides
educational programs; as well as a forum for networking among records and information
management professionals.\12 In 1996 a 501(3) organization (a educational foundation)
was formed, “This change would broaden the funding opportunities beyond the very limited
scholarships available for full-time students in approved program schools.”\13
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The ARMA International incorporated the ARMA’s Education Foundation in August 1997
“The Foundation will help define the future of records and information management by
funding educational opportunities and instructions to individuals for the purpose of
improving and developing their capabilities in the area if records and information
management, funding scientific research in records and information management, and
awarding grants, scholarships and fellowships to individual students and educational
institutions to further promote and develop records and information management.”\14 A
scholarship program was established in 2005. “The initial offering is a scholarship for
graduate level education.”\15
ARMA is still interested in training, and has, for instance, an ‘ARMA Fed Day’ program with
NARA. When it comes to education versus training, ARMA maybe is going toward
education and post graduate at that. ARMA has also put forward a joint statement of
purpose with Society of American Archivists (SAA). In the introduction to its Directory of
Archival Education, SAA, in 1994, “... approved Guidelines for the development of a
Curriculum for Master of Archival Studies Degree.” SAA believes that programs of the
extent and nature outlined in these guidelines are the best form of pre-appointment
professional education of archivists. “... Currently, no such degree program exists in
the United States. The M.A.S. programs that exist in Canada are based on similar
guidelines established by the Association of Canadian Archivists.”\16 Since the 1994
Guidelines, SAA’s educational programs have ‘grown and matured’ as indicated in the
article entitled ‘Guidelines for a Graduate Program in Archival Studies’ published on the
internet in 2003.\17 Curriculum development is the responsibility of the Committee on
Education and Professional Development which became the Committee on Education in
2005. On the internet, appears “Guidelines (Draft 8/6/03).”\18 The Committee’s
Guidelines (see footnote #18) and the SAA ‘03 Guidelines (see footnote #17) do not
directly refer to ‘how to’ and/or standards of organizing and structuring a curriculum.
‘Education for Journalism’ is a committee of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. At
its ‘homepage’, ASNE lists its various committees and their ‘projects for the year’. The
ASNE education committee indicates its interest in “... comparison of various journalism
education models - including exemplary ones at schools that do not offer journalism majors
...”\19 ASNE, then, considers that educational programs for editors should be contained in
journalism programs.
The Bay Area Editors’ forum produces its ‘Editorial Services Guide’ on its internet page. In
the segment entitled ‘Editors and Publishing Today: The Role of Editorial Expertise’, is
stated “Editors, as experienced advocates for readers of books, magazines, newspapers,
reports and other publications have important contributions to make as advocates for
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users of software and online publications.”\20
Although there is no discussion of editorial
education programs. At least the Forum seems to know editors are not the same as
journalists. Also note usage (one of the rare) of the term ‘editorial services’.
The Editors’ Association of Canada/Association Canadienne des Reviseurs (EAC/ACR)
and the Institute of Professional Editors (IPED), nee Council of Australian Societies of
Editors, CASE, are both developing educational programs that lead to accreditation.
IPED is not formalized, and most information about it is on the website of one of the
member societies: Canberra Society of Editors, Australia. Their newsletter for November
2005 indicates CASE is now IPED.\21
A working group on education and training has
been formed. An earlier report, entitled “Accreditation of Editors’ a discussion paper“ by
Pam Peters, Macquarie University, contained the following “... and there is scope for
discussing the role of editors with outside parties such as employers.”\22
What the
ultimate designed programs will be is a ‘work in progress’, but the IPED certainly seems to
want editorial services considered as a profession in its own right. Then the Canadian,
EAC/ACR, voted in a certification program in November 1997.\23
The major concern is
development of the certification exam. Emphasis on accreditation would imply educational
programs while certification implies training. However it does seem editorial services are
coming out from journalism programs.
Accredited educational programs should be developed for the informational services, but the
practitioner should not ignore certified training programs - a practitioner should
have knowledge of and experience in the four “P’s”: policy, practice, procedure and process.
To repeat (for emphasis) from earlier in this introductory note, this brief review for
informational services educational programs indicates it is evident that whatever its
organization and structure, a ‘common, coordinated’ program should be developed. A
student who is deciding which career he/she wants to follow and what the educational
requirements for that career are, should be provided with the role that a particular profession
performs in the society and what the educational requirements are to perform that role.
An active informational services practitioner may require less discussion on societal role, but
does need an overall understanding of educational requirements. Whether the practitioner is
considering accredited courses or certified programs, he/she needs to
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know how his/her specific chosen course (the tree) fits (is planted) into the whole
curriculum program (the forest).
The proposed CCC, its instigator believes, will provide a framework through which the role
informational services performs can be identified. Further the CCC will, again its instigator
believes, provides an overall understanding of the educational requirements of the
informational services. The goal, however, is ‘commonness’ and ‘coordination’
with the informational cycle providing the parameters of the forest (curriculum) and providing
for the planting of the trees (courses) within those parameters.
Curriculum Outline with Notes
This outline is being put forward to illustrate the organization/structure of a curriculum based
on the interrelatedness theory and the interventions - its policies/practices - in the spin of
the Informational Item Cycle@. The outline is divided into five segments, see prefatory note - each followed by explanatory notes. There is commentary on particular
courses and their intent but the purpose here is to outline. In the footnotes,
and the informational items cited in the curriculum notes, there may be an expression this
author’s views about content of a specific course or courses - e.g. technology.
Administration/management relates to all interventional efforts as indicated in the cycle
diagram quoted in the appendix to this paper. Therefore, this segment is presented last.
Assimilation/instigation
access-search
parameters, query and response - a search diary
electronic and/or manual (paper-print) searches
determine strategy/purpose/theme
access research
sources - electronic - paper - a search diary
draft theorem to be proven/disproven
research method(s)
organize/structure/draft
writing style manual requirements
degree granting institution and/or production entity
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prelims - title page, table of contents, etc.
footnotes and/or bibliographic notes
index - examine choice of techniques
presentation
editing - signal/substance
Internal classification - indexing
history
keyword in context - keyword out of context
Internet search, i.e.- Google, Yahoo, etc.
choices - edition/medium
instigator/production entity agreement
intellectual property
copyright
Note: Search can be confused with research. Although not often, and not lately, a literature’
search course might be part of a particular school’s curriculum - e.g. the humanities and/or
history. So in some respects, this segment is a revival of this concept. Expanded so that
search becomes a process whereby access to an informational item and/or additional
relevant items is gained and the ‘research’ interest is advanced.
This segment provides an introduction to assimilation/instigation and also provides an
introduction to the Informational Item Cycle@. It is aimed at 3rd/4th year students of other
disciplines with term paper assignments. Also a ‘refresher course’ for continuing education
students. It can serve as a teaching exercise for ‘informational services’ doctoral
candidates.
The ‘opening lecture’ for the introductory course would differentiate the general editorial,
bibliographic and archival informational services from specific informational services - e.g.
journalism, media, medical and legal. The ‘opening’ should discuss the worthwhile quotient:
satisfaction, salary and status.
Organizing, structuring and drafting and the presenting of an informational item require that
the student especially 3rd and 4th year, appreciate the role of table of
contents/footnotes/bibliographic notes, classifying and editing (signal substance) in the
instigation of an informational item (provision of access to the informational item for the
possible assimilators of this item).
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The advanced course should be part of the informational services curriculum - beginning
masters and/or doctoral. It would examine referral sources - paper print reference works,
info bases, and the Internet service - organization/structure, as well as coverage/content.
Introductory editing/indexing - in terms of evaluating referral sources - form a part of this
segment, but advanced editing/classifying would be a part of the repetition/reproduction
segment.
Image item catalogs are also a part of this segment. Introductory for the assimilator/
instigator since these catalogs can be paper/electronic source of the image items accessed
for search read/sort - referral/sort. Advanced for the services student - for the classifier.
Since image items are accessed from these works for utilization by the local/system
network for the referral service to refer (compile/list) to the assimilator/instigator to resolve
the query and/or research.
Another part of the advanced course is research methods. The main goal would be to have
the services student better understand research requirement of the community (assimilators)
that is to be informed. With regard to research (whatever the method) project(s)
undertaken by the services student - especially the doctoral candidate - the services student
doing the research becomes a part of the community being informed
as opposed to a practitioner providing the informing. Research methods are cited by Gates
as one (the third) of the trends in library education:
“3. Research Methods - Research is now seen as vital to the
practice of librarianship, as well as educating for the library/
information professionals. Most schools now offer - some
require - one or more courses in research methods.”\24
“Vital to the practice’ is a bit strong, but the more the server knows and understands the
needs of the community being informed the better the practitioner. If the phrase refers to
the practitioner doing research which is ‘vital’ the practitioner’s practice, then this author
would respectfully disagree. The research requirements that a doctoral candidate - who
takes an administrative or teaching (tenure track) position - should not be confused with the
requirement that the practitioner must inform all the researchers in the community that is to
be informed.
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production/reproduction
format organization/structure
impact of container
data/info
editing policies/practices - signal substance
utilization of technology
Internal classification
internal image cycle (and/or cataloging - in-publication)
see appendix
footnotes
bibliography (list of additional, relevant information items)
indexing techniques
keyword
Internet search - Google, Yahoo, etc.
dictionary subject headings
transmission
packaging
transmissible technology
dispatch/receive
Note: The utilization of technology has had a profound impact on the practices
(processes/procedures) of production/reproduction especially format organization/structure
and containerization. Nowhere is this more evident than in the phrase ‘medium is the
message’ coined by McLuhan.\25 But the policies (standards, rules/regulations) practices
of production/reproduction - especially as applies to editing (signal-substance) classification
(including indexing) and data/info entry - have been adapted, not fundamentally
revised.\26 An examination of these practices is to be presented in the work-in-progress
referred to in the prefatory note.
In conjunction with the application of design/development, this extensive and intensive
utilization of technology by the practices (whether or not policies (standards) are observed
or whether their adaptation has resulted in revision) of
production/reproduction - containerization in particular - raises the issue of should it be a
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part of informational science services or computer science: and/or both.
A rephrase of this issue is whether design/development (science) utilize the practices or do
the practices (procedure/processes) utilize (apply) design/development. From this
perspective production/reproduction should be presented in the curriculum.
Utilization of technology and/or production/reproduction courses should link with the science
- design/development - as the science course should link with the service course to better
understand utilization of the design/development. Containerization, data/info entry, in
particular, educational programs are now usually the province of trade schools and retail
(e.g. legal services) training courses. They are industry dominated; organized/structured on
the basis ‘brand names’ not on processes/routines. The result is
fragmentation, even with specific programs. Data/info entry is now seen mainly requiring
training, but it also needs ‘education’ especially as relates to the other aspects of format
organization/structure (editing, classification etc.).
Although somewhat dated (1982), Slatzkin’s work ‘In Cold Type’ has a chapter on product
management\27 which reprises policies/practices. In designing/developing a course on
production/reproduction, it should be consulted.
distribution/dissemination
distribution
choice of extent/kind
methods
dissemination
collection development extent/kind
editions - paper, electronic and/or both
patterns of informational items
of purpose (inform public/private)
of activity (subject to be informed of)
community to be informed
referral materials
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image item catalog networks
reference works
paper print
electronic/on-line print and/or both
Internet/worldwide web
electronic encyclopedia
policies of distribution/dissemination
external informational items
public dissemination - e.g. market place
official informational items
produced/reproduced
depository distribution - wide and well
official records
considered internal informational items
classified dissemination
internal informational items
corprate entities
public and/or private
designated assimilators
Note: Choices as to extent/kind of distribution/dissemination and methods of that
distribution/dissemination are viewed differently by the three services - and in some
respects are at odds with one another. The basic policy (and/or goal) is to
distribute/disseminate the informational item to as many assimilators as is considered
desirable. Editorial services see this as one item to one assimilator. Bibliographical
services see this as one item to be available to many assimilators. Archival services make
the item available to designated assimilators of the community to be informed.
The past, present and possible future of these different views - the why and to whom needs to be examined by an educational program.\28
These policies/practices are
reviewed in the work-in-progress - see first paragraph of prefatory note.
Insert external classification - image cycle - see appendix
collection - image item
referral/sort - image item assimilation access search/research
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Note: The major theories of classification are two: the International Dewey Decimal
Classification and the U.S. Library of Congress Classification and Subject Headings). They
are both Anglo/American in origin. Theories from other (e.g. Colon Classification) origins
are not as widely known, but should be included in the educational program. With utilization
of technology, the policies/practices of these theories have expanded and adapted. To the
extent to which they have been revised is an arguable issue, but ‘new’ theories have yet to
take their place. So the traditional core curriculum of bibliographic service is still relevant
even if, as the 1986 Griffiths/King report lamented, they are ‘... the same basics taught at
the turn of the century.’ The sentence that precedes this phrase
reads: “Despite standards, professionals and library science research, the content of
education for traditional librarianship changed little over this period.” This sentence is
followed by: “In fact, the core curriculum concept which became firmly established in the
1960's and is still at the center ..., the same basics taught at the turn of the century.”\29
The work-in-progress study, that is mentioned paragraph one of the prefatory note, will
contain a brief critique of Griffiths because this study has had, this instigator believes,
extensive influence on either library and information science and/or informational science.
These ‘basics’, however, are still relevant to all three informational services.
Even though the ‘basics’ have shown, with the adaptations begun in the 1970's - e.g.
machine readable cataloging - a perception that there is a ‘problem’ with the ‘basics’
persists. Gates, in the chapter, entitled ‘Librarianship and Information Science’, states:
“The volume and complexity of information and the continuing
development of more and more sophisticated electronic means
of managing it have created the need for persons devoted to
studying and understanding all of the activities involved in
producing, acquiring, processing, analyzing, evaluating and
distributing this information.” \30
First, the ‘technology problem’ (‘more and more sophisticated electronic means’): in the
1970's technology was being designed/developed in response to the requirements of the
basics.\31
There is a gap, however, between promise and delivery.
Processes/
procedures when manually performed are simple, but become much more complex when
performed with technology.
The simpler the process/procedure, the more complex the
programming of the technology. Technology does deal with more volume, but volume is
processed with much more complex routines.
So the ‘volume and complexity’ is not really that of information, but that of ‘sophisticated
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‘electronic means’. Still, the perception that information has ‘volume and complexity’ is a
part of this perceived problem. For this reason, the interventional role of insertion (the
basics) must be part of a curriculum.
Briefly, 1) the insert role is to collect to refer to the assimilator those additional relevant,
informational items which relate to the access search/research and promote the
assimilator’s choice of comprehend/acquiesce or interpret/respond. Access-search is now
usually provided by electronic means - e.g. Google, Yahoo, etc. Although highly
sophisticated algorithms these programs are based on the manual keyword in context
(KWIC) and keyword out of context (KWOC). The electronic programs are sophisticated
and complex but require sufficient data/info input to fulfill the access-search. These
programs have developed sufficiently enough so that access-search can be better and
faster than ‘manual’. Still the quantity and quality of electronic access-search is only as
good as the data/info input and ‘keywords’, no matter how complex the algorithm, will limit
the search to the linguistic usage of the instigator.
2) To conduct research (since researching each and every informational item is not
possible) an image of the item is created (a traditional term is bibliographic record). The
image is produced/reproduced and is thereby accessed from various descriptor
(author/title) points and/or various substantive (subject) points. This bit of ‘informational
technology’ still serves, albeit now in a electronic network of image catalogs.
The instigator of an informational item influences and is influenced by interveners in the
Cycle, especially the inserter. This can be referred to as the instigator syndrome and is
taken up in the work-in-progress referred to in the prefatory note. The relationship
between intervener as instigator (e.g. research endeavor) and intervener as practitioner
should be taken up as an ethics course in the administration/management section.
Introductory at the masters, advanced at the doctoral.
administration/management
oversight policies and their practice
history of
commonalties and difference
oversight - theories
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past - present
the role of educational programs
ethics - past, present, future
masters level
doctoral level
over sight services
personnel
educational programs
continuing - active staff
back ground - new staff
technological
operation
planning
interrelationship with manual
history
Note: Presented here is a brief commentary consisting mainly of the views of this instigator
as substantiated by experience and supported by research. A extended study will be
provided in the work-in-progress cited in the first paragraph of the prefatory note.
In this segment will be discussed: 1) administration/managements’ role in oversight of insert
because this instigator believes insert defines the societal role of informational services, 2)
the role of educational programs in the ethical practices of those academic faculty (both
teachers and practitioners) who are participating in continuing educational programs and/or
instigating a research endeavor, and are earning a degree or are up for tenure.
As to insert, policies/practices of the three informational services do vary. The policies of
three services agree that insert should be provided to all relevant assimilators in the
community being informed. There are differences as to how the (policy) provision is to
be achieved. Editors concentrate only on the internal classification of the image item Cycle
(see appendix, diagram of the Informational Item Cycle@). Insert is practiced by the editors
to the extent/kind it assists the instigator in reaching (referral/sort) the assimilator.
Preferably to have the assimilator comprehend/acquiesce and not go to interpret/respond.
Bibliographic will emphasize the insert policy/practice (extent/kind) that best provide the
assimilator(s) of additional relevant informational items. So both access-search, research
policies/practices are involved, with emphasis on access-research.
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Archivists will emphasize the policies/practices of insert to the extent/kind of providing
access-search (query/answer) to the relevant community being informed. Generally,
access-search consists of two access prints - item number and ‘name’ of item. Note that
for archivists the ‘relevant community’ is also the instigator entity of the item who designates
what can be distributed/disseminated to the relevant assimilators and who those relevant
assimilators are.
The administrator/manager is responsible for oversight the policies/practices of the
services, the provision of insert in particular. The oversight course, especially at the
doctorate level should cover especially ‘statutory’ policy: 1) a statement of professional
ethics (see text, p. 218, Gates footnote #24); 2) Library Bill of Rights (the text of is in
Gates see footnote #24); 3) the freedom of information and privacy acts - federal, state
and local statutes/rules/regulations; and 4) the freedom-to-read declaration.
For bibliographic services, a doctorate is required for teaching informational programs. For
editorial an editor will (although not required) more likely have a masters of business
administration, but the editor might be expected to have a doctorate in the scholarly
discipline in which the teaching activity is being undertaken.
Generally, a doctorate for the practice of administration/management of informational
services is not formally required. Institutions, such as a university research libraries, are
likely to require an informational doctorate for the director, dean or chief librarian. Doctorate
requirements for these positions may be based on size/kind of community to be informed;
size/kind of professional and clerical staff and size/kind of collection/development.
Editorial and archival services still emphasize practitioner experience even for doctoral
positions. Bibliographic services may allow experience in lieu of a master’s paper, but for a
doctorate, expect a dissertation, but may not require practitioner experience.
Program Organization/ Structure
services: general/specific
masters/doctoral requirements
research/practicum
degrees - informational services
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The purpose of organizing a curriculum on the basis of the spin of the informational item
cycle is to promote a common, coordinated curriculum for the general informational services,
that is editorial, bibliographic and archival. Specific services - e.g. medicine and legal would consist of advanced courses and courses in the discipline related to the specific
service. The specific should be the minor with the general service the major.
To accommodate the informal informational programs (although they may not be considered
a requirement) could be evaluated as part of the application for admission to the formal
informational program. For the informal education programs, the curriculum calendar might
be June to June that is offered mainly in summer sessions.
For a formal curriculum, a two-year masters is preferred. Part of the second year should be
a three/four month practicum for each service. A practicum would also involve specific
services.
A master’s research paper is an option but should be encouraged. What is learned in the
insert courses, especially as regards in long-term researches including paper print materials,
of the assimilator/instigator segment could be applied to the research paper.
This could also be the case for the doctoral dissertation, with emphasis on
methodology - benefits and limitations of the methods to be elected. At the time the
masters degree is conferred, students interested in the doctoral program could apply
and be provisionally accepted. During a three year internship (which would be credited
toward the doctorate), the student could be encouraged to take some courses with degree
credits, including specific services.
Whether viewed as a part of or separate from informational services, informational science
(e.g. technological design and development) should be considered, because utilization of
technology is a key aspect of informational services. At least at the
introductory level, the services student should be exposed to design/development and
operation/maintenance of hard/software programs. The Morse Code and Shannon’s 1998
mathematical theory of communicating\32 and all the later theories which have brought into
being the informational industry is relevant to the services student’s education. The science
student should understand the role of the informational services and those
designs/developments which would promote those services.
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The traditional lab for informational services has been the library of the institution to which
the services program is attached. Both groups of students should use the traditional lab.
The technology (and/or computer) lab should also be used by both - (science and
services). Whether separate or not separate, both of these educational programs are linked
with one another.
The curriculum, put forward in this paper is based on the spin of the informational item
cycle, is intended to define the parameters of the discipline and of the policies/practices of
the informational services. Whether information science should be separate from, or part of,
informational services is not determined by this paper. To the extent that the
design/development of hard/software programs is applied to the practices (e.g. data info
entries) of informational services, the science is definitely related to the services. But the
science is also related to computation and communication, so being put with informational
services would seem to make the services parameters less clear. Both science and
services have much in common and certainly their curriculums should be coordinated.
Beyond this, is yet to be determined. Informatics ‘courses’ - e.g. at the Information School,
University of Washington, Seattle, may be a direction to go.
As regards the masters/doctoral degrees, the use of the adjective ‘informational (see
appendix one introduction to the spin of the Informational Item Cycle) plays havoc with the
acronym syndrome. The adjective, if noted by the lower case ‘l’ would mean: M.I’l.S,
master of Informational Science, as opposed to M.L.I.S., master of library and information
science. Master of Bibliographic Service M.B.S. takes some getting used to. When it
comes to editorial and archival, some more thought is required, but M.E.S. or M.A.S. maybe
acceptable, except when added on to M.lS/M.B.S. etc.
Epilog Issues
parameters
the discipline
degree programs
implementation
consensus of the three services
funding
student grants/loans
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Jan 06
practicum
institutional entities
worthwhile quotient:
status - ‘institution bound’
salary
satisfaction
Note: First, this instigator believes, informational services must clearly and firmly establish its
own identity as a discipline. It is not an educational science ( where it has been
traditionally placed ) nor a social science with which it has been identified.
Since the role of the informational services is to provide access for the search/research of
all assimilators. (If there are access constraints, they must be equally and fairly applied to
all the assimilators within that community to be informed.) To give a specific service with its
own specific informational requirements oversight of a general discipline that is to provide
access for the informational requirements to all within that community to be informed is a
conflict of interest. Because of this conflict of interest, informational services - its curriculum,
its policies/practices should neither be a part of education or social science - or a part of
any discipline. A distinct, separate discipline and institutional educational entity is needed in
this instigator’s view.
Also informational services should have a separate (or at least identifiable) policy/standards
entity. With such an entity, there could be established that, for external informational items
produced for public dissemination, the assimilator has a right to an adequate and satisfactory
access to information. For internal, for private dissemination, constraints policies/standards
should be established. In this regard, the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts are a
beginning. The preamble of such an entity’s charter
might cite the following from the introduction to the statement on professional ethics, 1981,
as it appears in Gates.
“Librarians significantly influence or control the selection,
organization, preservation, and dissemination of information.
In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry,
librarians are members of a profession explicitly committed
to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to
information. We have a special obligation to ensure the
Pease
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Jan 06
free flow of information and ideas to present and future
generations.” \33
This ‘virtual reality’ of ‘adequate and satisfactory’ will have to be put aside for the
moment - but only for the moment. This paper will have to conclude with ‘real world’
issues: implementation and the worthwhile quotient.
For implementation of a CCC, the consensus of all three practitioner associations and their
educational associations is needed. It won’t be easy or quick, but it can be done. For one
thing, bibliographic (library and information science) programs do offer archival/records
management courses, adaptations based on the ‘broader view’trend site by Gates (see
footnote #24). External classification (including indexing) are interrelated (e.g. the
cataloging-in-publication program) to editing. Editing data/info entry may be part of some
courses, but are not directly represented. There are numerous data/info entry
entrepreneurial market-place training courses, some sponsored by the information industry.
These programs vary as to quantity and as to quality. Because being a self-employed
contractor/consultant rarely lives up to the worthwhile quotient - satisfaction, salary, status the practitioners taking these training sessions might well be interested in an upgraded
formal educational program. It should be pointed out to employers (especially editorial
industry) that there may be higher labor costs, but these could level out. Further, the
quality, as well as quantity, of the work performance would improve: the workforce would
stabilize: on-site (on-the-job) training will be reduced and there will be a known pool of
highly qualified, educated and trained practitioners.
An initial effort by many programs is needed for the ‘prelim’ assimilator/instigator segment.
This segment should accomplish the following: 1) reaching out and recruiting third and fourth
year under grads (both high school and college) at a time when they are finalizing their
career decisions; 2) but also better preparing them to deal with access and with continued
access to keep informed; and 3) the segment could also be a tool for doctoral students to
gain teaching experience.
Efforts by all three services and their educational associations is required. Such effort is
required because there is now only rudimentary and fragmentary access to the informational
items now (let alone future) being instigated. There is also a need for not only for more,
but better educated practitioners to improve the existing organization
structure of services providing access to information. Practitioners/educators should not
be intimated by ‘volume and complexity’ and ‘sophisticated electronic means’ but it must
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Jan 06
be emphasized that to provide both quantity and quality of access, more educated
practitioners are needed. (See footnote
#33, Gates p. 218 ). These efforts
will require funding. Possibly from governmental grants to practitioner associations
and the existing educational entities who now have curriculums for informational
services.
A successful recruitment effort requires that the recruited practitioners remain in and
satisfied with the profession they have chosen. This means ‘straight’ discussion
about the worthwhile quotient. Positive, but reality based, discussion of status,
salary, and satisfaction. Informational service is no more - but no less - than the
quality of the service provided. If the practitioner only considers status and salary,
then there will likely be disappointment in the practice. The practitioner must
appreciate the challenge (and the satisfaction) of providing access so that ‘a citizen
may continue to be informed.’ (See footnote
#33, Gates p. 218 ).
It is the responsibility of the educational program to impart this to those who want
to select informational services as a career and/or who want to make a
contribution to the ‘special obligation’ to ensure the free flow of information and
ideas to present and future generations’. (See footnote #33, Gates p. 218).
Pease
Page 22/fn.1
Jan, 06
Footnotes
\1
In the Know, a study of the accessibility of information@ (working title) (by) Mina
Pease - a work-in-progress on theory, policy and practices, procedures, processes
of informational services.
length volume.
Several chapters underway, estimated length one full-
Note: the instigator, Mina Pease, claims copyright to this title@,
and the proposed Common Coordinated Curriculum@ and the concept of the
Informational Item Cycle@.
\2
\3
Ibid. see appendix one for text/diagram.
Peterson’s Graduate Programs 2000 in Business, Educational, Health, Information
Studies, Law and Social Work, volume 6 pp 1769-1806, especially p 1795.And
Peterson’s Graduate Programs 2006 in Business, Education, Health, Information
Studies, Law and Social Work, volume 6, pp.2026-2053; see ‘in depth
descriptions’ pp.2039-2053.
\4
Directory of LIS Programs and Faculty in the United States and Canada, 2005.
http://www.alise.org.publications/LIS directory.html [accessed 8/1/05].
\5
ibid, footnote #4
Also see
ALISE-LIS Research Areas Classification Scheme, copyright @ 2003. Association
of Library and Information Science
http://www.alise.org/research_class_guide.html [accessed 1/16/06].
Note: text
appears as appendix 2.
\6
op cit, footnote #3
\7
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, 74 2006 Records
Management Course Descriptions October 2005, September 2005, 20 pp,
http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/training/descriptions
06 html?template-
print [accessed 12/13/05].
\8
The U.S. National
Management
Archives and Records Administration, Federal Records
Certification,
3
pp,
http://www.archives.gov/records-
mgt/training/artification.html?template=print [accessed 12/7/05].
Pease
Page 22/fn.2
Jan, 06
\9
ibid, footnote #8
\10
op cit, footnote #8
\11
op cit, footnote #8
\12
Arma Educational Foundation-History and Archives, 2 p,
http://www.armafoundation.org/history.html [accessed 12/13/05].
\13
ibid, footnote #12
\14
op cit, footnote #12
\15
op cit, footnote #12
\16
Society of American Archivists. Directory of Archival Education. Archival Education
Introduction, 3 pp, http://archivists.org/prof-education/edd-arched.asp. [accessed
12/10/05].
\17
Society of American Archivists. CEPD Task Force on Education Office Guidelines
(draft 8/6/03) 10 pp,
http://www.archivists.org/governance/task
forces/cepd-guidelines.asp. [accessed 12/15/05].
\18
ibid, footnote #17
\19
American Society of Newspaper Editors, about ASNE, 3 pp,
http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?ID=1468.
\20
Bay Area Editors Forum: Editorial Services Guide: Definitions of Editorial Services, 1
p, http://www.editorsforum.org_what_to_do_sub_pages/definitions.php [accessed
1/2/06].
\21
Canberra Society of Editors Newsletter volume 14, Number 10, November 2005,
12
pp, specifically p. 4 of 12, http://www.editorscanberra.org/nov05htm
[accessed 1/2/06].
See also Institute of Professional Editors IPED, [announcement of organization],
4 pp, http://www.iped-editors.org [accessed 1/2/06].
\22
Accreditation of Editors, a discussion paper (by) Professor Pam Peters, Macquarie
University, Director, Postgraduate Program in Editing and Publishing
Pease
Page 23fn.3
Jan 06
from the file
http://www.case-editors.org/files/DP_July_2005pdf [accessed 11/29/05].
\23
Editors’ Association of Canada Certification, developing a professional qualification
for
editors,
12/7/05].
3
pp,
http://www.editors.ca/certification/index.htm
[accessed
\24
Introduction to Librarianship, Third Edition, (by) Jean Key Gates, NY, Neal
Schuman Publishers 1990, vii and 234 pp, Chapter 10, Library Education, pp 91106, p 101
specifically, also see Chapter 19, Librarianship and Information Science,
pp 201-208.
\25
Understanding Media, the Extension of Man (by) Marshall M. Luhan, NY, McGraw
Hill Co., 1964, xiv and 365 pp, Chapter One, Medium is the Message, pp 7-21.
\26
Chicago Manual of Style, 13th Edition, revised and enlarged, Chicago, University of
Chicago Press, 1982, ix and 738 pp.
also compare with
The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, University of Chicago Pres, Chicago
and London, 2003.-xvii + 956 pp: Note see chapter on ‘indexing’, pp 755-801.
\27
In Cold Type, Overcoming the Book Crisis (by) Leonard Slatzkin, Boston,
Houghton,
Mifflin Co., 1982, xvii and 397 pp-pp 299-336.
\28
ibid, footnote #27
\29
New Directions in Library and Information Science Education (by) José Marie
Griffiths and Donald W. King, CT, Greenwood Press, American Society for
Information Science, 1986 xiv and 465 pp. p. 269. Note: figure one, page 7 could
be
seen
as
a
‘informational
production/reproduction
item
cycle’;
figure
two,
page
9
as
a
of an insertion segment; figure 3 as identifying
informational servers/professional practitioners.
\30
ibid, footnote #24, pp 201-208, p 206 specifically.
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Jan, 06
\31
The Librarian’s Thesaurus (by) Mary Ellen Soper, Larry R. Osbourne (and)
Douglas Z. Zweizig, Chicago, American Library Association, 1990, xvi and 164 pp p
70: entry on cataloging: “... automation has greatly impacted the preparation
of bibliographic records.”
\32
Introduction to Information Science compiled and Edited by Lefko Saraevic, NY,
Bowker, 1970, xxiv and 747 pp, Chapter Thirteen. A General Theory of
Communication by William Goffman, pp 273-274.
\33
op cit, footnote #24, p 218 Statement on Professional Ethics, 1981.
Pease
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Jan, 06
Appendix
Introductory Note: Initial Spin of an Informational Item Cycle@
A diagram of the Informational Item Cycle@ that is being presented as an appendix to the
proposed Common Coordinated Curriculum@ is an excerpt from a ‘work-in- progress’ cited
In the prefatory note (first paragraph) of the proposal (this paper). This excerpt is
presented in support of the instigator’s contention that because the Cycle’s diagram
illustrates the (initial) informational transaction (Cycle) of the informational item
(signal/substance) from point of instigation to point of assimilation with the intervening
points of intervention being the policies, practices, procedures, processes of the
informational services (interveners) (editorial, bibliographic and archival). These
interventions are: instigate/assimilate, produce/reproduce, distribute/disseminate, insert.
Given the contention that this diagram of a ‘spin’ of the Cycle shows the ‘4 P’s’ of the
informational services and that the services educational programs should cover these
‘
4 P’s’, therefore the CCC could be so organized and structured.
The diagram is that of an initial transacted ‘construct’ and/or assimilated/instigated,
produced/reproduced, disseminated/distributed, inserted/(transacted) informational item.
The points of assimilation/instigation and the points of intervention also indicate points
of intersections with additional informational item cycles. The diagram also represents
most
of the points of intervention that occur in a transactional initial cycle. If the cycle
is a transfer (produced but not reproduced) or an interaction (oral communication) where the
item is ‘not’ transacted, these interventions still occur, but not to the same extent as in a
transacted cycle and not quite so clearly.
In the above paragraphs, the terminology used is somewhat defined by the context in which
it is used, a fuller explanation/definition will be found in the ‘work-in-progress’ refer to
first paragraph of ‘Prefatory Note’ in this paper. A couple of notable variances from
current usage are indicated here to assist the assimilator in understanding the diagram.
One notable variance involves the label ‘information’. In this instigator’s view the label
(noun) information should by used in its ‘Latin’ sense: to quote from the Oxford
English Dictionary, second edition, 1989: “information” ...”The L. sb” (substantive) . “Had
a very restricted use;” 1/In its ‘general explanations’, the OED 2nd states: “3.The
grammatical designation. i.e. the part of speech, or subdivision of the same, as pers.
pron., vbl.sb.
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Jan 06
See the list of abbreviations. Words having no grammatical designation are normally
substantives, the letters sb. are employed only where required to avoid an ambiguity.”
\2
The OED 2nd defines (first definition) substantive as follows:: “ substantive …”a”(Note the
‘a’ stands for adoption of, adopted from see OED 2nd, volume I, list of, p lxvi) “and ‘sb’
... A adj. 1.a. Of persons, nations, etc: That stands by itself; independent. self
existent, self sufficient. ... “ \3 (Omissions are of examples of the use of substantive as
adjective.)
The ‘second’ definition is as a ‘sb’, substantive: “B. sb 1.a. (for noun
.) The
nal’
part of speech which is used as a person or thing; a noun.” 4/ The ‘sb.’ designation
applied by the OED to the label ‘information (see above, footnote # 1) albeit to the
‘Latin’ sense.
Thus this instigator has decided to use the adjective
rather than using the label (noun) information as an attributive - e.g. information science
science – as
opposed to informational science.
The OED 1st, Supplement volume II issued 1976, includes yhe attributive use (III,
section 8) with quotes of the attributive use, of which the 1962 quote states “1962
Conf on Training Science Information Specialists 1961-62 (Georgia Inst Technology) 115
information Science”…” \5
The attributive use, then, was established in the early
1970’s.
The OED Supplement section #8, does appear in the entry for information inthe OED 2
2nd edition volume vii \6 The opening paragraph in the OED 2nd’s introduction
states:
“This second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary contains the complete text of the
four volume Supplement …” \7 Further the Preface states “This second edition of
amalgamates the texts of the first edition, published in 12 volumes in 1933 the
Supplement published in four volumes between 1972-1986 ….” \8
Since section 8 did not appear in the OED 1st edition, 1933, but was introduced in OED
Supplement, volume 2, 1976 \9 So, the use of information as an attributive is conventional
at least in the United States, if not worldwide.
‘Conventional’ aside, this
instigator has
decided the adjective use provides a better defined concept. Further, OED does
designate ‘information’ as a ‘sb’ noun. This designation should out rank the attributive ,
thus the ‘sb noun’ should not be used as an attributive.
Pease
page 26
Jan 06
The usage of the term ‘access’ is not so much a variant as it is an expansion – e.g.
point of access for an image item for a bibliographic record.
Another variation is the use of
nouns or verbs separated by a diagonal (/ which can be a symbol for ‘and/or) mark.
Again based on research for a chapter the perception of the concept of information, including
a study of the OED entry for information, /10 ,
information is perceived as both
signal and substance. Therefore the interventions in the Cycle are for the purpose of the
provision of access (search/research) to the signal and substance of the item that has been
instigated for that Cycle.
With regard to bibliographic services, the thesaurus by Soper, et al, /11 has been helpful.
What is need is a thesaurus for all three services.
Appendix Footnotes
/1
Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989, 20 volumes, 1989. Volume
vii, p.944.
/2
OED, 2nd edition, 1989. Volume I, general explanations, p. xvii, p.69.
/3
OED second edition, 1989. Volume xvii, p.69.
/4
ibid, p.70
/5
Oxford English Dictionary first edition. 1933. Supplement volume II, 1976,
pp.300 – 301
/6
OED, footnote @2. OED second, volume xvii, p. 945 - III. 8.
/7
op cit, footnote #1. OED second , Introduction, p. xi
/8
op cit, footnote #1, OED second, Preface, p vii
\9
op cit footnote #4 p.300
\10
op cit footnote #5 (1st & Suppl) & footnote #1 (2nd)
\11
The Librarians Thesaurus (by) Mary Ellen Soper, Larry R. Osbourne
Douglas Z. Zweizig.- Chicago, American Library Association, 1990, xvi and
164 pp.