Country report: LIS education and Quality
Sulistyo-Basuki
anna Maria Tammaro University of Parma, Parma, Italy
Author (Mohd Sharif Mohd Saad) was deceased at the time of publication.
Background of the Quality Assurance of the LIS Field
M Miwa and S Miyahara (eds.), Quality Assurance in LIS Education:
An International and Comparative Study, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-6495-2_1, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
This article begins by examining the historical context and present state of library and information professional education and certification systems worldwide, with a specific focus on Japan It further investigates potential collaborative opportunities for curriculum development and quality assurance in professional education across the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting the GlobaLIS (Global Library and Information Science) project as a key example.
1.1.1 Global Trends in Accreditation and Quality Assurance in LIS Professional Education
The equivalency of qualifications in the Library and Information Science (LIS) profession is a significant topic in Asia and Europe The American Library Association (ALA) initiated an accreditation system for LIS professional degree programs in the 1950s, which now extends to programs in the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico In the UK, the merger of the Library Association and the Institute of Information Sciences led to the formation of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) in 2002, which accredits LIS programs across England, Scotland, Wales, and several European nations Additionally, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is responsible for accrediting LIS programs in Australia.
In the 1990s, collaboration between North America, England, and Australia was established to attain mutual accreditation on a global level
GlobaLIS: Toward the Regional Cooperation in the Education of Library and Information Professionals in the Asia-Pacifi c Region
The Open University of Japan , Chiba-shi , Japan e-mail: miwamaki@ouj.ac.jp
The European Association for Library and Information Education and Research (EUCLID) is working on a Europe-wide LIS education program aligned with the Bologna Process, which seeks to standardize academic degree and quality assurance across Europe Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, the Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL) has proposed a quality assurance and accreditation system modeled after North America, though its implementation is still being debated at regional conferences like the Asia-Pacific Conference on Library & Information Education & Practice (A-LIEP).
The Education and Training Section (SET) of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is focused on developing procedures for recognizing the equivalency of degrees and job qualifications in Library and Information Science (LIS) globally In a 2009 round-table discussion in Milan, representatives from various organizations, including the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) and EUCLID, shared insights on international guidelines for LIS qualifications This collaboration led to a consensus on creating an international resource center for LIS education information and implementing outcome-based assessments for professional qualifications Participants emphasized the need for assessment criteria and accreditation processes that consider the cultural and historical contexts of different countries and regions.
1.1.2 Restructuring and Quality Assurance of LIS Professional
In Japan, the professional qualifi cation system for librarians has been bifurcated into shisho (public librarian) and shisho-kyouyu (teacher-librarian) The Japanese
The Library Act outlines the qualifications and responsibilities of shisho (librarians) and shishoho (assistant librarians), requiring individuals to have graduated from a polytechnic, college, or university and to have completed a training program approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) Additionally, the School Library Act specifies the qualifications and roles of shisho-kyouyu (school librarians).
Every school from grades 1 to 12 must maintain a library and employ a qualified shisho-kyouyu, who has completed a 10-credit training program as mandated by MEXT Unfortunately, there is currently no established qualification system for information professionals working in academic and special libraries.
We are restructuring the qualification system to develop a cohesive training framework and quality assurance process for all library types, with an emphasis on the Library and Information Professionals and Education Renewal (LIPER) project.
The LIPER project, initiated in April 2003 with a three-year funding from a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, aims to analyze the history, current status, and future prospects of Library and Information Science (LIS) education in Japan and abroad This assessment seeks to evaluate the need for potential reforms in the Japanese LIS professional education system The project has now progressed to its third stage, known as LIPER3, which continues to build on the findings of its earlier generations.
The LIPER1 study, conducted from April 2003 to March 2006, was the first cross-sectional analysis of education and training for information professionals across various library types, including public, school, academic, and special libraries Four specialized teams focused on different aspects: the education team assessed the current state of Library and Information Science (LIS) education programs, while the public, academic, and school library teams identified essential skills and knowledge for librarians in their respective fields Additional research was also conducted in medical and law libraries, as well as art documentation and international LIS programs Key findings revealed that the structure of Japanese LIS education had remained stagnant for 50 years, with an increasing gap compared to international standards Furthermore, the curricula lacked standardization and integration into higher education, resulting in limited employment opportunities for those holding a shisho certificate in the public library sector.
The demand for IT skills and an understanding of user behavior has led many individuals to pursue LIS education for certification as librarians in public libraries, despite limited full-time employment opportunities (Ueda et al., 2005) The LIPER1 project recommended two key reforms for LIS education: first, the establishment of an LIS examination to help students self-evaluate their learning and enhance their job prospects; second, the introduction of a new standard curriculum that focuses on essential areas such as information organization, resources and services, systems and retrieval, management, IT, and user behavior comprehension.
In February 2009, the University of Tsukuba hosted the A-LIEP 2009 symposium, focusing on "Future Perspectives in Globalization of Library and Information Professionals." This event provided a platform to share the findings of LIPER1 and LIPER2 with an international audience.
1 GlobaLIS: Toward the Regional Cooperation in the Education of Library…
The LIPER3 project, active from April 2009 to March 2014, conducted annual pilot LIS examinations and expanded the question pool with new items A comprehensive three-volume textbook on library and information science was published, emphasizing the LIS examination framework The impact of these examinations on the quality assurance of LIS professional training was assessed by a specialized team from JSLIS, leading to discussions among the board of directors regarding the full implementation of the LIS examination.
The new standard curriculum for public library professionals has evolved significantly since the enactment of the Basic Act of Education in 1947 Key revisions to relevant laws, including the Library Act in 2006 and again in 2008, introduced major changes to the Library and Information Science (LIS) professional qualification system Notably, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) mandated a curriculum for shisho qualifications to be taught at colleges and universities, along with a requirement for continuing education for those who obtain shisho or shishoho qualifications.
Table 1.1 Curriculum for information professionals proposed by the LIPER1 project
Basics of Library and Information
Foundations of Library and Information Science Foundations of Information
Internship Research methods Information Users Information behavior
Training of users Information Resource Organization Organization of Information and Resources A
Organization of Information and Resources B Practicum of Information Organization Practicum of Special Information Organization A Practicum of Special Information Organization B Information Media Information Media
Collection Development Special Information Media Information Services Information Services
Practicum of Information Services Information Systems Foundations of Library Information Systems
Information Retrieval Practicum of Database Design and Development Practicum of Information Retrieval
Knowledge Resources Management Practicum of Library and Information Services Planning Digital Information Management of Digital Libraries
Foundations of Digital Content Application of Digital Content
The comparison between the old and new curriculum for public library professionals highlights significant changes in course structure The old curriculum included a required course on Lifelong Learning and an introduction to libraries, while the new curriculum maintains a focus on Lifelong Learning but expands the introduction to libraries into two units Additionally, the new curriculum introduces courses on Library Management, Library & Information Technology, and Library Services, emphasizing practical skills through courses like Information Services and Reference Services Overall, the new curriculum reflects a more comprehensive approach to library education.
Courses on Library Services Lecture on Basic Library Services Lecture on Information Services Lecture on Children’ s Services
This article covers various aspects of library services, including lectures on library materials, specialized materials, and the organization of library resources It also emphasizes the practice of information services and the organization of library materials, alongside a focus on children's services.
Courses on Library & Information resources Lecture on Library & Information Resources Lecture on Information Resource Or ganization Practice of Information Resource Or ganization