ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8063-3489
Current Organisation
Library of Parliament
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Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
Date: 26-04-2018
Publisher: Begell House
Date: 2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-12-2019
Abstract: Professional identities provide a lens through which to understand ourselves and our professional community. In idual practitioners may find that shifts in their own professional identities lead them to redefine their profession and those moving into new types of roles or engaging in new tasks may strive to alter the direction of the profession at large. This paper’s first objective is to provide insights into how professional identity development occurs and how the emergence of a new or unusual take on the library and information science profession based on professional experiences working in non-traditional roles can be seen as both an opportunity and a threat to the library and information science profession, using the experience of library and information science graduates working in non-library roles as a lens. The second objective is to translate the experiences of library and information science graduates working in non-traditional roles into recommendations for promoting ersity in the definition of the profession.
Publisher: University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)
Date: 09-2022
Abstract: This study compares library and information studies (LIS) departmental websites from 1999, 2009, and 2019 to explore the evolution of program promotion practices. Websites were analyzed using the 7Ps Marketing Mix model to explore how programs were marketed across this timeframe. Similar promotional messages were used across the years, but a key difference over time was that the 1999 sites promoted the program whereas the 2019 sites promoted people (faculty and students). Three key findings concerning changes in how LIS program websites evolved between 1999 and 2019 to serve program public relations goals were that (1) websites and social media have become key mechanisms for relationship building and promotion (2) websites have evolved from sharing program details to showcasing faculty and student success stories as the core element of program promotion and (3) the development of social media and dynamic websites have made these websites more interactive and content rich. An understanding of changes in LIS program websites over time can assist LIS program administrators in developing current and future program promotions activities.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2015
Abstract: This article explores the professional experiences of library and information science (LIS) graduates who pursue non-library roles. The changes impacting the LIS profession make this an important topic as Masters of Library and Information Science programs are increasingly marketing their programs as preparing students for a wide range of professional opportunities. In particular, this article explores some of the types of non-library roles pursued by LIS graduates, the transferable competencies that allow LIS graduates to transition into these work roles, how these professionals develop the skills and competencies that they need to transfer into new employment opportunities, and the desired career paths and career planning activities of LIS graduates working in non-library roles. These data were collected in a grounded theory study involving 20 LIS graduates working in a range of non-library roles. This research may help LIS educators to better prepare their students for erse career opportunities and LIS program administrators to promote their programs to a wider range of potential students.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2020
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 09-01-2017
Abstract: Librarians are increasingly involved in projects and teams that require them to exhibit a broad range of knowledge and competencies which extend beyond traditional librarianship to include aspects of records management, information management, and knowledge management. In effect, librarians need to be information specialists, but the task of broadening one’s knowledge and competencies may be daunting, and it is helpful to explore the competencies of these various information disciplines as a guideline for competency development. The purpose of this paper is to provide some insights into the shared competencies and knowledge of these disciplines. This paper describes an analysis of the competency profiles of librarians, records managers, information managers, archivists, and knowledge managers and provides a competency profile for information specialists that incorporates the knowledge and competencies from all of these areas. The sources used for this analysis were existing competency profiles developed by professional associations and employers of information workers such as government agencies. The analysis resulted in the development of a competencies list which includes five competencies groups. These competency groups are: collaboration, client service, and communication organizational understanding and strategic alignment programme and service delivery and management records, information, and knowledge management technical competencies and personal qualities. This analysis may be useful for librarians or library students who are determining which professional development opportunities to undertake as well as for managers who are seeking to define job profiles for their library staff in today’s complex information environment. This paper bridges the disciplines of librarianship, information management, records management, archives, and knowledge management by comparing their relative competency profiles in order to create a set of competencies that are common to all disciplines.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 21-09-2020
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 24-05-2019
Abstract: This grounded theory project asked: “How do Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates in non-library roles experience professional identity?” This is an important question for current LIS practitioners and students because job opportunities are increasingly available in non-library work settings. There is limited research available on the professional identity experiences of LIS graduates in general and even less available on the professional experiences of LIS graduates in non-library roles. The study produced the theory of Personalizing Professionalism which found that in iduals possess two identities which interact with each other throughout one’s career. The first is an internal appraisal of self which represents an in idual’s assessment of who they “really” are as a professional. The second is an externally expressed identity, which represents who that in idual presents him or herself to be. Interactions with others impact in iduals’ internal appraisal of self and externally expressed identity and represent an area of potential conflict. This study contributes to the research literature on professional identity and identity formation and expression. For the LIS community, understanding how these professionals experience professional identity can help practitioners, educators, and professional associations to take advantage of a wide range of employment options.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 14-11-2016
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the competencies, skills and knowledge obtained through a master’s degree in library and information science (LIS) and to identify those competencies that are most valued by graduates who obtained employment in non-library roles. These observations will contribute to an understanding of the transferability of LIS education which will assist LIS professionals and educators to frame LIS competencies in a way that appeals to employers outside of library settings who may not have any knowledge of LIS education or practice. The grounded theory methodology was used with data collection taking the form of semi-structured interviews. Interviews were between 30 and 90 min in length and included career narratives, as well as responses to particular questions about different aspects of professional identity. Participants included graduates of master’s level LIS programs employed in a variety of positions including information managers, policy analysts, human resources specialists, marketers, vendors, taxonomists, search engine designers and information consultants. The participants were employed in sectors including government, information technology, aerospace, oil and gas and retail/online sales in both Canada and the USA. The participants in this study found that their LIS education was valuable to their success in a number of non-library roles. Although the specific career paths of participants were each unique and the different roles they occupied required different combinations of skills, a list of key transferable LIS competencies could be identified. These included a focus on client service, the ability to identify need, and the ability to search for information and navigate databases. In addition, several participants observed that their coursework and opportunities to participate in internships, co-operative positions or work placements prepared them for such workplace conditions as deadlines and fast-paced environments. This study involved a population of LIS graduates whose experiences have not been extensively examined in the past. This article helps to fill a gap in the understanding of the professional experiences of LIS graduates who pursue roles outside of libraries. In addition, the semi-structured interview technique allowed for deeper understanding of participants’ perceptions of which of their competencies, skills and knowledge were valuable to employees. This information was gained through answers to specific skills-focused questions intended to identify which competencies developed during their LIS education assisted them most in their careers, as well as larger career narratives. This study will have implications for library practitioners and educators. It will provide insights into valued skills for those who are designing or implementing LIS education programs, as well as LIS graduates who are seeking to market their skills to employers across industry sectors.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 07-07-2020
Abstract: The library orientation session is an important marketing tool because it offers the first opportunity for library staff to connect with new clients (Craft and Ballard-Thrower, 2011 Rhoades and Hartsell, 2008). This paper aims to explore library orientation practices in special libraries and information centers with the goal of surveying current practices and identifying guidance for successful orientation program design and delivery. This study explored library orientation practices in special libraries and information services through an electronic survey. The survey questions were developed based on themes that emerged from case studies on library orientations from the academic library literature. These themes included reasons for library orientation program redesigns, the importance of partnerships in orientation design and delivery and the tools and techniques used in the delivery of orientation sessions. The results revealed that library orientations are taking place in special libraries, but there is no consistent approach to library orientation delivery. Even within a single library, multiple approaches to library orientations are taken based on client availability, demand and information needs observations of library staff. Participants’ responses were analyzed to develop recommendations for special library orientations. These include developing partnerships (particularly with human resource departments), using technology strategically, considering the timing of orientations for new potential clients in relation to their start as new employees in the host organization, customizing library orientations based on client segment, engaging in ongoing outreach, and being flexible in design and delivery methods. This study represents a starting step in an exploration of library orientation practices in special libraries. The key limitation of this study was the low response rate leading to small s le size. A larger s le of special libraries would be needed to produce a quantitative analysis of the prevalence of practices with an acceptable degree of statistical significance. Alternately, smaller s les of special libraries organized by characteristics such as size or type (e.g. corporate libraries, law libraries and medical libraries) could be conducted to determine if distinctive trends exist within these special library types. This study revealed information about key practices and challenges that can be used by special library practitioners seeking to implement or redesign a library orientation program in their library. While academic and practitioner literature exists detailing library orientation activities in academic and school libraries, there are very few papers on special library orientations. This study fills a gap in the literature by investigating library orientation practices in special libraries and information centers.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 24-02-2021
Location: No location found
No related grants have been discovered for Melissa Fraser-Arnott.