Library Science and Technology in a Changing World

As the world changes, so does information and its use. This chapter explains functions of library science as impacted by technology within the context of change. Library science provides the basis for mediation between the community and the information it needs to carry out its functions, tempered by the impact of technologies. Librarians apply library science principles as they develop and manage the community's information collection. In today's digital environment, the proliferation of information requires that librarians increasingly need to interpret, filter, and evaluate that information. Librarians apply library science-based technical processes to organize and optimize the efficient retrieval of the needed information. In addition, librarians foster information literacy in communities, largely serving as a responsive guide for all of its community members, not only for the purpose of pre-existing library comprising their catalogs and indexes, but the creation of new orders developed and made possible by the computer search capabilities. In these ways, library science is dynamic and facilitates change.

Growing Library Leaders for the Future

Professional development opportunities are important for employees at all levels of an organization. Employees benefit by staying current in their field and advancing their career. Employers benefit by having a better skilled workforce. This chapter focuses on professional development based on the yearlong leadership institute run by the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) Leadership Development Committee. The development of the CAL Leadership Institute (CALLI) will be discussed along with the curriculum, structure, fees, mentoring, networking, accessibility, and benefits of CALLI to participants and the larger library community. The authors conducted two surveys and eight interviews to gather qualitative and quantitative feedback from current and past CALLI participants. A literature review of current trends in professional development and library leadership programs was completed. The future of professional development in this area is also explored.

Teacher Training and Technology

How is technology being used to train teachers to keep up with the rapid pace of change in schools and society today? This chapter discusses the utilization of technology for in-service (practicing) teacher training, a process known as professional development within the field of education. The chapter analyzes both formal and informal methods of technology integrated teacher training, presents examples of each, and discusses positive and negative implications. The chapter concludes with an examination of future trends in technology and their potential for significant impact on teacher professional development.

Reference and Instruction Services as an Integrated Approach

Reference and instruction services in academic libraries were indistinguishable in their early development but were separated administratively as libraries and their programs grew. This organizational separation is not conducive to the coordination of these services, but steps can be taken which will benefit the functioning of each area.

Preschool Teacher Identity

The teaching process cannot be simplified to definitions of the best teachers as those possessing certain desirable teaching behaviours and skills (Katz, 2002). Although there are numerous factors that significantly influence learning and teaching, one might agree that specific teaching roles dominantly determine the quality of preschool teaching processes and learning outcomes. Furthermore, two equally important dimensions that characterize teaching roles, as linked with concepts of identity, are professional and personal dimensions. Therefore, one might be wondering: Who are contemporary preschool teachers? How do they define their self and identity? What determines identity that preschool teachers describe as theirs? Consequently, how do these identities influence the quality of process of early and preschool care and education? Answering these questions is no easy task since the concept of identity is defined in various ways in the more general literature (Beijaard, Meijer, & Verloop, 2004). This chapter is focused on an analysis of preschool teacher identity from three specific aspects. First, since all identity models emphasize the cultural context within which preschool teachers' identity develops and its crucial role, contemporary changes in preschool teacher roles and a new study program called Early and Preschool Teacher Education and Care are analysed in the Croatian context. Secondly, in order to follow contemporary literature, theoretical models of identity are presented. Afterwards, based on such models, the personality traits and temperament of research participants are analysed within the context of preschool teacher identity. Finally, the chapter's third section analyses preschool teachers' values, motives, and narratives.

The University Partnerships for Critical Reflection by Teacher Trainers

This chapter explores educational training-based partnerships between universities in relation to in-service teacher education practices to enhance the quality of the professional development activities currently in practice. With this in mind, the nature and content of the collaboration between different universities located in Turkey are depicted through the analysis of triangulated data sets from written reports, focus group discussions, and the Likert scale questionnaire in order to elaborate on the impact of exchange of information and visitations on the trainers' professional development. The chapter accomplishes the self-reported impact of university-university collaboration on the participating trainers as well as one-day T-PLUS (Trainers' Professional Learning and Unlimited Sharing) meeting during which the trainers exchange ideas about teacher training and professional development tools and procedures in focus group discussions. The results indicate positive stance towards such a collaboration model that emerged as a result of the written reports and the Likert scale questionnaire.

Global Literacy Skills and Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Professional Development for Teachers and Educators

Development trends in educational institutions in the 21st century reflect increased initiatives on internationalization and globalization. As the world becomes more interdependent and interconnected, globalization is also becoming a reality. This chapter addresses the theoretical and practical strategies that empower educators to meet the growth in institutional and professional development. The focus is to raise awareness of the need to re-conceptualize American educational institutions and professional development for K-20 educators so as to meet the demands of the 21st century international and global society. The proposed framework provides an effective approach and strategies for preparing teachers, faculty, and institutional leaders on developing a conceptual framework model that promotes international and global literacy and collaboration on professional development for K-20 teachers and educators.

Preparing Tomorrow's Library Managers

This chapter reports on a study of leadership development and succession planning at The University of the West Indies Libraries. The research shows that in the absence of formal succession planning, leadership training takes place in tandem with the staff appraisal and career development process. The annual appraisal and assessment system provides the opportunity for staff who aspire to leadership positions to be guided in their career development and thus be better prepared when vacancies arise. The benefits provided to academic, senior administrative and professional staff—for example, funding for travel and professional activities, special leave for scholarly pursuits and other career development opportunities—are utilised by librarians to advance their careers. The chapter highlights the importance of strict adherence by library administration to the annual appraisal and assessment processes and staff use of organisational support for career development as integral components in leadership development and succession planning and implementation.

Using Technology to Address Workforce Readiness Skills

All too often, students either drop out of school or graduate with poor workplace readiness skills. The lack of preparedness is costly both on a short- and long-term basis to students, families, employers, and societies in general. In the workplace, employers are forced to be at the vanguard of addressing critical basic skill deficiencies related to reading, writing, mathematics, and using computers, among others, to remain competitive. Addressing these worker skills gaps through training and development activities can be cost prohibitive to organizations, especially in tough economic times. Understandably, business leaders are becoming more critical of an education system that produces individuals with such gaps. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the use of technology as a productive means of meeting the developmental or remedial educational needs of various underprepared workers entering the job market.

Workplace Learning

This chapter attempts to address a paradigm shift from training to workplace learning in the 21st century as a means of improving the workforce. For any country or organizations to remain highly competitive, it is workplace learning, not organized training, in which adult employees should seek to engage. This chapter addresses how workplace learning has evolved as the most critical stage in boosting employees' skill sets among all other training mechanisms. Various theorists' views and principles have been discussed. It is hoped that the chapter can serve as the basis for teaching, learning, and research regarding this important area called workplace learning. A central theme has emerged from this chapter; that is, the success of a country or organization should be sufficiently gauged by workplace learning. A country's gross domestic product (GDP) can be misleading given multiple factors such as an emerging aging population.