For many years, library education was criticized as being too vocational, e.g. how to perform particular tasks well. In recent years, some students have complained that library education is not vocational enough. What do you think?
In an ideal world, professional education, at least where professionals are employed by an institution, would be a partnership between the educational institution and the employer. What sorts of education should be done by the academy and what should be done by the employer? What responsibility does the professional have for her own education?
Most academic librarians will never return to the academy for more professional education. This means that library education attempts to do two things: (one) prepare for the first day on the job as a professional, and (two) prepare for several years later when the professional is likely to be involved in management concerns. Is this reasonable?
Budd discusses the importance of principles. Can you name and discuss some principles of library service that ought to be included in the education of academic librarians?
If you were developing a curriculum for academic librarianship, which courses would you include (do not limit yourself to known courses)?
Do librarians demean their profession when they require an additional subject master's degree as a requirement for an academic library reference position?
How difficult is it, or might it be, for the academic librarian to see beyond immediate tasks and responsibilities and identify with the mission of the library and the university or college that it serves?
Budd discusses cross-training, using the example fo reference and cataloging. While somewhat popular for clerical and para-professionals in academic libraries, cross-training is relatively uncommon for professionals. Your thoughts?
Budd also mentions outsourcing. Recall that an agency only outsources functions and activities that are outside the core. What are the core functions/activities of a typical academic library?
Budd discusses problems associated with seeing students and faculty as customers. We have discussed this at some length earlier.
Budd uses the example of a situation where faculty do not pay a fee for ILL, but students do. Can you provide a rationale for such a policy?
How likely is it that a typical academic librarian will be involved in management decisions? What Kind? When?
How does the head of an academic library, regardless of tile, provide direction to the staff?
How easy is it for the director of an academic library to terminate the employment of a staff member who is not performing at a satisfactory level? Some have argued that librarians, more so than some other professionals, are reluctant to make difficult decisions involving people. Can you think of reasons why this might be the case?
We discussed this extensively in an earlier case study.
What, if anything, might be done to diminish the negative stereotypes some in academic associate with library work?
How likely is it that the environment of different college and university libraries will differ in notable ways? Why?
