information technology rural librarian master’s scholarship program dr. bharat mehra, dr. kimberly...
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Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program
Dr. Bharat Mehra, Dr. Kimberly Black, Dr. Vandana SinghSchool of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee
Lake City Public Library, TN
Johnson City Public Library, TN
Sevier County Public Library, Sevierville, TN
Hancock County Public Library, Sneedville, TN
About the ITRL Program
“Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program” (ITRL) in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee meets an urgent need for rural librarians in the Southern and Central Appalachian region to develop information technology competencies and training in a master’s program (accredited by the American Library Association) that combines work experience and practice with graduate instruction and curriculum support.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Hamlin-Lincoln County Public Library, Hamlin, WV
Why the ITRL Program is Important
The Southern and Central Appalachian Region is experiencing: Information poverty and unemployment Economic challenges Low levels of information literacy and educational attainment A lack of access and use of IT Other unique environmental challenges
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Library professionals who are embedded in their communities are in a strong position to help address and develop solutions to these needs.
Laurel Jones Public Library, Laurel, MS
Pilot Study Report
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Location of Respondents
Pilot Study Report
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Most Important Library Services Provided to Rural Clients
Pilot Study Report
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Most Important Library Training and Educational Programs Needed by Information Professionals in East Tennessee
The ITRL Goal
The goal of ITRL is to recruit sixteen paraprofessionals working in rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region to complete their master’s degree with a focus on IT and rural librarianship in the UT’s SIS program via distance.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
ITRL students will receive: Part-time degree in a program accredited by the ALA A structured, individually-tailored IT and rural management curriculum Rural library practices and needs incorporated into the curriculum IT competencies in developing rural library work applications Formal/informal professional mentoring by educators and practitioners Full-tuition scholarship for two years Allowance for materials Provision of a laptop computer
Project Partners
Project partners have agreed to serve in the ITRL grant based on their leadership, role, knowledge, networks, experience, and interests in promoting IT-based development and change in the region’s communitiesNancy Renfro, Director of the Watauga Regional LibraryDonald B. Reynolds, Director of the Nolichucky Regional Library SystemSusan Simmons, Director of the Clinch-Powell Regional LibraryKC Williams, System Director of the Sevier County Public Library
Though all current project partners are located in the East Tennessee region, representatives from other regional and county library systems in the Southern and Central Appalachian region are being contacted to elicit their participation in the various grant activities.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Five Phases of the ITRL Program
1. Recruitment of ITRL students from rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region
2. Needs assessment of library services and information challenges faced by rural regional libraries
3. Implementation of educational and training activities
4. Mentoring
5. Evaluation/assessment of program outcomes,
and dissemination of program results/experiences
Norris Community Library, TNITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
1. Recruitment
ITRL’s goal is to emphasize local and regional recruitment
of students holding paraprofessional jobs in rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region .
Partners are recruiting potential candidates from their staff and community populations. Other local, regional, and national public library professionals are being contacted to elicit their proactive participation in recruitment efforts.
Recruitment success will be evaluated, refined, and may continue in the future, promoting rural librarianship as a track in the profession and increasing the flow of rural library paraprofessionals into accredited LIS programs.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Application and Admissions Eligibility and Requirements Currently working in a rural Southern and Central Appalachian library Completed bachelor’s degree A 3.25 cumulative GPA in undergraduate coursework and GRE scores (above the fifty
percentile) or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in 12 or more hours of graduate coursework Complete the UT SIS Admission Application and the ITRL Scholarship Program Application.
[URL: http://www.sis.utk.edu/files/ITRLScholarshipProgramApplication.pdf].
How to Apply: 1. Complete applications for admission to both UT Graduate School and SIS
2. Take the GRE and have scores sent to UT3. Send transcripts from all colleges and universities attended4. Complete the Personal Data Form5. Write a one-page statement of intent (essay)6. Have three academic and/or professional recommendations 7. Complete application for the ITRL scholarship program
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
2. Needs Assessment
An ITRL Needs Assessment Symposium [online and face-to-face meetings] will be conducted in March/April 2010 and fifty library and information professionals from across the Southern and Central Appalachian region will provide feedback about library services and information challenges faced by rural libraries in the region. Break-out sessions and focus groups will be orchestrated to address local information needs, use of information resources and services, challenges and barriers, areas of improvement, and use of computers and information technologies.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Doddridge County Public Library, West Union, WV
3. Education/Training Implementation
Students will have the opportunity to develop their own customized projects within an individually-tailored curriculum, where they pursue study of IT applications, rural library research and management, and explore development of topics in rural library settings.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Upshur County Public Library, Buckhannon, WV
Service evaluation and assessment in rural libraries
Planning and management of a rural library program for children (or young adults) and adults
Reader’s advisory and fiction/non-fiction genre
Grant writing and development
3a. Rural Management Outcomes
IS 574~Mehra
Jacksboro Public Library, TN
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
3b. IT Training
Technology infrastructure planning, assessment, and automation analysis of library systems
Web design/development/usability Database design/implementation Building digital library/web portals Establishing hardware/software
configurations for networking systems
Creating Library 2.0 tools
IS 574~Mehra
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
4. Mentoring
An educator-practitioner team will provide each ITRL student mentoring and guidance in their formal coursework to integrate IT while developing comprehensive solutions for rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Gloucester County Public Library, VA (1914)
5. Evaluation
Throughout the duration of the ITRL project we will continuously analyze the effectiveness of students’ experiences in developing IT applications in their courses for their rural work environments.
This will include collecting data on career choice, academic success, professional association participation, and the graduates’ evaluation of the program throughout their period of study.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
How to Participate
Assist in recruitment of ITRL students as a member of the ITRL Recruitment Board
Participate as a member of the ITRL Practitioner Mentoring Board
Participation in the ITRL Needs Assessment Symposium
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Jonesville Public Library, NC
The ITRL Website
http://www.sis.utk.edu/rural-librarianship ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Thank you for your attention and participation.
ITRL, ETLA PresentationNovember 12, 2009
Questions and Comments???
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