Library education
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Previous | Next| Table of Contents Education for librarianship became a more frequent topic of discussion during 2005, and ALA President Michael Gorman’s selection of library education as his theme for the year added fuel to the decades-old controversy over whether graduate schools should be educating for library science or information science, and whether library education adequately prepares students for the challenges of working in libraries. Meanwhile, some educators worried about LIS education’s lack of emphasis on library users, and others believe the real crisis is the dearth of doctoral candidates to teach in those programs. Charles A. Seavey of the University of Missouri, Columbia, writing in American Libraries in October 2005, expressed concern about "the graying of the profession"—not only librarians, but those who teach people to become librarians. Through it all, LIS programs continue to grow nationwide, with 56 ALA-accredited programs currently in operation. Many LIS deans reported record enrollment in the master’s-level programs in 2004, largely because of distance education, but it is not entirely clear whether the graduates are finding employment in libraries. A two-year research study of the future of librarians in the workforce was begun in fall 2004; it is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and is being conducted under the direction of José-Marie Griffiths, dean of the School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A gloomy note was struck with the closure of Clark-Atlanta University’s School of Library and Information Studies in May, which drew national attention and protests from the ALA and other groups. Founded in 1941, Clark-Atlanta’s SLIS was one of only two at historically black colleges and universities (the other is North Carolina Central University, Durham). The Clark-Atlanta board said the SLIS was shut down for budget reasons. Coincidentally, the next month the Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the awarding of 38 grants totaling nearly $21.1 million as part of its Librarians for the 21st Century program. The grants fund recruitment programs by libraries, universities and library organizations around the country. More than 1,400 preprofessional, master’s, doctoral and continuing-education students will benefit from the grants.
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