ERIC ED457864: Proceedings of the 2000 Sino-United States Symposium and Workshop on Library and Information Science Education in the Digital Age (Wuhan, China, November 5-10, 2000).

88 Pages·2000·1.6 MB·English

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IR 058 332
ED 457 864
Perushek, D. E., Ed.
AUTHOR
Proceedings of the 2000 Sino-United States Symposium and
TITLE
Workshop on Library and Information Science Education in the
Digital Age (Wuhan, China, November 5-10, 2000).
Council on Library and Information Resources, Washington,
INSTITUTION
DC.
ISBN-1-887334-86-6
ISBN
2000-00-00
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Educational Development; Foreign Countries; Higher
DESCRIPTORS
Education; *Information Science; Information Technology;
*Library Education; *Library Schools; *Library Science;
Technological Advancement
Digital Technology; Information Age
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
The first International Symposium on Library and Information
Science Education in the Digital Age, held in November 2000 at Wuhan
University (Wuhan, China), drew more than 90 library and information science
professionals from China, Macao, and the United States. Participants gathered
to discuss a question of common concern: How are our respective library
school preparing students for careers in library and information science and
management? This report contains papers presented at the symposium's plenary
sessions. These papers, written by leading Chinese and American educators,
provide a snapshot of the educators' concerns at a time when the digital
environment is bringing about rapid, fundamental change in libraries. The
papers included in this report are: "Embedding an LIS School within the
University and Society" (Leigh Estabrook); "Information Science Facing the
21st Century" (Liang Zhanping); "The Role of the Dean in Implementing Change"
(Brooke E. Sheldon); "Again on the Development of Our Discipline: Suggesting
'Information Resources Management' Be Our First-Level Discipline" (summary)
(Meng Guangjun); "The Reformation and Innovation of Library Science Education
in the Digital Age" (Peng Feizhang); "Library and Information Science
Education in China Today" (Wu Weici); "The Transformation of Academic
Libraries in the Twenty-first Century: Challenges and Opportunities for
Library and Information Science Education" (Rush G. Miller); "On the
Objective and Implementation of Library and Information Science Education in
the Digital Age" (Ma Feicheng); "New Developments in Graduate Education in
Library and Information Science in the United States: Formats and
Technologies for Offering Distance Education Courseware" (Blanche Woolls);
"Some Reflections on Library Education in China" (Peter Zhou); "A Comparative
Analysis of LIS Graduate Education in China and the United States" (Chen
Chuanfu); and "The Enhancement and Expansion of Information Science Graduate
Degree Courses in the Digital Age" (Hu Changping). Appendixes include
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
institutions represented at the conference; symposium agenda; and an Action
Plan Proposal for Library and Information Science Education in China in the
Twenty-first Century.
(AEF)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Proceedings of the 2000 Sino-
United States Symposium and
Workshop on Library and
Information Science
Education in the
Digital Age
November 5-10, 2000
Wuhan, China
D. E. Perushek
Editor
Council on Library and Information Resources
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Washington, D.C.
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
LCENTER (ERIC)
e11
This document has been reproduced as
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
tr)
received from the person or organization
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
originating it.
BEEN GRANTED BY
0 Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality.
B.H. Leneyr
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
Proceedings of the 2000 Sino-United States
Symposium and Workshop on Library and
Information Science Education in the Digital Age
November 5-10, 2000
Wuhan, China
D. E. Perushek
Editor
Council on Library and Information Resources
Washington, D.C.
About the Editor
D. E. Perushek, assistant university librarian for collection management at Northwestern University in
Evanston, Illinois, studied library science at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.
She began her library career as head of the Wason Collection at Cornell University. Subsequently, she
was curator of the Gest Oriental Library and East Asian Collection at Princeton University, then
associate dean for collection services at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has worked with
Fudan University in Shanghai, China, on a project to microfilm books from the Sino-Japanese War
period with support from the Henry Luce Foundation and the National Endowment for the
Humanities. Her current research interests lie in materials budget allocation and collection assessment.
ISBN 1-887334-86-6
Published by:
Council on Library and Information Resources
1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Web site at http://www.clir.org
Copyright 2001 by the Council on Library and Information Resources
II
Contents
Foreword
iv
Introduction
1
Keynote Papers
Embedding an LIS School within the University and Society, by Leigh Estabrook
4
Information Science Facing the 21st Century, by Liang Zhanping
9
The Role of the Dean in Implementing Change, by Brooke E. Sheldon
14
Again on the Development of Our Discipline: Suggesting "Information Resources
Management" Be Our First-level Discipline, by Meng Guangjun
17
The Reformation and Innovation of Library Science Education in the Digital Age,
by Peng Feizhang
19
Library and Information Science Education in China Today,
by Wu Weici
25
The Transformation of Academic Libraries in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges and
Opportunities for Library and Information Science Education, by Rush G. Miller
29
On the Objective and Implementation of Library and Information Science Education
in the Digital Age, by Ma Feicheng
36
New Developments in Graduate Education in Library and Information Science in the
United States: Formats and Technologies for Offering Distance Education Course Ware,
by Blanche Woo Ils
42
Some Reflections on Library Education in China, by Peter Zhou
49
A Comparative Analysis of LIS Graduate Education in China and the United States,
by Chen Chuanfu
53
The Enhancement and Expansion of Information Science Graduate Degree Courses in
the Digital Age, by Hu Changping
66
Appendix A: Institutions Represented at the Conference
70
Appendix B: Symposium Agenda
71
Appendix C: Action Plan Proposal for Library and Information Science Education in China in
the Twenty-first Century
75
III
Foreword
The question of how best to train professionals for library and information
professions is being debated in many countries. What should these
professionals be prepared to do? The very question raises a host of other
questions about the future of the information infrastructure and how and
where knowledge will be created, kept, and made available.
This collection of papers, written by leading Chinese and American
educators, provides a snapshot of the educators' concerns at a time when the
digital environment is bringing about rapid, fundamental change in libraries.
As Diane Perushek notes in her introduction, there is a high degree of
commonality in the concerns expressed by participants from both countries,
despite the quite different paths that the library profession has followed in
each.
It is our hope that by helping to distribute the proceedings from this
symposium, professionals in each country will become more aware of our
common challenges and visions, and that the ideas expressed in these papers
might stimulate new thinking and cooperation. The Council on Library and
Information Resources is grateful to the United Board on Christian Higher
Education in Asia for supporting the publication of these proceedings, to
Diane Perushek for serving as rapporteur and editor of this volume, to Peter
Zhou, for serving as our liaison to the symposium planners, and to the
institutions and individuals in China and the United States who organized,
funded, and participated in the symposium.
This volume contains papers presented at the symposium's plenary
sessions. Additional papers were written for, but not delivered at, the
symposium. A fuller volume of proceedings, which includes both English and
Chinese versions of several of the plenary presentations, as well as papers that
were not presented and the text of welcoming and concluding remarks, can be
found in Proceedings, 2000 Sino-U.S. Symposium/Workshop on Library &
Information Science Education in the Digital Age, November 5-10, 2000 published
by Wuhan University.
Kathlin Smith
Council on Library and Information Resources
iv
Introduction
The first International Symposium on Library and Informa-
Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Council on Li-
tion Science Education in the Digital Age, held November 5-
brary and Information Resources.
10, 2000, at Wuhan University, drew more than ninety library
The choice of venue at Wuhan University carries special
and information science professionals from China, Macao,
significance. On its site at Luojia Hill overlooking East Lake,
and the United States. Participants gathered to discuss a
the university is home to the oldest library school in the
question of common concern: How are our respective library
country, and it ranks among the best. What is now called the
schools preparing students for careers in library and infor-
School of Mass Communication and Information Manage-
mation science and management?
ment at Wuhan University traces its beginnings to the Boone
The greatest catalyst for discussion was the strong sense
Library School, which was established by an American edu-
that library educators in China and the United States are
cator in 1920 to introduce the field of library science into the
dealing with identical issues. Many questions dealt with the
Chinese education system.
acknowledgement that the information world is new and
The history of Wuhan itself provided a fitting backdrop.
changing, so Library and Information Science (LIS) pedago-
An industrial city of 7.5 million situated on the mighty
gy and curricula must adapt. Another question that speakers
Yangtze River, Wuhan (a conurbation created in 1950 by the
came back to time and again was: Who is being trained in
union of three neighboring cities) was named a treaty port in
LIS programsInformation managers? Knowledge manag-
1860. The flourishing contacts between Wuhan and the West
ers? Web and software designers? Librarians? Bibliographers?
for more than a century have shaped academic as well as
More than 30 institutions were represented at the sympo-
commercial partnerships.
sium (see Appendix A). In addition to library school admin-
istrators and faculty, the participants included national gov-
Symposium Structure
ernment officials who oversee library education programs,
The symposium was organized around a series of themes,
graduate students from Wuhan University, librarians, and
each introduced by a keynote presentation. (The agenda is
scholars. Most of the participants were practicing profession-
provided in Appendix B.) Discussion was encouraged after
als, poised for an outcome from the symposium that they
each presentation, and the atmosphere was one of dedication
could apply once they returned to their home institutions.
and candor as library and information scholars from the two
The symposium was organized by Peter Xinping Zhou,
countries shared experiences and visions for the future. In-
while he was head of the East Asian Library at the Universi-
terspersed with the formal presentations was one afternoon
ty of Pittsburgh, and Ma Feicheng, dean in the School of
of four breakout sessions that addressed topics in library ed-
Mass Communication and Information Management (SM-
ucation. Each session was led by a facilitator and noted by a
CIM) at Wuhan University. Wuhan University and the Uni-
recorder who reported back to the plenary group the follow-
versity of Pittsburgh Library System jointly sponsored the
ing day. Because it was impossible to translate during the
conference, with support from the United Board for Chris-
breakout sessions, the American speakers were given a tour
tian Higher Education in Asia, the Chinese Ministry of Edu-
of pertinent units of Wuhan University that afternoon.
cation, the Management Science Department of the State
7
Perhaps unusual at an international professional meeting, lum should be infused by four principles: wholeness (an in-
tegrated set of courses that may require a total redesign,
student participants' questions and opinions formed an inte-
rather than just adding or deleting courses), systemic design
gral part of the discussions. In addition, because all out-of-
(a predetermined set of scientific design procedures), devel-
town participants stayed in the campus hotel and took their
opment (continual change and revision of the curriculum),
meals together, there was generous opportunity for early
morning and late night continuations of discussions sparked and benefits to students.
Chen Chuanfu, assistant dean at the Wuhan School of
during the symposium proper.
Communication and Information Management, and Peter
The conference proceeded from paper presentations to the
development of a plan for improving library and informa- Zhou offered papers with a distinctly international point of
view. Each author has spent considerable time in both China
tion science education in China. The final day of the confer-
ence was divided into two parts: a roundtable of deans par- and the United States, leading each of them to conclude that
LIS schools must evolve into an amalgam of traditional
ticipating at the conference jointly monitored by Leigh
courses and highly technological courses.
Estabrook, dean of the Graduate School of Library and Infor-
The presenation that elicited the most difference of opin-
mation Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Cham-
ion was one only tangentially addressing library education.
paign, and Peter Zhou; and a summary speech and discus-
This was the presentation entitled "Influences of the Digital
sion of an action plan. The summary highlighted concerns
for the student, for the professional status of librarianship,
Library on the Needs of Library Science Specialists," present-
and for the future of the library profession itself.
ed by Sun Beixin on the Digital Library at the National Li-
The action plan, drafted by Peter Zhou, Chen Chuanfu,
brary of China (NLC). Since 1995, the NLC has launched sev-
and Ma Feicheng, and presented to participants for comment
en projects approved by the Ministry of Culture to digitize
and revision, clearly struck a chord for the entire assembly.
segments of the NLC collection. Participants at the sympo-
Of note is the recommendation to establish a national council
sium questioned the NLC's policy of charging fees to digitize
on library and information science education, and of a na-
the materials of other libraries. Participants also raised issues
tional certification system for library and information profes-
revolving around the support of such large projects when a
sionals. The recommendations incorporated concerns ex-
relatively small number of people use the Internet in China
pressed by participants throughout the week about the
at present (about 1 million). Others suggested alternative or-
advisability of concentrating on both traditional library stud-
ganizations to undertake digitization projects, for example,
ies (e.g., bibliography and the study of rare books) and infor-
LIS schools. Ms. Sun, who is associate director of the Nation-
mation technologies. The action plan also encourages coop-
al Library of China, invited other libraries to participate in
eration and collaboration at home and abroad, and
the experimental programs the NLC has organized, as they
recognizes the efficacy of distance learning in a country as
digitize their bibliographic records and print collections and
vast as China. It was suggested that a copy of the revised ac-
develop standards and application systems.
tion plan, provided in Appendix C, be presented to the Chi-
The American presentations stimulated considerable dis-
nese Ministry of Education.
cussion, with the remarks by Brooke Sheldon, of the Univer-
sity of Arizona, eliciting an especially lively exchange. Draw-
ing on her experience of 19 years as a library school dean,
Papers Presented by Chinese and American Educators,
she spoke about three issues of common importance to
Administrators, and Librarians
The symposium offered a rich selection of papers focusing
American and Chinese LIS administrators. Her remarks in-
on how best to prepare students for the future as well as
spired a range of questions from the audience, including
change the existing curriculum and retrain faculty to teach
"How does one handle public relations? How does one do
the wide scope of topics that library and information science
fundraising? How does the University of Arizona attract stu-
encompass today. By the close of the last session, the sympo-
dents and faculty? How would you rank the order of a
sium secretariat had reproduced more than 30 papers, some
dean's priorities?
presented, others not read at the symposium, and distributed
The content of Blanche Woolls' thoughtful and informa-
them to all participants. Most of the Chinese papers were not
tive presentation on distance education was perhaps the
available in English, though all the American papers had
newest to the audience. Although distance education has
been translated into Chinese prior to the symposium.
been popular in China for years, it has been TV-based. Her
The paper by Wuhan University SMCIM Dean Ma Fe-
discussion of the challenges and lessons of creating distance
icheng is worthy of special note. Ma interweaves his master-
education courseware for the Internet was met with consid-
ful analysis of opportunities presented to LIS schools by the
erable interest, given China's ambition to expand computer-
networked environment with a design for a curriculum re-
based learning.
sponsive to those opportunities. He proposes four "orienta-
tions" that will provide the underpinning for the new curric-
Two Cultures United by a Common Purpose
ulum: knowledge orientation, capability orientation, market
In the discussions of professional concerns, it was the com-
orientation, and future orientation. Furthermore, the curricu-
monalities, not the dissimilar elements, that were most strik-
2
8
shape the public services of the futureat least in the United
ing. Participants shared concerns, for example, about adjust-
ing to the commercialization of education and about the
States.
need for LIS faculty to continue learning to keep the curricu-
lum lively and current. Issues of professionalism cropped up
Themes for Further Investigation
throughout the conference, particularly in light of LIS gradu-
Certain themes reappeared constantly during the sympo-
ates' propensity to accept jobs with software designers, Web
sium, most containing what became the symposium's
buzzwordschange, redesign, and reform. While some rep-
developers, and information management companies rather
than with libraries.
resented objects of concern, such as the commercialization of
Differences in the two countries, however, became points
information science, others were clear wishes for the future.
Following are the most frequently voiced themes during dis-
of discussion. Whereas U.S. LIS programs are training librar-
ians for a society where 50 million Americans log on to the
cussion and breakout sessions.
Internet daily, usage of the Internet in China is less perva-
The most important element in LIS schools is who is hired
and how are they retained.
sive, so it does not yet play as large a role in Chinese LIS ed-
ucation. LIS programs in China often contain a significant
Distance education has already changed or will change
commimications component that is more akin to U.S. schools
the face of LIS education.
of journalism. In the United States, faculty in LIS schools
Definitions of the virtual library and its relation to the
usually hold a Ph.D., with adjunct faculty coming from the
physical entity of the traditional library are not yet fixed.
ranks of librarians and other practitioners whose final degree
A tension has been created by the coexistence of the need
may be at the master's level. In China, where Ph.D. pro-
to continue library science and archives education, and
the need to establish reputable programs in information
grams in LIS are few, most faculty do not hold a Ph.D. Teach-
ing in the United States tends to be problem-based, while it
science and information management. In other words, the
is text-based in China, with all schools using the same stan-
innate character of LIS and its intersection with related
dardized textbooks. Distance learning programs in American
disciplines is in question.
LIS schools have become quite common, with San Jose State
There is a strong desire for a fully national digitization
University's program a leader in the field. Not only are such
program.
programs absent in China, but also it will be some years be-
Training students to meet society's needs in a digital
fore the technological infrastructure there will support such
world is of primary importance.
a program. Nevertheless, there was keen interest in Internet
Libraries are facing competition from the corporate world
learning and the role of LIS programs in the commercializa-
now that information has become marketable.
tion of education. One participant predicted that by 2005
Professionalism of librarians must be continued and pub-
China will be home to more Internet users than any other
licized; the stature of professional librarians needs en-
country in the world. In a country as vast as China, there is
hancing.
no doubt that distance learning and online coursework hold
The traditional library appears to be a reactive institution
much promise for the distribution of LIS courses throughout
in the digital age.
the length and breadth of China.
Focus is shifting from the library to information transfer,
When the action plan was proposed at the end of the sym-
including the creation, acquisition, use, preservation, or-
posium, discussions highlighted the role of the government
ganization, and administration of information.
in LIS programs in China. Were a similar action plan to come
from the American Library Association's affiliate, the Associ-
ation for Library and Information Science Education
(ALISE), that body might work to implement it as well as
work on parts of it with ALA's Committee on Accreditation.
But at the symposium, the Ministry of Education and other
governmental agencies, as well as the national library associ-
ation, were posited as possible recipients and ultimate
adopters of the action plan.
Finally, because the Chinese system of public libraries and
school libraries is only just beginning to feel some growth
spurts, the education of librarians for these types of libraries
was not a frequent topic of discussion. The same is true of
bibliographic instruction, reference service, unmediated in-
ter-library loan, and other public services such as patron-
conducted circulation of materials, which received scant no-
tice at the symposium though many of these topics will
9