Reinventing the Community Information Professional: Strategies and Approaches Used to Develop Community Networking Knowledge
Back to Roles of the New Information Professional NEXT presentation PREVIOUS presentation ALISE home	Joan C. Durrance University of Michigan Library and information science education is making major changes to respond to the information environments created by new technologies. Community information systems are among the beneficiaries of the power of the Internet and the World Wide Web. These emerging systems will be far more effective if the skills of information professionals are applied to shape them. As librarians help invent community information systems, they are helping reinvent the information profession. Durrance discussed some of the strategies that community information specialists can use to strengthen community networks (CNs). These included providing access to current information technology; increasing access to content and resources; teaching and training; fostering viable communication opportunities among citizens; linking and/or referring to appropriate community resources; providing leadership and support for CN development; and increasing access through professional intervention. These strategies, like CNs themselves, are in developmental stages. In addition, Durrance described both the purposes and the components of the University of Michigan's School of Information Community Networking Initiative (UM-SI CN Initiative). The major components include collaborative relationships with community networks, such as a pilot project in Flint, Michigan, curriculum development, and a major web site devoted to community networks--the UM-SI Community Networking Site <www.si.umich.edu/Community/>. Content on the site is grouped under the following major topic areas: The UM-SI CN Initiative CN Directories Libraries and CNs Sources of Community Information CN Definitions CN Collaborations Conferences and Papers The site presents knowledge and skills needed by the new community information professional. The full text of the paper Dr. Durrance presented is available online at the UM-SI Community Networking Site. Durrance's findings were presented as a juried paper at the ALISE '97 conference. ....................................................................... Joan C. Durrance, Professor School of Information University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI 48109-1092 Phone: 313-763-1569 E-mail: durrance@umich.edu Top of page || Next presentation || Previous presentation
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