Mail List Discussion from Topic 15
Karen M. Drabenstott
Associate Professor, SILS
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1092 USA
Voice: 1-734-763-3581
Fax: 1-734-764-2475
E-mail: karen.drabenstott@umich.edu
Generating Discussion Topics for CRISTAL-ED
We are close to exhausting our schedule of discussion topics for CRISTAL-ED. Since many of us in the United States and Canada are vacationing during these last few weeks of a terribly hot and muggy summer, I felt that the next week would be a good time to obtain your suggestions for new topics for discussion from September to December (and beyond).
Here is a schedule of discussion topics that we have scheduled in September and October:
September 10-23
Preservation in the LIS curriculum -- editor: Paul Conway
September 24 - October 7
Management education -- editor: Richard M. Dougherty
October 8-21
Less-than-graduate education -- editor: Jim Curtis
October 22 -- November 4
Life-long learning -- editor: Ray Metz
I have received a few suggestions for new topics from the discussion group membership this summer; however, I am searching for guest editors to initiate and encourage the discussion. These topics are:
- Producing leaders including experiences that develop leadership
qualities
- Evaluating new programs/libraries/approaches that we expect to
create for the future
- Equity of access
When discussing new topics, please keep in mind the objective of the Kellogg CRISTAL-ED Mail List discussion:
- To discover the knowledge and skills for a new academic program that is committed to producing leaders who will create, organize, manage, and apply new forms of libraries and information environments to meet human needs
Our discussion of new topics will start today and will extend through September 10. Let the discussion begin!
Pauline Cochrane
cochrane@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
Generating Discussion Topics for CRISTAL-ED
You may have discussed this topic before I came on board, but here goes anyway:
Global information systems and services -- from a non-U.S. perspective, with emphasis on cultural, economic, institutional, governmental barriers. Notice I am not emphasizing technology of such systems.
In the old days this would have been called Comparative Librarianship.
Kathryn Baker
kbaker@lanl.gov
Voice: (505) 667-3067
Los Alamos National Laboratory Research Library
M.L.S. August 1995, Emporia State University
Generating Discussion Topics for CRISTAL-ED
Team building is an important issue. I would like discussion on ways to stay positive and motivated despite activities of other team members.
Also, ways of being successful when the leader doesn't believe in thorough, complete communication, and perhaps alters the perspective based on the discussion group's content.
What impact reduction in staff has on team interaction, especially when it is clear many will be let go; what are the pros and cons of being up front with which individuals might be let go and why (wouldn't it help others to see poor performance is being noticed?) Behind all this frustration is a question of how to communicate another's poor performance as a member, and what a team leader can do when firing isn't possible.
Also, techniques of varying job responsibilities. Do most libraries rotate students through many responsibilities, or once a student is a shelver, do they stay there forever? Thanks.
Paul Pattwell
pattwell@pilot.njin.net
New Topics
Perhaps a topic of discussion could be to investigate the skills or issues surrounding the professions (that they) need to develop partnerships between like and unlike organizations. In my own sphere of responsibility, I have been working with a group of schools and public libraries to establish (a) community-based information service that offers access to local data and also provides free access to search the Internet. Bridging the gaps created over political, sources of funding (sometimes not separate), service philosophies, and so on, have led to opportunities of learning that never were options for study in graduate school. Creating consensus, building partnerships may be intuitive for some but for most I don't think the profession tends not to attract people with those kinds of innate skills. On a whole these are attributes possessed by those often described as entrepreneurial. Given the political and economic environment that institutions and the profession must navigate, it would seem prudent if the profession began to investigate the need and perhaps go so far as identify the skills and abilities that would make future MLS candidates more receptive to risk taking. My apologies if this topic or something closely related to it has already been aired.
Steve Wooldridge
CRISTAL-ED Mail List Moderator
swooldri@umich.edu
Generating a List of New Topics for the Coming Months
The current topic for the CRISTAL-ED discussion group is "Generating Discussion Topics for CRISTAL-ED." This is being done until we start our next specific topic of "Preservation in the LIS Curriculum" on September 10.
So far, these ideas have been proposed:
- Global information systems and services -- from a non-U.S. perspective,
with emphasis on cultural, economic, institutional, governmental barriers.
- Team building -- discussion on ways to stay positive and motivated
despite activities of other team members. Also, ways of being successful when the leader doesn't believe in thorough, complete communication, and perhaps alters the perspective based on the discussion group's content; impact of staff reduction on team interaction; techniques of varying job responsibilities
- Investigating the skills or issues surrounding the professions that
they need to develop partnerships between like and unlike organizations.
Ideas for New Topics Sought from Readers of This Discussion Group
We encourage our readers and participants in this discussion group to come forth with ideas. When proposing new topics, please keep in mind the objective of the Kellogg CRISTAL-ED Mail List discussion:
To discover the knowledge and skills for a new academic program that is committed to producing leaders who will create, organize, manage, and apply new forms of libraries and information environments to meet human needs.
Becoming a Guest Discussion Leader
Here are some topics for which we are looking for guest discussion leaders:
- Producing leaders including experiences that develop leadership
qualities
- Evaluating new programs/libraries/approaches that we expect to
create for the future
- Equity of access
If you're interested in being a guest discussion leader, please contact:
Karen M. Drabenstott
Associate Professor, SILS
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1092 USA
Voice: 1-734-763-3581
Fax: 1-734-764-2475
E-mail: karen.drabenstott@umich.edu
