Strengths and weaknesses of the Information Technology curriculum in Library and Information Science graduate programs
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
Published online on May 17, 2012
Abstract
This research highlights the status of the information technology (IT) skills and competencies being taught at LIS schools in the United States. Results list specific IT topics that the library schools are teaching and the ones that are missing from the curriculum. Based on a literature review these skills are then juxtaposed with the expectations of the employers as well as the graduates of these programs. This research was conducted in multiple steps, starting from extensive literature review, secondary data collection regarding courses from top LIS schools’ websites, identifying and creating an IT competency list, content analysis on the course names and descriptions in relation to IT competencies and recommendations for further improvement. In conclusion, some potential courses consisting of the lacking IT skills are proposed as a recommendation.