The curriculum for courses in librarianship and information science has been the subject of countless analyses and debates by academics, almost all focused on the content of courses and, when they survey employers about the development of their courses, the teachers have tended to maintain that focus on content. Employers also tend to focus on subject knowledge, but usually complaining from a rather self-interested perspective (and usually also forgetting that they are the ones who have failed by not attracting or selecting staff with the specific skill set that they require).
But what do employers really value? For many years, broadly based surveys of employers (across all industries) have consistently tended to show that employers pay less attention to their employees’ subject knowledge, and more attention to their:
· communication skills, including presenting a case, persuading, influencing;
· task management skills, including planning, organising, decision making, evaluation
· creative thinking and problem solving skills;
· self-appraisal skills; and their ability to
· combine all these attributes in action-centred leadership skills.
Perhaps a little more attention should be given to how LIS teaching helps to develop these vital skills? Defining apropriate learning outcomes and devising relevant means of assessment are ways of enhancing these capabilities in individuals (who, of course, cannot be developed in such a way solely within the limited confines of a Masters program).
Professor Ian Johnson
Joint Editor
Libri: international journal of libraries and information services
The Robert Gordon University
Aberdeen