Prof. Blanchette, I believe also has a background in electronic records, archives work with Prof Duranti are these at times challenges in teaching in a LIS program on topics such as the ALA COA issues --why or why not? As a graduate student myself several years ago, I often found this rather confusing in other courses--not all of the courses but sometimes it posed a "challenge" having very different backgrounds and perspectives about how to approach an issue or a research topic.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

IS 287/ 277 This seminar offers doctoral students an introduction to social theory and provides them with knowledge of several analytical frameworks that can be used to analyze the social, cultural and political roles of information institutions and the professionals who direct them.

DEFINITION & SCOPE

For the purpose of this seminar information institutions are organizations (or sub-units of organizations) that are charged with providing resources and services to meet the educational, informational, cultural and/or recreational needs of their clients. The mission of information institutions will differ significantly depending on variables such as the type of institution, its setting, its source of support and its clientele. Some information institutions, like public libraries, serve all four kinds of needs. Others, like school libraries, national archives, or art museums, may heavily emphasize one kind of function or role over others. Despite their differences, all information institutions employ highly trained professionals who, in addition to administering the organization, engage in three kinds of activities:

(1) collection development; this will include selecting, acquiring, preserving. and in some cases, weeding the collections.

(2) systematic organization and classification of resources in order to allow for their effective retrieval, use and/or enjoyment.

(3) provision of appropriate access to the collections by the primary clientele and other designated users.