Role of Consortia on Library and Information Science Education

Abstract

The way and pace at which information is generated, organized and used is witnessed rapid strides in recent times. Hence, the discipline of LIS meant to manage and provide information service may not be taught effectively and practiced perfectly through a framed curriculum in the formal education steam alone. Driven by the market demands and user needs, the discipline is embracing other disciplines like computers, communication technology, cognition research etc. to continuously monitor and augment their skills to arrive at â pinpointed information from the delugeâ . Manual means of tackling information will not help the user/professional to solve emerging problems in the actual research setup and also the present day researchers expect a faster response to their information needs. Information management and servicing in a highly matured and skill intensive activity and it requires people with different educational backgrounds. Electronic access is increasingly providing a large proportion of current information instead of print and allowing access through a variety of platforms on a twenty-four hour basis. As the traditional custodians of information, librarians need to be aware of the implications of these changes and develop technological and managerial skills that will enable them to make effective use of information to meet their organization and changing needs. However, many librarians lack confidence to learn and master the skills required in adopting the increasingly sophisticated technology. It is vital that they must be kept in touch with modern developments and maintains a proactive approach to work in an ever-changing information world. Professional profiles are changing so rapidly and very radically these days impacting the librarianâ s portfolio, since libraries are becoming knowledge management organizations with librarians as their active agents. Perhaps the most important development of libraries during the current decade has been the move from organizational self-sufficiency to a collaborative survival mode as personified by the growth of library consortia. Information technology is now a level of cooperation that is much broader and deeper than ever before