LIS Education and Research Areas for Developing Countries

Abstract

The importance of Information and Communication Technologies in distance learning has been acknowledged as an essential component of strengthening LIS education in the remote areas of the north eastern states of India. (Rath). The same could be said of the use of ICT for LIS education in remote areas of Australia, South Asia and in America. A global infrastructure of physical, human and financial resources will continue to attract students to the LIS profession and add dimension to the concept of information literacy for all as a universal concern. Beyond ICT and distance platforms, LIS education can also be strengthened by faculty knowledge of cultural differences experienced by their students and the impact of the digital divide. With knowledge comes sensitivity. This reflective essay was based on a literature review of barriers in LIS international education. In 1999, Robert Stueart wrote of the challenge to information access in Asia: “One of the most important activities is information society is to maintain a cadre of qualified information professionals”. How can India maintain a cadre of qualified information professionals? Library education in India dates back to 1911. Dr Ranganathan was the major force in the introduction of librarianship courses at the University of Madras, Bombay, Banaras, and Delhi. This essay concludes that information professionals themselves are the channel of globalization of LIS education because they see the need for standards in computerisation initiatives and are sensitive to the benefit of promoting communities of practice within and without their own country of origin. Students everywhere may have overcome great difficulties and personal sacrifice to pursue their education. Universities need to develop students who possess not only discipline knowledge but a high level of personal and interpersonal skills The subject of information ethics can be part of the library and information science curriculum in developed and developing countries worldwide. This subject forms a common boundary which is open to student interpretation.