PNLA Quarterly, Vol. 63 No.3 Spring 1999
Humble Empowerment: The LIS Practicum
by Dianne Oberg and Toni SamekSchool of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta
(Practicum Student, Fall 1998)
What is Practicum?
The Practicum course at the School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS), University of Alberta offers students an exciting way to gain practical experience in the library and information field during their LIS education. The University of Alberta Practicum has been designed as an optional three-credit course, available to students who have completed at least half of their program (8 courses). Practicum students are given the opportunity to apply their course work learning through experiential learning in a library or other information setting. It serves the needs of students entering the MLIS program with little or no library-related experience; students with library experience can also enroll provided that their Practicum involves new experiences, either in terms of type of information environment and/or nature of information work.Students in the Practicum complete 100 hours of field work, scheduled within a 13-week term. They also attend monthly seminars, keep a reflective journal, participate in an on-site visit and an exit interview, and submit a final paper. Students work under the supervision of professional librarians. The librarians at each Practicum placement site make the decision to accept Practicum students on a term-by-term basis, depending on the situation in their site in that term. The 100 hours can be spread out over a thirteen-week term or compressed into an intensive period as short as six weeks.
During the Practicum, students experience a variety of duties. It is valuable for them to experience both the professional and the technical aspects of information work, to help them understand their roles as professionals and as future supervisors of others working in technical and clerical roles. The Practicum is an opportunity for students to build upon their knowledge and to apply the skills they have developed through their coursework.
Developing reflective practitioners is a critical function of the Practicum. The roles of the participants -- student, Practicum Instructor, and Practicum Supervisor -- are designed to maximize the opportunity for thoughtful engagement in learning and for insightful integration of theory and practice. The seminars, the reflective journal, the on-site visit, the exit interview, and the final paper all encourage the students to reflect upon the Practicum learning experience. The on-site visit by the Practicum Instructor at the halfway mark of the Practicum, provides an opportunity for all participants to give their perspectives on the experience thus far and to make adjustments as appropriate. Throughout the Practicum placement, the student and the Practicum supervisor meet regularly to discuss the student?s progress and to address questions; insights and reflections are synthesized and highlighted when the Practicum Supervisor conducts the exit interview with the student. Communication between the Practicum Supervisor and the Instructor is not limited to the on-site visit. Phone calls and emails are used to keep the communication lines open throughout the student?s placement.
The quotes included in this paper have been selected from the reflective papers written by the students in the Fall 1998 Practicum course. We acknowledge with thanks the students who gave us permission to analyse and quote from their papers.
What Kind of Work is Involved?
The Practicum placement projects conducted by SLIS students in the last four years, break down into eight major categories (in frequency order): reference, collection management, cataloguing and indexing, technology applications, interlibrary loan and circulation, meetings, programming, and customer relations. Expanded descriptions of some of these categories are provided below, along with selected student comments from Fall 1998 reflective papers.
Reference
Students worked in a variety of information provision areas, including development of pathfinders, development and provision of bibliographic instruction, and in-depth database searching. Electronic searches were performed on the Internet, as well as on online, OPAC and CD-ROM products. The students found their reference work both rewarding and challenging.
led me to consider user needs ... understanding the different users ... contact with the public ... [exposure to different] personal styles ... see how different people approach a reference situation
it dawned on me how difficult it is to teach a groups of students who have such a wide range of abilities and familiarity with databases and with computers in general
it made me feel good to get people on their way to obtaining the information they needed
Cataloguing
Students performed both original and copy cataloguing, as well as indexing and abstracting. The students realized that these core professional activities require thought and practice.
I was unprepared for how picky he was with my catalogue records
the records I have created are now on U of A?s GATE library system for all to see
Technology Applications
Tasks involved in this category included the development and editing of web site development, the development and editing of technical manuals, as well as the processing of digital images. Students were pleased to know that their technology skills were directly applicable to a variety of information tasks.
I found that I was able to provide input simply because I hadn?t used it [the system] as often as the others - they had become accustomed to the old system and were more resistant to the new one
Meetings
Students are encouraged to accompany their supervisor to meetings, whenever appropriate, to learn about the issues, challenges, and broader information context of their individual Practicum placement sites. Students appreciated the behind-the scenes experiences that these meetings provided.
influenced my course selections for next term, encouraging me to take a number of automation courses
allowed me to introduce myself and establish contacts with a number of practitioners
importance of staying networked with others
helped give me a more practical knowledge to add to the theoretical knowledge I gained in class
How does the School Benefit?
The Practicum broadens the scope of the MLIS curriculum by providing opportunities for in-depth and hands-on learning within a variety of library and information settings. For example, students get the opportunity to work with a wide range of software and systems, ranging from those they use in course work in the School, to less common and very specialized electronic products. The Practicum also strengthens students' appreciation of their LIS education and of how it prepares them for professional work.
discovering that I had internalized something from every course was the most significant gain
added a new element that cannot be replaced by any course
In an ever-changing information marketplace, keeping current and informed about professional practice and issues continues to increase in importance. The Practicum strengthens the bridge between the academic community and the practitioner community. Site visits allow for ongoing dialogue between professionals in the field and library educators/researchers (sample Practicum placement sites). The nature of the sites and of the student projects often prompt the educator/researcher to ponder course content, to revise assignments, to consider new guest speakers, and to make adjustments in curriculum. The interactions with the field contribute to the School's capacity to design student learning that meets the demands of the professional workplace.
The Practicum encourages students to tailor their education to their personal academic interests and career goals. Increasingly, Practicum students are taking advantage of the chance to design their own learning experiences based on their particular strengths and career aspirations. Student-initiated projects have included user-needs assessments for health-care professionals, image editing and processing of object based materials, bibliographic instruction, collection management to support Spanish and Slavic language studies, records management of corporate documents, music cataloguing, and electronic vendor evaluation.
What Do Students Come Away With?
Humble empowerment describes two critical aspects of the Practicum experience. Students realize the dynamic and complex nature of the library and information profession, and they realize that they are ready to contribute to the profession. The lessons are many.
reassured me that I have chosen the right field
learned a lot, not only acquiring specific skills, but also learning a lot about the nature of the profession and my own goals
gave me something finite to take away in order to demonstrate my accomplishment
gained valuable experience and the confidence in my ability to utilize the information from my courses in a practical setting
wonderful in giving me constructive criticism
valuable skills for future employment
glad that my supervisor always encouraged me to try some new work and to develop my potentials
important to instill confidence
observe directly how to effect successful practices and acquire professional attitudes
there were both progresses and lessons
determine what my strengths and weaknesses were
just starting to understand some of the intricacies involved ... when my practicum came to an end
will feel much more comfortable in any library context I find myself in
left me feeling much more confident about my abilities
What Does It All Mean?
The Practicum as an integral component of the MLIS program at the University of Alberta would not be possible without the generous cooperation and support of the professional community. In the best possible scenario, the Practicum placement site benefits as much as does the School and the students. However, at times, the site gives much more than it receives back in benefits. In these cases, professional mentoring and leadership are particularly invaluable. In all cases, the professional mentoring and leadership help students make the leap from student to beginning professional.
Library and information studies, as a reflective practice, requires constant reexamination by both seasoned and novice members of the professional and academic community. MLIS students are the future of the profession. To realize that potential, they need the full support of both communities.
Dianne Oberg and Toni Samek teach at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. Since the School's inception of the Practicum course in 1995, they have shared the Practicum instructor role for the course. An earlier article on the Practicum and the changing face of LIS education appeared in Feliciter (44:5) May 1998.
Software/Systems Used by Students at Practicum Placement Sites, Fall 1995 - Fall 1998
Sample Practicum Placement Sites, Fall 1995 - Fall 1998
Government
Alberta Environmental Protection Library
Alberta Family & Social Services Library
Business Link Business Service Centre
School/School District
Bev Facey High School Library
Pollard Meadows Elementary School Library
Professional Library, Edmonton Public Schools
Public
Idlewyde Public Library
Londonderry Public Library
St. Albert Public Library
Corporate
Parlee McLaws Law Firm Library
Northwestern Utilities Ltd., Records Management
Interprovincial Pipeline Inc., Library Services
Academic
University of Alberta, Music Library
University of Alberta, Science & Technology Library
NAIT Learning Resource Centre
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