PNLA Quarterly, Vol. 62 No.4 Summer 1998

Idaho Institute: Theory, Skills and a Great Deal More

By Mary Bushing, Associate Professor and Information Resources Development Librarian, Montana State University-Bozeman Libraries, Bozeman, MT 59717, alimb@montana.edu

Introduction

Within the library profession there continues to be debate, dialogue and strong opinions regarding the issues of library education, certification and professionalism. Much of the published debate, and certainly the attention of a large portion of the library education community, has centered for the past fifty years on the American Library Association's accredited Masters in Library Science (MLS). As reported in Library Journal (February 15, 1998), the latest round in this ongoing debate was initiated by the Board of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) at their conference in January, 1998, when they voted five to one to completely remove the word "library" from the association's mission statement and goals. ALISE Board members say that increasingly it is unclear where those receiving an MLS or equivalent degrees will be employed during the course of their careers. Will there be places called libraries? Even if there are libraries, are those with the MLS more likely be employed in higher paying positions in other types of organizations? Further, ALISE is addressing the issue of where library education should be placed within academe, and separate library schools do not appear to be the wave of the future. For some in the library community, these debates are interesting but do not seem to be related to the reality of providing front line library service to citizens in smaller communities.

This segment of the library community continues to focus its efforts on finding quality practical solutions for library education for those working in rural libraries. Those working with the librarians and staff members in the nation's smaller libraries do not feel the need to remove the "L" word (library) from their missions or their goals. With almost half of the public libraries in the country (approximately 4,000) serving populations of 5,000 or less, it is not remarkable that training and education as well as the development of professional status for those working in these communities continues to be an important issue.

Since ALISE does not concern itself with non-MLS programs, individual states, systems and professional associations have the responsibility to develop training programs to address the library education needs of individuals actually working in places called libraries. These continuing education or non-degree programs generally provide a mixture of library science and applicable management theory along with an emphasis on practical skills for survival in the very real library world. Additionally, many of those designing and sponsoring such programs attempt to provide opportunities for personal and professional growth in order to aid individuals in the professionalization process--the process of "becoming" librarians.

The professionalization process for individuals has been studied by sociologists and others as a process of acculturation that occurs in often subtle ways resulting in a state of mind that is characteristic of a member of a particular profession or occupational group. Becker and Carper (1956) investigated the concept of self-image as it relates to one's occupation or profession. They identified four threads that individuals use to weave occupational identity. They believed that these are important because through these factors individuals "learn who they are and how they ought to behave, acquire a self, and a set of perspectives in terms of which their conduct is shaped" (p. 341). The elements identified by Becker and Carper are still used today as a basis for defining the professionalization process. These elements are: (a) occupational title, and associated ideology; (b) commitment to task; (c) commitment to particular organizations or institutional positions; and (d) significance for one's position in the larger society. One's self image or the self image of one's profession will therefore affect one's conduct, attitudes and perspectives. In other words, who we think we are and who we think we are like, will determine how we behave, how others perceive us and who they think we are. "Becoming a librarian" and taking on the best possible professional identity is therefore an important element in the library education and training process. It is usually assumed that a large part of this professionalization process occurs during the experience of formal professional education. One learns how to be a lawyer, a doctor or a teacher while attending college classes designed to convey the culture and values of the profession along with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to become a member of the profession. It is not clear to what extent this is also true for librarians, but in any case, for those who have not had the opportunity for such formal academic library training, how are the elements of professional identity to be conveyed? Those responsible for educational opportunities for librarians and staff members without MLS degrees try to address the professionalization process in the design and delivery of continuing education programs. We seldom hear, however, of the results of such efforts. A program here in the Pacific Northwest which has been successful in advancing the professionalization process for a large number of individuals working in small libraries is the summer institute program of the Idaho State Library.

The Idaho Small Library Management Institute

The Idaho State Library has not opted to drop the "L" word from their title, their mission or their goals. More importantly, they take library education and professionalization quite seriously and have put money and other resources behind their belief not only in libraries but also in librarians. Their beliefs extend to libraries of all sizes and the librarians associated with them.

Since 1990, the Idaho State Library has conducted a summer institute to provide quality educational opportunities for librarians and other staff members, particularly those working in rural or small libraries throughout the state. The Small Library Management Institute has been hosted for seven of the past eight years in three different locations across the state and approximately 115 individuals from public and school libraries attended these institutes.

Evaluation

During 1997 an evaluation of the institutes was conducted to identify the elements of long-term effectiveness for both the individuals who attended and for the libraries where the individuals are employed. The study was particularly interested in identifying changes in attitudes and self-image that might be part of the professionalization process. Additionally, an effort was made to identify those new skills which the participants attribute to their attendance at the institute sessions. Individuals were also asked to name specific changes in library service that resulted from their participation in the institute experience.

The evaluation project gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. A survey questionnaire was sent to 105 institute participants with currently known mailing addresses. A total of 77 questionnaires (75%) were completed and returned. Later, small focus group telephone interviews were conducted with 22 randomly selected individuals as well as with a group of state library staff members. From the questionnaire data and the telephone interview comments, benefits were identified, results ranked and consensus reached concerning primary areas of effectiveness and tangible changes in library operations as well as perceived changes in attitudes and self-definitions resulting from the institutes. Additionally, difficulties or problems along with suggestions for improvements or future directions were gathered and categorized. The resulting report to the Idaho State Library highlighted the institute learning experiences of the participants as well as emphasizing the insights of these individual rural librarians.

Results

Those who have attended the Idaho Small Library Management Institutes are typical of other rural librarians as they have been described and characterized in other research (Busch 1990). The participants were almost exclusively female, with 82% of them between 40 and 60 years of age. Their educational backgrounds were also typical of other rural librarians. Approximately one-third of the respondents did not have any college experience while another 20% had earned a baccalaureate or masters degree in a discipline other than library science. The remaining individuals had at least some college experience but had not had the opportunity to complete a degree program. Their years of library employment varied from a few weeks to more than 15 years. Almost 25% of the participants had attended the first Small Library Management Institute in 1990 and the rest were fairly evenly distributed across sessions in other years. In other words, the participants can be considered fairly typical if not representative of America's rural librarians.

The 23 items of the questionnaire were analyzed with the following primary findings:

Participants ranked the institute experience as very positive and worthwhile.
The institute experiences resulted in identifiable improvements in library service.
The primary personal benefit was improved professional self-confidence.
Knowledge gained from the institute was used regularly by 90% of the librarians.

The two most valuable aspects of the institute experience were:

Practical knowledge of library operations
Networking with and role modeling by other librarians

Criticisms of the institute centered upon three easily adjusted items:

A few specific workshops
Length and intensity of the institute
Dormitory living arrangements at some sites

Practical suggestions centered upon topics for future presentations and institute organization.

These findings along with the details of the specific questions and rankings helped to determine the structure and questions for the second phase of the evaluation-the focus group discussions.

The focus group interviews with participants and interviews with state library staff and the director of the program, Gardner Hanks, served to identify primary positive and negative aspects. These elements were further divided into those that are specific to the ways in which the institute has influenced actual library practice and service to citizen and those which related to the ways in which the individuals involved have themselves changed. The two general goals of the institute program, the improvement of local library service for the citizens of Idaho and the professionalization of the library community itself, have been met by the institute in a variety of ways as evidenced by the participants in the evaluation process.

There were many positive aspects of the institute experience ranked, discussed or identified in writing by the participants. While the words used to describe these positive aspects varied, it was possible to divide the benefits into those for the individuals themselves and those that, while resulting from the changes and skills acquired by the individuals, were beneficial directly to the community and library users. Two primary personal benefits were identified repeatedly by the librarians themselves and these were further verified by the state library staff who has seen evidence of changes in institute participants during subsequent consulting and other institute follow-up encounters. These benefits are directly related to the professionalization process and might even be considered the most long-lasting and far-reaching benefits. They are improved professional self-confidence and the influence of networking within a community of peers. Such networking includes the recognition of role models, the ability to communicate with a community of peers and a sense of belonging and identity with a group of professionals like oneself. Both of these perceived changes in individuals tie directly to the professionalization process. Who we think we are and who we think we are like will determine how we behave, how others perceive us and who they will think we are. When we gain professional self-confidence and when we perceive ourselves as a member of a group of dedicated professional individuals, we become more dedicated to the group (profession) and understand our role in the larger society. Although neither the concept nor the term professionalization was used in the evaluation project, the participants described such a process.

The primary improvements to library service identified by the participants and the state library staff included the following areas: library law/legal issues/trustee roles; collection development issues (policies, weeding, selection, cataloging); strategic planning and management issues; marketing and programming practices; and, practical knowledge concerning routine library operations. The state library staff reported increased consulting activity and requests for additional assistance from librarians attending the institutes. The perception by the state library staff is that "things are always happening" in the libraries where these individuals work. Once they have attended the institute they are motivated to get things done, to improve the library and to change who they are and who they are perceived to be by the board and the community. In a related research project (Bushing, 1995), rural librarians in six states identified the most important attributes necessary for success in the role of rural librarian and among these were self-confidence and assertiveness. These are the same qualities which seemed to have been enhanced by the Idaho State Library Institute. The individual participants are changed in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways and being a librarian is never quite the same for many of them after attending the institute.

The participants identified the most useful and valuable aspects of the institute as networking and community building, practical notebooks and handouts, and the quality of the presenters and the state library staff. They described the institute as unique, educational and an opportunity for growth and an impetus for charge. All of these ideas further support the role of the institute in the professionalization and personal growth process for individual librarians. Even after the passage of as much as 7 years, the librarians placed a high value upon the institute experience and attributed much of their own growth and the success of their library and its programs to their attendance at the institute.

Conclusions

The institute program has provided basic library education, created a community of peers, presented appropriate role models, communicated practical and theoretical knowledge of library operations, and has encouraged changes and improvements in local library services. There is evidence of long term changes in attitude and skills on the part of the institute participants. These changes have resulted in personal growth and in improved library operations and services to Idaho citizens. The Idaho State Library, and in particular those directly responsible for funding, planning and implementing the summer Institute on Small Library Management, deserve congratulations on conducting a very successful model for training and library education. Local library services have been improved and the institute has resulted in more professional and competent librarians in the smaller libraries across the state. The Idaho State Library and the institute participants are happy to have the "L" word in their educational program!

Literature Cited

ALISE cutting "L" word from mission? 1998. Library Journal, 123(Feb 15):97.

Becker, H. S. & Carper, J. W. 1956. The elements of identification with an occupation. American Sociological Review, 21:341-348.

Busch, N. L. 1990. Factors relating to the recruitment and retention of library directors in rural public libraries in the United States. Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan. Dissertation Abstracts International, 51,(07):2185A.

Bushing, M. C. 1995. The professionalization of rural librarians: Role modeling, networking and continuing education. Doctoral dissertation, Montana State University-Bozeman. Dissertation Abstracts International, 56(08):2968A.