Problems of practical placements

Abstract

Argues the hypothesis that practical placements for students of librarianship are especially problematic as the student, often straight from school, needs experience of the “world of work” and its expectations as well as specifically library and information work. These two needs may conflict, resulting in demotivation for students and frustration for the host. Describes the placement pattern at UNL School of Information and Communications Studies and discusses how it is seen to address these problems: a short first placement in the second year helps to acclimatize the student to the expectations of the workplace, while the second, longer placement in the third year, linked closely to a management module, focuses the student′s attention on the specifics of work in a library or information unit.

Citation

Beard, A.J. (1995), "Problems of practical placements", Librarian Career Development, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 10-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/09680819510092877