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Advancement in Information and communication technologies (ICTs) has revolutionised Library and Information Science (LIS) education and libraries. Both theory and practice have been transformed completely. LIS education programmes have become highly competitive and must be market-driven and technology-oriented. At the same time, academic libraries have been transformed and have become dynamic. Fostering a close collaboration between LIS educators and practitioners can multiply their strength and abilities by sharing educational resources and theoretical and practical knowledge. This paper aims to present the findings of a study carried out to investigate the current status of collaboration among LIS educators and library practitioners at the University of Botswana.

Data were collected using self-administered structured questionnaires from both LIS educators at the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS) and practicing librarians working at the University of Botswana Library (UBL). To follow-up some of the issues, an interview was carried out with a subject librarian and a focus group discussion method was used to discuss some of the challenges from the findings.

The major collaborative activities from the DLIS staff were identified as the following: creating awareness of library resources and promoting library usage among students, facilitating library material selection and inviting librarians as guest lecturers to teach in the classroom. The main collaborative activities from practicing librarians were found to be the following: delivering information literacy instruction, providing professional/practical experience to students and information sharing with the DLIS teaching staff. The major challenges were identified as the following: different cultures of educators and librarians, lack of need to collaborate and lack of formal policy at the department and the university level.

The UBL has 51 library staff members. All the librarians were not included in this research study, only senior librarians and library management were involved in the study. No theoretical framework was used to carry out the study. The questionnaire was designed based on the general literature in the field of professional collaboration among faculty and educators in the information profession. The follow-up interview and focus group discussion were conducted to address the collaborative activities and challenges that were acknowledged by at least 50 per cent of the participants. Issues with less than 50 per cent responses were considered insignificant to follow-up. Follow-up interview was conducted only with one subject librarian. As all subject librarians have the same job profile and undertake the similar activities, it was assumed that one subject librarian can represent others.

This research paper contributes to the body of literature. It may be useful for other LIS schools and libraries that work in similar environments, and it also opens up avenues for further research on this topical issue.

Purpose – In January 2015, a diverse group of stakeholders engaged in a planning forum on “Envisioning our Information Future and How to Educate for It.” Focused on shaping a future by design, not by default, information educators, professionals, technologists, futurists, and others proposed proofs of concepts for larger-scale implementations. This chapter reports on four pilot projects using steps in the design-thinking process to frame the discussion.

Design/Methodology/Approach – The stages of (1) empathize, (2) define, (3) ideate, (4) prototype, and (5) test in the design-thinking process facilitate moving beyond what is and breaking fixedness to build a representation of what might be. Applied to library and information science (LIS) education, design thinking can lead to transformative change.

Findings – Creative collaborations yielded actionable outcomes from projects that identified the following: (1) the knowledge, skills, and abilities that employers seek in graduates of LIS programs, (2) curriculum options for developing and launching artist-in-residence programs, (3) how a Library Test Kitchen course enables students to apply design thinking, and (4) how a short-term faculty residency in a particular institution connects LIS educators with trends in the field and informs curriculum design.

Originality/Value – The value of tangible outcomes from pilot projects informing future innovation in LIS education is augmented by the originality of their framing within design-thinking processes.

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to explore the ways in which bachelor’s degree programs in library and information studies can support and enhance Master of Library Science (MLS) and Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) programs.

Approach – The history of undergraduate library degrees is examined, followed by a brief discussion of the current landscape of library education. Finally, five ways in which library and information science (LIS) undergraduate programs can revitalize the MLS/MLIS are addressed and analyzed.

Findings – Bachelor of Science in Library Science degrees can impact the MLS/MLIS degree in five discrete ways. Undergraduate programs can interest student in future information work, allow for more specialization in graduate programs, allow paraprofessionals to advance their library education, support rural libraries, and can lead to more rigorous MLS/MLIS curricula.

Value – As libraries and library education are in transition, undergraduate LIS degree programs have the potential to transform LIS education as a whole.

The history of Bulgarian librarianship comprises a history of survival under change imposed by foreign rule. This chapter traces the historical development of Bulgarian libraries and LIS education through the lens of Bulgarian history. Part I presents an overview of Bulgarian history, focusing on four dramatic epochs. During Ottoman rule (1393–1878), Bulgarian libraries survived by hiding. The second epoch, European intervention, Russian, occurred under the Austro-Hungarian, and German rule (1878–1944). Bulgarian LIS survived by adopting European practices and the German academic model of library education. The third epoch, Soviet rule (1944–1989), saw a massive suppression of information, Bulgarian libraries survived by maintaining an undercurrent of dissent. The fourth epoch began in 1989 with the onset of democratic reforms. Bulgarian librarianship survived the financial crisis and anarchy of that epoch by adopting foreign practices and establishing partnerships with foreign library institutions. Part II describes agents of change acting within the Bulgarian LIS field during the radical change from Soviet to democratic rule. The change agents included the formation of a union, cooperation among Bulgarian libraries, and international cooperation with Western institutions.

Research for this chapter incorporated literature reviews, surveys of accredited Bulgarian LIS programs, interviews with Bulgarian and American LIS professionals, and bibliometric analysis of Bulgarian publications.

This paper aims to review changes related to library and information science (LIS) education over the past 20 years.

The literature reviewed for this paper is obtained by internet and database searches and personal communication and is conducted to look for similarities and differences in LIS program changes. A time period for the review is set from 1997 to 2017, and is completed between January and October of 2017. The majority of the searches are conducted in English.

Numerous similarities in changes were evidenced in areas of LIS education, such as curriculum, identification of new training and skills, instructional methods, follow-up on graduates, research on the current job market and post-graduate training support. Differences were identified in areas of capability of program change due to country regulation and course change flexibility.

A review of global program changes is relevant for LIS programs to realize and maintain their value in today’s workforce. It is significant for LIS programs all over the globe to realize that their shifts in curricular and program changes are similar to other LIS programs or where differences can be equally important.

The goal of this paper is to identify the attitudes of the chairs of library and information science (LIS) programs in Chinese universities toward the iSchools movement.

The authors collected data from 36 deans or other chairs of LIS by using open‐ended questionnaire and utilized grounded theory to analyze the results.

The result shows that most chairpersons approve the iSchools values of relationship between people, information and technology, nevertheless, they expressed uncertainty regarding the future of iSchools. For the process of adopting the values of iSchools and joining the iSchools movement, the main risks to progress come from within the LIS schools or departments. The consensus among the chairpersons is that the LIS education should reserve its traditional core values, as well as adopt iSchools' values and widely expand in the information profession area.

This study unveiled the attitudes of LIS chairs toward the iSchools movement in China. Its results can help the iSchools movement to develop and promote LIS education innovation globally.

This chapter introduces the construct of “white pricks” defined as vaccines of moral awakenings to inoculate against racialized trauma in a white-centered majority in library and information science (LIS) education and challenge its hegemonic power, privilege, and oppressions. In keeping with the theme of the book, one male “voice” of color from the margins of a predominantly white-female majority provides a strategic approach to operationalize social justice toward antiracist praxis and decenter white privilege in a professional association’s leadership networks of LIS educators. The narrative also highlights ways to integrate the American Library Association’s ninth principle recently included in its Code of Ethics beyond “lip-service” via social justice actions to change imbalanced power dynamics and discard systemic enactment of dysfunctional behaviors, practices, and policies.

This study introduces Simone Weil's impersonal justice concept and its relevance to libraries' identity and role in societies. The article presents the constituents of impersonal justice and a theoretical justification for the coexistence of neutrality with libraries' commitment to social causes.

Conceptual analysis of 3 Weil's works, 13 scientific articles and 12 libraries' official documents was applied, looking at relevant concepts and findings, contexts of use, arguments and types of authority.

Five constituents of impersonal justice were found: universality, concreteness, unicity, inviolability and inappropriability. Impersonal justice, based on the inviolable value of each individual and the universal expectation of good, allows for a more accurate definition of social justice. Besides, it justifies libraries' commitment to climate change, migrants and Black lives matter, among other causes.

In contrast to previous works, this paper focuses on clarifying concepts by applying conceptual analysis to Weil's works, Library and Information Science (LIS) sources in scientific and normative contexts. Additionally, the analysis of arguments and types of authority for justifying claims pro and against neutrality allows the reconstruction of the argumentative discourse beyond the examined sources.

To present and explore the need for alternative narratives to be included in library and information science (LIS) curricula.

This chapter examines LIS and its curricula through the Storytelling Project (STP) framework. STP theorizes that there are four types of stories: stock, concealed, resistance, and emerging/transforming stories.

Each of these story types exists in LIS, but in unequal proportion. LIS curriculum should include more stories of resistance and more emerging/transforming stories. These stories should also facilitate the emergence of the “new storytellers,” faculty members and instructors in LIS graduate programs who are working diligently to incorporate new stories into the classroom by creating learning environments that accommodate and encourage discussions of race, privilege, social justice, and other necessary and difficult issues.

The STP story typology forms a counter-storytelling matrix that can allow LIS educators an opportunity to diversify their content and teaching styles, ultimately enriching their students, their programs, and the profession.

This chapter expands LIS pedagogy by infusing elements of diversity, social justice, and theory from the related field of education.