LibParlor Online Learning

Shared Knowledge for the Library Research Community

Abstract

Learning how to conduct research in library and information science is not always a requirement in LIS graduate programs. The result of uneven training impacts librarianship and the ways in which certain voices and research are privileged in our scholarship. This work in progress poster will share the results of an IMLS grant funded national needs assessment wherein we learned about the experiences, educational needs, and institutional constraints of MLIS students and academic library workers pursuing research through a survey and focus groups. The poster will share insights on the experiences of academic library workers and their needs for institutional, educational, and financial support for training and advocacy in LIS research. We will share information about what LIS researchers feel they benefited from their graduate coursework in research methods, as well as ideas for improvement for these courses.