The Information professional (2)

Malta Independent Thursday, 22 September 2005, 00:00 Last update: about 14 years ago

Various Roles

It has been quite common to come across different role titles for the information professional that try to reflect his/her authority and expertise.

Materska (2004, p. 146) hints to the idea of ‘infotherapy’. This suggests that an overabundance of information exists (Naisbitt 1982, cited in Materska 2004, p. 145). Lancaster (cited in Watson 1997, p. 82) suggests the idea of ‘knowledge engineering’ in reference to different interfaces available to the end-user by the librarian to facilitate access.

Also, the roles of ‘information consultants’ and ‘counsellors’ are put forward by Lancaster (cited in Watson 1997, p. 86). Additionally, Sturges (2001, p. 65) proposes the idea of the information professional as a ‘gatekeeper’; the one who keeps others informed; a (global information broker). As it might be evident to the reader, all these nomenclatures suggest the abundance of the available information and therefore, the ever increasing need to have professionally trained people to conduct, mentor and guide the patron whoever s/he might be in order to be able to satisfy his/her information need.

Information managers/

Information leaders

Various authors highlight the need to go beyond comfort sectors by information professionals (Hollister 2005, p. 108; Newman, Porter and Yang 2001, p. 30; Line cited in Watson 1997, p. 30). By ‘comfort’ we can list hundreds of things, but some common ones might be the ‘I do not know’; or ‘I do not have that information’; or ‘we are too busy and we cannot renew your books’, replies. The latter one has been addressed to me over the phone! Professional work ethics ask for the service to be given at all times whether it is rainy or sunny. The professional librarian should always satisfy the patron’s need(s) at all times.

Newman, Porter and Yang (2001, p. 26) suggest that there will be ‘new forms of information’ and therefore, new information formats as well. This calls for new information handlers, professionals or managers with relative skills. In fact White suggests (1993 cited in Gower 1998, p. 84) a new ‘re-examination’ of the information profession is needed. Layzell Ward (2003) in her review of annual papers proposes different developments in information management. Starting from Hughes (2002 cited in Layzell Ward 2003, p. 127) who warned against the loyal approach, she continues through a plethora of approaches, skills and leadership styles, including the following: to be a resilient person (p. 129), to handle

the difficult user (ibid.), to form teams (ibid.).

Managing through ‘emotions’ – winning people over by showing understanding – is an issue also mentioned by Kotter (2002 cited in Layzell Ward 2003, p. 132). Motivation is another concern to be taken care of if we are interested in change (Berger 2002a, cited in Layzell Ward 2003, p. 133). Additionally, Streatfield and Wilson (1999, p. 69 cited in Loughridge 1999, p. 251) suggest that all ‘key staff’ should be considered as information managers; though this might be stated after the staff has undergone the necessary training.

New retrieval aids

Helping the end user also entails helping them with new emerging software and techniques. Newman, Porter and Yang (2001, p. 30) suggest that new software (searching programmes) that enable the end-user to recall the information asked for as close as possible is what we might need. The Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) seems to be another aid that helps the end-user to save time on searches (Sturges 2001, p. 66) while at the same time be informed about the new publications whether in print or electronic.

Conclusion

As stated in the beginning some changes might have seemed obvious while others need to be taken more seriously. Some aspects of librarianship do need a re-examination and a re-definition might be needed especially where roles are implied. On the one hand we (the information professionals) deal with people and therefore, attitudes, emotions and courtesy come into play.

On the other, we deal with raw data and information whether specific or general, in print or electronic. Surely, since new information formats are likely to be developed, different skills, critical thinking, analysis and presentation seem to be the next step forward in order to secure a healthy global society. These attitudes and skills must form the ‘training package’ of the new information professional as they play an important role in the information society provision. Also, it looks as if we need to be more pro-active in approaching the information literacy aspect since as Newman, Porter and Yang (2001, p. 28) suggest, ‘someone needs to perform multiple information functions’.

References

American Library Association 2003, Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report 1989, last revised July 26 2004, viewed January 2003, available at http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/presidential.htm.

Council of Australian University Librarians 2005, updated March 30 2005, Information Literacy, viewed March 15 2005, available at http://www.caul.edu.au/info-literacy/index.html.

European Commission Directorate-General for the Information Society 2005, last updated 16 March 2005, eEurope 2005: an information society for all; an action plan to be presented in view if the Sevilla European Council, 21/22 June 2002 / Commission of the European Communities, Luxemburg, viewed on 20 March 2005, available in pdf at http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2005/all_about/action_plan/index_en.htm.

Hamilton, F 1998, Information auditing, in Gower handbook of library and information management, RJ (ed.), Gower, England.

Hollister, C 2005, Bringing information literacy to career services, electronic version, Reference Services Review, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 104-111, viewed 15 March 2005, retrieved from Emerald database.

Kalan, Abbey 2002, Are we sabotaging ourselves with our ‘professional’ image?, American Libraries, vol. 33, no. 5, p. 42, viewed, 20 March 2005, retrieved from ProQuest database.

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