M.L.I.S. Program Goals
Our information society requires its citizens to be able to search, access, retrieve, and use data and information in their personal and professional lives, but there is a difference between ethical data and information practices and those that contravene norms, policies, and laws. Therefore, it is necessary for future library and information science professionals to be able to connect core values to the work they do and the publics they serve. Our core values include: access, confidentiality/privacy, democracy, diversity, education and lifelong learning, intellectual freedom, preservation, the public good, professionalism, service, social responsibility, stewardship, and sustainability.
Information professionals are first and foremost competent users of all aspects of the information ecosystem. This ecosystem includes the skills, processes and conceptual understandings of information, technology, media, data, visual, and graphic literacies that form the bedrock of information science. These conceptual foundations transfer to the development of services and resources in a variety of formats for patrons and colleagues. Information science professionals engage and assist with the identification of information questions or problems. They facilitate all aspects of information-seeking behaviors through passive support and direct development and instruction of tools, resources, and inquiry behaviors and processes. They facilitate timely informal and formal learning opportunities allowing patrons to evolve in their own abilities to navigate all types of information science literacies.
Information professionals are responsible for curating various types of information and/or collections while collaborating with diverse designated communities throughout information/data lifecycle. Curation is the selection, deselection, management, preservation, collection, and archiving of information, and it establishes, maintains, and adds values to information for present and future use. Curation is essential stewardship to enhance and maintain the long-term value of data, information, and collection.
Information professionals learn from the past, anticipate emerging trends, and respond proactively. They synthesize and apply management principles to address topics related to user services; intellectual property activities; collection development; human resources; finance; technology, data, and digital services; communications; space planning; community engagement, and security issues. Managers apply core values and ethics to management situations, apply organizational and change theories to address leadership functions, collaborate and build relationships inside and outside their institution; and create visions and plans (e.g., strategic, financial, project, marketing) then adapt to meet evolving needs.
Information professionals create order out of chaos through the organization of recorded knowledge and information. This includes the ability to organize and represent data and information, develop and describe information, and use existing techniques, technologies, and systems. Information professional assist with the organization and representation of information throughout the information lifecycle in order to facilitate discoverability and findability.
Information professionals continually explore, evaluate, and create new knowledge to inform professional practices and theory. Conducting systematic research is how library and information professionals evaluate their responsibilities and institutions, prepare for future change, and benefit from the insights and discoveries of others through disseminated findings.
Information professionals are not only asked to meet user and organization needs with current techniques, technologies, and systems but are also strongly urged to innovate professional practice. Innovation arises through new and creative methods and procedures. Innovation can also involve the proper application of technology, for instance: established technology can be adapted in new ways for additional outcomes, and nascent technology can be recognized and embraced for the services it can provide.
Information professionals provide services to increasingly diverse communities not only to meet information needs but also to represent the communities served. Such information professionals recognize their social justice responsibilities and, through their actions and behavior, demonstrate commitment to values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access for their communities as well as for the workforce.