Bharat Mehra, Kimberly Black, Vandana Singh, Shu-Yueh Lee

1. Collaborations between LIS Education & Rural Libraries in East Tennessee: Improving Librarian Technology Literacy & Management Training Johnson City Public Library, TN Hancock County Public Library, Sneedville, TN Sevier County Public Library, Sevierville, TN Lake City Public Library, TN Bharat Mehra, Kimberly Black, Vandana Singh, Shu-Yueh Lee School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee

2. Agenda • About the ITRL Program • The ITRL Purpose • Why the ITRL Program is Important? • Research Goals • Discussion • Alliances and Associations based on a Pilot Study Conducted to Assist in Funding of the ITRL Grant Proposal • Collaborations in the Planning and Development of the ITRL Grant Proposal • Partnerships in the Five Phases of the ITRL Project Design • Conclusions ITRL Planning Meeting 13 November, 2009 ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

3. About the ITRL Program • “Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program” (ITRL) in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee meets an urgent need for rural librarians in the Southern and Central Appalachian (SCA) region to develop information technology competencies and training in a master’s program (accredited by the American Library Association) that combines work experience and practice with graduate instruction and curriculum support. Hamlin-Lincoln County Public Library, Hamlin, WV ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

4. The ITRL Purpose The purpose of the ITRL Scholarship Programis to recruit sixteen paraprofessionals working in rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian (SCA) regions to complete their master’s degree with a focus on IT and rural librarianship in the UT’s SIS program via distance. • ITRL students will receive: • Part-time degree in a program accredited by the ALA • A structured, individually-tailored IT and rural management curriculum • Rural library practices and needs incorporated into the curriculum • IT competencies in developing rural library work applications • Formal/informal professional mentoring by educators and practitioners • Full-tuition scholarship for two years • Allowance for materials • Provision of a laptop computer ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

5. Why the ITRL Program is Important The Southern and Central Appalachian Region is experiencing: • Information poverty and unemployment • Economic challenges • Low levels of information literacy and educational attainment • A lack of access and use of IT • Other unique environmental challenges Library professionals who are embedded in their communities are in a strong position to help address and develop solutions to these needs. Laurel Jones Public Library, Laurel, MS ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

6. Research Goals 1 • To draw implications for developing alliances and associations between LIS education and rural librarians in the SCA s regions based on a pilot study that was conducted to assist in funding the grant proposal, namely, to explore the perspectives of East Tennessee’s regional librarians about the extent of their need for a professional library education to integrate IT competencies and information management skills in their work environments. Jonesville Public Library, NC ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

7. Pilot Study • Quantitative web-based survey with select open-ended questions helped ascertain the extent of need for professional library education in the SCA region • A self-administered web-based survey was available during November 12-19, 2008, to gather data for the study • A call for participation was sent on the TN-Libraries ListServ and elicited participation of members of the Regional Library System in East Tennessee • Research questions • What are the key information needs of rural communities in the region? • What are the library services provided by rural information professionals in the region? • What is the extent of perceived need for formal library professional education among information professionals in the region? • What specific training/educational programs are needed by information professionals in the region? ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

8. Pilot Study Findings Location of Respondents ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

9. Most Important Library Services Provided to Rural Clients

10. Implications for Developing Alliances & Associations • Formal educational opportunities and training (e.g., degree programs, librarian certification courses, workshops and “how-to” seminars) should be developed to meet the need for awareness and use of technology applications in rural library environments. • Call for strategic relationship building and partnerships between various stakeholders to seek, leverage, and obtain library and technology resources to train staff with IT skills and develop IT tools and implementation. ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

11. Most Important Library Training & Educational Programs Needed in East Tennessee

12. Implications for Developing Alliances & Associations • East Tennessee’s regional librarians have a strong desire to gain access to professional library education that integrates IT competencies and library management training for graduates to better serve their rural communities. • The pilot research calls for a structured curriculum in the UT’s SIS program and other LIS programs around the country that provide students individually-tailored formal/informal professional mentoring by educators and practitioners while they learn IT competencies and develop rural library work applications in their courses that are especially suited towards the needs of the SCA communities.. ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

13. Research Goals 2 • To identify collaborations that were significant in the planning and development of the ITRL grant proposal • To explore partnerships that will be instrumental towards successful implementation of future activities in the five phases of the ITRL project design: 1. Recruitment of ITRL students from rural libraries in the SCA region 2. Needs assessment of library services and information challenges faced by rural regional libraries 3. Implementation of educational and training activities 4. Professional mentoring (formal/informal) by professional educators and practitioners 5. Evaluation/assessment of program outcomes, and dissemination of program results/experiences ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

14. Collaborations in the ITRL Planning and Development of the Grant Proposal • Ongoing feedback from regional librarians in the UT’s SIS advisory board and alumni networks and paraprofessional experiences shared by SIS DE students developed a fuller picture about the context of study • Participation in local, regional, and state-level professional library networks established professional ties with rural librarians in the SCA region and gained their support and involvement in the grant proposal • Contributions by East Tennessee’s regional public librarians in the pilot study furthered formal assessment of need and provided evidence to inform the grant development process • Strategic planning in East Tennessee’s two regional libraries provided the impetus to take action to address the experienced challenges (e.g., lack of resources) in the region’s public libraries ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

15. Collaborations in the ITRL Planning and Development of the Grant Proposal • Involvement of project partners throughout the grant activities provides validity, leadership, knowledge, networks, experience, and drive to promote IT-based development and change in the region’s communities • Nancy Renfro, Director, Watauga Regional Library • Donald B. Reynolds, Director, Nolichucky Regional Library System • Susan Simmons, Director, Clinch-Powell Regional Library • KC Williams, System Director, Sevier County Public Library • Representatives from other regional and county library systems in the nine states within the SCA region are planning to participate in the various grant activities ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

16. Collaborations in the ITRL Phase 1: Recruitment • Created the ITRL Recruitment Board with members who are helping recruit potential ITRL applicants (in progress) , developed a plan for competitive recruitment of students to the program, including development of recruitment materials and criteria for selection (e.g. members of ARSL, ETLA) • State librarians, regional library directors, county library directors, and others in the SCA region have assisted in marketing and promotion efforts, identifying potential candidates from their staff and community populations, and helping them complete admission procedures and application materials ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

17. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 2: Needs Assessment • An ITRL Needs Assessment Symposium [online and face-to-face meetings] will be conducted in March/April 2010 and fifty library and information professionals from across the SCA region will provide feedback about library services and information challenges experienced in their rural libraries. • Online break-out sessions and face-to-face focus groups will be orchestrated to address local information needs, use of information resources and services, challenges and barriers, areas of improvement, and use of computers and information technologies. Doddridge County Public Library, West Union, WV ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

18. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 3: Education/Training Implementation • IT deliverables applied towards rural libraries include: • Technology planning, assessment, and analysis • Database and web design, development, and usability • Building digital library, web portals, and Library 2.0 tools • Establishing hardware and software configurations for networking systems  • Management outcomes in rural library courses include: • Service evaluation/assessment in rural libraries • Planning/management of a rural library program for youth and adults • Reader’s advisory and other information services • Grant writing and partnership development ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

19. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 3: The Possibilities in IT Courses • Partnerships to facilitate student developed course outcomes related to: • Creation and use of technology and online tools (e.g., digital libraries, OPAC, electronic databases) to access local materials, bringing together state and local library networks • Understanding of IT-related planning and application of research methodologies to train other employees/ patrons to fully utilize available databases and search engines • Community based electronic communications (using Web 2.0 to promote and expand library services) ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

20. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 3: The Possibilities in Rural Management Courses • Collaborations with rural libraries where ITRL • students work to facilitate development of course outcomes related to: • Library service evaluation based on understanding of user needs • as assessed by students and the library • Working within individual libraries with employees and patrons to offer appropriate services and materials responding to changes in expectations of various populations (current interests, activities, etc.) • Improving reader ‘s advisory methods and techniques, creating partnerships between their library and other libraries, writing grant proposals for the library ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

21. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 4: Professional Mentoring • 16 librarians with MLS degrees will form the ITRL Mentoring Board that will work with ITRL educators to tailor individual student’s academic program in integrating IT competencies to meet the needs of their rural library and community [May 2010] • Educators from UT’s SIS and practitioner-mentors from the ITRL Mentoring Board will identify learning objectives, course recommendations, and research projects to enhance IT skills with rural library applications • Faculty and practitioner-mentor participants will develop profiles of work/position descriptions and IT expectations for each ITRL student • Each work/position profile will incorporate specific IT content and rural management applications ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

22. Collaborations in ITRL Phase 5: Evaluation • Feedback from ITRL mentors, students, and rural library professionals will be regularly collected • Throughout the ITRL duration we will continuously analyze the effectiveness of students’ experiences in developing IT course applications for their rural work environments • Quantitative survey-based online student evaluation at the beginning and end of each class • Qualitative interview questions in each class • This will include collecting data on career choice, academic success, professional association participation, and the graduates’ evaluation of the program ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

23. Conclusions • ITRL is a collaborative effort from conception to completion. Educators, partners, students, and libraries are working together to improve library services and materials across the Southern and Central Appalachian region. We hope this collaboration will continue long after the ITRL students graduate. Upshur County Public Library, Buckhannon, WV ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

24. Acknowledgements We appreciate the recently funded IMLS grant that is helping to support activities reported in this presentation. We gratefully acknowledge the participation and contributions of East Tennessee’s regional public librarians and others who participated in various data gathering methods. ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee

25. Questions and Comments? Thank you for your attention and participation. ALISE 2010: Mehra, Black, Singh, & Lee