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Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program

Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program. Johnson City Public Library, TN. Hancock County Public Library, Sneedville, TN. Sevier County Public Library, Sevierville, TN.

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Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program

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  1. Information Technology Rural Librarian Master’s Scholarship Program Johnson City Public Library, TN Hancock County Public Library, Sneedville, TN Sevier County Public Library, Sevierville, TN Lake City Public Library, TN Dr. Bharat Mehra, Dr. Kimberly Black, Dr. Vandana Singh School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee

  2. 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 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 ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  3. 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 ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  4. Pilot Study Report Location of Respondents ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  5. Pilot Study Report Most Important Library Services Provided to Rural Clients ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  6. Pilot Study Report Most Important Library Training and Educational Programs Needed by Information Professionals in East Tennessee ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  7. The ITRL Goal The goal ofITRLis to recruit sixteen paraprofessionals working in rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region 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 ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  8. Project Partners Project partners have agreed to serve in the ITRL grant based on their leadership, role, knowledge, networks, experience, and interests in promoting IT-based development and change in the region’s communities • Nancy Renfro, Director of the Watauga Regional Library • Donald B. Reynolds, Director of the Nolichucky Regional Library System • Susan Simmons, Director of the Clinch-Powell Regional Library • KC Williams, System Director of the Sevier County Public Library Though all current project partners are located in the East Tennessee region, representatives from other regional and county library systems in the Southern and Central Appalachian region are being contacted to elicit their participation in the various grant activities. ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  9. Five Phases of the ITRL Program 1. Recruitment of ITRL students from rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region 2. Needs assessment of library services and information challenges faced by rural regional libraries 3. Implementation of educational and training activities 4. Mentoring 5. Evaluation/assessment of program outcomes, and dissemination of program results/experiences ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009 Norris Community Library, TN

  10. 1. Recruitment • ITRL’s goal is to emphasize local and regional recruitment of students holding paraprofessional jobs in rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region . • Partners are recruiting potential candidates from their staff and community populations. Other local, regional, and national public library professionals are being contacted to elicit their proactive participation in recruitment efforts. • Recruitment success will be evaluated, refined, and may continue in the future, promoting rural librarianship as a track in the profession and increasing the flow of rural library paraprofessionals into accredited LIS programs. ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  11. Application and Admissions • Eligibility and Requirements • Currently working in a rural Southern and Central Appalachian library • Completed bachelor’s degree • A 3.25 cumulative GPA in undergraduate coursework and GRE scores (above the fifty percentile) or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in 12 or more hours of graduate coursework • Complete the UT SIS Admission Application and the ITRL Scholarship Program Application.[URL: http://www.sis.utk.edu/files/ITRLScholarshipProgramApplication.pdf]. • How to Apply: • 1.  Complete applications for admission to both UT Graduate School and SIS2.  Take the GRE and have scores sent to UT3.  Send transcripts from all colleges and universities attended4.  Complete the Personal Data Form5.  Write a one-page statement of intent (essay)6.  Have three academic and/or professional recommendations 7.  Complete application for the ITRL scholarship program  ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  12. 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 Southern and Central Appalachian region will provide feedback about library services and information challenges faced by rural libraries in the region. Break-out sessions and 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 ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  13. 3. Education/Training Implementation Students will have the opportunity to develop their own customized projects within an individually-tailored curriculum, where they pursue study of IT applications, rural library research and management, and explore development of topics in rural library settings. Upshur County Public Library, Buckhannon, WV ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  14. IS 574~Mehra 3a. Rural Management Outcomes • Service evaluation and assessment in rural libraries • Planning and management of a rural library program for children (or young adults) and adults • Reader’s advisory and fiction/non-fiction genre • Grant writing and development Jacksboro Public Library, TN ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  15. IS 574~Mehra 3b. IT Training • Technology infrastructure planning, assessment, and automation analysis of library systems • Web design/development/usability • Database design/implementation • Building digital library/web portals • Establishing hardware/software configurations for networking systems • Creating Library 2.0 tools ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  16. 4. Mentoring • An educator-practitioner team will provide each ITRL student mentoring and guidance in their formal coursework to integrate IT while developing comprehensive solutions for rural libraries in the Southern and Central Appalachian region. Gloucester County Public Library, VA (1914) ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  17. 5. Evaluation • Throughout the duration of the ITRL project we will continuously analyze the effectiveness of students’ experiences in developing IT applications in their courses for their rural work environments. • This will include collecting data on career choice, academic success, professional association participation, and the graduates’ evaluation of the program throughout their period of study. ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  18. How to Participate • Assist in recruitment of ITRL students as a member of the ITRL Recruitment Board • Participate as a member of the ITRL Practitioner Mentoring Board • Participation in the ITRL Needs Assessment Symposium Jonesville Public Library, NC ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  19. The ITRL Website • http://www.sis.utk.edu/rural-librarianship ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

  20. Questions and Comments??? Thank you for your attention and participation. ITRL, ETLA Presentation November 12, 2009

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