CLASS: LIS 60650 Information Policy
PROJECT: Intellectual Property Report
MLIS PLO:
PLO1 – Apply the field's foundational theories, principles, values, ethics, and skills to everyday practice.
This paper aligns with three out of ALA’s nine Core Competencies – specifically the first (i.e., “Gateway Knowledge”); the sixth (i.e., "Reference and User Services"); and the seventh (i.e., "Research & Evidenced-Based Practice"). [Details of each competency are listed below.]
A person graduating from an ALA-accredited Master's Program in Library and Information Science should be familiar with and be able to apply, when applicable, the following ALACCs:
Competency #1: “Gateway Knowledge”
1A. Employ the ethics, values, and foundational principles of the library profession.
1B. Promote democratic principles and intellectual freedom (including freedom of expression, thought, and conscience).
1C. Consider the history of libraries and librarianship and their role within the context of society.
1D. Recognize the history, preservation, and dissemination of information in all its forms, and its impact on libraries.
1E. Identify current types of libraries (school, public, academic, special, etc.) and closely related information agencies, such as museums, archives, and galleries.
1F. Identify social, public, information, economic, and cultural policies and trends of significance to the library and information profession on the local, regional, national, and international levels.
1G. Understand the legal framework in which libraries operate, including laws relating to copyright and fair use, privacy, freedom of expression, equal rights (e.g., the Americans with Disabilities Act), open access, and intellectual property.
1H. Effectively advocate for libraries, librarians, other library workers, patrons, and services, especially in terms of marketing, fundraising, and outreach.
1I. Use techniques to identify, codify, and analyze complex problems and create appropriate and collaborative solutions within library environments.
1J. Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication techniques, including electronically via video, live chat, and email.
1K. Hold current certification, degree, and/or licensure requirements of specialized areas of the library profession.
Competency #6: “Reference and User Services”
6A. Employ techniques used to discover, retrieve, evaluate, and synthesize information from diverse sources for use by varying user populations and information environments.
6B. Understand and apply methods and practices necessary to provide consultation, mediation, instruction, and guidance in using recorded knowledge and information for all user populations and information environments. Emphasize problem-solving skills to determine informational needs during the reference interview process.
6C. Apply the RUSA Behavioral Competencies in the ethical practice of reference and user services.
6D. Implement principles, concepts, and techniques for understanding and assessing the information needs of a community, and understand the ways the library can assist and collaborate in meeting those needs.
6E. Engage in the evaluation and assessment of programs, services, and partnerships, with input from the community being served.
6F. Practice cultural humility while planning, offering, and evaluating library reference and user services.
Competency #7: "Research & Evidenced-Based Practice"
7A. Discover, engage with, and synthesize existing research from the field using multidisciplinary approaches to various information issues to align relevant findings to one’s own professional development and/or institutional needs.
7B. Recognize the ethical and appropriate application of key research methods, techniques, and designs in the field, including the generation, analysis, evaluation, and presentation of data, and the utilization of research tools.
7C. Understand principles and issues evolving with research, including an awareness of how professional and cultural values may influence each stage of the research lifecycle, the barriers related to access to research, and the tension between research and its application to professional practice.
7D. Understand the importance of engaging in the research foundations and scholarly communications that will enable continued professional growth, knowledge, and sharing.
References
American Library Association. (2022). Core competencies. http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/corecomp/corecompetences
ANNOTATION: This project was the final paper for the LIS 60650 Information Policy course. This project required students to work in groups of 2-3 and together, (1) define the legal issues, standards, trends, and emerging concerns of an information policy issue towards an information institution and (2) determine what type of audiences could be affected by that information policy. My group chose the information policy topic of intellectual property and found that public librarians need to be aware of intellectual property issues in order to best serve their patrons.
This project aligned with both the MLIS PLO(s) and ALACC(s) stated above since this project evaluated an information policy issue and how it affects both library staff and library patrons' access to information.