Owing to the scope and pace of change, society has become increasingly knowledge-based so that higher learning and research now act as essential components of cultural, socio-economic and environmentally sustainable development of individuals, communities and nations. In this environment, it is essential that higher learning and knowledge creation involve effective partnerships among academic and non-academic learning institutions and communities to create and apply learning and knowledge with stakeholders that are managing and creating sustainable development initiatives. Growing concern regarding the importance of the contribution that higher education institutions make to society has aroused increasing debate about their relevance and credibility amid escalating social problems. An underlying premise of community engagement is the understanding that not all knowledge and expertise resides in the academy, and that both expertise and great learning opportunities in teaching and scholarship also reside in non-academic settings.
This conference will explore how LIS educators and researchers can develop curricula, programs, and research activities that enable active partnerships with communities and civil society to manage and create change. How can LIS programs increase opportunities for experiential, service oriented, and community engaged student learning? How can we develop further collaboration between LIS programs and their larger communities (local, regional/ state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity?
Professional expertise is examined and defined by multiple communities: researchers, instructors in professional education programs, and professional associations, among others. In this study, we examined how expertise in reference and information service (RIS) is framed by professional associations in their published competency documents. Taking a discourse analysis approach, we analyzed how professional associations articulate and frame expertise, bringing to light values, priorities, and hidden arguments embedded in the discourses. As instructors in professional education programs, we use competency documents in our courses and to inform our program goals, but it is critical to fully interrogate these documents before presenting them to students. As researchers, we may use these documents as frameworks or instruments, or our research may be influenced by these documents in more subtle ways, as professionals embrace the language of expertise that has been communicated to them by their profession.
