University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Library and Information Science: Student Library and Information Science: Student Capstone Projects Scholarship 5-2015 Library and Information Science Education and eScience: The Current State of ALA Accredited MLS/MLIS Programs in Preparing Librarians and Information Professionals for eScience Needs Hanna Schmillen University of Denver, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/lis_capstone Part of the Library and Information Science Commons Recommended Citation Schmillen, Hanna, "Library and Information Science Education and eScience: The Current State of ALA Accredited MLS/MLIS Programs in Preparing Librarians and Information Professionals for eScience Needs" (2015). 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Library and Information Science Education and eScience Library and Information Science Education and eScience: The Current State of ALA Accredited MLS/MLIS Programs in preparing Librarians and Information Professionals for eScience Needs Hanna Schmillen University of Denver, MLIS Candidate Library and Information Science Program: Capstone Project May 26, 2015 Capstone Mentor: Shimelis Assefa Second Reader: Krystyna Matusiak 1 Abstract The purpose of this study is multifaceted: 1) to describe eScience research in a comprehensive way; 2) to help library and information specialists understand the realm of eScience research and the information needs of the community and demonstrate the importance of LIS professionals within the eScience domain; 3) and to explore the current state of curricular content of ALA accredited MLS/MLIS programs to understand the extent to which they prepare new professionals within eScience librarianship. The literature review focuses heavily on eScientists and other data-driven researchers’ information service needs in addition to demonstrating how and why librarians and information specialists can and should fulfill these service gaps and information needs within eScience research. By looking at the current curriculum of American Library Association (ALA) accredited MLS/MLIS programs, we can identify potential gaps in knowledge and where to improve in order to prepare and train new MLS/MLIS graduates to fulfill the needs of eScientists. This investigation is meant to be informative and can be used as a tool for LIS programs to assess their curriculums in comparison to the needs of eScience and other data-driven and networked research. Finally, this investigation will provide awareness and insight into the services needed to support a thriving eScience and data-driven research community to the LIS profession. 2 Library and Information Science Education and eScience: The Current State of ALA Accredited MLS/MLIS Programs in preparing Librarians and Information Professionals for eScience Needs Introduction A problem facing librarians and information professionals today is properly providing relevant services to their eScience and data-driven research community. In addition, there is a lack of training for new LIS professionals in regards to eScience-related needs: data management, database and information organization development, stable storage, and easy, long- term access. The ARL eScience Task Force and Working Group in 2010 surveyed libraries that were heavily involved within eScience initiatives. The survey revealed that 73% of the libraries that responded indicated that they were actively involved in using eScience methodology to support their community; through a variety of services (Soehner, 2010). However, one of the overlaying problems was and continues to be finding faculty and staff that have the expertise to provide eScience data preservation and management services within the library (Si, 2013). The demand for librarians and information specialists that are trained for eScience is clearly increasing as ever-changing technology creates new science fields and massive amounts of data that needs to be collected, managed, accessible, and organized. Conversely, a quick review of the current Library and Information Science Master Programs accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) in the United States reveals that many programs do not offer deliberate specializations or tracks to train and prepare eScience librarians. On the contrary, the generalized, primary mission of libraries is to support their community by providing a variety of relevant, innovative services and resources that best suit the needs and wants of their specific community; and the eScience community is on the rise. To reiterate, MacColl and Jubb (2011) state, “…researchers have little interest in the support 3 services libraries have built for them in recent years, yet they are aware of support needs that are not being met” (p. 10). There is clearly a divide between library and information professional services and the actual needs of eScience researchers. One of the first steps to fulfilling an audience need is to first understand their essentials and how those services or products may be provided; so what services are truly needed by eScientists? What are the characteristics of eScience research, methodology, and the community of practice? How is this field different from or similar to scientific scholarship, in general? How can we, the LIS field, train entering librarians and information professionals to support these needs? What ALA accredited LIS programs are currently supporting and providing specializations and classes specific, if not relevant, to eScience needs? I will start the literature review with a definition of eScience to demonstrate perspective and service needs. Then I will validate the demand for eScience Librarianship within the field through other literature as well as career paths; followed by a summary of the current state of ALA Accredited programs in regards to eScience librarianship. Literature Review What is eScience? eScience is a term that encompasses many variations of the science fields and has been recognized as the fourth paradigm of science exploration. The scientific world is no longer separated by field of practice, but rather scientific exploration finds itself in a position where collaboration and multidisciplinary examination are the necessary commonality. As Edwards (2011, p. 670) emphasizes, “The Comtean hierarchy of physics, chemistry, and biology as driving disciplines is long gone, replaced by a massive proliferation of inter-disciplines…much of today’s most interesting and important science operates between domains.” This has come to pass due to the great accumulation of data and advancement of technology; what follows this 4 new access to incredible amounts of diverse, digital information is the great possibility of digital exploration within different fields and new perceptions; thus the phenomenon of eScience. eScience and data-driven research is most prevalent in the sciences, technology, engineering, and health sciences, but resides within multiple disciplines. eScience refers to a digitally-enhanced, networked, data-driven science (Osswald, 2008). This accurate description of eScience by Osswald points out three of the central characteristics of eScience: digitally-enhanced, networked, and data-driven. The digitally-enhanced ration of eScience embodies how eScientists analyze, manage, and gain access to, and share the data— digitally. Without the technological advances of our time, as mentioned above, the amount of data we have access to and are able to create would significantly decrease. Almost exclusively through online databases, networks, shared digital repositories, and digital files, datasets are shared and therefore digitally accessible. Furthermore, manipulation of this data is performed through software analysis and other data mining tools; which fundamentally are digital methods. Which leads into the next portion of Osswald’s description: networked. Networked is a very important characteristic of eScience because this is what makes eScience so fascinating, the networked and multidisciplinary nature of the field that creates initially, unintended links among datasets. eScientists utilize networked data and material to formulate new information through cross-comparison and manipulation. This creates another form of scholarly communication that is networked and builds from one use to another; like how articles are connected through citations and websites. Therefore, eScience thrives when datasets are shared and accessible. The final characteristic mentioned within Osswald’s description of eScience is data-driven. eScience exploration is achieved through data manipulation thus datasets are used as the primary form of experimentation. By manipulating and cross-comparing datasets, researchers are able to find 5 patterns and develop new inquiries across disciplines. The scholarship focuses on data manipulation and statistical analysis to improve upon a system or idea or to discover a new concept. Networked, digital data analysis is an innovative way of discovery that researchers are able to more effectively utilize due to the complexity