[Sigsti-l] SIG STI/MED session

[K.T. Vaughan]

Hi all - Below are the details of the special session proposal that I
just sent in to ASIST.  Let me know what you think!  (I can edit the
proposal until Friday).  I decided to do a special session rather than a
panel because I thought it might be more interesting - plus we heard at
the SIG lunch that the conference organizers are interested in
nontraditional sessions this year.  But... it will depend on y'all's
help to come off well.

KT


Position Available - Sci/tech/med Informationist Wanted: An Open
Roundtable Discussion of the Education, Training, and Hiring of “Science
Librarians”

Coordinator: KTL Vaughan, User Services Librarian, UNC-CH Health
Sciences Library
CB #7585, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7585
KT_Vaughan at unc.edu
Phone: 919.966.8011
Fax: 919.966.5592

In scientific, technical, and medical libraries there are three main
types of informationist: the "dually competent" specialist, the
librarian/non-scientist, and the scientist/non-librarian.  Large
academic libraries tend to require that applicants have both an MLS/MIS
and a MS or PhD in one of the sciences or allied fields.  Colleges may
be willing to hire someone with an interest in science, regardless of
their scholarly training.  Corporations are known to hire people with a
science background and some knowledge in informatics, but no accredited
degree.  Lately, top academic libraries have struggled to find
"qualified" applicants.  If other libraries are doing well with
"single-Masters" staff, are the large libraries setting the bar too
high?  What are the implications for future informationists, given that
we are graduating fewer "librarians" every year?  What are the qualities
that you look for in the person whom you hire?  Why did you go into
science and medical information (or not)?  What do you wish you knew
before you started?  Does having a second graduate degree help, beyond
getting the job?  Does not having a graduate degree hurt?  Do different
cultures and countries affect hiring needs and requirements?  These
questions and others will be discussed in this open roundtable.

Sponsored by: SIG STI (Scientific and Technical Information Systems) and
SIG MED (Medical Informatics)

NOTE: This is a special session proposal, not a panel proposal per se.
The intention is to have a discussion among the attendees regarding
their experiences and thoughts.  The session will be moderated insofar
as questions will be posed to start the discussion.  However, there will
not be “speakers” presenting, as such.  SIGs STI and MED envision
participants coming from the academic and corporate professional
communities, the IS/LS education community, and from student members of
ASIST looking for some glimpse of the future.


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