Unisa online - The challenge of producing industry-ready graduates

Dr Diane Barlow, Associate Dean of the College of Information Studies (the iSchool), University of Maryland College Park delivered a lecture on Library and Information Science curriculum development: the challenge of producing industry-ready graduates and keeping abreast of new developments in technology in the Muckleneuk Library Audiovisual Room on 6 June 2008. Under Dr Barlow’s leadership the iSchool has developed new academic programmes and implemented a Master of Information Management programme.

According to Dr Barlow, there is a very good job outlook for librarians in the USA, and this has led to an almost four-fold increase in students from 1992. There has also been a growth in diversification in the curriculum. However, she said, this does not devalue the traditional Master in Librarian Science degree, but gives the iSchool leverage to meet an evolving workforce need in the state and the region.