Educating the Entrepreneurial Librarian

LIS education is changing to meet the needs of a dynamic information seeking public by infusing new skills development into the education process. This includes new ways to teach from a theoretical point of view in the classroom, new partnerships and expectations, and learning from practitioners through practicums, internships and volunteering. Embracing innovation and entrepreneurship within the education framework for library and information science education will ensure a profession that can change and be sustainable into the future. Within the constructs of an entrepreneurial discipline a comparison of the values of librarianship and the skills needed for successful entrepreneurial actives is provided. Examples and active programs from field literature are discussed to make the case for the need to include entrepreneurial skill development into the Library and Information Studies (LIS) curriculum and program development. This poster will discuss the value of applying or including an entrepreneurial education component into LIS programs. Using elements from a design thinking model, changes to practicum experiences can also help students engage more broadly and redefine how to provide library resources and services in an uncertain future. The value to the student will also be examined. Whether as part of a standard program or as part of a professional development initiative, students or individuals obtaining competencies and skills related to risk taking, building diverse relationships and becoming comfortable with ambiguity will increase their chances for a broader range of employment. The work related to this poster has been developed and shared in pieces at various presentations and venues but never collected and documented as a single work. More information and details can be found at: Michael A. Crumpton, Nora J. Bird, "Educating the Entrepreneurial Librarian" In Supporting Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Published online: 11 Apr 2019; 169-182, https://doi.org/10.1108/S0732-067120190000040011