Catching the tide: environmental pressures for an emphasis on management in the library and information sciences curriculum

This paper considers the impact of the emerging “information society” on the education and development of information professionals, particularly in the area of management. It identifies those features of the “information society” which are significant for teaching and learning: the new information and communication technologies; users’ growing expectations of information services; the changing job market; and convergence in the information sector. It outlines some steps which schools of library and information sciences in the UK have taken to respond to the challenges presented by the new environment: revising the existing curriculum and teaching methods; expanding the range of curricula; and improved support for continuing professional development. It describes some obstacles to progress: particularly the lack of research into the value of information; isolation from other disciplines, such as political science; potential challenges from business schools; and the shortcomings of current distance learning provision.Introduction