DATALIS: innovating professional education in LIS

DATALIS is a collaboration between UC San Diego, Drexel University, OCLC, and the University of New Mexico working to address “How might we help libraries collaborate to innovate professional education that impacts recruitment, growth, and retention.” DATALIS is an integral part of the LEADING initiative, funded by IMLS, designed to enhance Data Science expertise among early career and doctoral students in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field. It focuses on innovating professional education and exploring the future landscape of professional and continuing education in this domain.

DATALIS uses the Innovation Funneltm model to frame our conversation about how to continue the work that LEADING started into a series of community conversations.

A funnel-shaped graphic representing the Innovation Funnel (tm) method, organized into four colored bands.  At the widest part of the funnel is Learn (yellow), then narrowing to Work (blue), Develop (orange), and Present (purple).  A cluster of orange lightbulbs emerges from the funnel.

During our first LEARN session (watch the recording), Kevin Popović provided an orientation to the Innovation Funneltm and identified how we might find the right problems to solve in LIS education right now. Erik Mitchell, UC San Diego Library, facilitated a panel of professionals and educators to discuss how we find balance in tradition and innovation in library services – a key part of moving the library community forward to new ways of working. Kevin then led attendees through a Rose, Bud, and Thorn exercise to better understand this space and identify the best parts of professional education, where there are pain points, and what is promising. During the upcoming WORK sessions, we’ll synthesize what we learned from this exercise to move from concepts to detailed plans. We invite you to join us where the rubber meets the road to define concrete next steps for LEADING and new ideas for professional education in LIS.

Screen capture of a digital whiteboard activity.  Colored sticky notes with text are arranged into three rectangular areas representing rose, bud, and thorn.