Research Design in Librarianship Program Extended for Three More Years

News

The IMLS has awarded a grant to extend the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship for three more years. Applications for the fourth cohort open on December 1, 2016. SJSU alumni are encouraged to apply.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has extended its grant funding for the Institute for Research Design in Librarianship, a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program offered in a partnership between the San José State University School of Information, Loyola Marymount University’s William H. Hannon Library and the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium. The fourth institute is planned for the summer of 2017.

According to the IMLS web page, 60 novice academic and research librarian program participants will receive instruction in research methods and a year of support to complete a project. Participants will improve their research skills through involvement in a workshop featuring in-class exercises and hands-on writing sessions, as well as research studies conducted at their home libraries. This newest round of grant funding will continue the program through 2019.

SJSU Master of Library and Information Science associate professor and IRDL instructor Dr. Lili Luo said the fourth cohort of the IRDL will see some changes “based on program evaluation and assessment results from previous years.” Specifically, the workshop will be one week long and participants will be assigned a librarian who participated in previous years as a mentor.

Luo believes the research design program is important because it provides professional development opportunities for academic and research librarians to enhance their research skills, improve the quality and quantity of their research output, and develop a professional network that offers support in the research process. “Ultimately, we hope the project will help increase the research-mindedness of the library profession,” Luo said.

Seven SJSU alumni have participated in previous IRDL programs. Jamillah Gabriel, ’11 MLIS, was a member of the second IRDL cohort and said the research design program gave her transferable skills that are useful in her work at Purdue University Libraries. “I think one of the most important things I gained from IRDL are the tools necessary to conduct research successfully and apply it in a variety of ways to what I do as a practicing librarian.”

Information about the IRDL program and research published by scholars from previous cohorts is available on the IRDL website. The site also provides information about preparing a proposal for the 2017 institute. Applications for the 2017 institute will be accepted between December 1, 2016 and January 13, 2017.