Blended Learning Methodology for Library Professionals "Carol I" Central University Library
Blended Learning Methodology for Library Professionals "Carol I" Central University Library

Summary/Abstract: The present paper aims to analyze the current mission of "Carol I" Central University Library for library professionals' training and development. We started our methodology from the services and scientific products that these institutions offer to higher education researchers, teachers and students, the extent of the technological developments and (co)relation with the assimilated skills. Taking into account the new tendencies in heritage preservation and cultural sharing through the new tech, dedicated portals and communication channels, library professionals must be specialized in digital technology processing, metadata cataloguing, bibliographic data exchange, digital preservation and data analyzing. Unfortunately, the Romanian library system lacks a well guided training policy, a nationwide unified strategy for digital preservation and also a public strategy for professional training. Our study will focus on how "Carol I" Central University Library, Bucharest understands its unique role of training provider for secondary school library system and also of the academic library system. The librarian profession addresses to a different public, has specific tasks and levels of difficulty, being influenced by the organizational evolution and technical infrastructure. They are also confronted with economic constraints and need to develope the expertise and adjust the library services and scientific products (eBooks, e-portfolios, digital repositories, eLearning platforms) through electronic means of communication, theoretical expertise and sociological tools in order to accomplish the fundamental mission of the institution (to support teaching, learning and scientific research) at highest academic standards. The teaching and learning processes have been transformed rapidly the last decades due to the shifting evolution of communication channels and educational software. Blended Learning as new paradigm became a very appropriate solution for knowledge transfer. The evolution of library services and new strategies for learning and communications required a strong set of specific skills for librarians. In this respect, having as mission to develop the competences of both academic and school librarians, "Carol I" Central University Library might use a common training curriculum for the basic working skills. The purpose of our analysis is to explore the need for blended learning and its influences in the academic environment, highlighting the librarians' training policies. We designed a virtual learning environment dedicated to the professional training, with Moodle, in order to provide professional guidance for librarians, and also applied the last theoretical fundamentals of blending learning in the librarianship field, comparative case studies concerning electronic library services. In this regard, we explored the possible technological foundation that might be used to design a pedagogical model for librarians' blended training framework. This is the reason behind "Carol I" Central University Library, as the only national training provider for two library systems, took into consideration the blended learning as a cost effective solution for knowledge sharing, continuous development and professional solidarity.

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