Knowledge Experts – Knowledge Management and E-Learning Skills for Digital Librarians Aban Budin & Gerhard Budin University of Vienna

Problem Situation and Assumptions Many librarians still lack advanced media literacy for pro- active digital library services. In addition, many libraries are not yet prepared for assuming new roles and functions in institutions and net works, in particular in the areas of e-learning and content management. Furthermore, librarians are mostly seen as service providers in the traditional way and not quite as equal to academic staff in connection with content development. Such new roles and functions may lead to emerging professional profiles and specializations for digital librarians.

Digital libraries for E-learning Environments E-learning environments rely on digital content that has to be organized, stored, managed, and supplied in pertinent ways to support learning processes. Unfortunately, in most e-learning environments, libraries are still playing a marginal role. Learning objects are stored in repositories and indexed with educational meta-data (IEEE LOM Standard).

Digital Libraries and Knowledge Management In addition to corporate environments, knowledge management is increasingly applied also in education, the public sector, and other spheres of society. Sustainable knowledge management relies on intelligent preservation of data for their instant retrieval and re-use in new situations. Holistic knowledge management strategies and applications acknowledge a crucial role of digital libraries.

A holistic integrated view E-learning Strategies Applications Digital Libraries Knowledge Management

Case study: E-learning meets Digital Libraries in BRICKS BRICKS: Building Resources for Integrated Cultural Knowledge Services (IP in FP6). Integrating e-learning experiences and university initiatives of transforming cultural content into learning content for academic learning environment. Introducing students to real life scenarios in cultural heritage management.

Relevant Dimensions of E-Learning Blended learning scenarios. Learning content development – didactic modelling and reorganization of existing content. Learning technologies and standards. Multi-lingual and cross-cultural learning scenarios.

Standards in E-Learning The learning object meta data model for learning resources –Involves: IEEE LTSC, JTC1/SC 36, IMS, CEN, etc. SCORM (Shareable content object reference model) Specifications and framework. Builds upon and integrates other standards initiative such as DCMI. ->Many links to digital libraries and their roles.

Principles for E-Learning Standardization Inter-operability, Re-usability, Manageability, Accessibility, Durability, Granularity (Modularizability).

Conclusions: Goals for Digital Library Education Digital libraries, as enabling tools for e-learning and knowledge management environments, need enabled staff. Not only librarians need further education to adapt to their changed market and to assume their new roles and images, but also the academic staff and students need to envision the library and its staff in a new role: –Interaction between library staff, teachers and students in developing Learning Objects and contents for e-learning from the library collections. –Further education for library staff should be on part-time, distance learning basis, in shorter courses than normal library school curricula. –It is vital to adapt the contents, the level and the goals of the further education for librarians to their respective age, the position, cultural and social as well as educational background, in order to ensure outmost motivation and further implementation. –Sustainable business models (including third party funding, incentives in HRM).

Conclusion: Examples (1) Examples of relevant continuous education programs in Austria: –Co-operation between the Semantic Web School and the Brain- Pool of the Austrian National Library –The Knowledge Experts Project (European Social Fund) of the University of Vienna: Digital literacy and media literacy Social skills Communication skills in digital work environments E-tutoring/e-learning competencies Special perspectives on digital libraries in their wider roles and functions in a learning society Knowledge management / Content management Gender mainstreaming strategies and skills

Conclusion: Examples (2) ICIMSS: Stands for: The International Centre for Information Management Systems & Services. Launched in as an international initiative to provide further professional development to information professionals in Central and Eastern Europe. Designed as blended learning course; currently a new programme is under development.

Conclusion: References Brain Pool: BRICKS: E-learning Centre, University of Vienna: ICIMSS: The Semantic Web School:

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