Dissertation Information for Martha Jane Koontz Zachert NAME: - Martha Jane Koontz Zachert
- (Alias) Jane K. Zachert
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science
SCHOOL:
- Columbia University (USA) (1967)
ADVISORS: - Jack Dalton
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - Russell Shank - Alice Bryan - Frances Henne - Paul Witt
MPACT Status: Fully Complete
Title: OBJECTIVES AND PATTERNS IN UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY SCIENCE EDUCATION
Abstract: Diverse.influences have shaped library
science education since academic education for the profession
began 1n 1887. It ls, therefore, understandable that
the agencies that provide this education should display marked
d1fferences--a tendency especlally characteristic of the
undergraduate programs. The present study has examined several
commonly held assumptions about these undergraduate
programs and has tested hypotheses about variation in thelr
objectives.
Data were compiled in 1961-62 from United
States Office of Education sources about selected
characteristics of the 563 institutions that offered library science in
1956. It appears , from these data that several assumptions
need to be modified as follows: (1) The majority of the
undergraduate programs are not located primarly in teachers
colleges, as has been assumed for some years. Rather, the programs
studied were located 1n six types of parent instiyutions:
combination liberal arts-teacher education Institutions,
47 per cent; l1beral arts collegedf, 16 per cent;-
universities without graduate library schools, 13 per cent;
Junior collegee-13- per cent; teachers
colleges, 7 per cent; universities with accredited graduate library schools, 5
percent. (2) Because library science is taught in various
academic contexts, choice of a single accrediting agency for
undergraduate programs is not obvious. (3) The majority of programs
offer more than the minimal introductory courses ,long assumed
to comprise the In undergraduate programs. Forty-eight per
cent offered less than twelve semester hours; the remainder
offered from twelve to more than thirty. (4) Inasmuch as only 52
per cent of the undergraduate library sclence, programs are
in publ1c tax supported inst1tutions, trere can no longer be any
doubt that privately controlled institutions from a
Significant segment of undergraduate library science education.
Data to test the hypotheses ot the present
study were collected {In 1961-62} from administrators
of undergraduate library science programs, by questionairre
and from the printed catalog of each institution. A one-third
stratifled sample of 173 1nstitutions was used,
proportionately selected from the six parent institution groups. Responses
trom adminitrators,indicate that there is,
as hypotheSized, a relationship between the type ot parent, institution of a
library science program and the objectives of that
program. , This relationship is one of multiformity rather
than unlformity.
The questionnaire resposes also provided
data to . show that, as hypothesized, there is a
relatlonship between the obJectives of the undergraduate library
science programs and the school library
certification requirements of the home
states of the progams. The considerable
variation in the stste school library
certification regulations almost
automatically resulted in widespread
variation in the programs designed to
prepare students for certification.
The data provided tentative evidence that
six selected administrative characteristics of the
undergraduate l1brary science programs, such as their locus. in
their Institutional structure, the assigned,
duties of their admlnistrators, and size of faculty, contrary to the
hypothesis,are unrelated to the variation found In the obJectives of the
programs. Analysis ot the questionnaire data by the
variable, of the program objectives made eVident, as
hypothesized, three career patterns (preparation for minimum
certification, preparation for continued
study 1n graduate library cchool,
preparation for sub-professlonal library positions), and
one non-creer pattern (preparation for personal academic
work). These four objectives were held more offen in
combination than singly, but no spec1fic combination of objectives
predominated in a majority of the programs. Finally, the data prov1ded evidence that
indivldual var1ation in undergraduate library science
programs and , obJectives is likely ,to increase as
hypothesized, rather than decrease 'in the
foreseeable future" and that the expected Changes are like1y to take place within the
patterns of variation identified in th1s study.
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MPACT Scores for Martha Jane Koontz Zachert A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:01:41
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