University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV Academic Libraries)

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University, the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and Smith College will develop LibParlor Online Learning (LPOL), a free, open-source online curriculum of learning modules with readings and activities that will build capacity for academic library and information science (LIS) professionals to conduct and publish rigorous original research. New LIS professionals face challenges when conducting and publishing research due to inconsistent master’s-level education requirements, a lack of comprehensive resources, and varying levels of institutional support. The project team will conduct a needs assessment of LIS workers and library and information science master’s students through surveys and online discussions to identify their key areas of difficulty in conducting research. The team will then collaborate with experienced LIS researchers and instructors to create a curriculum of open resources that empowers participants to build a fully-developed research project proposal. LPOL will build from existing resources by creating an openly-accessible asynchronous online curriculum for LIS professionals.