Recruitment, Development, and Retention of Information Professionals: Trends in Human Resources and Knowledge Management

CALL FOR CHAPTERS

Proposal Submission Deadline: October 30, 2008
Full Chapter Deadline: February 15, 2009

Book: “Recruitment, Development, and Retention of Information Professionals: Trends in Human Resources and Knowledge Management”
A book edited by: Elisabeth Pankl, Danielle Theiss-White, and Mary C. Bushing

Introduction
With the projected retirement openings in the field of information science and management and the ever growing need for knowledge management, the need for a viable workforce is more pressing than ever before. Our handbook will provide both information professionals and their organizations with the skills and knowledge necessary to strengthen and develop the profession.

Objectives of the book

Our objective is to inform and to expand the current literature on the career development of information professionals by bringing together the expertise of practicing information professionals in the 21st century. This handbook will bring together this disparate yet exciting and vibrant profession by sharing how various information professionals encourage the recruitment, retention and career development of individuals within their organizations whether at a single workplace or on a regional, state, or national level. Thus, this handbook will provide a toolkit for employers, new information professionals, and information organizations.

The target audience

The prospective audience of our proposed text is composed of several distinct groups. Perhaps the most important group is the future information professionals. This group will benefit immensely from the information, real-life experiences, advice, and future developments detailed in the book. Another important group is the employers of information professionals. Employers will be able to use the information in the book to design and implement recruitment, development, and retention policies and procedures that further both the success and longevity of the profession and their own organizations. A third, but not final, group is the teachers and trainers of information professionals. All quality professional training incorporates not only the technical skills required for employment and advancement, but also the myriad of affective elements that shape one’s professional career.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Retention and/or recruitment research and/or practices and the information professional

· Retention and/or recruitment research and/or practices and diversity in the workplace or profession

· Mentoring policies, programs, procedures, and outcomes from an individual, organizational, regional, state, or national level

· Mentor/mentee relationships

· Mentoring in the professions/peer mentoring

· State, Regional, National leadership programs and outcomes

· Succession leadership planning

· Trends in Human Resources and the information professional/personnel management

· Career development guidance

· Organizational culture/group dynamics

· Orientation programs

· Continuing education/training/in-service education

· Librarianship as a profession

· MLS/MLIS/Library Media Specialist/Library Certification education programs

· Regional, state, and/or national information professional associations and their involvement with career development, recruitment to the profession, and retention

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit a 2-5 page proposal clearly explaining the objectives and concerns of the proposed chapter by October 30, 2008. The status of submitted proposals will be communicated by November 15, 2008. At that time, the authors of accepted proposals will be provided with chapter organizational guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by February 15, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. The book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group, Inc.), www.igi-global.com, publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formally Idea Group Reference) and “Medical Information Science Reference” imprints.

Inquiries and Submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) to:

recruitment-development-retention@googlegroups.com

Elisabeth Pankl

Humanities Librarian and Assistant Professor

K-State Libraries

epankl@ksu.edu

Danielle Theiss-White

General Reference Coordinator and Assistant Professor

K-State Libraries

dtheiss@ksu.edu

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