Preparing the Information Professional

Redesigning information education in response to the market dynamic requires clear articulation of the expectations of employers, identification of competencies for professionals, and appreciation of environmental, institutional, and situational contexts. The author responds to these needs in a systematic and scientific manner by describing methods of translating market demands into defined sets of capabilities to serve as parameters for formal education of information professionals. He also provides a research framework for differentiating between undergraduate and graduate levels for developing educational models. Serious disparities in coverage and treatment of information education in different parts of the world are noted and analyzed using a global view.