Page 154 - Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.45, 2019

153
Extended English abstracts of articles published in the Chinese edition of Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.45, 2019 153

A trend of library science education in China in the new era

〇a ∗
CHENG Huanwen, PAN Yantao , ZHANG Jing, XIAO Peng & CHEN Runhao
Since the start of the new century, there have been clear signs of less demand for public
librarianship in the UK and the US due to the economic crisis, while public cultural undertakings
in China, especially librarianship, have maintained consistent and rapid development. However,
there is a massive gap between library science education and social needs in China. The library
science curriculum in China fails to adapt to the country’s major cultural needs, and students
are lack of professional practice and more widespread recognition for the profession. There are
serious problems that should be addressed urgently by educators of library science. There are
pressing needs to seek out ways to produce more professional individuals who can respond to
the needs of national public cultural service and the development of document preservation with
cultural heritage and cultural development as the basic tenets, and cultural confidence as a guide.
In the last ten years, the library science teaching team of Sun Yat-sen University has explored
and created a practical educational plan of library science. Adhering to the vision of “cultural
heritage as the root, cultural facilities as the foundation and cultural talent as the eventual aim”,
the teaching team adopts a personnel training mode characterized by a multi-level curriculum
structure, multi-type course resource development, and multidimensional teaching support
mechanisms. Besides, the team implements a training mode of “early research, early practice, and
early service” and establishes the innovative quaternity system for talent cultivation. In teaching,
we created a “basis-core-general” curriculum system to promote the students’ professional and
cultural literacy. In research, we encourage students to participate in scientific research projects,
such as library legislation research to cultivate their research and innovation ability. In practice,
we develop professional practice, such as public library services, ancient book preservation and
restoration, to cultivate their practical ability and comprehensive accomplishment. In service, we
try to develop projects, such as a service-learning program of rebuilding the Wenchuan Library
and the Beichuan Library, to foster students’ social responsibility and service spirit. The creative
quaternity system for talent cultivation in library science of Sun Yat-sen University is the result of
educational innovation in library science in China. In conclusion, it is a unique education model
of library science, which assists in meeting the needs of document conservation and preservation
in China and provide talented human resources for both public cultural services and document
protection.

* Correspondence should be addressed to PAN Yantao, Email: puspyt@mail.sysu.edu.cn, ORCID: 0000-0002-8713-7450