Library school faculty strengths in data processing Canadian-U.S. differences

摘要

This study examined the relative strengths of faculty expertise in the field of data processing within schools of library and information science in North America. The relative strengths of Canadian versus U.S. schools, measured by reported faculty expertise, was the particular focus of the study. Data were gathered from the directory issues of the Journal of Education for Librarianship for the years 1972–1981. Data were aggregated into two groups: (1) total faculty strength dichomotized by U.S. and Canadian schools; (2) faculty reporting expertise in data processing or automation broken down by U.S. versus Canadian. Planned comparisons using a Dunn procedure were made on each of the ten years in the study. The results of testing indicated there is a significant difference in the number of faculty reporting expertise in data processing in the two countries in four of the ten years. The differences were opposite in two of these four, however. Results of testing of overall faculty strength indicated there was no significant difference in the numbers of faculty members during the ten year period. The major conclusion of the study was that Canadian schools of library and information science have made a concerted and successful effort to increase their overall level of expertise in data processing, but without significantly adding to their faculty levels.