Spanning the Theory-practice Divide in Library and Information Science

Download or read book Spanning the Theory-practice Divide in Library and Information Science written by William A. Crowley and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reveals how practitioners, consultants, and faculty can derive theories from actual experience and use such theories in solving real world problems. Bill Crowley explores why theory, in particular theory developed by university and college faculty, is too little used in the off-campus world. The volume examines the importance of solving the theory irrelevance problem, and drawing on a broad spectrum of research and theoretical insights, it provides suggestions for overcoming the not-so-hidden secret of the academic world - why theory with little or no perceived relevance to off-campus environments can be absolutely essential to advancing faculty careers. It also addresses the implications for theory development of fundamental aspects of the American culture and economy, including: the American ambivalence towards intellectuals, the rise in the "theory-unfriendly" environments of for-profit educational institutions, and public demands for enhanced accountability.