Worldwide the library and information profession has been the focus of competing social and political agendas that have contributed to the shape of the profession. From the late 19th century to the present in countries aligned to the former British Dominions and Colonies (today part of the Commonwealth of Nations) these external influences were predominantly from two cultural arenas, that of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). The result in many Commonwealth countries been two competing and at times contradictory models for LIS pedagogy which have been labelled the British and American 'models or patterns' of education. The convergence of these two influences has had a role in shaping LIS education and has left a complex legacy. This paper will examine how the legacy of this convergence continues to shape the aspirational agenda of local professional communities and will discuss how this has influenced the delivery and the educational model for librarianship. This paper will examine as a series of case studies how the legacy of this convergence has shaped the aspirations of the LIS profession and influenced the delivery and the educational model of librarianship in a number of Commonwealth countries.Exploration of the foundations of modern library and information science (LIS) worldwide reveals a discipline which has been the focus of competing international agendas seeking to influence education and practice at the local level. These international influences can be seen clearly in many of the countries which constitute the Commonwealth of Nations 1 . From the late 19th century to the present in many former British Colonies and Dominions 2 these international influences were derived predominantly from the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) and have been variously called the British and American

What values and frameworks underpin professional practice in information literacy education? Is practice aligned with mission and goals?The poster documents the preliminary findings of a research study which investigates the relationships between espoused theories and theories-in-use of information literacy (IL). The study asks if and how, the foundational beliefs and values of information literacy as expressed in official policy documents including mission statements in academic libraries (espoused theories), guide and are realized in the practice of information literacy in these institutions (theories-in-use).The research is guided by the theoretical framework of Argyris and Schön (1974), theory of action, in which contrasting theories, namely espoused theories and theories-in-use are used to examine professional practice.The poster highlights the process and findings of the in-depth analysis of one library's policy statements and online tutorial, which employed a comparative questioning approach (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). The analysis uncovered statements and concepts relating to teaching and learning outcomes which were labeled, compared, and grouped into broad categories and emergent themes. The findings indicate varying patterns of congruence and incongruence between the library's espoused theories and theories-in-use of information literacy.The research is presented as a model for reflecting on and evaluating tools of practice in information literacy education.Introduction Kuhn (1996) posits that professional practice is underpinned and shaped by a received set of beliefs, values and models. Knowledge required to understand practice is embedded in the language and action of the community (Argyris, Putnam& Smith, 1985). What values, beliefs and conceptions (espoused theories) underpin and shape professional practice (theories-in-use Background and Motivation

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What values, beliefs and conceptions (espoused theories) underpin and shape professional practice (theories-in-use) in information literacy education? This study investigates relationships between espoused theories and theories-in-use of information literacy in academic libraries. The paper reports preliminary findings from an in-depth comparative analysis of one library’s official policy documents and its instruction resources including an online research tutorial. The findings indicate varying patterns of congruence and incongruence between the library’s espoused theories and theories-in-use with incidents of significant gaps. The process of examining espoused theories and theories-in-use provides an evaluative framework for critically analyzing practice with the view of aligning practice more closely with stated goals and rhetoric. The study is therefore presented as a practical method for evaluating tools of information literacy practice in the school library.

Abstract. Theory of action framework as developed by Argyris and Schön [1] was employed to critically analyse the practice of information literacy in 11 academic libraries in the US. In theory of action, contrasting theories are explicated, namely espoused theories and theories-in-use and congruence between theories is a basis for effective practice. In the study, espoused theories of action were examined by investigating conceptions and beliefs of information literacy as seen in varied policy documents of libraries recognized by the academic library community for exemplary instruction resources. Theories-in-use were identified by analyzing practice via 150 online tutorials developed and utilized by these libraries. Comparative, thematic analysis revealed varying levels of congruence between theories. Espoused theories coalesced around themes of knowledge creation and lifelong learning while theories-in-use emphasized engagement with information sources. The paper distills select methodologies and findings and illustrates the usefulness of theory of action for investigating information literacy practice.