Transcript The RIGHT Staff” - Chinese University of Hong Kong

ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS
OR?
Thoughts on Identity,
with Deductive Corroboration
Brian E. C. Schottlaender
University Librarian
University of California, San Diego
ALDP 2007 Conference
Chinese University of Hong Kong
OVERVIEW




My Charge
Brief Environmental Scan
Four Dimensions of Identity
Skills




Personal
Organizational
Business
Functional/Technical
 Behaviors
 Values
 UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments,
2005–2007: Analysis
ALDP 2007
 PREMISE
 “A library service and its future are only as
assured as the people offering that service.”
 QUESTION
 “What kind of staff will be needed to offer the
services our communities will find
indispensable and fundamental for their
teaching and research?”
“There are diverse and unmet needs …
… now arising within the academy … To the extent
that libraries and their leaders can reposition
themselves to serve these evolving needs—which
pertain in part to the centralized storage, description,
and delivery of academic resources, and in part to the
organization and support of scholarly communication
within and across higher education institutions—
libraries [and academic librarians] will emerge as even
more central and vibrant resources for their
institutions.”
— “Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries”
ACRL Tech Summit (November 2006)
Forecast: Cloudy
e-Everything
Data
Learning
Research Big Science Open access Space
Mass digitization Integration Interroperation
Personalization
Budget pressure
Control systems
Services
Stewardship
Information
Google
Teaching
Fundraising
Collections
Competition
Access
Preservation Collaboration
Top Ten Assumptions for the
Future of Academic Libraries per ACRL
1. There will be an increased emphasis on digitizing collections, preserving digital
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
archives, and improving methods of data storage and retrieval.
The skill set for librarians will continue to evolve in response to the needs and
expectations of the changing populations (student and faculty) that they serve.
Students and faculty will increasingly demand faster and greater access to services.
Debates about intellectual property will become increasingly common in higher
education.
The demand for technology related services will grow and require additional
funding.
Higher education will increasingly view the institution as a business.
Students will increasingly view themselves as customers and consumers, expecting
high quality facilities and services.
Distance learning will be an increasingly common option in higher education and
will co-exist but not threaten the traditional bricks-and-mortar model.
Free, public access to information stemming from publicly funded research will
continue to grow.
Privacy will continue to be an important issue in librarianship.
<http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/march2007/acrlfl07.htm>
Top Ten Assumptions for the
Future of Academic Libraries per ACRL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
There will be an increased emphasis on digitizing collections, preserving digital
archives, and improving methods of data storage and retrieval.
The skill set for librarians will continue to evolve in response to the needs and
expectations of the changing populations (student and faculty) that they serve.
Students and faculty will increasingly demand faster and greater access to services.
Debates about intellectual property will become increasingly common in higher
education.
The demand for technology related services will grow and require additional
funding.
Higher education will increasingly view the institution as a business.
Students will increasingly view themselves as customers and consumers, expecting
high quality facilities and services.
Distance learning will be an increasingly common option in higher education and
will co-exist but not threaten the traditional bricks-and-mortar model.
Free, public access to information stemming from publicly funded research will
continue to grow.
Privacy will continue to be an important issue in librarianship.
<http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/march2007/acrlfl07.htm>
“Today’s library staff …
… must include people who see themselves as active contenders
in a race for relevance, regard, and resources. Some of its
members must have strong technical skills and an ability to
identify specific areas in which technology can advance the
institution in fulfilling its academic mission. Library staff must
be capable of working effectively in partnership with faculty
members to enhance the strength of teaching and research. …
Library staffs in general must become more agile, more highly
attuned to, and more aggressive in proclaiming just how
different the world of knowledge has already become.”
— “Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries”
ACRL Tech Summit (November 2006)
Four Dimensions of Identity
FUNCTIONS
SKILLS
BEHAVIORS
VALUES
Identity =
 Per Compact OEDO


1 the fact of being who or what a person or
thing is.
2 the characteristics determining this.
 Per MWDO


1 a : sameness of essential or generic character
in different instances b : sameness in all that
constitutes the objective reality of a thing
2 a : the distinguishing character or personality
of an individual
Is That All There Is? No, but...
 Age
 Gender
 Ethnicity
 Nationality
 Religion
 Sexual Orientation
Four Dimensions of Identity
 FUNCTIONS
What they do.
 SKILLS
What they can do.
 BEHAVIORS
How they act.
 VALUES
What they believe in.
Functions + Skills + Behaviors + Values =
 “It was agreed there would be an increase in the
generalist, who would possess a broad knowledge-base
coupled with high level communication skills.”
— Hampson. “The Impact of the
Hybrid Library on Information Services Staff.”
 “ . . . the librarian of the future . . . will be expected to
be quite a versatile creature . . . able to imagine futures
and work towards them.”
— Feret and Marcinek. “The Future of the Academic Library
and the Academic Librarian.”
SKILLS: Personal
 Ability to think in multiple dimensions; see “the big picture”
 Understand and integrate the context for what transpires in libraries:
 Cultural
 Social
 Intellectual
 Organizational
 Political
 Economic
 Critical thinking skills
 Ability to work independently
 Communication skills
 Listening
 Talking
 Writing
 Presentation skills
 Keep up with new technology
SKILLS: Organizational









Understanding of organizational behavior(s)
Ability to think strategically
Ability to think tactically
Receptivity to constant change
Ability to work well with others
Teamwork skills
Collaboration skills
Problem-solving skills
Process and political skills
 Consensus building
 Decision making
 Conflict resolution
 Networking
SKILLS: Business
 HR management
 Supervisory ability
 Staff development ability
 Training ability
 Fund management
 Project management
 Conversant with legal issues
 Grant writing
 Marketing
SKILLS: Functional/Technical









Public services
Outreach

Entertainment/Social

Information

Instruction
Collection development and management

Selection

Acquisition

Organization

Delivery

Preservation
Metadata services, including knowledge of various metadata standards, schema, models, and structures

Descriptive

Administrative

Structural

Technical
Conversant with learning and teaching technologies
Conversant with a wide range of information technologies
Conversant with Web-related languages and technologies
Digital library services

Digitization

Management

Architecture
Media services
BEHAVIORS
 Creative/Imaginative
 Flexible
 Self-motivated
 Confident
 Decisive
 Show initiative
 Entrepreneurial
 Risk takers
VALUES
 Public service
 Access to information
 Profession and professional
development
 Change
 Continuous learning
 Themselves
UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments
2005/2006–2006/2007
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
Access Services Manager [x2]
Assistant Head: Acquisitions Department
Associate University Librarian, Collection Services
Bibliographic Specialist
Campus Website Manager
Chinese Language Electronic Resources Cataloging Librarian
Circulation Manager [x3]
Data Services Librarian
Economics and Business Librarian
Electronic Information Services Coordinator
Engineering Librarian
Fiscal Operations Manager
GIS Coordinator
Head: Collections and Access Services
Head: Desktop Services
Head: Reference, Instruction, and Outreach Services
Head: Serials Cataloging Unit
Instruction & Outreach Manager
Library Collections Fiscal Manager
UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments
2005/2006–2006/2007
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
Manager of [Software] Development
Map Librarian
Metadata Librarian [x2]
Original Cataloging Workleader
Outreach and Instruction Librarian [x3]
Programmer/Analyst [x9]
Recruitment and Review Coordinator
Reference and Information Services Manager
Reference and Instruction Coordinator
Reference/Instruction Librarian
Sociology, Ethnic Studies, and Gender Studies Librarian
Special Collections Cataloger
State and Local Government Information and Political Science Librarian
Systems Engineer [x4]
Training Coordinator
Undergraduate Services Librarian
United States Government Information and Political Science Librarian
Web Managing Editor
Web Technical Manager
UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments
2005/2006–2006/2007: SUMMARIZED
 38 positions
 54 FTE





16 Technology Specialists
15 Managers
14 Functional Specialists
5 Subject/Format Specialists
4 Business Specialists
UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments
2005/2006–2006/2007: CLASSIFIED
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS [16]
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Campus Website Manager
Programmer/Analyst [x9]
Systems Engineer [x4]
Web Managing Editor
Web Technical Manager
MANAGERS [15]
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Access Services Manager [x2]
Assistant Head: Acquisitions Department
Associate University Librarian, Collection
Services
Circulation Manager [x3]
Head: Collections and Access Services
Head: Desktop Services
Head: Reference, Instruction, and Outreach
Services
Head: Serials Cataloging Unit
Instruction & Outreach Manager
Manager of [Software] Development
Original Cataloging Workleader
Reference and Information Services Manager
FUNCTIONAL SPECIALISTS [14]
18. Bibliographic Specialist
19. Chinese Language Electronic
Resources Cataloging Librarian
Data Services Librarian
20. Data Services Librarian
21. Electronic Information Services
Coordinator
22. GIS Coordinator
23. Metadata Librarian [x2]
24. Outreach and Instruction Librarian
[x3]
25. Reference and Instruction
Coordinator
26. Reference/Instruction Librarian
27. Special Collections Cataloger
28. Undergraduate Services Librarian
UCSD Libraries Professional Recruitments
2005/2006–2006/2007: CLASSIFIED
SUBJECT/FORMAT
SPECIALISTS [5]
29. Economics and Business
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
Librarian
Engineering Librarian
Map Librarian
Sociology, Ethnic Studies, and
Gender Studies Librarian
State and Local Government
Information and Political
Science Librarian
United States Government
Information and Political
Science Librarian
BUSINESS SPECIALISTS [4]
35. Fiscal Operations Manager
36. Library Collections Fiscal
Manager
37. Recruitment and Review
Coordinator
38. Training Coordinator
POSITION OVERVIEW
Phrase Frequency Count: Raw

3/3+:
20
the ucsd libraries15
instruction and outreach15
13
social sciences 10
sciences
10
reference instruction and9
the development of9
of the ucsd9
combined social sciences9
at a
combined9
a combined social9
humanities8
the social sciences8
in library wide8
general reference
assistance8
evening and weekend8
and electronic resources7
wide planning and7
weekend reference
hours7
the needs of7
reference hours required7
policies and procedures7
member of the7
and
weekend reference7
a member of6
to participate in6
the s e6
the biomedical library6
some evening
and6
participate in library6
of the libraries’6
librarians are expected6
liaison to the6
is responsible
for6
in support of6
expected to participate6
as a member6
are expected to6
and maintenance
of5
wide and system5
university of california5
ucsd edu 5
to the head5
to be
professionally5
the ucsd libraries’5
the direction of5
system wide planning5
social sciences
humanities5
responsible for the5
related to the5
reference assistance at5
primary responsibility
for5
planning and governance5
of the biomedical5
of technical services5
management of the5
library
wide and5
government documents reference5
governance and to5
for the ucsd5
documents reference
desk5
direction of the5
be professionally active5
as well as5
and to be5
and system
wide5
and government documents5
and governance and5
http 4
works closely with4
ucsd libraries
at4
to the university4
to the director4
to the development4
to meet the4
to develop and4
the
university of4
the librarian will4
the incumbent will4
the head of4
the coordinator of4
services and
collections4
sciences humanities4
resources and services4
reference desk some4
reference
4
programs for the4
pertinent meetings and4
participates in the4
of the sshl4
of the
library4
of the head4
of 4
meetings and conferences4
library wide planning4
library liaison
to4
libraries at pertinent4
in the social4
in depth reference4
government and geographic4
geographic
information services4
edu 4
develop and implement4
desk some evening4
depth reference
service4
data government and4
coordinator of technical4
continuing and electronic4
at pertinent
meetings4
assistant department head4
assistance at a4
as library liaison4
and outreach
programs4
and instructional programs4
and geographic information4
and 4
humanities and3
with other
library3
virtually and at3
user outreach and3
unit of the3
undergraduate services librarian3
ucsd
librarians are3
to ensure that3
the use of3
the ssh library3
the mandeville special3
the library
collections3
the head for3
the director for3
the department head3
the assistant department3
technical
services in3
support in evaluating3
special collections library3
shared cataloging program3
services to
meet3
services of the3
services in the3
services at the3
services assumes a3
serves as
a3
sciences humanities and3
s e library3
role in planning3
resources and coordinating3
represent the
ucsd3
related collections as3
reference service and3
reference assistance virtually3
purchasing efforts
for3
provides general reference3
policies procedures and3
outreach and instructional3
other uc
campuses3
other library staff3
of new technologies3
of electronic resources3
needs of
university3
metadata and bibliographic3
mandeville special collections3
library in the3
key role
in3
issues related to3
information services assumes3
in the biomedical3
in evaluating digital3
in
consultation with3
in all formats3
humanities and government3
head for data3
has primary
responsibility3
hardware and software3
government information and3
geospatial data collections3
for the
uc3
for the effective3
for reference instruction3
for data government3
faculty and students3
evaluating
digital resources3
efforts for the3
economics and business3
digital resources and3
coordinating consortial
purchasing3
contributes to the3
consortial purchasing efforts3
collections as assigned3
collaborative collection
development3
cataloging policies and3
california digital library3
at the s3
assumes a
leadership3
assistance virtually and3
assistance and support3
and support in3
and programs for3
and
participates in3
and outreach the3
and implementation of3
and geospatial data3
and coordinating
consortial3
and bibliographic control3
and at a3
and analysis of3
and academic review3
actively
participates in3
a wide variety3
a variety of3
a leadership role3
a high level
— Copyright © www.writewords.org.uk
POSITION OVERVIEW
Phrase Frequency Count: Distilled
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


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



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

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15
10
8
8
7
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
instruction and outreach
reference instruction
evening and weekend
and electronic resources
policies and procedures
expected to participate
system-wide planning
planning and governance
government documents reference
be professionally active
services and collections
resources and services
library wide planning
library liaison to
geographic information services

















3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

3
role in planning
reference assistance virtually
outreach and instruction
of new technologies
of electronic resources
metadata and bibliographic
in evaluating digital
in all formats
head for data
hardware and software
geospatial data collections
for reference instruction
faculty and students
evaluating digital resources
coordinating consortial purchasing
consortial purchasing efforts
collaborative collection
development
a leadership role
POSITION OVERVIEW
Phrase Frequency Count: Massaged







services and collections
instruction and outreach
reference instruction
reference assistance virtually
government documents reference
geographic information services
policies and procedures



collaborative collection development
consortial purchasing efforts
metadata and bibliographic





in all formats
electronic resources
evaluating digital resources
data
geospatial data collection


new technologies
hardware and software






expected to participate
a leadership role
role in planning
system-wide planning
library wide planning
planning and governance

be professionally active


library liaison to
faculty and students

evening and weekend
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, ABILITY
Phrase Frequency Count: Raw

3/4+:
25
the ability to24
in an academic21
school or other21
other appropriate degree21
or other
appropriate21
or equivalent experience21
library school or21
from a library21
degree or equivalent21
degree from
a21
appropriate degree or21
a library school18
to library services18
one or more17
relevant to
library17
or more fields17
more fields relevant17
in one or17
fields relevant to17
experience in
one17
equivalent experience in16
written communication skills16
to participate in16
policies and procedures16
oral
and written16
and written communication14
librarians are expected14
expected to participate14
are expected
to13
to be professionally13
be professionally active13
and to be13
and the ability12
planning and
governance11
the social sciences11
a variety of10
work both independently10
to work effectively10
to work
both10
both independently and10
an academic library10
able to work9
work effectively with9
wide planning
and9
wide and system9
system wide planning9
participate in library9
library wide and9
including the
ability9
in library wide9
be able to9
and system wide9
and ability to9
an academic or8
understanding of
the8
the use of8
print and electronic8
in a complex8
governance and to8
demonstrated ability to8
and
governance and8
ability to work8
ability to communicate7
willingness to share7
to share ideas7
skills for
group7
seeking and respecting7
problem solving skills7
or research library7
of print and7
information and
opinions7
independently and collaboratively7
including expressing ideas7
in the social7
improve processes
by7
implementing changes as7
ideas effectively seeking7
group activities including7
for group activities7
expressing
ideas effectively7
effectively seeking and7
developing and implementing7
decision making skills7
communication skills
for7
changes as appropriate7
as well as7
and respecting the7
and implementing changes7
and experience
with7
activities including expressing6
to improve processes6
seeking information and6
processes by
assessing6
procedures seeking information6
others active listening6
or coursework in6
of others active6
listening
and willingness6
knowledge of the6
individuals and groups6
in writing and6
complex changing
environment6
collaboratively in a6
by assessing procedures6
assessing procedures seeking6
and willingness to6
and
problem solving6
and communication skills6
active listening and6
academic or research6
ability to improve6
a
complex changing6
5
work comfortably in5
to work independently5
to work comfortably5
to excellence
in5
to communicate effectively5
to be able5
the opinions of5
strong commitment to5
social sciences
or5
skills including the5
shared decision making5
respecting the opinions5
participate in librarywide5
original and
copy5
organizational analytical and5
opinions of others5
opinions developing and5
of 5
making environment
and5
in service and5
in collection development5
in a shared5
in a dynamic5
experience in
reference5
excellence in service5
environment and to5
effectively with students5
decision making
environment5
communication skills including5
communicate effectively with5
commitment to excellence5
comfortably in
a5
and opinions developing5
and decision making5
and copy cataloging5
and collaboratively in5
a shared
decision5
ability to4
years experience in4
writing and in4
with a variety4
windows 4
wide range
of4
ucsd librarians are4
tools in the4
to create and4
the phone in4
the integration of4
the design
and4
the delivery of4
sufficient to verify4
sufficient to perform4
students faculty and4
students and
faculty4
strong oral and4
statistical sources and4
skills sufficient to4
skills and ability4
serving similar
clientele4
service and be4
sciences or humanities4
reference service in4
reference and bibliographic4
range of
print4
phone in writing4
over the phone4
or experience in4
of two years4
of the library4
of library
instruction4
of computer systems4
of and experience4
of a wide4
must have a4
library serving
similar4
languages such as4
knowledge of computer4
knowledge of a4
interpersonal skills to4
integrated library
system4
information over the4
in the design4
in reference service4
have a strong4
governance to
be4
experience with the4
experience in an4
electronic reference and4
develop and implement4
detailed information
over4
clearly and concisely4
bibliographic tools in4
and oral and4
and knowledge of4
and in person4
and
governance to4
and electronic reference4
and bibliographic tools4
and be able4
analytical and communication4
an
understanding of4
ability to use4
a wide range4
a strong commitment
— Copyright © www.writewords.org.uk
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, ABILITY
Phrase Frequency Count: Distilled
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

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










21
21
16
16
14
13
12
10
9
9
8
8
7
7
7
7
other appropriate degree
or equivalent experience
written communication skills
policies and procedures
expected to participate
be professionally active
planning and governance
work both independently
library wide and
system wide planning
print and electronic
ability to communicate
willingness to share
to share ideas
problem solving skills
independently and
collaboratively


















7
7
7
7
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
expressing ideas effectively
dveloping and implementing
decision making skills
to improve processes
by assessing procedures
active listening and
shared decision making
experience in reference
excellence in service
commitment to excellence
the integration of
the delivery of
students and faculty
knowledge of computer
interpersonal skills to
and electronic reference
and bibliographic tools
a strong commitment
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, ABILITY
Phrase Frequency Count: Massaged


appropriate degree
or equivalent experience





experience in reference
electronic reference
knowledge of computer
bibliographic tools
print and electronic




expected to participate
library wide and
system wide planning
planning and governance



decision-making skills
shared decision-making
problem-solving skills



policies and procedures
improve processes
assessing procedures



developing and implementing
integration
delivery





interpersonal skills
ability to communicate
active listening
expressing ideas effectively
written communication skills


work both independently
independently and collaboratively


willingness to share
share ideas




strong commitment
commitment to excellence
excellence in service
students and faculty

be professionally active
Dinosaur or Phoenix?
Sources

Breaks, Michael. “What Do We Want From Our Digital Librarians?”
Presentation given at Université Laval, 2005.
<http://www.iatul.org/conference/proceedings/vol15/PAPERS/Michael%20Breaks%20IATUL%20>

Conference%20Laval%20University.ppt>
“Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries” (ACRL Tech Summit,
November 2006).
<http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/futureofacademiclibrariesandhighereducation/
changingroles.htm>>


Choi, Youngok and Edie Rasmussen. “What Is Needed to Educate Future
Digital Librarians: A Study of Current Practice and Staffing Patterns in
Academic and Research Libraries.” D-Lib Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 9
(September 2006).
Feret, Blazej and Marzena Marcinek. “The Future of the Academic Library and
the Academic Librarian – A Delphi Study.” (11 June 1999).
<http://educate.lib.chalmers.se/IATUL/proceedcontents/chanpap/feret.html>

Hampson, Andrew. “The Impact of the Hybrid Library on Information Services
Staff.” (14 January 1999). <http://builder.bham.ac.uk/reports/html/focus.asp#summary>