By Michael Stephens |
One theme I've been happy to write about and use as a talking point in my classes this past year is that of the newer types of jobs and job descriptions we've seen posted in Libraryland. In fact, more than a few bibliobloggers linked to and discussed various job descriptions that included a 2.0 slant. I wrote about those jobs here and then again here, with an eye toward LIS education.
Now I wind up the year with one more look at how some library jobs have morphed via the impact of technology, social networks, and the shift to our culture of participation.
Jeff Trzeciak, author of the Wayne State University library job, commented on the original post. He outlined his thinking, noting it wasn't only about technology but also about skills for creating instructional environments. “More than the technology itself I'm concerned that librarians develop instructional design skills so that they are able to design resources and services that are effective AND that they are able to evaluate those resources and services," he stated.
I followed up with him a while later, after he had changed jobs and moved to McMaster University Library in Ontario, Canada, to ask about his goal for the 2.0 job description. Trzeciak replied:
Trzeciak recently posted at the university library blog his plea for "a gaming librarian," who would gain the learner's attention, inform learners of objectives, stimulate recall of prior learning, present the content, and provide learning guidance. As Jenny Levine's issue of Library Technology Reports, "Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services," demonstrates, libraries that embrace gaming and that utilize and encourage librarians who game and reach out to gamers on their own turf are building useful, engaging services for the future. I like Trzeciak's thinking ("Are librarians paying attention to that?" he asks about the popularity of the World of Warcraft game). I encourage you to read his gaming post as well as his recent "Getting Out of the Cataloging Business," in which he details some more changes to job titles at McMaster:
What about some of the other job descriptions we've covered?
I decided to pose the same question to Christopher Harris as well, who wrote a similar job description for his system in New York State, and who recently facilitated the School Library 2.0 panel at the School Library Journal Leadership Summit. Chris answered:
I also spoke with Barbara Love, Manager of Adult Services at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library in Kingston, Ontario, who offered an intriguing bit of information about the Librarian 2.0 job the library posted this spring:
Finally, I wanted to hear from someone on the other side—someone who had applied for a 2.0 job and how it had played out. Remember that job at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library? David Lee King, blog author, video-blogger, and conference speaker, interviewed and got the job this summer! The job description included these duties that really excited King:
"During my interview, I found out that they were serious about that job ad wording I was originally attracted to," King told me via e-mail. "They said 'physically, we can't grow anymore but we CAN expand digitally.'"
King also noted that it was a good fit for the skills and duties listed. He had the experience. He's played with the technology.
If you haven't re-evaluated your library job descriptions, maybe it's time... for a 2.0 librarian... for a videoblogger librarian... for a gaming librarian. Well, really for a librarian that can adapt and use whatever new methods—for reaching out to users—come along.
On the 2.0 Job Description:
Technorati tags: librarians, libraries, Library, library information science, library job descriptions, library-20, library2.0, library 2.0, web2.0, web 2.0
Now I wind up the year with one more look at how some library jobs have morphed via the impact of technology, social networks, and the shift to our culture of participation.
Jeff Trzeciak, author of the Wayne State University library job, commented on the original post. He outlined his thinking, noting it wasn't only about technology but also about skills for creating instructional environments. “More than the technology itself I'm concerned that librarians develop instructional design skills so that they are able to design resources and services that are effective AND that they are able to evaluate those resources and services," he stated.I followed up with him a while later, after he had changed jobs and moved to McMaster University Library in Ontario, Canada, to ask about his goal for the 2.0 job description. Trzeciak replied:
-
I was thinking the following: (a) our students are already using these 2.0 tools, how do we incorporate them into our resources and services? How do we capitalize on them? (b) I was also thinking: While we certainly have people capable of doing these things—and, in fact, some already ARE doing it—we don't have a "point person" who can wake up thinking "what next"? We need someone to help monitor and then provide information and training necessary to making it an integral part of what we do. Finally, I was also thinking that this is a great way of attracting new librarians to our institution and an interesting way of generating a dialogue.
Trzeciak recently posted at the university library blog his plea for "a gaming librarian," who would gain the learner's attention, inform learners of objectives, stimulate recall of prior learning, present the content, and provide learning guidance. As Jenny Levine's issue of Library Technology Reports, "Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services," demonstrates, libraries that embrace gaming and that utilize and encourage librarians who game and reach out to gamers on their own turf are building useful, engaging services for the future. I like Trzeciak's thinking ("Are librarians paying attention to that?" he asks about the popularity of the World of Warcraft game). I encourage you to read his gaming post as well as his recent "Getting Out of the Cataloging Business," in which he details some more changes to job titles at McMaster:
- Digital Strategies Librarian
- E-Resource Librarian
- Training and Development Librarian
- User Experience Librarian
What about some of the other job descriptions we've covered?
I decided to pose the same question to Christopher Harris as well, who wrote a similar job description for his system in New York State, and who recently facilitated the School Library 2.0 panel at the School Library Journal Leadership Summit. Chris answered:
-
Looking to the future, the job description is clearly defined by a need to consider some of the ideas that make up Library 2.0 and School Library 2.0. If we are going to facilitate the digital re-shifting of libraries, we need someone who is as comfortable teaching about the possibilities as she or he is hacking at the code that makes this possible. As others have pointed out in the ongoing conversation, libraries need coders…but libraries also need teachers. We need the focus for this position to be on the possibilities for student success that arise from the use of the tools, as opposed to an obsession with the tools themselves.
I also spoke with Barbara Love, Manager of Adult Services at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library in Kingston, Ontario, who offered an intriguing bit of information about the Librarian 2.0 job the library posted this spring:-
We had originally posted an ad for an “electronic resources” librarian and were disappointed by application letters that sounded fairly traditional, stressing a love of people and books. Not that we don't want to hire people who love people and books but we hoped to hear a little more about familiarity with transformative technologies. After attending this year's [Ontario Library Association] conference and hearing the 2.0 buzz, we decided to rewrite the posting, stressing that we wanted someone with awareness of new technologies.
Finally, I wanted to hear from someone on the other side—someone who had applied for a 2.0 job and how it had played out. Remember that job at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library? David Lee King, blog author, video-blogger, and conference speaker, interviewed and got the job this summer! The job description included these duties that really excited King:
- bringing ideas to the table with a high "wow, cool, nobody else is doing this!" factor
- will lead...staff in using new technologies to translate traditional library services into a virtual, Library 2.0 format
- a sense of humor and a positive and enthusiastic approach to public service
"During my interview, I found out that they were serious about that job ad wording I was originally attracted to," King told me via e-mail. "They said 'physically, we can't grow anymore but we CAN expand digitally.'"King also noted that it was a good fit for the skills and duties listed. He had the experience. He's played with the technology.
- I blog, play with videoblogging, like to take pictures and post them to Flickr, and like to figure out how all these emerging web services can work in a library setting. That's the type of person they were looking for—someone who understood web 2.0 and who understood what a library could do with those tools. More than one person came up to me during the interview and said, "I read your blog." I won't say I was hired because I blog... but I WILL say that all my blogging, speaking, and writing got me noticed by the right people at the right time.
If you haven't re-evaluated your library job descriptions, maybe it's time... for a 2.0 librarian... for a videoblogger librarian... for a gaming librarian. Well, really for a librarian that can adapt and use whatever new methods—for reaching out to users—come along.
On the 2.0 Job Description:
Technorati tags: librarians, libraries, Library, library information science, library job descriptions, library-20, library2.0, library 2.0, web2.0, web 2.0