Library Education Needs Assessment

Library Education Needs Assessment

Preliminary Research Report

March 15, 2001

by

Cindy Mediavilla

Background

In fall 2000, the Stanford-California State Library Institute on 21st Century Librarianship, in conjunction with InFoPeople and the California Library Association, was awarded a Library Services and Technology Act grant to assess library education needs in California. As part of that project, a professional researcher was hired to: (1) conduct a thorough search of information currently available on the redesign of library staffing; and (2) analyze the key issues identified. Topics to be considered included:

×re-alignment of staffing levels/positions, taking into account the impact of information technology, library graduate core curricula, graduation rates, and recruitment and retention issues;

×what other states/countries are providing for continuing education of library staff, both professional and paraprofessional; and

×current library education and library continuing education providers active in the state of California.

Towards this end, a literature search was undertaken to identify pertinent journal articles and web publications. Library Literature and various professional websites were consulted. In addition, Mandi Matz, a masterÕs student at the UCLA Department of Information Studies, volunteered to conduct a database search for course credit. Preliminary research was limited to items published after 1995. Earlier articles deemed particularly relevant were also reviewed.

Overview of Available Literature

While few articles on specific library reclassification studies were found, a wealth of information was uncovered regarding recent changes in the library profession and their implications for graduate and continuing education. So large was this body of literature that the following report is but a preliminary accounting of the vast number of articles written on the topics of library education, core competencies, and revised job duties. More research is still needed to identify publications describing: (1) actual library reclassification studies; (2) thorough information about library continuing education programs in other states and countries; and (3) full details of library continuing education in California.

To reflect the broad topics researched thus far, this literature review is divided into seven general sections: (1) Recent Changes in the Library Profession; (2) Emerging Competencies; (3) Library Education; (4) Continuing Education; (5) Continuing Education Models; (6) Elements of Effective Continuing Education Programs; and (7) Possible Implications for Continuing Education in CaliforniaÕs Libraries. Recommended topics and methods for further research are also included at the end of the report.

Recent Changes in the Library Profession

According to a study by Library Journal, more than 60% of library employeesÕ job duties changed between 1995 and 1996. Even more staff membersÑ75% of those surveyedÑ said their job duties had changed during the previous three years [1, p. 26]. ÒI am the technical services professional staff (along with two part-time support staffers), and my job has evolved into Internet reference librarian, web architect, Internet trainer and facilitator (and I catalog books, too!),Ó Janice Painter of the Ocean City Free Public Library, NJ, reported [p. 29]. Karen Perone, whose job title changed from ÒHead of CatalogingÓ to ÒSystems Coordinator,Ó explained that the real transition occurred when she became the Òentire automation departmentÓ of the Rodman Public Library, OH. ÒNow I handle hardware, software, and network installations, plus manage the libraryÕs web site,Ó she said [p. 27].

There is no denying that technology has had a huge impact on the reconfiguration of library duties. In her article on Ònew library competencies,Ó library educator Anne Woodsworth lists recent job announcements and makes note of the emerging tasks for which even traditional library positions are now responsible. Bibliographic instructors must be familiar with presentation software and technology relative to the web; government documents librarians must know HTML and aspects of webpage management; authority control librarians must have

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experience with SGML, HTML, and other web standards; and reference librarians must have technical expertise in DOS, Windows, networked environments, and the Internet [2]. Chronicling the changes in her own career, Joyce Lathan, director of automation at the Chicago Public Library, insists that all professional librarians should be able to not only install, configure, and use a browser, but Òshould be able to discuss intelligently their favorite search engines on the Web and explain when they use each one and why.Ó She also contends that librarians should have a basic understanding of their institutional network design so they can perform minimal levels of Òintelligent troubleshootingÓ when needed [3].

Technological advances have had a related impact on reference staff as well. ÒLibrarians, who previously needed to be generalists, now have to broaden their subject knowledge yet further, as access to electronic information breaks down the physical barriers that kept resources confined to specific libraries,Ó explains Jennifer Mendelsohn, head of the Noranda Earth Sciences Library at the University of Toronto. ÒIn addition to breadth, there is still a need for in-depth knowledge of the complexity and richness of individual databases, in terms of both subject coverage and searchable fieldsÓ [4, p. 373].

In special libraries, this mix of broad and in-depth skills is even more imperative as customer expectations have risen. As one information center manager relates, even as the number of reference requests has declined, the questions themselves have become much more complex. Therefore, staff qualifications have also multiplied. As the manager implies, ÒNow [we] need not just an MLS but a background in financial analysisÓ [5, p. 31]. Indeed, ninety percent of corporate information professionals surveyed by the research firm Outsell, Inc., indicated that librarians not only select content for their department but also consolidate the purchase of that content throughout the organization. ÒInformation professionals are beginning to view themselves, and to act like, information vendorsÑdetermining user needs, developing and testing content-value propositions, creating business plans, developing and managing their brand, and performing financial analysis,Ó Outsell reports [p. 33]. As Sheila Intner concurs, ÒgoodÓ library professionals Òspend a lot of their time planningÓ while the paraprofessional staff Òcarry out the plans, armed with digitized data from numerous sources, some library and some commercial.Ó For Intner, librarians have become Òjacks-of-all-trades, using an integrated set of skills to meet patron needsÓ [6, p. 49].

While many library changes have been brought on by new technology, in some

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organizations evolving job duties are more reflective of unfortunate, but necessary, staff reductions. ÒThere are indeed fewer librarians who spend their time doing mainly cataloging than was once the case,Ó Janet Swan Hill and Sheila Intner posit in their paper on recent developments in technical services. Out of necessity, catalogers today not only carry out traditional library functions, but also write and oversee outsourcing contracts, evaluate responses to RFPs for library automation systems, and manage and train various staff members. According to Hill and Intner, catalogers Òmust have sufficient understanding of the underlying principles of bibliographic control and sufficient mastery of practice that they can apply the principles in a useful way as they attempt to provide access to a bewildering array of information resources while taking advantage of all the capabilities offered by new technologiesÓ [7, pp.11-12].

Paraprofessionals, too, have seen their jobs change as management and public service responsibilities are being diffused more and more throughout library organizations. In a recent study conducted in Singapore, Chow Wun Han and Abdus Sattar Chaudhry identified ten ÒnewÓ paraprofessional duties that have emerged since the mid-1990s. Among staffÕs new tasks are working as a customer service officer, providing information service, using new software, planning and conducting programs, training staff, maintaining computer equipment, producing publicity materials, working evenings, and working Sundays. Personnel who were previously required to primarily staff the circulation desk are now tackling more professional-type duties and playing a much more public role in the library. As a result, these paraprofessionals feel less confident in their day-to-day jobs and are confused over which tasks are ÒprofessionalÓ and which are not [8].

Emerging Competencies

To help manage the uncertainty that has become an Òenduring aspect of the professional environmentÓ [9], several library organizationsÑincluding the Alumni Association of the School of Information Management and Systems [10], the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries [11], the California Library Association [12], the Medical Library Association [13], the Public Library Association [14], the Special Libraries Association [15], and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) [16]Ñhave developed statements of Òcore competenciesÓ required of librarians and other information professionals. Even the American Library AssociationÕs Office of Intellectual Freedom has compiled a draft list of Òintellectual

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freedom competenciesÓ outlining pertinent communication skills and knowledge of important censorship cases [17].

While these sets of competencies reflect the distinct flavor of each individual library group, they all share several key elements that define successful librarianship. These include: a committed service ethic; planning and assessment skills; organizational skills; the ability to manage and access information; political acumen; and a dedication to intellectual freedom. By declaring competencies that are core to the profession librarians set for themselves a standard of excellence to be met and hopefully exceeded. As Richard Naylor, assistant director of the William K. Sanford Town Library, NY, affirms, ÒLists and discussions of capabilities and competencies are important because they not only make explicit what we should know but also provoke thinking and suggest improvementsÓ [18, pp. 110-111].

As important as these competencies are, some librarians would argue that they are not comprehensive enough. Anne Woodsworth, for instance, contends that ÒtechnologicalÓ competence is most critical for all librarians. ÒBasic competencies for every librarian must include knowing what the Internet is and is not; evaluating and using hardware, software, and networks; and understanding basic computer and information science concepts,Ó she says. Woodsworth also urges a more proactive approach to customer service. ÒInstead of pointing to sources, we may have to offer our customers our opinion on the information and its validity/reliabilityÓ [2].

Excellent reference skills and the ability to instruct and teach are but two emerging competencies mentioned by Grace Cheng, chief librarian of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. According to Cheng, the future information professional should have

a broad outlook of her organisationÕs and usersÕ needs; possess a good Òbusiness senseÓ balanced by professional ethics; study and research her usersÕ needs and target services to meet those needs; package, promote and present her services; publish on the web; communicate, co-ordinate and collaborate with other information professionals and end users; participate in research using critical appraisal and statistical techniques such as meta-analysis; understand technology and its potential and its real application (not merely computer literate); know and/or use metadata to organise digital information as one uses MARC to organise bibliographic data; conduct training workshops to impart

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knowledge of information resources on the internet and alternative sources of information available commercially; possess knowledge in specialised subject areas to enable filtering and appraisal of research studies...and more [19, p. 24].

In their review of recent literature outlining professional library competence, Lois Buttlar and Rosemary Du Mont identified fifty-nine separate competencies which they then used as the basis of a survey measuring the relevance of these skills/qualities to librarianship. Although the level of importance of these differed among the various types of library service (e.g., public, academic, special, school, and nontraditional settings), ten competencies did emerge as most Òessential.Ó These were (in priority order):

¥ knowledge of sources in all formats to answer typical reference questions;

¥ collection management skills (development, selection, deselection, preservation);

¥ ability to conduct appropriate reference interview;

¥ effective communication in writing reports, proposals, procedural manuals, correspondence, etc.

¥ application of critical thinking skills to library problems;

¥ effective human relations skills in group processes;

¥ selection and evaluation of print and nonprint materials;

¥ application of appropriate principles to weed and inventory materials and equipment;

¥ oral communication skills to make presentations; and

¥ development of selection policies [20, p. 53].

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From this list, Buttlar and Du Mont concluded that while technical skills, such as collection development and reference interview techniques, are important, so too are skills related to communication and human relations.

Designating a list of core or ÒemergingÓ professional competencies serves several purposes. It may be used as a recruiting tool to attract people into librarianship or as a model for job descriptions and classifications. A list of competencies adopted by an organization may also be used as the basis for performance evaluation standards or as a benchmark for determining staffing needs. Furthermore, professional competencies may and certainly should be used as a guide for developing library school entrance requirements and curricula. In a poll comparing the skills of recent graduates to the competencies outlined by YALSA, Eliza Dresang found newer librarians to be more competent in matters related to resources than to services. Deficits were particularly apparent in the areas of community analysis, accountability (service, budget, collection development), supervision, grant-writing, and the ability to handle intellectual freedom issues in a digital environment [21]. In their study of the personal characteristics of new information professionals, Anne Goulding, Beth Bromham, Stuart Hannabuss, and Duncan Cramer found that recent graduates lack many of the people skills required to carry-out library business. According to a survey of nearly 900 employers, the following Òpersonal qualitiesÓ are the most essential for library workers: (1) ability to accept pressure; (2) flexibility (respond to change); (3) ability to deal with a range of users; (4) written communication skills; (5) inquisitiveness (love of learning); (6) reflection; (7) dedication; (8) detective-like (follow-up and track-down); (9) leadership qualities; and (10) innovation. Unfortunately, as the study revealed, some of these highly desired qualities are also the most difficult to find in new librarians. Among the qualities considered most lacking were: (1) commitment to organizational goals; (2) friendliness; (3) ability to accept pressure; (4) reliability; (5) energy (vigor/activity); (6) flexibility; (7) logic; (8) written communication skills; (9) confidence about ability; and (10) ability to work with/for a range of colleagues [22].

By no means are new librarians the only ones guilty of lacking strong personal skills. In a study cited by Patricia Milne, experienced librarians were credited with demonstrating strengths in several areas, but were found weak in: written communication; presentation skills; general management; strategic planning; having a business focus; team-building; leadership ability; innovativeness; ability to recognize opportunity; confidence; ability to influence; willingness to

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share; and risk-taking [23, p. 148]. As Milne contends, all of these competencies are becoming more essential as information environments take on more a role of Òintelligent organizations,Ó bringing together experts in information, information technology, and various domains [p. 142].

Library Education

To facilitate the acquisition of competencies currently lacking, Milne challenges library educators to design courses that will enable students to develop much-needed skills. ÒHand-in-hand with appropriate content, learning experiences must include creative assessment items that reflect the real world of work and provide the opportunity for the development of the skills, experience, attributes, and behaviour...found lacking,Ó she says. She then goes on to cite innovative programs in Edinburgh and Canberra where coursework combines practical experience with professional theory [23, p. 148].

Likewise, in their article, Goulding, Bromham, Hannabuss, and Cramer admonish library schools to Òalter their curriculaÓ to Òincorporate elements which will promote the characteristics required to produce graduates able to cope with the challenges of modern information workÓ [22, p. 221]. As they contend, ÒGiven the changing paradigms of the information workplace, it may well transpire that the attributes traditionally considered necessary for a successful career in information work (e.g., order, attention to detail) are not now those most needed by the profession and that others (e.g., leadership, flexibility) are essential for the workplace of the futureÓ [p. 215]. Particularly important is student training in customer service, interpersonal skills, and Òcontingency planning.Ó These concerns are echoed as well by recent library school graduates who found that employers were most interested in potential candidatesÕ management, communication, and interpersonal skills [24, pp. 36].

Based on their study of essential library competencies, Buttlar and Du Mont conclude that educators need to broaden library school curricula to encompass the varied interests and skills base of their students. In addition, they recommend that library schools pay greater attention to the external environments (e.g., government relations, societal trends, legal climate, and international developments) affecting information organizations. They admonish professors to recognize that libraries are increasingly service-oriented and that all jobs have service implications. They also encourage courses teaching interpersonal and communication skills. According to Buttlar and Du Mont, Òeducation should be geared toward educating the ÔwholeÕ

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person who will fit well into the culture of a particular setting, regardless of jobÓ [20, pp. 58-59].

Acknowledging the need for innovative instruction, a task force made up of faculty and doctoral students spent the past two years investigating curricular changes recently made at ALA-accredited library schools. Funded by the Kellogg Foundation and the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), the KALIPER (Kellogg-ALISE Information Professions and Education Renewal) project hopes to identify Òpatterns of change, in new courses, curricula changes, modes of delivery, changes in specializations, and school librarianship, new relationships with departments, the development of undergraduate programs, and the disciplines drawn fromÓ [25, pp. 44-45]. Although the complete findings of the study are not yet available, some tentative conclusions have been shared. For instance, the following factors have surfaced as major instigators of curricular change: