Core Technology Competencies for Librarians and Library Staff

Citation

Cloete, L. (2010), "Core Technology Competencies for Librarians and Library Staff", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 327-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378831011047749

The need for technology skills in libraries has steadily increased over the last decades. Today most library positions involve a significant degree of technology. Knowledge and competencies related to library systems, computer hardware, software and operating systems have now also been supplemented by blogs, wikis, and internet and web technologies – to name but a few. Core Technology Competencies for Librarians and Library Staff is therefore a timely publication in which technological literacy for librarians is reviewed.

The volume is divided into three parts. Part 1 (Overview of Technology Competencies for Today's Librarians and Library Staff) contains two chapters. Chapter 1 looks at changes over time in library technology and the kind of technology competency expectations that currently exist for both traditional library positions and new jobs that have appeared over the past few years. Chapter 2 examines how library education programmes are meeting some of the general technical competency standards and includes a sample syllabus and an assignment to design a library automation system. Both chapters include extensive literature reviews and data based on surveys of practitioners in the field.

Part 2 (Core Competencies for Library Technology Specialists) also contains two chapters. The emphasis in Chapters 3 and 4 is on core competencies for systems librarians and non‐librarian technology managers respectively, and includes job descriptions for the two types of positions. Chapter 5 presents the unique competency issues faced by solo systems librarians, in particular focusing on the social communication skills needed.

In Part 3 (Successful Competency Implementation Programs) Chapters 6, 7 and 8 present three case studies describing the best practices of academic and public libraries and how they use the concept of core technology competencies to determine job classifications, develop training and professional development programmes, establish employee assessment criteria, and improve technology support. The extensive appendices for these chapters include core competency lists, personnel assessment checklists, job descriptions, and training curricula.

The editor and contributors are experienced academics and practitioners in the field of library and information technology, and library employee management. They share their views and experience on how to take advantage of technology to improve collection development and services. The result is a work that not only addresses the hard skills required for technology competency, but also takes a more holistic approach to the competencies of the system manager and technology librarian by also including soft skills and basic skills such as customer care, flexibility, interpersonal skills, capacity to work independently, and capacity to learn consistently and quickly.

Chapters include lists of references to the literature reviewed. Furthermore, the text is complemented with tools such as core competency lists, personnel assessment checklists, job descriptions and training programme outlines.

The book is written from a Northern American perspective – especially the case studies described in Part 3, and libraries and library training departments in other countries may find that they need to adapt the suggestions and tools for their countries' unique and specific requirements. Nevertheless, most librarians, library managers and administrators, technology managers, and systems librarians should find that this volume provides useful, practical guidance and suggestions for job descriptions and in‐house staff development. Furthermore, anyone involved in the education and training of librarians could consult this volume for guidelines on adjusting training curricula.