technical services and the 8rs canadian library human resource study allison sivak canadian library...
TRANSCRIPT
Technical Services and the 8Rs Canadian Library Human
Resource Study
Allison Sivak
Canadian Library Association
May 23, 2007
Previous Research
Wilder (2002) noted: hires for tech services jobs in ARL libraries dropped 46%, 1985-2000 23% of all hires in 1985 10% of all hires in 2000 1980: 36% of new professionals filled tech services
positions 2000: 12%
Compared to 40% of new profs filling public services positions
Wilder suggests: fundamental shift in staffing priorities of academic libraries away from professional tech services / cataloguing
Deeker (2006) hypothesed: The negative trend in demand for technical services jobs had
reversed. There is a marked increase in the demand for computer skills.
Conclusion: not able to meaningfully measure Entry-level technical services jobs are rare.
22.6% of postings neither required / preferred experience Technical services jobs are hard to fill.
More reposts More ads for temporary / part time positions Fewer ads requiring MLIS Found more reposts only
Methods
Individual Survey Librarians (n=539) Library Technicians (n=377)
Selected those who agree they “frequently” perform activities of Cataloguing, database management and organization of information resources; metadata schemes; OPACs
Length of Time in Career
Librarians
New entrants: 22% Mid-career: 27% Senior: 51%
Library Technicians
New entrants: 20% Mid-career: 34% Senior: 46%
Career Level
Position Librarians Library Technicians
Non-management
40 68
Supervisor
14 13
Middle Management (e.g. branch head, department head )
32 10
Senior Administrator (e.g. head librarian, chief librarian)
13 9
Job Functions: Technical Services
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377 Creation and maintenance of bibliographic records
68
76
Processing interlibrary loan request-borrowing
|and lending
18
40
Circulation and discharge of library materials
24
54
Sorting, shelving and filing of library materials
16
44
Bindering and materials processing
11
33
Repair and conservation of library materials
8
21
Job Functions: Collections
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377 Collection development,
evaluation and management
57
48
Copyright clearance 6
10
Electronic licensing 14
9
Digitization of collections 11
12
Job Functions: Public Service and Outreach
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377 Programming, reference,
readers advisory, information and research
support to adults
39
47
Programming, reference, readers advisory, information and
research/homework support to teens
15
24
Programming, reference, readers advisory, information and
homework support to children
8
17
Job Functions: Public Service and Outreach
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377 Programming and services to special populations (e.g.
workplace employees, people with disabilities)
21
27
Liaison activities (e.g. with individual faculty, assigned departments, community groups or
agencies)
42
28
Job Functions: IT
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377 Library systems,
hardware, and software support
38
36
Network management and technical support
21
16
Web development and applications
30
16
Database creation and maintenance (e.g. OPACs)
47
31
Job Functions: Administration and Management
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377
Training and development
47
25
Managing library units /
activities
58
29
Supervision and
evaluation of personnel
47
24
Organizational planning
and decision-making
57
32
Policy development
51
29
Job Functions: Administration and Management
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377
Human resource planning and management
34
13
Budgeting and financial
management
43
30
Managing space, facilities and building operations
33
22
Fund-raising and donor
support
6
7
Marketing and public
relations
21
15
Job Functions: Professional Development / Participation
JOB FUNCTION Librarians
n=539
Library Technicians
n=377
Participation in professional
organizations
46 31
Attendance at conferences and
workshops
44
26
Research and publishing in the field of librarianship
9
4
Staff Job Values and Job Opportunities to Exercise Values
Librarians value
Librarians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allow
forÉ
Library Techn icians
value
Library Techn icians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allow
forÉ
Use of IT skills 76 76 84 93
Task var iety 89 83 93 83
Ability to grow and learn new skills
90 73 91 70
Supervising others 30 53 21 33
Motivating others 49 57 38 32
Managing service or dept
38 53 28 32
Seek out new project
opportunities
68 58 50 40
Librarians value
Librarians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allowÉ
Library Techn icians
value
Library Techn icians ŅagreeÓ their jobs
allowÉ Performing
leadership role 52 59 34 34
Participating in decisions about my
area
86 70 76 54
Participating in decisions about overall library
strategy
71 54 59 38
Working in a dynamic and
changing environment
66 62 60 45
Librarians value
Librarians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allowÉ
Library Techn icians
value
Library Techn icians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allowÉ
Little work-related stress
50 31 59 39
Manageable workload
74 43 80 55
Balancing work and family life
85 66 91 79
Earning fair salary
90 66 94 60
Receiving adequate benefits
90 76 94 76
Certainty that job will continue
84 68 89 67
Challenging job 88 77 92 75
Librarians value
Librarians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allowÉ
Library Techn icians
value
Library Techn icians ŅagreeÓ their jobs
allowÉ Fair and equitable
treatment 91 84 95 82
Treated with respect by superiors
97 75 98 75
Good relationships with
supervisors
96 81 98 81
Good relationship with administration
88 70 91 80
Good relationship with librarian [para] staff
93 90 94 81
Librarians value Librarians ŅagreeÓ their jobs allowÉ
Job that allows me to teach 49 55
Tenu re eligibility 60 62
Continuing appointment 76 76
Research leave eligibility 54 57
Conduct research and publish 44 49
Training Taken? Training allowed libr. to Ņdo my job betterÓ
Job-oriented skills
79
49
IT skills
83
60
Customer service skills
36
26
Management training
45
35
NEL
2
5
Other leadership
training
23
24
Mentorship
11
13
Job rotation
9
9
Job sharing
6
6
Librarians agreeing their education, training, skills, and experience that: Allows them to perform at their jobs: 82% Makes them overqualified for job: 21% Qualified to move into a higher level: 65%
Librarians’ Training & Career InterestsInterested in training for:
Technology skills: 70% Management skills: 53% Business skills: 39%
Interested in more resp position: 41%Agreeing organization provides “adequate”
training opps: 51%
MLIS Assessment
New professionals who agree MLIS program provided them with the necessary skills in areas of: General: 64% Problem-solving: 50% IT: 23% Management: 19% Leadership: 12% Business: 54%
MLIS Assessment
New professionals agreeing MLIS provided them with a realistic picture of: Library work: 49% Library work in my sector: 37%
“Compared to 5 Years Ago, My Job is Currently More…”
Librarians Library Technicians
Interesting 65 68
Challenging 71 69
Enjoyable 56 53
Rewarding 55 54
Stressful 61 56
Librarians Library Technicians
Requires more skill 71 72
Requires me to learn more tasks
58 56
Requires me to perform more difficult tasks
54 53
É more high-tech tasks 65 63
É more ro utine tasks 28 33
É more ma nagerial tasks
51 29
Émore of a l eadership role
55 32
É mo re business tasks 30 27
Émore tasks once done by librs/paras
24 23
Requires me to work harder
57 53
I am less motivated to do my work
22 18
Summary
Variety of job functions of librarians and technicians: tech services, collection development / management, adult services, liaison, database maintenance, administration and management
Most overlap between librarians and technicians in areas of:
Cataloguing, database mgmt, org of info resources, metadata schemes, OPACs
Creation and maintenance of bibliographic records Collection development, evaluation and management Adult services Library systems, hardware, software support
Staff Workplace Values
Librarians value: use of IT skills new project opportunities professional development variety in work participation in larger
decision-making dynamic and changing
environment challenging work respect low stress adequate work-life balance
Technicians value: use of IT skills professional development variety in work participation in larger
decision-making dynamic and changing
environment challenging work
Workplace Values Closest Matches
Librarians• IT skills• Task variety • New project opportunities• Performing leadership
role• Dynamic & changing
environment• Fair and equitable
treatment• Good relationship w/ para
staff
Library Technicians• IT skills• Task variety• Supervising others• Motivating others• Managing service / dept• Leadership role
opportunities• Equitable treatment
Gaps in Values and Workplace / Position Provision Librarians’ largest
gaps: supervision larger decision-making manageable workload stress salary respect
Technicians’ largest gaps: ability to grow & learn
new skills larger decision-making manageable workload salary respect
