The Possibilities of Horizontal The Possibilities of Horizontal Career Development and the Career Development and the Changing Roles of LibrariansChanging Roles of Librarians

10th European Conference of Medical and Health Libraries

Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 11th-16th of September 2006

Tuulevi OvaskaKuopio University Library & Kuopio University Hospital Medical Library Kuopio, Finland

Introduction

• Roles of librarians are changing• Whole concept of librarianship is changing• Are we – the libraries and librarians – in control

of these changes?• Could horizontal career development keep us in

control?• Could task rotation and job exchange be of use?• What is their role in continuing professional

development?

Key concepts

• Horizontal career development Career develops horizontally instead of

vertically Learning new tasks Developing skills and know-how Useful in our field where

• Chances to move on upwards are limited• Chances of moving on and ahead

horizontally offer a wide variety

Key concepts

• Task rotation and job exchange Extending expertise into something else or

something more Rotating and changing some, or all, of your

tasks for a certain period of time, or for the present

In the same library, or with another library, even abroad

Values• Value: Customer orientation

The needs of our customers are the basis of our activities. Customer services are flexible, communicative, impartial, reliable and easily attainable.

• Requires Continuous learning and staying up-to-date Understanding of the totality of the services Highly motivated and skilful staff good quality

customer services

Values

• Value: Excellence Excellence means that we successfully combine the

demands of the customers and expertise of the service providers. In the service process the expert can even top the customer’s hopes. Development is creative which means that new things are eagerly acknowledged and everyone is interested in developing their own actions and the actions of the work community.

• Includes expertise• Requires creativity and interest

Values

• Freedom of information Kuopio University Library is open to all and a part the

Finnish and the international library network. The collections and services are available to all those in need of information.

• Requires Knowing and understanding library network

and its different actors

Values• Communality

In order to develop the library the staff members work together, co-operate, appreciate and respect each other, communicate openly, and are committed to their work. Interaction at work is active and sincere. Internal and external communication is active and well planned, and belongs to all staff members. Commitment to work is manifested as willingness to develop one’s expertise and aspiration to act as a community.

• Requires Willingness to develop expertise Knowing and appreciating colleagues’ work

Challenges

• Attitudes of staff members, supervisors, and the library management

• Common resistance to change• Practical arrangements• Payment a survey to find out the attitudes of the staff

members and the management of Kuopio University Library (N=28, 80 % of 35)

Work history

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

less than 5years

5-10 years 10-15 years 15-20 years more than20 years

Kuopio University Library

Libraries in general

General attitude to task rotation

Insignificant25 %

Interesting68 %

Disagreable7 %

Interested in

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Partly rotation Full rotation NRL Other inKuopio

Other univ.library

International

Not al all

Some

Lots of

Would rotate internationally

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Max 3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months For the present

Hardly

Probably

Certainly

Library administrators and department heads

• Personally interested in exchange• Positive attitude to the rotation of the staff• Doubtful about the chances of the practical

implementations

Changing organizational culture

• People make up organizations • All change needs leadership, management and

support• Organizational culture cannot be changed easily• Supervisors must have talent and skills to

identify needs for staffing and to assess staff skills, abilities, and potential

Would Rotate inside Kuopio University Library

0

5

10

15

20

25

Max 3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months For the present

Hardly

Probably

Certainly

Benefits

• Diversification of professional skills • Organizational flexibility• Spiritual and professional growth• Job enrichment• Working capacity• Contentment in work• Understanding and cooperation• Respect for each other’s work• New perspectives

Staff members are

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

content with current tasks content with career development content with possibilites to learnand develop

No

Quite

Very

Staff members say

0

5

10

15

20

25

Sometimes Often Always

My work is interesting

My work is diverse

My work is pleasant

Conclusions

• Task rotation, job exchange, and international mobility are compatible with the values and in accordance with the strategy of Kuopio University Library

• There is potential for:

1) internal task rotation in the library from three to six months at a time

2) international exchange for short periods, less than three months

Conclusions• Important to develop professional skills in every way

and at full stretch• Task rotation or job exchange one method, not the

only way• A part of continuing professional development to

supplement continuing education courses and other schooling

• Libraries and their management must stay in charge of the changes in our profession Motivated, skilled and enthusiastic library staff Diversifying tasks and duties Encouraging career mobility between health libraries