Introduction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5860/ltr.43n2Abstract
Sarah Houghton-Jan, the author of the second issue of Library Technology Reports in 2007, tackles technology competencies for librarians in the Information Age. “A few years ago,” she notes, “I found myself wanting a work like this to exist. Because it did not, I figured I might as well consolidate all the information about library technology competencies in one place so that others could benefit from my hunting and gathering.”
In her report, Houghton-Jan provides useful technology-training practices, including:
“This work,” summarizes Houghton-Jan, “is an attempt to fill the gap in knowledge about documenting technology competencies with overall guiding principles, examples of successful projects, and project-management guidelines for those embarking upon such a project in their libraries.”
Sarah Houghton-Jan received her MLIS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MA in Irish Literature from Washington State University. A member of Beta Phi Mu, she has worked in libraries for a decade as a page, reference assistant, reference librarian, e-services librarian, technology trainer, and technology manager.
Sarah is currently the Information and Web Services Manager for the San Mateo County Library in Northern California. She also works as a consultant technology instructor for the Infopeople Project, serves on LITA's Top Technology Trends Committee, is a member of the California Library Association's Assembly, and the past President of CLA's Information Technology Section. In her time as the IT Section President, she led the task force that developed the Association's Technology Core Competencies for Library Workers, building on her previous experience creating competencies for individual libraries.
Sarah is also the author of the blog LibrarianInBlack.net.
References
C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel, “The Core Competence of the Corporation,”
Harvard Business Review
, no. 3 (May/June 1990): 79–91, available for purchase at http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=YLMLH33H1X33KAKRGWDSELQBKE0YIISW?id=90311nAndrew Campbell, Kathleen Sommers Luchs, Core Competency-Based Strategy (London: International Thompson Business Press 1997): 5-nBeth McNeil, Core Competencies: SPEC Kit 270 (Washington, D.C: Association of Research Libraries 2002) .nRenee Reaume and Mary Jane Bilsland, “Core Competencies for Technology” (presentation, Alberta Library Conference, Jasper, Alberta, April 26–29, 2006), http://albertalibraryconference.com/2006/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/ALC2006-G3-Core_Competencies_Technology.pdfnBeth McNeil, Joan Giesecke, Elizabeth Fuseler Avery Ed., Terry Dahlin Ed., Deborah A Carver Ed., '“Core Competencies for Libraries and Library Staff,” in
Staff Development: A Practical Guide
' (Chicago: American Library Association 2001): 50-nDavid Hunter, “Core Competencies and Music Librarians,” April 2002, http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/pdf/Core_Competencies.pdfnLois Buttlar, Rosemary Du Mont, '“Library and Information Science Competencies Revisited,”' Journal of Education for Library and Information Science 37 no. 1 (1996): 44-62nAnne Woodsworth, '“New Library Competencies,”' Library Journal 122 no. 9 (1997): 46nM Armstrong, A Baron, '“Out of the Tick Box,“' People Management 4 no. 15 (1998): 38-41nMcNeil,
Core Competencies
.nAmerican Library Association, “Statement of Core Competencies” [draft], July 2005, www.ala.org/ala/accreditationb/Draft_Core_Competencies_07_05.pdfnArt Libraries Society of North America, “ARLIS/NA Core Competencies for Art Information Professionals,” June 2005, www.uflib.ufl.edu/afa/pdc/corecompsfinal.pdfnAssociation for Library Service to Children, “Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries,” rev. ed., 1999, www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/forlibrarians/professionaldev/competencies.htmnMedical Library Association, “Health Information Science Knowledge and Skills,” in
Platform for Change: The Educational Policy Statement of the Medical Library Association
, 2000, www.mlanet.org/education/platform/skills.htmlnAmerican Library Association Reference and User Services Association Taskforce on Professional Competencies, “Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians,” January 2003, www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/professional.htmnSpecial Libraries Association, “Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century,” rev. ed. (June 2003), www.sla.org/content/learn/comp2003/index.cfmnYoung Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), “Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth,” rev. October 2003, www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/professsionaldev/youngadultsdeserve.htmnTeacher-Librarians Association of Nova Scotia, “Competencies for Teacher-Librarians,” November 1997, www.nstu.ca/SA/TLANS/TLANS6.htmlnAssociation of Southeastern Research Libraries, “Shaping the Future, ASERL's Competencies for Research Libraries,” November 2000, www.aserl.orgnAmerican Library Association, “Statement of Core Competencies.”nWoodsworth, “New Library Competencies.”nJohn Horrigan, “Broadband Adoption in the United States: Growing but Slowing,” September 21, 2006, in “Reports: Technology & Media Use” on the Web site of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/164/report_display.aspnIbid., “Home Broadband Adoption 2006,” May 28, 2006, in “Reports: Technology & Media Use” on the Web site of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, www.pewinternet.org/report_display.asp?r=184nIbid.nMary Madden, “Internet Penetration and Impact,” April 26, 2006, in “Reports: Internet Evolution” on the Web site of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/182/report_display.aspnAndy Barnett,
Libraries, Community, and Technology
(Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2002), 89.nA. Krissoff and L. Konrad, “Computer Training for Staff and Patrons,”
Computers in Libraries
, no. 1 (January 1998).nBeverly P. Lynch & Kimberly Robles Smith, “The Changing Nature of Work in Academic Libraries,”
College & Research Libraries
, no. 5 (September 2001): 407–19 e-print available at www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crljournal/backissues2001b/september01/lynch.pdfnAnne M Prestamo, Martha Williams Ed., '“A Comprehensive Inventory of Technology and Computer Skills for Academic Reference Librarians,”' National Online 2001 Proceedings—New York, May 15–17, 2001 (Medford, NJ: Information Technology 2001): 313-37nDanuta A. Nitecki, “Competencies Required of Public Services Librarians to Use New Technologies,” in Linda C. Smith,
Professional Competencies—Technology and the Librarian, Papers Presented at the Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, April 24–26, 1983
(Champaign, IL: Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, 1983), 55.nMaria Kaskus, quoted in Kathryn Luther Henderson, “The New Technology and Competencies for ‘The Most Typical of the Activities of Libraries’: Technical Services,” in Linda C. Smith,
Professional Competencies—Technology and the Librarian, Papers Presented at the Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing, April 24–26, 1983
(Champaign, IL: Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1983), 31.n
