The United States Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a government mandated program that distributes government information to the populace through designated “depository” libraries. From ...the 1970s until today, due to advancing technology, government documents librarianship has undergone several transformative changes. Beginning with distribution of government information on microfilm through the appearance of electronic information in the 1980s exponentially increased the amount of information available to users, information that often came with a large learning curve to use. The proliferation of government information transformed government documents librarianship from a self-contained, stand-alone, bibliographically focused entity to a more forward-facing, user-centric focus.
The depository community is largely led by academic institutions, which account for 72% of depositories. They have lobbied the FDLP for increased access, better training, improvements in delivery, and assurances that electronic information would be found, captured, and preserved. In addition, their efforts have ensured digitization of the historic print depository collection is largely complete. However, until federal statutory legislation changes, significant amounts of born-digital government information is being lost to time.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze technology-related librarian advertisements to examine the changing role of the systems librarian in today’s modern, technology-filled libraries.
...Design/methodology/approach
The authors examined 70 advertisements for technology-focused librarians posted on ALA’s JobList in 2014. The ads were examined for area of focus and required knowledge and experiences.
Findings
The ads revealed three main areas of focus: traditional systems, digital initiatives, and web services. In addition to traditional computer and library systems skills, employers were seeking candidates with project management, digital collection, customer service, technology implementation, and problem solving skills and experience.
Practical implications
This study highlights how the adoption and expansion of library technology has altered the roles and responsibilities of systems librarians. Instead of solely focusing on maintaining library databases and ILSs, technology librarians have branched out and become more integrated within the library.
Originality/value
This study has implications for those entering the library field and LIS programs, as well as gaining insight into the expanding role of technology librarians today’s library.
The University of Louisville's Ekstrom Library needed to remove 260,000 items from its shelves, and shift a further 95,000 within an extremely short deadline ahead of plans to redesign its third ...floor into an inviting, modern, student-friendly space for patrons to enjoy. The move faced three distinct challenges: space, item tracking, and sufficient personnel to complete the project. Although the project finished ahead of schedule, things did not go as smoothly as planned. OPAC issues and lack of sufficient storage space forced the Committee to readjust plans on the fly, resulting in issues that could possibly take years to fix.
This paper establishes trends in the duties of government documents librarians through analysis of job advertisements and provides insights into the current delivery of government information in an ...academic setting. The authors reviewed 75 job advertisements posted between 2010 and 2016 and categorized types of duties found within each advertisement. The public service responsibilities of reference and information literacy appeared in over 80% of advertisements. The data revealed that depository operations have migrated to a function of the reference department, with most academic libraries considering government documents librarianship primarily as a public service rather than a technical service.
This study examines the evolving roles and responsibilities of entry-level academic reference positions, as stated in recent job advertisements posted on the American Library Association's JobLIST ...Web site and other sources. Findings from a content analysis of these advertisements indicate that current entry-level reference positions in academic libraries incorporate a strikingly diverse and complex range of responsibilities. The study provides valuable insight into the expectations and priorities of hiring institutions in regard to entry-level reference work, offering a broad perspective on the reference job environment to library science students, first-time job seekers, and libraries seeking to recruit entry-level candidates.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
– Introduces and annotates ...periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material examining library instruction and information literacy.
Findings
– Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
– The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Purpose
To support the success of their students and faculty, libraries have to understand changing user needs. Robust user assessment programs and analysis of service patterns can reveal many of ...those needs. Many libraries have responded to changing user expectations by consolidating service desks and providing better organization of user services. Recent advances in assessment have added to libraries’ capacity to refine the scope and goals of service desk mergers. Assessment and analysis support better conceptual frameworks for realigning organizational structures and overarching service models. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a renovation and organizational restructuring in Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville as a case study, this paper examines the assessment process, organizational restructuring, and physical renovation that resulted in service desks merging.
Findings
This study found that comprehensive and ongoing user assessment is crucial to planning for renovations and service changes. User needs awareness must then be linked with organizational models and service delivery systems. Service desk mergers will be successful when they result from thoughtful assessment and analysis.
Research limitations/implications
Other case studies with assessment driven renovation projects, service desk mergers, and organizational changes would be useful to add to these findings.
Practical implications
This paper provides a process and framework for library leadership who are evaluating and revising service delivery models.
Originality/value
The perspectives and process described in this case study will be of value to improve library service delivery models.
Comprehensive e-resource reviews often happen in response to financial crises. Data are collected, and faculty are consulted about reductions. After the review, the data are forgotten or lost until ...the next crisis. Librarians at one public institution were initially motivated by a financial crisis to review their e-resources. But, they also wanted to use this crisis as a means to develop persistent review criteria and a longitudinal review process. This article will summarize how they identified the principal stakeholders, review criteria, essential data, workflows, and management application to support a process that would transcend a single crisis.
PDF
