Getting Consensus about Competencies: What’s Needed for Effective Library Programs

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the specific disciplinary competencies required of library programming professionals and the training pathways where they develop those skills. Most existing competency frameworks focus on general library service or audience, rather than the specializations required for public programming. Reflecting the emerging importance of programming to libraries’ service model, this US research study demonstrates that excellence in programming requires a unique set of competencies not found in other areas of library practice. The evidence shows that most public-programming competencies are learned outside of MLIS training but could be introduced as an MLIS concentration or learned as professional development.

Caring for the community: An academically based community service course in LIS

“…From our case study, we are showing how all stakeholders can benefit from the ABCS course. As stated in the changing roles of librarians (Norlander et al, 2020), we also emphasize how the librarians can actively engage in research by being involved in an ABCS class. For future work, this class does not need to only occur in the MLIS program but librarians can partner with multiple different departments and the starting point is connecting with the instructor of the class as all students can benefit from doing practice work and to facilitate the discourse regarding information practices.…”

“…Libraries have utilized participatory design involving the end users and multiple stakeholders to come together in designing learning commons, digital portals, and communication systems within the library (Dalsgaard, 2012; Somerville and Brown-Sica, 2011; Somerville and Collins, 2008). To come together requires information professionals to develop relationships and partnerships with the community they are serving (Norlander et al, 2020). To engage in design with the serving community, information professionals need to first learn how to design with community members, such as library patrons.…”

“…To come together requires information professionals to develop relationships and partnerships with the community they are serving (Norlander et al, 2020). To provide opportunities for community engagement, a model of service learning has been developed within institutions of higher education for information professionals (Overall, 2010).…”

Are library staff autonomous? The influence of routines and the development of workarounds

“…A worker autonomy paradigm (Wang et al, 2020), on the other hand, centers these routines and focuses on engaging a worker’s intrinsic motivation and the desire for self-determination. This centering of worker routines is important for public libraries who rely extensively on the tacit knowledge of staff—from financial and interpersonal skills to creativity and an ability to assess gaps in understanding (Norlander and Barchas-Lichtenstein, 2021). Staff expectations regarding social justice and staying in touch with communities helped libraries pivot during the pandemic (ALA, 2020).…”

“…Staff expectations regarding social justice and staying in touch with communities helped libraries pivot during the pandemic (ALA, 2020). There are concerns, however, about the availability of training to support the development of these skillsets (Norlander and Barchas-Lichtenstein, 2021). And while the Master of Library and Information Science offers one way to develop these skillsets, some staff report concerns over the applicability of this curriculum to library work (Freeburg and Vera, 2021).…”