1. Provides excellent
service, customized to meet the needs of individual users.
- ILS503 Foundations of Library Science with Dr. Jodi C. Williams
- ILS514 Materials
and Services for Adults with Dr. Elsie
Okobi
- ILS519 Acquisitions
and Development: Library and Information Resources with Dr. Bielefeld
- ILS585 Field Project with Dr. Jan Quan Liu
- ILS600 Independent Study with Dr. Yan Quan Liu
Service is the hallmark of librarianship and was a concept stressed in all the classes. We began
talking of service in the foundation class and continued in most other classes: service for adult users in the "Services for
Adults" class, digital service in the "Digital libraries " class, etc..
2. Is knowledgeable about technology (theoretical and skills-based)
and applies it to improve services.
- ILS501 Introduction to Information Science and Technology with Dr. Hak Joon Kim
- ILS 655 Digital Libraries with Dr. Yan Quan Liu
One foundation class dealt with
technology uniquely and how it applies to libraries and service within the library. The librarian must be up to date on the
most basic technology from being able to help a patron when the printer is not working to being able to search the Internet
for information for the patron. She must also read about and use the new technology that patrons use themselves or want to
learn to use, which today would entail "Twitter" or social networking options like "Facebook". In fact, many currently posted
librarian positions require that knowledge as part of the job description.
3. Anticipates user needs and critically evaluates and assesses existing
and new services and systems to ensure that user needs are met.
- ILS514 Materials and Services for Adults with Dr. Elsie Okobi
A project we
completed for the class with Dr. Okobi addressed the evaluation and assessment of current and potential services that would
address the needs of the community. We did a study of one town and its population to gauge what the demographics were as well
as what the housing and job situation was to see if the library could address basic needs of language and job searching services
to make the library effective in the real needs of the current patrons and potential patrons. The same skills are transferable
to a university library. Students and faculty can be canvassed to see what their most necessary needs are. A library liaison
could be very beneficial in talking to and targeting the faculty's needs especially.
4. Is innovative, seeking out and acting upon new opportunities and
challenges
- ILS560 College and
University Libraries with Dr. James Kusack
- ILS565 Library Management with Dr. James Kusack
Dr. Kusack was adamant about stressing the need for a librarian to be accustomed to and proactive
to change. This appears to especially be the case for higher education librarians who must be willing to seek out new technologies,
new ideas to better serve their patrons. For instance, if students don't want the come to the library but rather stay in their
dorm or professors would like to have information available in their office the library must be made accessible and try to
accommodate these needs.
5. Plans, prioritizes and organizes work in
order to focus on what is critical
- ILS506 Information Analysis and
Organization with Mr. Anthony Oddo, Catlaog Librarian
- ILS519 Acquisitions and Development: Library and Information Resources with Dr. Arlene C. Bielefeld
Two courses
especially stressed and taught prioritization and organization techniques, the cataloging and collection development classes.
Cataloguing requires both skills in abundance as well as exacting attention to detail. Collection development, besides requiring
good analytical skills, demands skills of prioritization and organization in order to amass a cohesive collection of materials
on a subject.
6. Is able
to adapt business approaches to library operations to ensure accountability and the wise use of limited resources
- ILS565 Library Management with Dr. James Kusack
This aspect
was very thoroughly addressed by Dr. Kusack in the management class. We did cost benefit analysis exercises to see what would
be the most cost effective options in a given scenario. We discussed funding agencies and the need to present concrete evidence
of what the library needs and why and how the funds will be used.
7. Communicates effectively with others outside of the library
- ILS503 Foundations of Library Science with Dr. Jodi C. Williams
- ILS504 Reference and Information
Resources and Services with Dr. Elsie Okobi
Most of the courses had us interact
with people outside the library in some way in the form of interviews, posing as patrons and doing internships. We had to
conduct interviews for the "Adult Services" course of a specialist librarian. I interviewed thejob services librarian at the
New Haven Free Public Library. In the "Introduction to Librarianship" course I had to go to a library and ask to see the policy
and procedures manual for the library, do a month long internship at a local library and we had to conduct an interview with
a local librarian. In doing the Independent Study I had to contact and speak with a lot of librarians and administrators to
get permission to do the study which was part of the project. As a graduate assistant I had to contact libraries and university
departments that had some connection to either Chinese language and culture studies and library science studies to promote
a summer class in Chinese librarianship.
1 Association
of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) (1999) Shaping The Future:
ASERL's Competencies For Research
Librarians. Retrieved May 14, 2009 from: http://www.aserl.org/statements/competencies/competencies.htm
