Presentation at the Internet Librarian International, 26-28 October 2011, London

1. Internet Librarian International Conference,
28 October 2011, London, UK

3. Introduction
The University of Johannesburg came into existence from
a merger between the Technikon Witwatersrand, Rand
Afrikaans University and Vista Universities in 2005.
• Over 45,000 students
• 9 Faculties on 4 Campuses
• 5 Academic Libraries
Challenges for the SA Education:
• 11 Official Languages
• Poverty and Crime
• Cultural and Language diversity
• Urban vs Rural education
• Access to Internet and Bandwidth
• Information and Computer Literacy
http://www.uj.ac.za/

4. The New Normal defined….
• “The new normal isn’t just about austere budgets or
doing more with less – it’s also about new technologies.
• The new normal is having library patrons, users,
customers and clients who know as much or more about
technology than we do.
• It’s about partnerships and transparency, about new
ways to develop and disseminate knowledge, about
the increasing importance of communication skills,
about opening up access to information, data and
knowledge”
(ILI, 2011)

5. The Metamorphosis Life of a Librarian
• The 80s – The traditional role
• The 90s – The transitional role
• The 1st decade of the 21st Century
- The growing online access to Information Resources
- The implementation of Web 2.0 Technologies
- The increase use of Mobile Technologies
- The practice of Embedded Librarianship
• The 2nd decade of the 21st Century
- It is all about Social Media & Networking , Mobile Devices &
Applications, eReaders & Tablets, Embedded Librarianship,
Open Access….
Adapting to the changing needs of patrons,
make it a necessity for the libraries and librarians
to embrace the new technologies.

6. The Traditional Librarian may be out of fashion,
but it still lives… and learns new survival skills
…. within new environments
…. and adopts new roles.

7. The Traditional Academic Librarian provides:
Support to Teaching,
Learning & Research:
• Information Retrieval
• Reference Services
• User Education &
http://www.wordle.net/
Information Literacy
• Collection Development
• Promote Library Services
& Collections
• Liaison with Library
stakeholders
Help PATRONS within the
Library Physical space The Traditional “happy” Librarian

9. UJ Sciences Librarian Web 2.0 Strategy:
The Adventure just started
Stage 1: 2007-2008 Stage 2: 2009
(Individual Experiments) (Integration + further experimentation)
Created accounts to the following tools: Updated the Wiki Portal (Jan’ 09)
- Over 45 web pages
- UJ Sciences Librarian Blog (Oct’07) - IM/Chat account: MeeboMe (Feb’09)
- UJ Librarian News Blog (Oct’ 07) - Embedded Widgets on the Portal (IM; Blogs;
- Delicious: tag articles (Oct’ 07) Twitter; Delicious; Google widgets, etc.)
- Flickr account (Nov’ 07) Some more experiments:
- YouTube account (Dec’ 07) - iGoogle web profile (Apr’ 09)
- Wiki portal (Early’ 08) - Netvibes portal (May’09)
- Facebook profile (May’ 08) - Custom Search Engine for the Portal
- Second Live account (May’08) - Library Google Maps (Aug’ 09)
- Mind Maps (Mid’ 08)
- Twitter (Sep’08) Stage 3: 2010 +
- Library Thing account (Sep’ 08) It all comes together within the:
- UJ Science Library News Blog (Oct’08) - Virtual Learning Environment
- Technorati; Snap Shots; Share This; - Embedding Library Services
Scribd, LinkedIn, many more ….. - Mobile Technologies

11. http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/

12. Embedded widgets on the
UJ Sciences Wiki Portal
http://ujsciencelibrarian.pbworks.com/

13. The Technological & Social Skills/Roles/Tools
for Academic Librarians
http://www.wordle.net/

15. The Mobile world at the palm of our hands
Source

16. The Mobile Academic Librarian provides:
• Library Services on the GO!
• 24/7 Access to the Library
catalogue, websites, services &
resources
• Social Interactions via Mobile
Web 2.0 Applications
• Current Awareness to Services
and Resources
• Information Retrieval &
Reference Services
• eBook Readers on loan
At the PALM of your PATRON HANDS

18. Mobile Skills/Roles/Tools for Academic Librarians
http://www.wordle.net/

19. “Embedded librarianship takes a librarian out
of the context of the traditional library and
places him/her in an “on-site” setting or
situation that enables close coordination and
collaboration with researchers or teaching
faculty” (Carlson & Kneale, 2011)

20. Embedded Librarianship is about …. (1)
a Partnership with your Faculty and Students
Build relationships & increase the visibility of the
Library Services by:
• Providing Information literacy instruction away from the
Library (Lecture hall; Laboratories; Offices or Research
facilities)
• Collaborate with the Faculty members on students’
research projects (Library-Subject based assignments)
• Make use of Virtual Learning Environment to reach to
students in their study space
• Attend faculty Workshops, Open Lecturers, Seminars,
Classes and Practical tutorials

21. Embedded Librarianship is about …. (2)
a Partnership with your Faculty and Students
Build relationships & increase the visibility of the
library services by:
• Attend Faculty Board and Departmental meetings to
learn about the latest on Research & Teaching, and
information needs of its members
• Work together with Faculty to enhance the library
presence in all the relevant places.
• Outreach to users by using Social Networking tools to
communicate, share and collaborate.
• Make use of Mobile technologies to connect and
provide services to patrons

22. Embedded Skills/Roles/Tools
for Academic Librarians
http://www.wordle.net/

23. The Embedded UJ Sciences Librarian (1)

24. The Embedded UJ Sciences Librarian (2)
Curriculum Course on
Plagiarism: Sciences for
Civics
1st year Sciences,
October 2011

25. The Multi Skilling Academic Librarian Competencies
http://www.wordle.net/

26. Are “We” The Future Ready Librarians?
The “New Normal” is here to stay. The Librarians should focus on adapting to
the changing environment and to develop skills that can keep them current.
• Be THE TRADITIONAL LIBRARIAN, but adapt to the changing world
• Learn how to use the Social & Technological tools to improve relationships
and communication with your patrons. Be THE SOCIAL NETWORKING
LIBRARIAN.
• Help your Library with the implementation of the Mobile Technologies, be
THE MOBILE LIBRARIAN.
• Practice Embedded Librarianship by establishing trust and partnership with
your Faculty. Be the EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN.
Traditional + Web 2.0 + Mobile + Embedded Librarian
= Modern Librarian
We can bridge the GAP in Social Interaction with our Users!

27. Consulted Resources
Carlson, J. & Kneale R. 2011. Embedded librarianship in the research context: navigating
new waters. College & Research Libraries News, 72 (3):167-170
(http://crln.acrl.org/content/72/3/167.full)
Core Competencies for 21st Century CARL Libraries. 2010. URL: http://www.carl-
abrc.ca/resources/reports_and_briefs/pdf/core_comp_profile-e.pdf (Accessed: 30/9/11)
Shumaker, D. 2010. Embedded Librarianship at SLA and ALA. (Blog post, Accessed
21/9/2011). URL: http://embeddedlibrarian.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/embedded-
librarianship-at-sla-and-ala/
Technical Skills & the librarian. 2006. (Blog post, Accessed 21/9/2011). URL:
http://scruffynerf.wordpress.com/2006/07/19/technical-skills-the-librarian/
Thank you!
Slide Share Presentations:
http://www.slideshare.net/pavlinka163/presentations