4. Types of Skills
Technical skills
RDA, FRBR, linked data
Non-MARC metadata
Coding/programming
Massaging & mapping
metadata
Foreign Language skills
• General skills
Leadership
Project management
Flexibility
Communication
Ability to train others
Humor
Growth potential
5. Candidate pools
Generally larger than in the past
BUT many don’t meet qualifications
Either/Or candidates
Mid-career librarians in entry-level pools
Librarians in pools for staff positions
6. Orientation/Training
For entry level: cataloging tools, authority
work, classification
AACR2 and RDA
Local practice; local systems
One-on-one training with experienced
catalogers—customized to individual
Specialization training (external)
7. Perceptions of MLS programs
Concerns:
Balance between theory
and practical
Distance education
Adjunct faculty
Cataloging not required
Needs
Understanding the
cataloging big picture
(RDA, FRBR, linked
data, etc)
Metadata
Coding/programming
Project management
8. Internships/Practicums
Importance of practical experience along with
degree
MLS programs should encourage/require
Valuable on entry-level resume
Libraries want to give back to the profession
Funding can be issue
Cataloger time can be an issue
9. Citations
Hsieh-Yee, Ingrid. “Cataloging and Metadata Education: A Proposal
for Preparing Cataloging Professionals of the 21st Century.” (2003)
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/bibcontrol/CatalogingandMetadataEduca
tion.pdf
Mugridge, Rebecca L. “Experiences of Newly-Graduated Cataloging
Librarians.”Cataloging & ClassificationQuarterly,Vol. 45, Iss. 3, 2008
DOI:10.1300/J104v45n03_06
Camden, Beth P. “Cataloger Education:The Practitioners'Viewpoint”
(ARLIS/NA, March 2003)
http://staffweb.library.upenn.edu/~bethpc/Cat_educ.ppt
10. “To the extent that library
education includes the principles
of information organization and
develops the skills needed in
navigating the digital landscape,
this is probably a change for the
better”
—Bill Bovino (UPenn)
Notas del editor
Background—CETRC; LIS education task force (LC Action plan 5.1); ARLIS panel 2003
Prep for this—informal survey of hiring at ARL (Big Heads) libraries
Note: mostly from large research libraries
Economic impact/Budget cuts
Staff reduction (to save material budget)
Attrition due to retirements/buy-outs
Lean organizations
Organization moving in new directions
Cat Metadata
Focus on unique materials/hidden collection
New names for depts—new activities
Some hiring—different positions
e.g. Knowledge Access=Cataloging
Term/Temporary/Visiting positions
Grant-funded positions
Part-time positions
Metadata/digital library projects
Rare book catalogers
Language specialists (Slavic, Hebrew, etc.)
Format specialist (music, serials, etc.)
Supervisory/Management
Hybrid positions
Internships
But specialists don’t only specialize (also do general work)
New titles=> Knowledge Access Head of Design & Development
Training of existing staff
RDA
XML/XSLT
MARC Edit and other tools for massaging metadata
LIS 5.1 report (2002) competencies
Cataloging & metadata
Leadership & Management competencies
Service orientation
Cooperation & collaboration
Communication & interpersonal skills
Problem-solving: analytical, creative, flexible
Management skills
Growth & Change
Larger than in the past (varies)
Often many don’t meet qualifications
Depends on location—some “superb”
Either/or candidates—not finding everything we want
e.g. IT Whiz OR Traditional Cataloger (would like both)
Mid-career librarians in entry-level pools
Librarians in pools for staff positions
Who we are hiring:
Have skills that the organization lacks
Entry-level “top of class”
People who can train their co-workers (bring their organization up to date)
Librarians laid-off at other inst.—or moving from grant to grant
Entry level—assume that we will teach the tools
AACR2 and RDA
Local practice/systems
One-on-one training with experienced cataloger—customized to individual
Specialization training (external)
e.g. Rare Book School
More collaborative than in past
Most had familiarity with only one program
Concerns:
Distance education
Balance between theory and practical
“Definitely worse” vs. better than when I was in school
Adjunct faculty
Cataloging courses barely mention FRBR/RDA/linked data
Focusing on AACR2 rules, not grounding in what’s going on in the profession—understanding the cataloging big picture
Cataloging not required
Metadata courses—vary (some not offered; others better than cat. course)
Need to teach programming—metadata manipulation
Distance ed cat class was discouraging—”wanted to take a butter knife to my wrist”
Concern about TS librarians in small libraries—won’t have training pool like large libr.
Importance of practical experience along with degree
Not all schools are easy to work with
giving back to the profession
Requests increasing (at RDA test library)
Funding can be issue
Cataloger time can be an issue