Job Analysis: Pt. 2

What skills, competencies, and knowledge do I already possess?  What new knowledge and skills will I need to acquire to compete for my dream job(s) explored in Job Analysis: Pt. 1?  How will I acquire that knowledge and how will I add to my skill set?  What skills, competencies and knowledge does the job(s) I am seeking ask for?

I believe I bring some valuable skills to the table already.  I was an elementary teacher for 25 years and have held a variety of teaching jobs.   I am currently employed as a "children's librarian" in a small, public library.  I have worked there for nearly four years.  Because of the variety of staff I have worked with, I believe I have developed some very good people skills.  My collaboration abilities allow me to work well with people. I have a great love for and the ability to relate with children and their families.  I have continued my education throughout my adult life and have knowledge of and skills in planning, implementation and evaluation of lessons and programs.  I have had frequent opportunities to teach adults new material, and I believe I can tailor lessons to make them understandable and enjoyable.  I have a great passion for children's literature, especially picture books.  I strive to maintain a good working knowledge of the children's literature classics and new books just published.

Director of a public library:  I will need to add to my management skills if I seek to be a director. I have experience in working with people, but my conflict resolution and problem solving skills will need to be honed.  I will also need to further my strategic and financial planning education.  I am a MLIS student of WSU so that my library skills may be 21st century ready as well.  Even if I do not plan to catalog or other technical aspects of the public library, I need to know how and what they do.  Marketing, fund raising and public relations classes/training would be very valuable in this job.

State library in programming/training: I need formal library and information education and training. My ability to plan and lead programming will need to be library specific if I desire to work in a state library.  Technology skills and the ability to teach others to use technology would be required. Marketing and public relations training would enhance my ability to do a good job in this type of library, as well.

Academic Library: The type of academic library job I am interested in requires excellent teaching and research skills in order to work with college students.  I would need a strong background in the ability to assess and evaluate adult learning.  Knowledge of technology would also be key.  Technology skills would need to be top notch in a college setting.  In addition to obtaining a MLIS degree from WSU, an master's degree in another discipline is often required or at least desired.

My professional goals remain the same as they did at the beginning of the semester.  I love the job I currently have and will continue to work there throughout my studies and beyond.  My job and title includes Assistant Director and I am on the management team in my small library.  Any additional leadership education I obtain will strengthen my contribution to that team.  If an opportunity to lead workshops or to become a full time program workshop leader avails itself to me, I will likely pursue it.  I will continue to monitor the job postings throughout my graduate studies to help in the selection of my courses so I remain competitive.  The interest in a college setting came as a surprise to me and I will continue to investigate that notion and look to add some academic strand classes to my education. 

                                                                Librarian by LEGO 
     

Job Analysis: Part 1

My class and I are on an exciting adventure this week.  We are hunting for a job.  Our dream job. We are to ask ourselves: "What kind of librarian do I want to be when I finish my formal education?"  By searching now instead of just at the end of our courses, we can better tailor our individual education to prepare for and possibly land that dream job.

I have chosen three different listings as my possible dream job.  They are all library positions but are each unique.

Library Director
City of Ankeny, Iowa 

Posted on ALA Joblist 

The City of Ankeny, population 50,000 and located 20 minutes from Des Moines, Iowa, is seeking a full time public library director.  The ideal candidate must have demonstrated abilities in planning and directing the functions in the operation of a public library, leadership, supervision, and organization. The Director must be skilled in establishing effective communications with patrons, community groups, and other government officials. 

Minimum Qualifications: 

Candidates must possess a master's degree in library science from an accredited ALA college or university, and have five years in professional library administration.  Salary range is $74, 228-$94,738 plus an excellent benefit package. 

State Library Program Specialist 

State Library of Minnesota

Roseville, Minnesota 

Posted on State of Minnesota Job Posting 

Serve as the state of Minnesota's e-rate coordinator for libraries and provide capacity building for libraries in areas of program development and management, and assist in the collection and distribution of public library annual report data. Develop and implement transparent processes for program administration; communicate effectively with aid/grant applications and recipients; and ensure program accountability.

Minimum Qualifications:  

Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program.  Three years professional library experience that includes program/project management work experience in a library setting.  Experience in planning, budgeting, and forecasting, and financial reporting for library programs.  Salary: $50,279-$74,562 annually. 

Undergraduate Experience Librarian 
Kansas State University Library
Manhattan, Kansas 
Posted on INALJ.com Resource Center-Kansas

Develop and implement learning opportunities and services in collaboration with the University's first year experience program, K-State First.

Collaborate with colleagues to coordinate learning outcomes and library instruction for large, general education courses, such as Public speaking, Expository Writing, University Experience, and the English Language Program. 

Participate in assessment, collaborate with colleagues, to provide excellent reference, research, and student learning activities.

Required Qualifications:ALA-accredited MLS.  Demonstrated experience teaching information literacy infused classes. Understanding of the theories and practices related to higher education and first-year students, diversity, or retention.  Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills with a strong user-centered service orientation.  Salary is listed as competitive. 

Professional Associations

This week the task at hand is to select two professional associations and share information about them.  I chose to research the American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC).  I work in a small library and I am a member of the ALA at present and plan to continue to be a member throughout my career.  Membership in my local state organization, SDLA, has been key to furthering my education and networking.  Joining my local professional organization has always been a priority for me in my career.  I had an opportunity to network with other library professionals at a tri-conference between NDLA, SDLA, and the Mountain Plains Library Association last fall.  My local library colleagues and I presented a workshop.  We were well received.  I appreciated the larger variety of workshops available at the tri-conference.  I met an incredible amount of people across several states.  I look forward to attending a Public Library Association Conference and an ALA Conference in the future.  Furthermore, I am not currently a member of ALSC but plan to add that to my membership as I am in charge of children's programming at my library.

American Library Association (ALA):

The mission of the ALA is to advocate for librarians, libraries and library patrons.  This is accomplished at the national level by leading the way in forming legislation and policies that affect libraries and information services.  Benefits to individual members include online learning, weekly e-newsletters, and countless resources from across the profession.  The website offers a new members section which I found to be very helpful.  It helped me sort out what I need to do to get more involved immediately. Individuals may join for $133 per year, with a first year discount of $66.00.  Students may join for the bargain price of $34.00.  The journal of the organization is the American Libraries Magazine.

Association of Library Services to Children: (ALSC)

The ALSC is the children's division of the American Library Association.  I know it best as the organization that awards the Newbery and Caldecott book awards each year.  (This year I was able to watch history as I watched the awards ceremony "live" via live stream.)  One may join the ALSC for $50.00 more than the basic ALA membership fee.  Students pay an additional $20.00 to join and you must be a member of ALA to join ALSC.   The mission of the ALSC is to "support library service to children and advocating for better library services and materials for all children." The journal of the ALSC branch of ALA is aptly named Children and Libraries.  Beginning this spring it will be published quarterly instead of 3 times per year.  "Benefits of ALSC membership include: connecting professionally and socially about children's librarianship; sharing knowledge and expertise by becoming involved in one of 60 active committees, including the Newbery and Caldecott award committees; encompassing ALSC's exciting initiatives into your programming; growing your career by attending one of ALSC's many continuing education programs; and playing a part in advocating for better library services and materials for ALL children."

"American Library Association", American Library Association, dynamically generated page. http://www.ala.org/index.php (Accessed February 2, 2014)

21st Century Librarian

So, what in effect, does it mean to call oneself a Librarian in the 21st century?  Gather the editorial and poetically creative and imaginative skills of Callimachus; the zeal and care regarding verification, and crafty collection management, of monastic scribes; the proactive, personal 'librarian helper' abilities which Ranganathan lauds; and the 'animateur' outreach antics of Mile High Reference Desk and The Itinerant Poetry Library into an updated toolkit that also includes information literacy expertise, together matched with, in the vision of Staveley, a deep and intimate commitment to (exploring) humanity, and a mandate for democratism in information access and provision comes clear (Gray, 2013).

Gray, S.W. (2013).  Locating librarianship's identity in its historical roots of professional philosophies:                   Towards a new radical identity for librarians of today (and tomorrow).  IFLA Journal, 39 (1), 37-44.