Creating solutions instead of solving problems: Emerging roles for technical services departments

Gibson, Sally

doi:10.1080/07317131.2016.1134998

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Gibson notes that "In the past, many technical services departments placed a greater emphasis on the hard or technical skills rather than soft skills" and goes on to elucidate that this practice is not sustainable, and it is soft skills that are needed to "develop effective working relationships that allow for the anticipation of user needs rather than reacting to a question or inquiry." 19 Moreover, in a survey of over 2,400 library professionals, soft skills such as interpersonal communication skills as well as customer service skills were identified by academic librarians as core to the profession, with 89 percent and 67 percent of librarians identifying them as such, respectively. 20 Other skills based in communication, such as "interacting with diverse communities" and "reference interview/question negotiation" also ranked highly as core to the profession by academic librarians in Saunders's study.…”

Section: Core Competencies and Job Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Skills in the Technical Services Workplace

Lowry

2022

LRTS

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The stereotype of the “behind the scenes” technical services librarian lends credence to the idea that librarians working in cataloging, acquisitions, collection development, etc. work alone and independently, never to face the patron or engage with their colleagues. Though that exaggerated typecast may still live on in the minds of some, the more contemporary and holistic approach to library organization, where librarians in all sub-fields benefit from a cross-sectional skillset, has necessitated that all librarians master the soft skills needed to work well with the patron and with others. This study examines both the frequency with which librarians in technical services interact with others in the course of their job duties as well as the nature and importance of soft skills in the library technical services workplace

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Section: Core Competencies and Job Skillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Skills in the Technical Services Workplace

Lowry

2022

LRTS

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“…expect conflict, while moderating it" (Schmidt & Dulaney, 2014, p. Journal of New Librarianship, 4 (2019) pp. 260-282 10.21173/newlibs/6/21 265 74) and who believe staff have the potential to develop and grow (Gibson, 2016). This is a significant shift in leadership skills from the previous hierarchical model most often used in technical services.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

From the bottom up: Engaging technical services staff in decision-making

Krause

Eickholt

Hartse

2019

newlibs

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Sweeping innovations in publishing models, shifts from print to electronic, and the expanding impact of consortia alliances have transformed technical services operations in academic libraries. Work of technical services units is transitioning from daily assignment of routine work by supervisors, to a dynamic project-based operation where both staff and management input is crucial to the success of the unit. The new environment requires all staff to actively engage in decision-making as part of a team of colleagues and managers, using evaluation, synthesis, and prioritization to meet project and operational goals. This article describes activities Eastern Washington University Libraries' Collection Services unit has undertaken to involve and empower its classified staff in decision-making and priority-setting in order to drive innovation and change within the unit and library-wide. Unit activities have included redesigning physical space, instituting summer retreats, establishing unit ground rules, and ensuring classified staff involvement in hiring. These activities have laid the groundwork for a more collaborative and empowered team of paraprofessional and professional staff able to successfully anticipate and adapt to the rapidly evolving academic library environment.

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The New “Jack of All”: The Evolution of the Functionality and Focus of the Academic Librarian in New Spaces and New Roles

Martin¹,

Sheehan²

2018

Advances in Library Administration and Organization

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Creating solutions instead of solving problems: Emerging roles for technical services departments

Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

Soft Skills in the Technical Services Workplace

Soft Skills in the Technical Services Workplace

From the bottom up: Engaging technical services staff in decision-making

The New “Jack of All”: The Evolution of the Functionality and Focus of the Academic Librarian in New Spaces and New Roles

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