Defining librarian 2.0
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Over the last few years, debate on this issue of the “core competencies” required by Librarian 2.0 have emerged in LIS professional’s blogs. Eight themes emerged from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council’s research project as key to “librarian 2.0”: technology, communication, collaboration, user attention, business experience, evidence-based practise, learning and education, and personal characteristics (Marshall et al., 2010).
Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) says that the areas that should be the minimum foundation of new librarians skillset are up to date knowledge and understanding of on the environment, services and management of information, literacies and learning, digital technologies, community engagement, leadership and management, research, behavioural skills and professionalism (Australian Library and Information Association, 2018).
The American Library Association agree with their foundation skills being similar, all though worded differently, foundations of the profession, information resources, organization of recorded knowledge and information, technological knowledge and skills, reference and user services, research, continuing education and lifelong learning and administration and management (American Library Association, 2009).
Without Web 2.0 there would not be a Library and Librarian 2.0.
Web 2.0 is a concept which was launched in 2004 and relates to the second generation of the World Wide Web. The phrase “2.0” comes from the software industry, where new versions of software systems are branded with incremental version numbers. Like apps, the latest generation of the Web introduces multiple characteristics and capabilities that have not been accessible in the past. However, Web 2.0 does not apply to a new version of the Web, but rather to a collection of technological advances (Tech Terms, 2019).
Modern libraries are being reshaped as places for broader access to information in many forms and from many channels. The technical advances in libraries have influenced both information space and information practise (Holmberg et al., 2009).
Maness (2006) says that “Library 2.0” is “the application of interactive, participatory, and multi-media web-based technologies to web-based library services and holdings” (Maness, 2006).
The definition of ‘Librarian 2.0’ can be seen as an extension of the 2.0 library debate. The presence of the term ‘Library 2.0’ can be widely used as an indicator that library professionals with equivalent ‘second edition’ attributes would have a similar ‘second version’ abilities (Huvila et al., 2013).
So it can be said that just as libraries have had to adapt Web 2.0 technologies, so has the traditional role of the librarian had to change in challenging ways.
References
American Library Association. (2009). ALA’s Core Competences of Librarianship Final version. http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/sites/ala.org.educationcareers/files/content/careers/corecomp/corecompetences/finalcorecompstat09.pdf
Australian Library and Information Association. (2018). The Library and Information Sector: Core Knowledge, Skills and Attributes | Australian Library and Information Association. Alia.org.Au. https://www.alia.org.au/about-alia/policies-standards-and-guidelines/library-and-information-sector-core-knowledge-skills-and-attributes
Holmberg, K., Huvila, I., Kronqvist‐Berg, M., & Widén‐Wulff, G. (2009). What is Library 2.0? Journal of Documentation, 65(4), 668–681. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410910970294
Huvila, I., Holmberg, K., Kronqvist-Berg, M., Nivakoski, O., & Widén, G. (2013). What is Librarian 2.0 – New competencies or interactive relations? A library professional viewpoint. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 45(3), 198–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000613477122
Maness, J. M. (2006, June 29). Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and its Implications for Libraries. Www.Webology.org. Retrieved January 16, 2021 from https://www.webology.org/2006/v3n2/a25.html#5
Marshall, J., Rathbun-Grubb, S., Barreau, D., Craft, J., Partridge, H., Lee, J., & Munro, C. (2010). “Workforce Issues in Library and Information Sci- ence, Part 2” edited Becoming “Librarian 2.0”: The Skills, Knowledge, and Attributes Required by Library and Information Science Professionals in a Web 2.0 World (and Beyond. LIBRARY TRENDS, 59(1), 315–335. https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/scholarly-journals/becoming-librarian-2-0-skills-knowledge/docview/840247960/se-2?accountid=10344
Tech Terms. (2019). Web 2.0 Definition. Techterms.com. Retrieved January 16, 2021 from https://techterms.com/definition/web20
The Defining Librarian 2.0 is a wide debate. Many suggest that the minimum foundational skills required are the 8 that you have spoken about above. However, if you decipher each of the eight skills you can see that the vast majority refer to teaching skills. As teacher we need to be constantly upgrading our technological skills to keep up with the students, our communication skills are on show daily when we communicate with colleagues, students parents, senior exec, principal etc. Our attention is always on the students wellbeing and evidence -based practice can be reflected through our Institute of teachers Portfolio required in NSW. Our Learning & Education is consistent as depicted here where we are enrolled in INF506 and finally, our personal characteristics are that we are empathetic and supportive. By being enrolled in this course we are all demonstrating our desire to become the best WEB 2.0 Librarians that we possible can be.
All great points Michelle and yes there are so many different skills that could be said to be core skills