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Author: Saskia Hoving

Editor-in-Chief

Academic librarians play a pivotal role in their institutions, supporting the needs of their users in a constantly changing environment. In this post we explore how well equipped they feel they are for what they do, and how this varies across the workforce - from leaders with decades of experience to those just embarking on their library careers.

There鈥檚 a you might see advertised for an academic librarian, from digital literacy and information management to soft skills such as collaboration, negotiation, creativity, and change management. As we discussed in our previous post, Evolving roles of academic librarians adapting to change and new technologies, these skills are constantly changing, and savvy library leaders are looking ahead to keep up with them.

So how are would-be librarians expected to prepare for their roles? According to the American Library Association (ALA), the for those entering the profession might include a four-year undergraduate degree, a Master鈥檚 Degree in Library Science (plus maybe a further Master鈥檚 Degree such as Law), and even a teaching certificate on top. Oh, and some experience in a library, and perhaps a foreign language or two. But how well prepared are they for everyday life in the library, and what further professional development is and should be undertaken? And where does the experienced librarian stand in comparison 鈥� are their skills still current in the post-Covid digital library?

Library programmes today 鈥� a good foundation?

Jane Harvell, Director of Library Culture and Heritage and University Librarian at the University of Sussex, UK, is sceptical about library qualifications. 鈥淲e are recruiting fewer people directly from Higher Education. Although a library qualification provides a helpful background to higher education, it doesn鈥檛 always make a good librarian in all areas. A good Open Access librarian needs to be good at detail, good at networking and knowing who to ask 鈥� this can all be taught internally alongside other things relevant to that specific role.鈥�

Evan Simpson, in his role as Associate Dean, Experiential Learning and Academic Engagement at Northeastern University Library, USA, is in close touch with the skills and development needs of library staff. He feels that library programmes studied today are very behind in preparing students for what it鈥檚 like working in an academic library 鈥� reality is very different from their expectations. 鈥淧roject management skills are lacking, as is their understanding of how the library fits into the research lifecycle. I see that a lot of catching up is necessary, and quickly, to understand what the issues really are in a research-intensive university.鈥�

New recruits bring valuable new skills to the library

Jane is more aware that early career librarians have skills that she doesn鈥檛 have. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 learn about new technologies being adopted because I don鈥檛 need to. I need someone on the team who鈥檚 immersed in them, so that if I have a question, I can go to them and ask them.鈥� It鈥檚 the same for any new area of expertise. 鈥淎s a leader you don鈥檛 want to know everything about everything as you end up micromanaging. Far better to train new recruits up, perhaps by sending them to a conference to develop their networks and meet experienced people, which makes them better prepared to do the hands-on work.鈥�

Like Jane, Evan finds that younger members of the team have a lot to offer the library today, to the benefit of more experienced staff. 鈥淣ew librarians, the digital natives, have a great advantage. They look at things differently, knowing that technology is here to stay.鈥� However, there鈥檚 still value in more traditional library skills, which younger recruits don鈥檛 necessarily understand, he says. 鈥淒igital natives don鈥檛 have enough experience yet to know what they don鈥檛 know about the information ecosystem. They need to consult us older librarians sometimes as we have a superior level of knowledge about when and how you might need to use analogue tools (such as card catalogues) to find something.鈥� Evan also points out that some specialised roles, such as information discovery, require constant and more complex upskilling, which can be addressed by a combination of formal training and more informal learning opportunities such as conferences and resources offered by consortia and library associations.

Library traineeships and apprenticeships on the up

Eilish Purton, Research and Open Scholarship Librarian at the University of Sussex, UK, is in two minds about the value of her master鈥檚 degree. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great that librarianship is a profession that requires vocational training and demonstrable learning. However, I feel that I got what I needed from my traineeship, and I think that there should be more apprenticeships offered as an alternative route of entry that鈥檚 more accessible.鈥�

She does feel well prepared for her role at Sussex though, with experience at several other university libraries. 鈥淚 benefitted from having a range of different roles before working as a Librarian at Sussex, including a role in sales and marketing for library management software.  This was useful as I got to develop an understanding of the wants and needs of library directors. Stepping into the private sector side of things was also useful as it made me ask myself what skills I could bring that are perhaps outside of the traditional library skillset.鈥�

Mary Blomley, Interim Subject Librarian at the University of West London (UWL), UK, is of a similar mind. Having worked her way up from shelver to Subject Librarian, Mary feels her practical experience really helped her as she developed her career. 鈥淢y Master鈥檚 was useful, and you need this if you want to advance in librarianship, but it was good to get practical experience first. A master鈥檚 qualification is very expensive and time-consuming, but things are changing now as other channels open up, such as apprenticeships.鈥�

On-the-job learning and upskilling

At Sussex there is little hierarchy, which promotes good communications and staff development. 鈥淟earning is very on the job,鈥� says Eilish. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about fostering knowledge and stacking up years of being asked the same questions over and over. You can cultivate some soft skills in most any job and at any level, but you need to tap your superiors for their experienced practical knowledge about the institution, and their understanding of sector-wide issues around things like Open Access.鈥�

There鈥檚 also good encouragement at Sussex to seek out webinars and general professional development resources.

Younger librarians like Eilish and Mary acknowledge that their skills as more recent recruits are valuable to the library too. 鈥淚鈥檝e always felt I鈥檓 a digital native, and as a younger person I do get called on to do things like social media,鈥� says Eilish. Mary points out that not that long ago it was glaringly obvious that older librarians lacked digital skills and the willingness to learn. Being raised digitally was a huge advantage and she was often called on for help, but this is now changing. 鈥淣ow everything is digitally entrenched so experienced librarians are more proactive and leading the way, especially with AI.鈥�

Both Eilish and Mary feel there are areas where they need to know more. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 one area where libraries need to step up, it鈥檚 focusing on training programmes in copyright,鈥� says Eilish. 鈥淭here are lots of grey areas with copyright and potentially huge ramifications of getting things wrong, so there鈥檚 a lot of fear around that. There are some resources out there, such as .鈥� Mary highlights broader training needs as well. 鈥淚t would help younger librarians a lot to be taught general skills - communication, time management, negotiating, and management skills. You can access a lot of self-directed learning online nowadays, and you need to take advantage of this because things are changing all the time. You have to be constantly learning if you want to move up and advance your career.鈥�

Training librarians for the future

As library roles continue to evolve, it鈥檚 no surprise that new recruits and experienced librarians have a somewhat different range of skills. Most striking though is how librarians recognise the ways that they can help each other, sharing and upskilling to optimise the services they provide

In the end, a lot comes down to leadership, according to Evan. 鈥淟eadership has a big role in how skills are grown. As leaders we must outline priorities, so people are aware of what they need to know.鈥� Jane agrees. 鈥淎 team falls when management is poor. Good teamwork requires you as a manager to have good mentoring and management skills. You naturally want to share your expertise to help your colleagues improve, so at Sussex we have groups that anyone can join and learn things, like EDI and scholarship. There鈥檚 a lot of learning within the institution, getting the right exposure to the work.鈥�

Teamwork is what libraries are all about, and with strong leadership this ensures they remain agile in their response to changes yet to come.

Related content

• Evolving roles of academic librarians adapting to change and new technologies
• Practical tips for librarians to support early career researchers鈥� success
• Inclusive libraries and supporting disabled users in science
• How to support inclusive practice among students and researchers
• Making policy a reality 鈥� practical steps to open access workflows
• Publishing without barriers: Essential advocates for OA
• ECR Program: Bridging the gap between librarians and researchers
• Insights into researcher training needs and expected librarian support
• Virtual versus in-person seminars: Which training support is most beneficial?
• How can institutions help researchers navigate the publication process?

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