Rethinking Information Work by G. Kim Dority

Author:G. Kim Dority [G. Kim Dority]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781610699600
Publisher: ABC-CLIO

6

Understanding, Describing, and Documenting Your Value

If you don’t know what you bring to the table, you won’t get a seat there.

—Dan Schwabel

You’ve explored your unique interests, aptitudes, and preferences. You’ve looked at traditional, nontraditional, and independent career options that build on your LIS professional skills. Now it’s time to consider how those skills match up with the career opportunities you might want to pursue. To do that, you’ll need to rethink, reframe, and rephrase how you interpret—and present—those skills.

In the library profession, we generally think of our skills in terms that connect with readily understood and categorized positions: for example, reference, readers’ advisory, cataloging, circulation, network administration, archives, and collection development.

These positions are essentially “predefined” for us. For example, we expect that good reference librarians know how to answer questions asked by patrons, students, faculty, and employees. They know how to interview patrons to clearly understand their questions, know the range of information resources that are appropriate to the task, and are able to use them effectively and successfully to deliver the correct answers. Top-notch reference librarians are usually also adept at:

Teaching others how to find and use appropriate information resources.

Preparing print and online tutorials and guides on specific subjects.

Creating and presenting workshops and seminars on information topics of value to their audiences.

Continually monitoring multiple sources to learn about (and how to use) new information resources.

Evaluating competing information resources and providers and recommending which to use, license, or purchase.

Evaluating online resources for authority, credibility, and usefulness.

Creating a supportive, welcoming dynamic to diffuse the library “intimidation factor” for patrons.

Creating online content for the library’s web portal for special communities of users.

Tracking down information that might seem impossible to find to others.

Listening for the nuances within a patron’s question that indicate a different direction—or answer—might be warranted.

Maintaining a positive attitude toward patrons despite the occasional challenges of dealing with the public, students, coworkers, and bosses.

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