The Possibilities of Horizontal Career Development and the Changing Roles of Librarians
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Transcript of The Possibilities of Horizontal Career Development and the Changing Roles of Librarians
The Possibilities of Horizontal The Possibilities of Horizontal Career Development and the Career Development and the Changing Roles of LibrariansChanging Roles of Librarians
10th European Conference of Medical and Health Libraries
Cluj-Napoca, Romania, 11th-16th of September 2006
Tuulevi OvaskaKuopio University Library & Kuopio University Hospital Medical Library Kuopio, Finland
Introduction
• Roles of librarians are changing• Whole concept of librarianship is changing• Are we – the libraries and librarians – in control
of these changes?• Could horizontal career development keep us in
control?• Could task rotation and job exchange be of use?• What is their role in continuing professional
development?
Key concepts
• Horizontal career development Career develops horizontally instead of
vertically Learning new tasks Developing skills and know-how Useful in our field where
• Chances to move on upwards are limited• Chances of moving on and ahead
horizontally offer a wide variety
Key concepts
• Task rotation and job exchange Extending expertise into something else or
something more Rotating and changing some, or all, of your
tasks for a certain period of time, or for the present
In the same library, or with another library, even abroad
Values• Value: Customer orientation
The needs of our customers are the basis of our activities. Customer services are flexible, communicative, impartial, reliable and easily attainable.
• Requires Continuous learning and staying up-to-date Understanding of the totality of the services Highly motivated and skilful staff good quality
customer services
Values
• Value: Excellence Excellence means that we successfully combine the
demands of the customers and expertise of the service providers. In the service process the expert can even top the customer’s hopes. Development is creative which means that new things are eagerly acknowledged and everyone is interested in developing their own actions and the actions of the work community.
• Includes expertise• Requires creativity and interest
Values
• Freedom of information Kuopio University Library is open to all and a part the
Finnish and the international library network. The collections and services are available to all those in need of information.
• Requires Knowing and understanding library network
and its different actors
Values• Communality
In order to develop the library the staff members work together, co-operate, appreciate and respect each other, communicate openly, and are committed to their work. Interaction at work is active and sincere. Internal and external communication is active and well planned, and belongs to all staff members. Commitment to work is manifested as willingness to develop one’s expertise and aspiration to act as a community.
• Requires Willingness to develop expertise Knowing and appreciating colleagues’ work
Challenges
• Attitudes of staff members, supervisors, and the library management
• Common resistance to change• Practical arrangements• Payment a survey to find out the attitudes of the staff
members and the management of Kuopio University Library (N=28, 80 % of 35)
Work history
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
less than 5years
5-10 years 10-15 years 15-20 years more than20 years
Kuopio University Library
Libraries in general
General attitude to task rotation
Insignificant25 %
Interesting68 %
Disagreable7 %
Interested in
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Partly rotation Full rotation NRL Other inKuopio
Other univ.library
International
Not al all
Some
Lots of
Would rotate internationally
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Max 3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months For the present
Hardly
Probably
Certainly
Library administrators and department heads
• Personally interested in exchange• Positive attitude to the rotation of the staff• Doubtful about the chances of the practical
implementations
Changing organizational culture
• People make up organizations • All change needs leadership, management and
support• Organizational culture cannot be changed easily• Supervisors must have talent and skills to
identify needs for staffing and to assess staff skills, abilities, and potential
Would Rotate inside Kuopio University Library
0
5
10
15
20
25
Max 3 months 3-6 months 6-12 months For the present
Hardly
Probably
Certainly
Benefits
• Diversification of professional skills • Organizational flexibility• Spiritual and professional growth• Job enrichment• Working capacity• Contentment in work• Understanding and cooperation• Respect for each other’s work• New perspectives
Staff members are
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
content with current tasks content with career development content with possibilites to learnand develop
No
Quite
Very
Staff members say
0
5
10
15
20
25
Sometimes Often Always
My work is interesting
My work is diverse
My work is pleasant
Conclusions
• Task rotation, job exchange, and international mobility are compatible with the values and in accordance with the strategy of Kuopio University Library
• There is potential for:
1) internal task rotation in the library from three to six months at a time
2) international exchange for short periods, less than three months
Conclusions• Important to develop professional skills in every way
and at full stretch• Task rotation or job exchange one method, not the
only way• A part of continuing professional development to
supplement continuing education courses and other schooling
• Libraries and their management must stay in charge of the changes in our profession Motivated, skilled and enthusiastic library staff Diversifying tasks and duties Encouraging career mobility between health libraries