How Does the Information Team Today Become the Information Team of Tomorrow

As the delivery of universities’ information services becomes increasingly virtual and time-honoured library practices are deemed to add less value, literature abounds with discussions about the future of the profession. Academic librarians are generally finding technical and technological expertise is a must and that they need to be aware of emerging learning and research practises to ensure their place and value remains. These new demands create new opportunities and require new skills to be acquired. In this complex and rapidly changing environment, managers need to remain on top of the requirement for new skill sets. The starting point is understanding the team’s established skill set. Recent work at the University of Minnesota Libraries (Walter & Williams, 2011) and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (My Professional Knowledge and Skills Base, 2014) offers a useful starting point for identifying and measuring skills. Griffith University (Australia) like many others face these very challenges. Library, e-research, information and communication technology services, systems and infrastructure are offered through a single integrated division, Information Services. Within the Division, the Library and Learning Services (LLS) is examining what must change for it to remain relevant to the University’s strategic goals. This paper describes an initiative undertaken within LLS by the Manager, Arts, Education and Law (AEL), to create a skills assessment of his staff. The framework entitled ‘Library Skills Capability’ (LSC) is based on the above-mentioned tools combined with a range of internal workgroup discussions. Results are presented outlining current skills and knowledge gaps and a roadmap to address them. The paper concludes with a look to the future, expanding on the roles analysed and identifying ways to ensure that the framework becomes a living document and can ultimately aid measurement of the success of subsequent training and further professional development