"Librarian building blocks" will explore recent changes and needs in librarianship, introduce strategies for learning new skills, and inspire participants to implement these skills. This presentation is for a general audience and will cover skills for all libraries. To build the ideal librarian, we determined what skills and knowledge a contemporary librarian needs to succeed. Since job postings and MLIS curriculum reflect current, popular trends in librarianship, we developed a data harvesting Python script that gathered the data for more than 600 librarian job postings and MLIS curriculum content. Based on this data, we will present which skills are being taught and which skills need to be taught. The presentation will explore what these changes in technology and librarianship mean for current librarians and how they can stay up to date in the continuously evolving field of librarianship.

1. Librarian
Building
Blocks:
or How to Build
the Ideal Librarian
Presented by
Dominique Bortmas (USF)
Elizabeth Richey (FSU)
SEFLIN Regional Conference Thursday, July 28, 2016

2. Speaker Introductions
▪ Dominique Bortmas
▪ MLIS, 2015
▪ Metadata Librarian,
University of South
Florida
▪ Adjunct Professor,
Dominican
University
▪ Elizabeth Richey
▪ PhD, MLIS in
progress
▪ Cataloging Specialist,
Florida State
University

3. Overview & Objectives
• What skills are current jobs looking
for?
• Code4Lib job postings
• How do those compare to skills
taught by current MLIS programs?
• MLIS websites
What skills are librarians using now
and where did they learn them?
• Survey
• Where you can learn these skills

4. The Research Questions
▪ What skills are needed in librarian jobs?
– Focus: tech services jobs
▪ Where are librarians learning those skills?
– LIS programs?
– Work experience?
– Somewhere else?

5. Reason for Research
▪ To help us understand:
– How do we build the ideal
librarian?
– Where can librarians find
those building blocks?

6. Literature Review
▪ Job ad analysis
▪ Do MLIS/LIS programs prepare
librarians for jobs?
▪ How do MLIS/LIS programs balance
theory and practical knowledge?
▪ Role of changing technologies in
librarian education

7. Literature Review
▪ Dulock, M. (2011). New cataloger preparedness: Interviews with new professionals in
academic libraries. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 49(2), 65-96.
▪ Eckard, M, Rosener, A., & Scripps-Hoekstra, L. (2014). Factors that increase the probability
of a successful academic library job search. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40(2), 107-115.
▪ Han, M., & Hswe, P. (2010).The evolving role of the metadata librarian: Competencies found
in job descriptions. Library Resources &Technical Services, 54(3), 129-141.
▪ La Chapelle, J., &Wark, L. (2014). I've got my MLIS, now what? Further educational
opportunities for LIS professionals. Partnership:The Canadian Journal of Library & Information
Practice & Research, 9(1), 1-4.
▪ Maceli, M. (2015).What technology skills do developers need? A text analysis of job listings
in library and information science (LIS) from Jobs.code4lib.org. InformationTechnology &
Libraries, 34(3), 8-21.
▪ Pradhan, S. (2015). Study of employability and needed skills for LIS graduates. DESIDOC
Journal of Library & InformationTechnology, 35(2), 106-112.

8. Limitations of the Study
▪ Limits in data mining
– We rely on course descriptions
– We don't include capstone projects,
internships, etc.
– We rely on job post wording
▪ Limits in scope: further studies
might include
– Complexity of sources for skills
– Changes in skill sets over time

9. Data Harvesting

10. Data Harvesting with Python
▪ Created a Python script to harvest MLIS
course catalogs and job posting data
▪ Harvested 934 Librarian job postings
– Date RangeAugust 5, 2015 to July 16, 2016
– Job posts for positions within the USA
▪ Harvested job posting descriptions,
required skills, & preferred skills
▪ Harvested course catalogs for all ALA
Accredited MLIS providing universities

11. jobs.code4lib.org
▪ “jobs.code4lib.org can help people get an idea of what kinds of skills
and experience are useful to acquire [for librarians jobs].”
(jobs.code4lib.org, 2016)
▪ “Think of it as aWeb amplifier for the jobs on the discussion list.”
(jobs.code4lib.org, 2016)

12. Examples of Harvested Job Titles
▪ Metadata Librarian
▪ Systems Librarian
▪ Cataloger/ Cataloging
Librarian
▪ Research Information Scientist
(Data Jedi)
▪ Collections & Exhibitions
Archivist, Lucas Films
▪ Web Application Developer
▪ Library Web Analyst
▪ Miller Coors’ Archivist
▪ Digitization Manager
▪ Instruction Librarian
▪ Digital Collections Librarian
▪ Digital Librarian
▪ Digital Library Software Engineer
▪ Digital Projects Coordinator
▪ Technology Librarian

13. Results: Harvested Skills in
Job Postings’ Data

14. Harvested Job Postings’ Skills

15. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
XML
Java
Dublin Core
Encoded Archival Description
Digital repository
METS
Solr
Content management system
PostgreSQL
Application programming interface
LAMP
Text Encoding Initiative
Microsoft Access
Ex Libris
Django web framework
Web design
Relational database management system
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Software Developer
Librarian
FRBR
Academic library
Active Server Pages
RSS
Humour
Video
Adobe Flash
Art
Research
Open-source software
Web service
SPARQL
Photography
WorldCat
Lyrasis
Red Hat Linux
Archivist
Usability
Customer service
File Transfer Protocol
Open Journal Systems
All Listed Job Skills from Code4Lib Postings

16. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000
XML
JavaScript
Archive
Java
World Wide Web
MARC standards
Dublin Core
GNU/Linux
Ruby
Encoded Archival Description
Digital preservation
XSL Transformations
Digital repository
Computer Science
DSpace
METS
Library science
Microsoft Windows
Solr
Resource Description and Access
jQuery
Content management system
API
Oracle database
PostgreSQL
Geographic Information System
Web development
Application programming interface
Digital humanities
Library of Congress Subject Headings
LAMP
Omeka
Preservation Metadata
Text Encoding Initiative
Apache Tomcat
Web Developer
Microsoft Access
Digital curation
Top 75 Listed Job Skills from Code4Lib Postings

17. Jobs.code4lib Trending Tags

18. MLIS Courses
Do they provide the skills required in job postings?

19. ALA Accredited Universities Offering MLIS Degrees
Alabama, University of Kent State University Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Albany, University at, SUNY Kentucky, University of San Jose State University
Arizona, University of Long Island University Simmons College
Buffalo, University at, SUNY Louisiana State University South Carolina, University of
California, Los Angeles, University of Maryland, University of South Florida, University of
Catholic University of America, The Michigan, University of Southern Mississippi, The University of
Clarion University of Pennsylvania Missouri, University of St. Catherine University
Denver, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of St. John's University
Dominican University North Carolina at Greensboro, The University of Syracus University
Drexel University North Carolina Central University Tennessee, University of
Emporia State University North Texas, University of Texas at Austin, University of
Florida State University Oklahoma, University of Texas Woman's University
Hawaii, University of Pittsburgh, University of Valdosta State University
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Pratt Institute Washington, University of
Indiana University Queens College, CUNY Wayne State University
Iowa, University of Rhode Island, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of

20. All MLIS Courses
▪ Harvested 2895 MLIS courses and their descriptions from each
universities’ course catalog
▪ Courses represent all areas of librarianship
– Public, Academic Libraries & Archives, Museums
– Technical Services, Cataloging, Metadata
– Systems Librarians, Developers,Web Masters
– Reference, Instruction
– School,Children’s,Teens’ Librarians

21. Technology Focused MLIS Courses
▪ Of the 2895 MLIS courses, 996 courses were related to the code4lib
job description tags
– That’s 34.4%
▪ 65.6% of MLIS courses were focused on other areas of librarianship,
such as Instructional Librarians, Reference Librarians, STEM
Librarians, School Librarians, etc.
▪ “Technology Focused Courses”=Course curriculum related to current
library technologies, computer science, programming, automation,
and data creation, management, and retrieval

22. Example of Technology Focused MLIS Course
LIS664: Database Application Design
University of Michigan
This course is an introduction to database management systems (DBMS). It covers both
theoretical and practical aspects of DBMS, including database design, use, and implementation
using the database language SQL. Some topics in physical database design are also discussed.
An essential part of the course is a programming project through which students design and
develop a practical database system for library access, electronic commerce, information
retrieval, or a similar application. Students use the open-source MySQL database and the PHP
scripting language forWeb development throughout the course.

23. Data Clean-up
▪ Weed out non-technology related courses
– Library and Information Resources for Spanish-Speaking Patrons
– Reference
– Young Adult Materials & Services
– Law LibraryAdministration
▪ Weed out courses that contained “technology” or “programming” in
reference to another area of LIS
– Computer Applications in the School Library Media Center
– Programming For Cultural Heritage
– Reference of Science &Technology

25. Survey
Sent to cataloging and technical services groups (listservs and
Facebook

26. Survey Overview
▪ "Where did you learn the
following programs, systems,
languages, and applications?
(Please answer only for those
skills that you use in your current
library job. If you learned them
from more than one source,
please indicate the source that
you consider to be most
important for your knowledge of
these skills."
– Standards
– Areas of librarianship/scholarship

27. Who Took the Survey?
▪ 241 respondents (240 gave titles)
▪ 58 catalogers/cataloging librarians
(24.17%)
▪ 33 metadata librarians/specialists
(11.67%)
▪ 25 technical services
librarians/specialists (10.42%)
▪ 22 digital services
librarians/specialists (9.17%)
▪ 14 systems librarians/specialists
(5.83%)

28. When Did They Graduate?
▪ 241 respondents (239
answered)
▪ 1971-2017
▪ 142 people (59.41%)
got their degrees 2000-
2016
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
1971
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Year Received LIS Degree

29. Where Did They Learn Programs, etc.?

30. Where Did They Learn Programs, etc.?
• 222 respondents
• LIS program: 1 skill in this category (XML) had this as
most popular choice
• Work experience: 11 skills
• Other: 8 skills
• 1 tie forWork and Other (GNU/Linux)

31. Where Did They Learn Standards?
• 237 respondents
• LIS program: Dublin Core, EAD, MODS,
METS
• Work experience: MARC, RDA
• Other: none of the skills in this section
had this as the most popular choice

32. Where Did They Learn Other Areas of
Librarianship?
• 241 respondents
• LIS program: 1 skill in this category
(Archives) had this as the most
popular choice
• Work experience: 12
• Data management
• Working with ILS
• Other: 4
• Computer science
• Computer programming

33. What Resources are Librarians Using to
Learn New Technology Skills?
• 171 respondents
• Webinars: 59 (34.50%)
• Lynda.com: 28 (16.37%)
• Online courses: 26 (15.20%)
• Conferences: 14 (8.19%)

34. What Resources are Librarians Using to
Learn New Technology Skills?

35. Where to Find Some Librarian Building Blocks
▪ O'Reilly Publications
▪ GitHub
▪ Libraryworkflowexchange.com
▪ Codecademy
▪ Code4lib
▪ Super User Stacks
▪ WebJunction
▪ W3C

36. Significance
• Librarians consider LIS programs
to be the most important source
for learning cataloging standards
• But work experience and other
sources are considered most
important for learning technical
skills and other areas of
librarianship
• Other sources: self-study, online
courses, tutorials/webinars
provided by employers and
professional organizations

37. Assembling the Librarian Building Blocks
▪ To benefit current students and future
librarians, it is recommended that MLIS
programs teach the reported skills librarians
use.
▪ For current librarians, despite their MLIS
graduation year:
– Take advantage of any training provided by your
institution (ex. GroupWebinars, ILS training,
software demonstrations)
– Attend conferences.Attend a new conference or
session about a new topic.
– Personally keep up with technology and trends
through self-learning resources

38. Contact
▪ Dominique Bortmas
Metadata Librarian
University of South Florida
Email: dbortmas@usf.edu
Twitter: @Dbortmas
GitHub: DBortmas12
▪ Elizabeth Richey
Cataloging Specialist
Florida State University
Email: erichey@fsu.edu
Twitter: @elizabethrichey