This presentation, by Tito Sierra, was given as part of the Program on Information Science brown bag series. This study investigates how research libraries are staffing for the future by examining their planned investment in new professional positions. The data for this study are vacancy announcements for full-time professional positions advertised by ARL member university libraries throughout the 2011 calendar year. This yearlong survey of ARL hiring provides insight into current research library staffing priorities, and evidence of emerging job specializations in the research library field.