I was recently asked to draw up a list of technology skills that I thought members a library staff should possess. I wrote my list in very broad strokes, before making it really specific to different tasks or specifying certain items only for certain positions. I thought I would share this “rough list” with the rest of the library world in case it would help you too. I advise getting more specific if you’re having staff self-assess on what skills they have, or actually provide trainings in these areas. But this is a good starting point.
So what did I miss? What would you take out? Leave comments and let’s develop this list together!
Terminology
- Technology terms glossary
Hardware
- Parts of your desktop computer
- Parts of a laptop computer
- Using printers
- Using photocopiers
- Using telephones
- Using fax machines
- Using self-checks
- Using projectors
- Using digital still cameras
- Using digital video cameras
- Using digital microphones
- Using sorting systems
Software
- Operating system
- Effective management of files and folders systems
- Word Processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Presentation software
- Multimedia players and plug-ins
- Web browsers
- E-mail and calendar software (Outlook or whatever)
- ILS (back-end staff-side stuff)
- Computer and/or room reservation software
- Online reference software
- Photo editing software
- Video editing software
- Audio editing software
Security and Privacy
- Policies regarding security on public computers
- Policies regarding security on staff computers
- Policies regarding user data collection and privacy
Public Computing
- Familiarity with software
- Familiarity with hardware
- Familiarity with wired and wireless networks
- Familiarity with computer and network use policies
Ergonomics
- Proper ergonomic computer set-up
- How to avoid repetitive stress injuries
- How to avoid eye strain with computers
Library web presence
- URLs for library’s website and catalog
- Using the library’s website
- Using the library’s web catalog
- Best practices for searching the catalog and website
- Familiarity with library’s or library vendors’ mobile apps or sites
- Familiarity with eBooks collections
- Familiarity with databases
- Familiarity with virtual reference and tutoring services
- Familiarity with accessibility requirements and procedures
- Writing for the web best practices
- How to post content (text, links, images) to the library’s website
- How to post content to the library’s intranet
- Best practices for social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- How to post photos to Flickr
- How to post video or audio files (to whatever sites you’re using)
Troubleshooting
- Assisting in-house users effectively on our equipment or theirs
- Assisting remote users effectively on their equipment
Personal Skills
- Continuous learning
- Change management
- Planning and evaluating new information technology systems
- Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new web services
- One-on-one training best practices
Great list! How about we add scanners, handheld devices, and eReaders to the hardware list. As for trouble shooting…definitely need to add the ability to trouble shoot Overdrive issues.
What a wonderfully comprehensive list! Need to check my own skills against what you’ve listed here and fill in the gaps. One additional recommendation for the “Personal Skills” area: ability to translate Tech-ese into plain English for those who simply want to get to the heart of using technology as a tool rather than feeling overwhelmed by it. Thanks for the magnificent contribution here.
Thank you for putting the time into this guide! I would add familiarity with computer lab setup under public computing and something :/ about managing passwords, but perhaps these are just fine points on your already fine list.
Interesting! From a staff development background I’d have a higher level categorisation of knowledge (can talk about), skills (can do) and experience (have done). Then I’d map that to what is needed in the library based on the knowledge/skills/experience of other staff. So something like ‘familiairty with databases’ becomes
know – the names of and content scope of the databases’
skill – be able to log-on to each database and conduct an advanced content search’
experience – finding and opening each database, retrieving lost passwords
some extra points that might be considered in my opinion:
- using SMARTphones
- Web 2.0 feedbak tools (and functionalities)
- Policies regarding doc. rights management (copyright, copyleft, cc licences…)
- How to loan an paper/similar into an OA repository
- Cross sectional work skills
- Service oriented
This is an awesome list.
I believe that it is also a good starter for students in K-12 education.
This is a great list, and may be a good starting point for libraries in developing standards or competencies related to technology assistance. Thanks for creating it!
I would add (maybe under Troubleshooting?) some more specific headings, maybe like this:
-Use help menus to assist patrons with specific tasks.
-Search the Internet for solutions to problems.
-Use and refer patrons to print manuals or computer help websites for additional assistance.
These are seemingly simple things, be can be very helpful tools for library staff.
I would add library security systems to the list. If you don’t know how to turn off the alarm you have a lot of angry customers. (Smile!)
I would add “assistive/adaptive technologies.”
Great List — Here are the technology competencies developed by the Library Support Staff Certification program http://ala-apa.org/lssc/for-candidates/competency-sets/technology/
My opinion is that some libraries have staff and management that currently can perform all of the traditional library services and functions and yet have none to very little experience in performing, basic technical support for the patrons of the public computers.
In some ways this list describes the very basic skills needed to perform functions that an IT Help Desk would normally carry out for a company or organization, though it also includes office and library specific equipment and applications.
Either a specific PC technology support related title should be created to encompass the higher range of PC related support duties or else the entire staff need to be more or less equally proficient in said technological skills.
I’m project co-director of the Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program. Let me add to what Shirley sent above. We have developed 10 competency sets, six of which support staff have to achieve to become certified. Three are required and technology is one of them. We think technology is so important that in the certification renewal process, CE in technology is the only subject area that is required. We would appreciate your comments on the competencies we developed. Here is the link again: http://ala-apa.org/lssc/for-candidates/competency-sets/technology/
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To this great list of necessary technology skills, and for librarians in colleges, I would add familiarity with and active use of VLEs.
This is great list of information Technology for the development of library staff.
This is great list of information Technology for the development of library staff.