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Daily Archives: July 20, 2013

Study on emerging technologies librarians

RADNIECKI, Tara (2013) Study on emerging technologies librarians: how a new library position and its competencies are evolving to meet the technology and information needs of libraries and their patrons. Paper presented at: IFLA World Library and Information Congress, 17 – 23 August 2013, Singapore.

“This study examines the roles and responsibilities of the emerging technologies librarian to illuminate and maximize the possibilities of the position as libraries around the world provide new content in new mediums to an increasingly tech-savvy user group. This relatively new position is being created as libraries strive to leverage new technologies to update service models in reference, instruction, and access service departments to meet their patrons’ point-of-need preferences in location, device choice, and information seeking behaviors. While many skill and experience analyses have been conducted on other library positions, the emerging technologies librarian’s roles and requirements remains vague, leaving librarians interested in the position unsure of what skills to obtain and hiring libraries unclear how such a position could benefit their library. Data will be collected from deep analysis of job advertisements via the American Library Association’s JobLIST database within the past six years as well as from surveys distributed to and completed by current emerging technologies librarians. A content analysis of job advertisements reveals what types of libraries are hiring emerging technologies librarians, what the hiring organizations anticipate the job responsibilities will include, and what skills employers are looking for. The survey results provide valuable insight on how actual job responsibilities may vary from job advertisements. Also analyzed will be responses related to percentage of time spent on emerging technologies related work and skills respondents would have found advantageous. This study’s findings will provide an accurate picture of current hiring trends and the opportunity through data analyzed and shared to tailor the hiring process to best meet the realities of this new position and their strengths for libraries. Data from this study will inform hiring practices, competencies, job responsibilities, and future opportunities for libraries and emerging technology librarians around the world.”

Toward a sustainable energy future for all

Toward a sustainable energy future for all: directions for the World Bank Group’s energy sector “As global energy markets evolve rapidly, producing and maintaining a reliable power supply for many countries in the developing world remains a significant issue. The World Bank Group will approach this energy crisis in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable… Continue Reading

Choices That Affect Retirement Income Adequacy – EBRI’s 72nd Policy Forum

Decisions, Decisions: Choices That Affect Retirement Income Adequacy – EBRI’s 72nd Policy Forum – Nevin E. Adams – Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), July 2013 EBRI Notes, Vol. 34, No. 7 (July 2013) “On May 9, 2013, the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) convened its 72nd biannual policy forum in Washington, DC, where a wide… Continue Reading

Webinar – Careers in Federal Libraries

Katie Rapp, MLS – “The federal government offers many opportunities for LIS students and grads. July 20, 2013 from 10:30 – 11:30 AM EDT Maryland Library Association DEAL (Development of Emerging and Aspiring Librarians) presented a webinar about Careers in Federal Libraries. It was recorded and is available here. Speakers shared information about work at… Continue Reading

NYT – DOJ and EC Investigating Credit Default Swaps Market

Fair Game – Trying to Pierce a Wall Street Fog, By Gretchen Morgenson “Back in 2009, the Justice Department said it was investigating the large Wall Street banks for possible collusion in the huge and opaque credit default swaps market. The question was whether the big financial institutions had worked to keep transactions in these… Continue Reading

Open Law Lab is an initiative to design law – to make it more accessible, more usable, and more engaging

“Open Law Lab begins with the idea that law can be more engaging, more usable, and more useful. It proposes that bright law students, professors, researchers, professionals, and makers can build products and services to do exactly this. Under a broad mission of providing innovative ways to increase access to justice, the Lab ventures to… Continue Reading