CORE COMPETENCIES FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES LIBRARIANS
Providing access to library resources is a complex process that combines
a knowledge of bibliographic and metadata control. The technical services
librarian performs those activities that pertain to resource management,
including acquiring, cataloging, processing, accessing, and maintaining
holdings of library resources.
These competencies are to be used in conjunction with several other
documents as outlined in the Service Standards and Behaviors section.
This document should always be consulted or presented with the relevant
NJLA competencies appended.
The competencies are intended to address all types and sizes of libraries,
whether automated or manual. Librarians should use professional discretion
in applying processes to provide full access to all resources for patrons
of all ages.
SKILLS
A Technical Services Librarian performs and/or supervises resource management
and bibliographic control functions for the library.
The position requires a combination of the following skills:
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
- Identifies and selects materials to be added to the library
collection according to the library’s established collection
development policies.
- Participates in library collection assessment
projects.
- Maintains appropriate statistics.
- Assists in the library materials
weeding (de-acquisition).
- Conducts inventories of library materials.
ACQUISITIONS
- Orders and receives new, replacement, and gift materials for
the library collection.
- Subscribes to, checks in, and prepares serial
and periodical holdings of the library.
- Maintains library materials
fund accounting.
CATALOGING
- Catalogs all types of library materials according to AACRII
and MARC codes and tags and other relevant standards, and provides
a level of descriptive cataloging, classification, and subject analysis
appropriate to the community.
- Maintains authority control and provides
appropriate references
in the library catalog.
- Provides and maintains bibliographic links in
the catalog to electronic and other remote resources.
PROCESSING
- Identifies, establishes and applies proper procedures for the
physical processing of library materials.
- Supervises the mending, binding,
and preservation processes for library materials.
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE
- Reads and interprets bibliographic records.
- Understands and applies
principles of descriptive and subject cataloging rules.
- Utilizes cataloging
tools and the standards that govern each.
- Applies relevant national
and international bibliographic control standards (AACRII, MARC,
Metadata, Dublin Core, etc.)
- Plans and implements new technologies in
areas of resource management.
- Maintains knowledge of current library
trends and innovations, especially those relating to bibliographic
control and resource management.
- Applies library materials selection
theory and tools.
SERVICE STANDARDS AND BEHAVIORS
- Performs ongoing analysis of community needs and modifies services,
collections, and programs accordingly.
- Develops and reviews technical
services policies to ensure
that they meet the needs of the community and to verify that policies
and practices are in agreement.
- Utilizes the services available from
bibliographic utilities.
- Respects the confidentiality of user requests
and follows the current ALA Code of Ethics.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/codeofethics/codeethics.htm
Approved by the NJLA Executive Board January 11, 2005
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