![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextgreen.png)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextred.png)
![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextgreen.png)
![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltext_open_medium.gif)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextred.png)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltext_restricted_medium.gif)
Content Analysis of Job Announcements for Digital Library Professionals from 2011 to 2019 : An Indian Perspective
Subscribe/Renew Journal
The skills required of academic library professionals are greatly influenced by the rapidly evolving digital technologies. The purpose of the present study is to observe the current state of job qualifications, skills and competencies required for working in academic digital libraries in India. The study was conducted to identify the 15 top ranked skills demanded for positions in academic digital libraries. A typology of 44 skills and competencies resulted from the content analysis of 180 job advertisements of academic digital libraries in India from January 2011 to December 2019. The resulting typology was divided into five different categories: technological skills, technical skills, information skills, collection development skills, and soft skills. The findings were found to emphasize the skills required for technical services. In addition to technical skills, employers were seeking candidates with basic computer knowledge, Microsoft office skills, website development and designing, database management, and networking skills. Moreover, the findings indicate that good communication skills were most in-demand in job advertisements. Ability to conduct information literacy programs and knowledge of digital resources and skills to build institutional repository are also emphasized in the study.
Keywords
Academic Library, Digital Library, Job Announcements, Skills and Competencies.
User
About The Authors
Information
- Oberlander, M., Benicike, A. and Bipp, T. (2020). Digital competencies: A review of the literature and applications in the workplace. Computers and Education, 146, 1-13. PMID: 209063012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103752.
- Choi, Y. and Rasmussen, E. (2009). What qualifications and skills are important for digital librarian positions in academic libraries? A job advertisement analysis. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35, 457-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2009.06.003.
- King, M. (2018). Digital scholarship librarian: What skills and competences are needed to be a collaborative librarian. International Information and Library Review, 50, 40-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572317.2017.1422898.
- Bronstein, J. and Nebenzahl, O. (2018). Developing scales for identifying and classifying library and information science skills and competencies: An Israeli perspective. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 52, 161-168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618792390.
- Gerolimos, M., Malliari, A. and Iakovidis, P. (2015). Skills in the market: An analysis of skills and qualifications for American librarians. Library Review, 64, 21-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/LR-06-2014-0063.
- Austin, T. and Bhandol, J. (2013). The academic librarian: Buying into, playing out, and resisting the teacher role in higher education. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 19, 15-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2012.740438.
- Gottfried, J. C. (2013). The plugged-in reference librarian: Who do we think we are? Reference Librarian, 54, 308-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763877.2013.767766.
- Singh, V. and Mehra, B. (2013). Strengths and weaknesses of the information technology curriculum in library and information science graduate programs. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 45, 219-231. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000612448206.
- Cox, A. M., Pinfield, S. and Rutter, S. (2019). The intelligent library thought leaders’ views on the likely impact of artificial intelligence on academic libraries. Library Hi Tech, 37, 418-435. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-08-2018-0105.
- LIS Links. Accessed on 08 June 2020. http://www.lislinks.com/.
- LIS portal. Accessed on 08 June 2020. https://lisportal.com/en/.
- Bronstein, J. (2015). An exploration of the library and information science professional skills and personal competencies: An Israeli perspective. Library and Information Science Research, 37, 130-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2015.02.003.
- Zhou, Y. (1996). Analysis of Trends in Demand for Computer-Related Skills for Academic Librarians from 1974 to 1994. College and Research Libraries, 57, 259-272. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl_57_03_259.
- Croneis, K. S. and Henderson, P. (2002). Electronic and Digital Librarian Positions: A Content Analysis of Announcements from 1990 through 2000. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28, 232-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0099-1333(02)00287-2.
- Gerolimos, M. and Konsta, R. (2008). Librarians’ skills and qualifications in modern informational environment. Library Management, 29, 691-699. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120810917305.
- Orme, V. (2008). You will be… A study of job advertisements to determine employer’s requirements for LIS professionals in UK in 2007. Library Review, 57, 619-633. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530810899595.
- Shahbazi, R. and Hedayati, A. (2016). Identifying digital librarian competencies according to the analysis of newly emerging IT-based LIS jobs in 2013. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 42, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2016.06.014.
- Ratledge, D. and Sproles, C. (2017). An analysis of the changing role of systems librarians. Library Hi Tech, 35, 303-311. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-08-2016-0092.
- Maceli, M. (2018). Tech-savvy librarian versus (library) technologist: understanding the future role of librarians in technology practice. Advances in Librarianship, 44B, 153-178. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-28302018000044B009.
- Skene, E. (2018). Shooting for the moon: Analysis of digital initiatives librarian job advertisements. Digital Library Perspectives, 34, 84-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-06-2017-0019.
- Downe-Wambolt, B. (1992). Content analysis: method, applications and issues. Health Care for Women International, 13, 313-321. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399339209516006. PMid:1399871.
- Raju, J. (2014). Knowledge and skills for the digital era academic library. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 40, 163-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2014.02.007.
- Henry, R. (2015). The core and more: Improving on base-line technology competencies. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41, 847-849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.10.002.
- Okon, E.E., Ime, I. J. and Ima-Obonga, E. (2015). Marketing of web-based library resources in Nigerian universities. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-17. Accessed on 06 July 2020. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1263/.
- Burns, C. S. and Bossaller, J. (2012). Communication over-load: A phenomenological inquiry into academic reference librarianship. Journal of Documentation, 68, 597-617. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220411211255996.
- Bronstein, J. (2011). The role and work perceptions of academic reference librarians: A qualitative inquiry portal. Libraries and the Academy, 11, 791-811. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2011.0032.
![](https://i-scholar.in/public/site/images/abstractview.png)
Abstract Views: 230
![](https://i-scholar.in/public/site/images/pdfview.png)
PDF Views: 2