BRAIN DRAIN OR TAP THE STRENGTHS

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BRAIN DRAIN OR TAP THE STRENGTHS

• Mei Wa Esther Woo
• University of Hong Kong Libraries

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Purpose

• Examine the value of Human Resource Development
  (HRD) in library recruitment
• HRD developing the work-related capacity of
  people providing people with the knowledge,
  understanding, skills, and training that enables
  them to perform effectively encompasses staff
  development and training, continuing professional
  development/continuing professional education,
  and workplace learning (Smith, 2003)

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Methodology

• Literature review Impact of changing job market
  and library environment on recruitment of
  academic librarians in 21st Century
• Case studies Use of HRD to help solve
  recruitment problems

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Why bother about recruitment?

• Global quest for human resources
• Knowledge economy
• More job opportunities for MLIS and university
  graduates
• People makes the difference
• People dont change that much
• Dont waste time trying to put in what was left
  out (e.g. attitude, personal traits)
• Try to draw out what was left in (e.g.
  competence, skill, knowledge)

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Overall Job Market
Fluctuating demand but
F l a t s u p p l y
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Job Market for Academic Librarians

• The proportion of postings in overall US job
  market is gradually shrinking

Year of Survey Total Placements for All Types of Organizations Total Placements in College University Libraries Academic Library Placements of Total Change from Previous Year
2005 1,288 319 24.8 -1.8
2004 1,650 439 26.6 -1.7
2003 1,293 366 28.3 -3.4
2002 965 306 31.7 -0.2
2001 1,068 341 31.9 2.3
2000 1,223 363 29.6 1.7
Source Library Journal
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Change in Recruitment

• Greatest retirement waves of US baby boomers (45
  will retire between 2010 and 2020)
• Fluctuating employment levels for Australian
  librarians (12,500 in 2000, 9,500 in 2001-02,
  13,000 in 2006)
• In 2005, about 11 of entry-level jobs were open
  to new librarians in US
• 2008 US Government budget US226M for library
  funding (increase of 7.36 over 2006 )
• Uncertain future for entry level librarians

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The Bad/Sad News

• Limited choice for employers ? Small number of
  qualified applicants
• Extended search ? more recruitment expenses and
  efforts
• Unfilled vacancies ? more workload/ pressure for
  other staff
• Under-qualified recruits ? more investment on
  training, poor services

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Evolving job nature and requirements

• Growing numbers of electronic-related positions
• More specialized positions like subject
  specialists, special collections and rare books
  librarians, preservation librarians, human
  resources managers, fundraisers, facilities
  managers, etc.
• New set of competencies and qualities
  Specialists? Generalists? Library degrees?
  Second advanced degrees? Technical skills? Soft
  skills? Personal traits?

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What are our future librarians value for?

• Salaries
• Low salaries somehow contribute to poor
  recruitment
• Investment on people vs. materials
• Valued intangibles of librarianship
• Such as good working environments, job security,
  cooperation and collegiality, the opportunity to
  make a difference, intellectual stimulation,
  lifelong learning, variety, etc.
• How to make potential candidates aware of these
  intangibles?

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Outdated hiring strategies?

• Long and bureaucratic search processes
• Reactive techniques like adjusting personnel
  after instead of before retirements/major changes
• Moving from anticipatory to RESPONSIVE
• Strategic plan to recruit next generation of
  librarians

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Can HRD help?

• Help to expand the pool of potential candidates
  for future vacancies by enhancing employability
  of these people
• Employability having the capability to gain
  initial employment, maintain employment and
  obtain new employment if required
• Targets Library school/university students and
  graduates inside talents
• Update the approaches and skills of recruitment
  staff

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Students and graduates

• Format voluntary work or formal appointment
• Duration a few weeks to a couple of years
• Program titles placements, practicum, trainee,
  internship, residency and fellowship, etc.
• Available in many academic libraries in the US,
  Canada, Australia and the UK

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Internship

• Short-term Individualized usually works with an
  advisor
• Combine learning new library skills outside the
  classroom and demonstration of those skills
  according to a planned schedule of activities
• Successful experience Carolina Academic Library
  Associates (CALA) Professional Cadetship Model
  adopted by University of Wollongong
• Nature of work, mentoring, giving/receiving
  feedback to/from interns

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Residency and Fellowship

• One to two-year programs designed for recent MLS
  graduates
• Rotations across different departments or
  participation in projects
• Well known programs such as Cornell University
  and North Carolina State University, etc.
• Actual work assignments and interaction with
  professional staff
• Steady supply of potential candidates with
  assured quality more comprehensive and reliable
  evaluation of skills, competencies and mentality
  of the participants
• http//db.arl.org/residencies/review.html

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Scholar-professionals

• Council on Library and Information Resources
  (CLIR) program since 2003 - search for PhD
  holders in humanities whose abilities span the
  areas of subject specialization, pedagogy,
  technology, and new media research
• Deep subject knowledge experiences in the
  classroom and with research trends
• http//www.clir.org/fellowships/postdoc/postdoc.ht
  ml

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Inside Talents (1)

• Targets Support staff and junior professionals
• New perspectives
• Vague differentiation between professionals and
  paraprofessionals
• More emphasis on generic qualities and soft
  skills such as keenness to learn, change and
  stress management, commitment to organizational
  goals, service attitude, flexibility, positive
  attitude, creativity and communication or
  relationship with other library staff, etc.

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Inside Talents (2)

• Format Encouragement or support in terms of
  time, tuition or work empowerment
• Examples Librarian Development Program (LDP) at
  the University of Oklahoma Libraries, Advanced
  Studies Support Program (ASSP) at the University
  of Hong Kong Libraries
• Merits more comprehensive and reliable
  evaluation of skills, competencies and mentality
  of serving staff booster for staff morale

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Rejuvenation of recruitment approach and skills

• Update recruitment strategies and approach
• Good practices and experience of other
  institutions
• HRM trends and tools
• Latest market situations such as employment data,
  government legislation, guidelines or advice

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Attitude and skills of recruitment personnel

• Selection criteria in support of the
  organizational/departmental goals
• Recruitment theories and tools
• Hire for traits essential to organizational
  success over limited sets of skills?
• Common assessment tools Myers-Briggs Type
  Indicator, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Enneagram
  Types, Personality Characteristics Inventory test
• Strike a balance between traits, skills and
  experience

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Recommendations (1)

• Collaboration between libraries, LIS schools and
  library associations
• curriculum development and course delivery
• organizing placement and internship programs
• publicizing recruitment exercises
• compiling employment data

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Recommendations (2)

• Personalization
• ascertaining the needs and wants of potential
  candidates
• Tailor-made recruitment strategies and related
  efforts
• Outreaching
• Introducing students and potential candidates to
  the academic librarianship at an early stage
• involving students/job seekers in voluntary
  assignments or paid jobs

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Modern Bo Le

• ????? ????? (The story of the winged steed and
  Bo Le)
• Management should create circumstances in which
  people can use their talents to the full
• Manage human resources with creativity and
  sincerity