11th National Library Technicians Conference

The new library technician qualification: is it already out of date?

Mary Lijnzaad and Leonie Atkins Moorilla Museum of Antiquities: Institute of TAFE Tasmania

Abstract
A brief historical overview of library technician training is followed by an examination of the competencies contained in the current Diploma in Library and Information Services training package. A survey of Tasmanian libraries was conducted. Discussion of the duties performed in the industry by library technicians is followed by an analysis of the survey results. Employers' responses indicate there are specific duties required of library technicians in the workplace. These duties are matched against the training package. Ensuing analysis emphasises the importance of continuing professional development and lifelong learning. The impact on library technician training is explored and specific areas for further training are identified.

Introduction
When we look back to the time of the pharaohs and the library of Alexandria we can see that there have always been different levels of staffing. In the Alexandrian library, Pharaoh's librarian had library assistants and slaves to help him with his tasks. Although there were different staffing levels, it is only in relatively recent times that each level of library staff has had the option of being skilled and qualified through training.

Training for library practitioners has varied widely since the establishment of the first library school by Melville Dewey in 1887. Early curricula focused on the technical duties performed within libraries, without distinguishing between professional and support staff (Wilson and Hermanson, 1998, p 474). Dewey's courses required students to spend six months learning theory and two years gaining practical experience.

In the United States the need for training aimed specifically at library technicians was recognised as early as 1923, with the release of C C Williamson's Carnegie Commission Report, "Training for Library Work". This report, for the first time, "classified the roles of various workers within libraries" (Genz, M D, 1998, p 509). Wilson and Hermanson note that early training courses included one in library assistance offered by the Los Angeles City College in 1937; while in 1948 the US Department of Agriculture Graduate School offered the first library technician programme (1998, p 475).

Throughout the 1960-70s vocational education continued to evolve, and recognition for library technicians and their training improved. By the 1990s two-year training programmes for library technicians were well established.

The Australian training scene
In Australia, the first library technician training course commenced in 1970 at Box Hill College of TAFE (Victoria), with the delivery of the Library Technician Certificate. Potential students had to be working in the industry or to have gained employment and be working by the time they finished the course (Hyland and Naylor, 1993, p 64).

Certificate courses were implemented and well established nationally by the mid 1980s. In response to changes in library practices and in recognition of the fact that library technicians were performing highly skilled tasks, the course underwent its first major transformation in the later part of the eighties and became the Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Library Technician). Over 500 hours of formal work experience were required in order to complete the award.

During the 1990s vocational training in Australia embraced the principles of Competency Based Training (CBT). The focus was now on a person's ability to perform the skills associated with their chosen field, and exams were 'out'. There would be no more grading, percentages or 'fails' - students were now assessed as competent or not yet competent. The syllabus for the library industry was updated to reflect the change to CBT. In consultation with representatives from the library industry, different work level standards were identified. These became known as competency standards. In order to achieve a qualification as a library technician, a student was required to complete 45 units of competency.

The Diploma of Library and Information Studies arrived in 1995 and was endorsed for a period of five years. The course would be a two-year full time Diploma course, with the first year consisting of a 700 hour Certificate 3, followed by the 680 hour Diploma year. The language of the new syllabus and its module outlines reflected these changes: modules were described in terms of clearly stated Learning Outcomes, which were further broken down into Assessment Criteria.

Interestingly, while potential students were no longer required to be currently working in the library industry, the number of work experience hours dropped to 200. Those students who were working in the industry were actively encouraged to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for the skills they had attained through their employment. For the first time the spectre of transition from one course to another raised its head. Associate Diploma students not completing in 1994 found themselves going through a process that, in many cases, left them with a greater number of modules to complete in order to gain their award. In previous transitions of the library technician qualification, conversion courses had been offered.

On-going consultation with industry representatives led to the development of training packages in the mid nineties. The library industry was well positioned to take advantage of this, having already identified some 45 competency standards for library technicians.

The new training packages
CREATE Australia in consultation with a Project Reference Group, and with contributions from over one hundred and twenty individuals representing employers and trainers in the library and information services industry, developed the latest qualifications. These are the Certificate II through to the Advanced Diploma of Library and Information Services training packages. The Project Reference Group comprised representatives from organisations involved in vocational training and in the industry. Some of these organisations included ALIA, CPSU, DEETYA and ANTA. The Library and Information Services training packages were established by CREATE as part of the museums and galleries training package, thereby implying a broadening of the scope of what is known as an information industry. They were published in 1999.

The training packages build on the national competency standards developed by ALIA and embodied in the previous Diploma of Library and Information Studies. The national competency standards are nationally agreed statements (CREATE Australia, 1999, p 7) of the skills and knowledge required to perform effectively in a particular position within the library and information sector. The contributors to the training package, who are representatives of the diverse employment situations potentially available to library technicians, have agreed to the national competencies. The competency standards were expanded to 62 to encompass meeting client needs whilst dealing with significant and on-going changes in technological, cultural and economic conditions These competency standards are expressed as units of competency (Appendix 3) which are further broken in to Elements of Competency with corresponding Performance Criteria.

The qualifications in the training package conform to the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) and are designed to meet the needs of present and future training requirements thereby ensuring employability for graduates in the library and information industry.

Table 1: Australian Qualifications Framework

(CREATE Australia, 1999, p 377)

From the table, it can be seen that a person requiring employment in the library and information services sector may progress through the awards with a Diploma, Degree or Doctorate and similarly, may complete at any stage of the framework. In Australia, library technicians are usually employed with VET qualifications such as the Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Library and Information Services.

The AQF is meant to facilitate recognition of prior qualifications and current competencies and to enable articulation between courses. This model is already used in the UK and embodied in the British National Vocational Qualifications that provide a way for library assistants to advance their careers (Gannon-Leary, Hare and Parker, 2001 p 8). Like the Australian model, the NVQs are divided into competency levels commencing with Level 1 for routine tasks (as encompassed in the Australian Certificates I and II) to Level 5 for complex tasks stressing responsibility, accountability, autonomy and evaluation (as encompassed in the Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Degree). Also like the British model, the Australian training packages may grant credit from other disciplines, such as information technology, financial management or records management, towards an award. The UK NVQs are gaining recognition throughout Europe and so are becoming internationally transferable.

It is important to note that with the AQF, participants can commence at any level. Theoretically, students could enrol in the Diploma training package with no prior work experience and without completing any Certificate level units. Similarly, a person with varied experience in the library and information services industry may commence an Advanced Diploma qualification without completing any prior qualifications, just as a person can complete a Bachelor Degree without first having to tread the Certificate I IV Diploma Advanced Diploma path.

If a student enrolled in the Diploma in Library and Information Services (the mandatory qualification for employment as a library technician in Tasmania) she or he may not be required to demonstrate competence in repair and processing of materials, inter-library loans, document delivery or collection maintenance. Nor are competencies such as circulation desk duties, processing items, shelving materials, library ordering or unpacking and receipting of supplies included in either the core or elective competencies at the Diploma level. In fact, the core competencies of the Diploma require students to demonstrate competence in providing clients with access to information, working as part of a team, (including managing one's own work), using multimedia equipment and training and assessing groups. Hence, future graduates in Library and Information Services at the Diploma level may have no skills in the day-to-day routine tasks of a library.

The major implication of this is that course counsellors and teachers must ensure that students undertaking the course are encouraged to obtain skills that will prepare them for employment. There is a dual responsibility between students and trainers to recognise that these routine, lower level skills need to be acquired if the learner is to be successful in her/his chosen career.

Another important aspect of the vocational qualifications as embodied in the Training Packages in Australia and in the NVQ in the UK, is the emphasis placed on work experience. In the UK, trainees are assessed primarily on-the-job so that little time is required outside working hours. In Australia, the training packages are designed to be assessed on-the-job, too, so trainers are required to have qualifications as Assessors in Workplace Training. However, assessment on-the-job becomes more difficult for potential library technicians who are not employed and who wish to gain underpinning knowledge and skills before venturing into the workforce. With the Australian model, the competencies that comprise the qualifications do not include any specific work experience component, unlike previous Diplomas that had minimum work experience requirements of at least 200 hours.

In reviewing the history of library technician training, we see that change has been a major feature. What can be challenging and confusing for many in the library industry is the increased frequency at which that change is occurring. In the past, change has been relatively slow, occurring gradually over a decade or more. However, when we look at the last decade we see that 3 major changes in training programmes for library technicians have occurred - the move to an Associate Diploma, then to a syllabus-based Diploma, and lastly to a Diploma training package. This can be partially attributed to major reviews in vocational education theory. The move to Competency Based Training, and more recently the development of Training Packages, has made the alteration of training courses inescapable. However it is likely that the major factors driving the changes arise from the rapid development of new technologies and the impact this has had on the work of both librarians and library technicians.

This point can be rather quaintly demonstrated by a brief examination of the technological skills taught to library technician students through the 1990s. In 1992, students were taught keyboarding skills. When the syllabus changed in 1995, this was expanded to word processing operations. In 1999, the new training package assumes that students already possess the word processing skills required in the workplace and therefore the competency is no longer included. Similarly, multimedia course content has progressed from (rather occult) pieces of equipment such as sound/slide projectors, filmstrip viewers and opaque projectors to the brighter, faster, but (some may say) equally mysterious world of CD-ROMs, digital cameras, Powerpoint presentations and videoconferencing.

In order to be able to interact competently with clients, all library staff would benefit from adequate training, In this area, by far the most effective training ground is the workplace. By training in the workplace and through experiencing a variety of client interactions, the student is assured of gaining the skills demanded by industry. Melville Dewey recognised this in the 19th century with the establishment of his first library school, and the 21st century training packages for library technicians recognise this too. The theory behind the new Diploma training package is that it is delivered on-the-job; therefore it no longer stipulates a formal number of hours for the work experience. So, in addition to the underpinning knowledge gained through campus instruction, it is important that students have the opportunity for work experience or continuing development once they are working. library technicians must be committed to lifelong learning to adapt to the changing needs of their industry and to supplement and extend their Diploma qualification.

Lifelong learning and continuing professional development
The commitment to lifelong learning and continuing professional development is essential in achieving career and financial goals (Library Mosaics, 2001, p 28). Unfortunately, not everyone is aware that "people, as well as equipment, collections, services and job descriptions, must change" (Oberg, 2000, p 14). To provide extra incentive for staff to develop their skills, career pathways based on stages of achievement should be clearly defined (Giuse, 1999, p 26). In some cases, a library may need to re-organise its structure to facilitate learning and the transference of information. Notably, the more hierarchical and rigid an organisation, the less likely it is to encourage life-long learning.

Due to the continuing changes in technology and the increasing number of technological innovations, library technicians are being asked to perform duties that were once considered professional (Giuse, 1999 p 27). Librarians are also being asked to take on new duties and look outside the walls of their library. They need not be relegated to purely managerial positions and neither should they feel threatened by library technicians. Instead, librarians should be developing new skills that enable them to tailor information packages to meet the needs of existing clients and they should be developing products targeted to widening their client base. "One of the reasons public libraries exist is to support lifelong learning" (Craig, 1998, p 33) so it makes sense for all employees of a public library to support lifelong learning. Too often, however, it is the library's support staff that are neglected when it comes to funding for continuing professional development. The responses to our survey indicate that many library technicians have employer support for continuing professional development activities (81 per cent of the libraries surveyed expect their library technicians to pursue continuing professional development activities and 79 per cent provide funding and/or study leave to enable them to do this).

Career prospects as indicated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics are for a 61 per cent increase in the growth of jobs for library workers by the year 2005 (Alderman, Milne and Singh, 1999, p 19). However, these jobs are for a different kind of library worker - one with skills in using technology for information access and packaging. They will also need skills in organising and processing information. Whilst the Diploma of Library and Information Services currently offers an introduction to these topics, once again the graduate will need to keep abreast of developments and continue learning new skills. In his paper 'Skills for the new millennium' (Library Journal, 1999 p 39) Roy Tennant lists some of skills digital librarians will need. Whilst we can concur with his list of skills, it must be asserted that these skills will also be needed by library technicians, because they are increasingly being asked to take on tasks that were once considered to be the sole provenance of librarians. The skills Tennant lists include proficiency in imaging technologies, skills in digital scanning, in HTML and/or other markup languages, knowledge of metadata, skills in abstracting and indexing and skills in web technology.

The Diploma in Library and Information Services training package offers units such as Organise information for client access, Analyse and describe material, Contribute to structuring bibliographic and other information systems and Use multimedia equipment which cover some of these topics. The keen library technician pursuing a career could also consider options such as studying some electives from other relevant Diploma training packages to enhance their skills in these areas. The Diploma in Library and Information Services training package endorses the concept of combining awards and gives the opportunity for students to use four electives from a related discipline by granting credit for four elective units. However, gaining the Diploma qualification is not enough. Qualified library technicians need to continue learning to meet the demands required of them in the changing workplace. The survey of Tasmanian libraries that we have conducted bears this out.

Whenever we talk about a training course, an award or a qualification, we must evaluate its content and currency. Similarly, potential employees are evaluated on the basis of their content (ie skills and experience) and currency. The most highly skilled library workers are those who have experienced the breadth and depth of the changes that have occurred in the last decade, and have embraced the personal and professional development associated with it. Can any training course provide all the knowledge we need to perform successfully in the library and information industry? Does the very nature of the industry impose a 'use-by' date on any formal training we undertake? How well does the 'new' library technician qualification meet the current requirements of industry, and is it already out of date?

Survey results
We conducted a survey to ascertain the answers to some of these questions (Appendix 1). From a sample of 200 libraries throughout Tasmania, 105 responses were received. The survey asked respondents to indicate the type of library, whether or not technicians were employed (and if not why not), the duties performed by library technicians and the frequency that those duties were performed, and any recommendations for continuing professional development.

It is interesting to note that 49 per cent of respondents did not employ library technicians and the reasons given are shown in Table 2.

Table 2

NB some respondents indicated more than one reason

The majority of these were special libraries (57 per cent), whilst 37 per cent were school libraries and 6 per cent were public libraries.

Of the libraries that did employ library technicians the graphs 1 and 2 indicate the types of duties most often required in the workplace.

Graph 1 shows the duties performed by library technicians but which are not included as competencies in the current Diploma of Library and Information Services. It should be noted that these competencies may be acquired by completing Certificate level units or by gaining experience in the workplace. In fact, according to the respondents of the survey, many of the duties listed in Graph 1 are the very duties that library technicians would be required to perform should they gain an appointment in a library. Consequently, any student keen to get a job should be mindful that the duties listed in Graph 1 are the extra duties or competencies in which she or he should become competent. The student and the course counsellors have a dual responsibility in ensuring that relevant competencies are studied to match the work requirements of industry. In many cases this will necessitate the student enrolling in lower level qualifications. The student may not be required to complete the entire qualification, but should complete the requisite competencies, ensuring her or his employability.

In Graph 1, there are only four tasks that are not performed very often by library technicians. These duties are web page design and web maintenance, e-journals and creating rosters. It is interesting to note that of the recommendations for CPD for technicians, by far the greatest demand was for web skills (Appendix 2). A number of employers have emphasised to the authors the value in graduate library technicians having web design and maintenance skills. Table 3 gives an outline of the frequency that specific duties are performed and the infrequency of Web page design duties as performed by library technicians is further highlighted. 84 per cent of library technicians never or only infrequently perform web design duties.

It is also worth noting in Table 3 that 74 per cent of library technicians are required to catalogue on a daily or weekly basis, yet cataloguing is an elective at the Diploma level and adding holdings is only included as a competency in the Certificate III. Similarly, end processing, which is performed by 61 per cent of respondents on a daily or weekly basis is a competency covered only in the Certificate III.

Table 3: Frequency of tasks performed

It is of concern that 59 per cent of library technicians are not regularly involved in client training, when it would seem that the major thrust of most libraries is to aid clients in their own information literacy. This is reflected in the training package where there is an emphasis on competencies involving the training of clients. For example, Plan assessment, Conduct assessment, Review assessment, Train small groups and Deliver information literacy programs for clients are all core competencies required at the Diploma level which cover this competency.

Table 4: Reasons for duties never performed by library technicians

NB some respondents indicated more than one reason

Table 4 gives information about why library technicians never perform the duties listed in Table 3. The two major reasons are that the duties are not applicable and/or that other staff perform the duties. Only 15 per cent of respondents indicated that some duties are never performed because the library technician has insufficient skills, however, this may be a misleading figure. When applied to web design, the libraries probably have the duty performed by other staff because the current library technician qualification does not include that competency. Given that the competency is not acquired through the training package (or the previous syllabus), it is interesting to note that 8 per cent of library technicians are currently performing web design/maintenance on a regular basis.

Graph 2 shows the duties performed by library technicians that are included as competencies in the Diploma. It is worth noting here that some of the competencies required in the workplace are offered only as elective units in the Diploma. These include original cataloguing (performed by 60 per cent of library technicians, displays (80 per cent), marketing (17 per cent) and promotional activities (43 per cent). A wise student would make certain she or he enrolled in those elective units.

Conclusion
From the results of the survey and the research it is clear that competencies in addition to those included in the Diploma must be gained if the student is to meet the demands of industry and be successful in finding employment. Clearly, the skills that have formed the core of library technicians' duties, such as shelving, end processing, book repair and circulation, continue to be essential. A student should gain competence in these skills by either completing the relevant units of competency in the Certificate training packages or through work experience.

In addition, skills that were once considered the provenance of the librarian, such as cataloguing, readers' adviser, reference and using electronic resources are demonstrably a routine part of a library technician's duties. The student would be well advised to complete the appropriate elective units as well as the core units that cover these skills in the Diploma training package. Many in the library industry may feel challenged by this transformation in workplace responsibilities, however it must be accepted that this is a reflection of the changes brought about by technological development and management theory. As Oberg (2000, p 14) says, "You'll be much better off if you view change as a challenge and an opportunity. If you view it as a threat, you're dead in the water".

Finally, the marked response for continuing professional development activities not included in the current Diploma, such as web design and marketing, indicates that library technicians need to continue to learn and gain new skills. It also demonstrates that training packages and programs need to be evaluated regularly.

When we ask ourselves the question "Is the library technician qualification already out of date?" our response must take into account the value of lifelong learning and the rapid change in industry practice. At the present time, the Diploma does cover most of the competencies required in the workplace either through core or elective units. However, some care needs to be taken to ensure that underpinning competencies at certificate levels are gained. In the future it may be necessary to attain skills such as web design and maintenance. It is in response to these changes in industry expectations that new qualifications are developed. The training package can no longer be viewed as a static entity. Instead it is an ever-evolving document that strives to keep pace with workplace requirements.

Bibliography
2001, 'Work support', Library Mosaics, Jan/Feb., p 28.

Alderman, B., Milne, p and Singh, R., 1999, 'The information professional: images and reality: paradigm and perceptual shifts', Education for library and information services, May, p 19-27

Arts Training Australia, 1995, Library industry competency standards, Arts Training Australia, Kings Cross, NSW

Craig, S. 1998, 'Focus on staff training', Public libraries, Jan/Feb., p 33-34

CREATE Australia, 1999, Museum and library/information services industry training package CUL99: library and information services, ANTA, Melbourne.

Gannon-Leary, P., Hare, C. and Parker, S. 2001, 'A dynamic profession: NVQs [National Vocational Qualifications] may impact on education for librarianship in Britain', Australian Library Journal, Feb., p 7-14.

Genz, M.D. 1998, 'Working the reference desk', Library trends, v. 46, no. 3, p 505-526

Guise, N. et al., 1999 'Developing a culture of lifelong learning in a library environment ', Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, 87, Jan., p 26-36

Hyland, M. and Naylor, p 1993, 'Education of library technicians in Australia', Sharing the challenges: library technicians in the 1990s, Auslib Press, Adelaide, p 64-69

Oberg, L.R. 2000, 'How to make yourself indispensable: a survivor's guide for the 21st century', Library Mosaics, Jan/Feb, p 14-15

Tasmania. Dept. of Employment, Industrial Relations and Training. TAFE, 1989, Syllabus: Applied Science (library technician), The Dept., Hobart.

Tasmania. Dept. of Industrial Relations, Vocational Education and Training. Curriculum Branch, 1995, Syllabus specification: 9-929 Certificate III in Library and Information Studies: 9-915 Diploma in Library and Information Studies, ACTRAC, Canberra

Tennant, R., 1999 'Skills for the new millennium' Library Journal, Jan/Feb., p 39.

Wilson, A.M. and Hermanson, R. 1998, 'Educating and training library practitioners: a comparative history with trends and recommendations', Library trends, v. 46, no 3, p 467-505

Survey: May 2001 Appendix 1

Library technician duties and CPD
1 Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey. Please note that for the purposes of this survey, the term 'library technician' refers to a library worker who holds a recognised qualification in Library and Information Science/Studies/Services at the Associate Diploma or Diploma level.

1. Your location:
City:____________________________ State:_______________

2. Type of library: (please tick box, then circle any further relevant information)

__ Special (Health / Law / Government / Non-Government / Science)

__ School (Primary / High / College)

__ Academic (University / TAFE )

__ Public

__ State

3. Are library technicians employed in your workplace?

__ Yes - please go to Question 5.

__ No - please go to Question 4.

4. If library technicians are NOT employed in your workplace, tick reason/s:

__ One-person library

__ Funding

__ Other staff employed instead of a library technician (for example, librarians; teacher's aide; clerk; IT support staff)

__ Other reason (please specify)

---

If you answered 'No' to Question 3, and have answered Question 4, you have completed the relevant parts of this survey. Thank you for your time. Please return the survey in the envelope provided.

5. Which of the duties listed below do the library technicians employed in your workplace perform? (tick any relevant boxes)

7. If any or all of the activities listed in Question 6 are NEVER performed, please indicate why not:

Duty not applicable

Technician has insufficient skills

Technician has insufficient time

Performed by other staff

8. Is it an expectation that the library technicians in your workplace pursue CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activities?

Yes / No

9. Is funding/study leave provided for library technicians in your workplace to pursue CPD activities?

Yes / No

10. Please specify the main areas in which CPD activities would be useful:

---

Appendix 2

Responses from survey to Question 10 - specify main areas in which CPD activities would be useful:

Appendix 3

CUL50199 diploma of library and information services