THE MANY HATS OF THE E-RESOURCES LIBRARIAN:
PRESENT CHALLENGES AND POSSIBLE FUTURES
Jane Strudwick, Electronic Resources LibrarianFlorida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
Institution Background
Florida Atlantic University, a doctoral degree-granting university
17,300 FTE Part of a 12 institution state university
system As of July 2012, the FAU Libraries is part
of the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC)
Library Background
Three locations ILS – Aleph (Managed for SULs by FLVC) Electronic Resources Services – Serials
Solutions 360 Core 360 Link 360 ERMS Summon
Materials Budget – 3,250,000
Why E-Resources Librarians? New Features of Acquisitions
Licensing Packaging New management and management tools
Changes in Access Different then a catalog (based on
knowledge base) Unmediated searching Teaching other librarians
Why E-Resources Librarians
Changes in Work Flows Different or added processes for selection,
purchase, access, and evaluation Cross – departmental work flows Skill set developed specific to these needs
and, to an extent, the library
“The electronic resources librarian understands the life cycle of electronic resources in its ongoing complexity of multiple stages and processes.”(NASIG, 2012)
The Hats & the Competencies
Wonder Woman 03photo by bbaltimore on Flickr
The Hats & the Competencies Manage the Life Cycle of Electronic
Resources Acquire and maintain subscriptions Establish and manage procedures to ensure
access to electronic resources and provide support
Manage evaluation processes for cancellation and retention decisions
The Hats & the Competencies Acquire and maintain subscriptions
Understanding collection development and knowledge of librarianship
Negotiate contracts and maintaining advantageous relationships with vendors
Reviewing and negotiating licenses
The Hats & the Competencies Provide Access to Electronic Resources
Knowledge of computing hardware used to access electronic information
Authentication systems E-resources software and services The admin functions of proprietary databases Fundamentals of Web design and markup
languages Ability to provide technical and reference
support
The Hats & the Competencies Manage evaluation process
Understand complex range of data generated by and related to electronic resources
Ability to collect, analyze, manipulate and provide meaningful interpretation of data and apply to real and timely decision making
Evaluate or manage the creation of databases to store relational data
The Hats & the CompetenciesOther Skills Effective Communication
Prompt, consistent, verbal and written communications with a broad audience
Supervising and Management Supervise, train and motivate
Trends and Professional Development Including publishing and library
marketplace Personal Qualities
Flexibility with change
The Challenges…all of the above
The Challenges
Silos Managing acquisitions
ILS v. ERMS v. homegrown Access to Electronic Resources
Multiple Access points and interfaces Data Collection and Analysis
Tools not yet adequate for analyzing and reporting
Communication conduits Data collection and management
The Challenges
Marketplace v. Budgets Journal cost inflation v. everything full text,
and now Flux in publishing industry Consolidation of companies Rights of Licensee: archival, access, sharing
The Challenges
Transitioning to Web Scale Changes in search and discovery
Discovery service & catalog Advocacy of metadata contribution by
publishers and vendors to all discovery services
Collection development impacts, especially prioritization of formats
Waiting for the full realization of web scale management services
The Possible Futures
The Possible Futures
Reorganization of workflows and departments Complete transition to one access point Web scale management and the end of the
ILS No more local cataloging The print hangover is over
Multiple e-resources librarians
The Possible Futures
Changes in publishing The breakup of journals and the end of the
big database purchase Demand driven articles and book acquisitions Indexes native to discovery services No more need to develop federated
interfaces per product, especially aggregators
The e-resources librarian managing a single interface
The Possible Futures
Resource funding transitioning to Academic Departments Open access initiatives gaining momentum
– cost shifting to authors Data curation Compete for e-resource funding with other
departments?
E-resources librarians part of Division of Research
The Possible Futures
Library budgets – permanently reduced Increased collaboration, purchasing at state
level Decreased staff, new skill set Virtual Campuses
The e-resources librarian employed by state system
And in Conclusion
Jane StrudwickElectronic Resources LibrarianFlorida Atlantic [email protected] Link
Contact Information
