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What are Core Competencies What are Core Competencies for Library Leaders in the for Library Leaders in the

Digital Age?Digital Age?

Libraries in the Digital AgeLibraries in the Digital Age

Dubrovnik, CroatiaDubrovnik, Croatia

May 26, 2004May 26, 2004

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Core CompetenciesCore Competencies

• Wanda V. Dole, Washburn University, Wanda V. Dole, Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, USATopeka, Kansas, USA

• Jitka M. Hurych, Northern Illinois Jitka M. Hurych, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, USAUniversity, DeKalb, Illinois, USA

• Anne Liebst, Washburn University,Anne Liebst, Washburn University,

Topeka, Kansas, USATopeka, Kansas, USA

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OutlineOutline

• What are core competencies?What are core competencies?

• Core competencies for librarians?Core competencies for librarians?

• Core competencies for library leaders?Core competencies for library leaders?

• Assessment is a core competency for Assessment is a core competency for leaders in ARL libraries (Beck, 2003)leaders in ARL libraries (Beck, 2003)

• Is Assessment a core competency forIs Assessment a core competency for

leaders in other libraries? leaders in other libraries?

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Core CompetenciesCore Competencies

• Definition: Specific range of skills, Definition: Specific range of skills, abilities or knowledge that enable or abilities or knowledge that enable or qualify someone to perform a qualify someone to perform a particular function or carry out particular function or carry out selected responsibilities. (Fisher, selected responsibilities. (Fisher, 2001; Webber, 1999)2001; Webber, 1999)

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Core CompetenciesCore Competencies

• Prahalad and Hamel: successful Prahalad and Hamel: successful organizations understand and exploit organizations understand and exploit their core competencies (1990, 1993)their core competencies (1990, 1993)

• Prahalad and Hamel: a core Prahalad and Hamel: a core competency:competency:– Provides a long-term strategic advantageProvides a long-term strategic advantage– Contributes to perceived customer benefitsContributes to perceived customer benefits– Is difficult for competitors to imitateIs difficult for competitors to imitate

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Core Competencies of Core Competencies of LibrariansLibrarians

• Rich literature (1990 ---)Rich literature (1990 ---)

• Some authors mix “core Some authors mix “core competencies” (skills and competencies” (skills and knowledge) and behavioral or knowledge) and behavioral or personality traitspersonality traits

• Overview of literature (Giesecke and Overview of literature (Giesecke and McNeil, 1999, 2001McNeil, 1999, 2001

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Core Competencies of Core Competencies of LibrariansLibrarians• Academic librarians (Grealy, 1998)Academic librarians (Grealy, 1998)• Public librarians (Naylor, 2000)Public librarians (Naylor, 2000)• Special librarians (Ojala, 1995; JonesSpecial librarians (Ojala, 1995; Jones• Reference librarians (Bell, 2003)Reference librarians (Bell, 2003)• Acquisitions librarians (Fisher, 2001)Acquisitions librarians (Fisher, 2001)• Information professionals (Webber, 1999)Information professionals (Webber, 1999)• Law librarians (Jones, 1998; AALL, 2001)Law librarians (Jones, 1998; AALL, 2001)• Medical librarians (Moore, 2000)Medical librarians (Moore, 2000)• Music librarians (Hunter, 2000)Music librarians (Hunter, 2000)

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Core Competencies of Library Core Competencies of Library LeadersLeaders

• Directors (Soete, 1998; Auret, 1996)Directors (Soete, 1998; Auret, 1996)

• Assistant directors (Giesecke, Assistant directors (Giesecke, Michalak, & Franklin, 1997)Michalak, & Franklin, 1997)

• Top management teams (Mahmoodi & Top management teams (Mahmoodi & King, 1991-92)King, 1991-92)

• ““Next generation of library leaders” Next generation of library leaders” (Hernon, Young & Powell, 2001, 2002, (Hernon, Young & Powell, 2001, 2002, 2003)2003)

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Hernon, Young & PowellHernon, Young & Powell

• Identified attributes (knowledge, Identified attributes (knowledge, skills & critical competencies) for skills & critical competencies) for library leaders inlibrary leaders in– ARL librariesARL libraries– Large public librariesLarge public libraries– ACRL librariesACRL libraries

• Found similarities in preferred Found similarities in preferred attributesattributes

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Is Assessment a core Is Assessment a core competency for library competency for library leaders? leaders? • Beck (2003) studied administrators in Beck (2003) studied administrators in

9 ARL libraries that participated in 9 ARL libraries that participated in LibQUAL+ ™ projectLibQUAL+ ™ project

• Interviewed deans and top Interviewed deans and top administrators, April & June 2002administrators, April & June 2002

• Administered two survey instrumentsAdministered two survey instruments– Do You Have a Culture of AssessmentDo You Have a Culture of Assessment– Factors in Decision MakingFactors in Decision Making

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Beck’s FindingsBeck’s Findings

• Library administrators Library administrators did did use data for use data for planning, budgeting & setting prioritiesplanning, budgeting & setting priorities

• The extent of use depends on The extent of use depends on administrator’s :administrator’s :– Philosophy of leadershipPhilosophy of leadership– Need for informationNeed for information– Personal interest in assessmentPersonal interest in assessment– Local organizational cultureLocal organizational culture

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Our Study AsksOur Study Asks

• Can Beck’s method & instruments be Can Beck’s method & instruments be used in other (non ARL) libraries?used in other (non ARL) libraries?

• Would Beck’s conclusions about the Would Beck’s conclusions about the role of assessment be true in other role of assessment be true in other libraries?libraries?

• Should our study be expanded to Should our study be expanded to more libraries?more libraries?

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Our StudyOur Study

• Reviewed the literatureReviewed the literature

• Consulted with BeckConsulted with Beck

• Obtained permission to use her Obtained permission to use her surveyssurveys– Pretested surveysPretested surveys– Revised surveysRevised surveys

• Visited 3 Carnegie MA I librariesVisited 3 Carnegie MA I libraries

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Our Study: MethodOur Study: Method

• Studied administrators at 3 Carnegie Studied administrators at 3 Carnegie MA I universities in March 2004MA I universities in March 2004

• Replicated Beck’s methodReplicated Beck’s method– InterviewsInterviews– Administered Beck’s survey instrumentsAdministered Beck’s survey instruments

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Preliminary ResultsPreliminary Results

• Beck’s method transferred easily to Beck’s method transferred easily to our sample of Carnegie MA I librariesour sample of Carnegie MA I libraries

• Overall responses similar to those Overall responses similar to those reported by Beckreported by Beck

• Some differences between responses Some differences between responses of deans and upper administrators to of deans and upper administrators to Factors in Decision Making surveyFactors in Decision Making survey

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ConclusionsConclusions

• Assessment Assessment is is as important in as important in Carnegie MA I libraries Carnegie MA I libraries

• Further study is neededFurther study is needed– Mine the dataMine the data– Expand to more Carnegie MA I librariesExpand to more Carnegie MA I libraries– Expand to Carnegie MA I libraries that Expand to Carnegie MA I libraries that

participated in LibQUAL+™participated in LibQUAL+™– Expand to staff librariansExpand to staff librarians

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Thank you!Thank you!

• Questions? Suggestions?Questions? Suggestions?

• Contact usContact us– wwanda.dole@washburn.eduanda.dole@washburn.edu– aanne.liebst@washburn.edunne.liebst@washburn.edu– jitka@niu.edujitka@niu.edu