BRAIN DRAIN OR TAP THE

STRENGTHSMei Wa Esther Woo

University of Hong Kong Libraries

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)

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

Why bother about recruitment?

• Global quest for human resources– Knowledge economy– More job opportunities for MLIS and

university graduates– People makes the difference

• People don’t change that much– Don’t 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)

Overall Job Market

ALA Placement Center Statistics (Annual Conference)

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Job Openings

Job Seekers

ALA Placement Center Statistics (Midwinter)

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Job Openings

Job Seekers

F l a t s u p p l y

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

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: US$226M for library funding (increase of 7.36% over 2006 )

• Uncertain future for entry level librarians

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

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?

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.html

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Bo Le

• 世上有伯樂 才有千里馬 (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