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Skills for Success

One of the best things about the library world is its diversity. This field attracts all kinds of people, yet there are certain skills and strengths - let's call them "competencies" - that many library people share. The concepts on this page, both personal and professional competencies, are essential for library workers of the future. Do you have what it takes?

Personal competencies

A person in the library and information professions is:
dynamic, good with people, open-minded, continuously improving, flexible, aware of diverse perspectives, empathetic, service-oriented, action-oriented, technologically savvy, committed, reflective, an excellent communicator, creative, keen problem solver, self-aware, conscientious, entrepreneurial, comfortable with change, imaginative, a calculated risk taker, online all the time, a collaborative team player, motivated, curious, self-motivated, proactive, politically savvy, a life long learner, eager to lead, experimental, inquisitive

Professional competencies

A person in the library and information professions:
connects people to ideas, builds digital and print collections, teaches, understands and meets information needs, negotiates licenses and purchases, experiments willingly, uses current technolgy and tools, researches, preserves information for future generations, advocates for information literacy, understands emerging technologies, promotes discovery, markets library services, communicates with the public, manages budges, designs websites and interfaces, makes information accessible

New media and other forms of knowledge dissemination have been constantly evolving over the last century, which is exciting and intimidating at the same time. Far from being the static places many people imagine, libraries are constantly working through and trying to manage change.

 

- Sharon Philip, Branch Manager, Markham Public Libraries