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What They Don’t Teach in Library School: Competencies, Education, and Employer Expectations for a Career in Cataloging
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03/21/08
On June 22, 2007, librarians from across the United States and Canada gathered in Washington, D.C. during ALA Annual to discuss the future of cataloging at a preconference (PDF; 23K) sponsored by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, Committee on Education, Training & Recruitment for Cataloging (ALCTS/CETRC), the Library of Congress and the Catholic University of America. The preconference was designed to assess the current state of recruitment and education in cataloging and its suitability for the current library environment. The sessions focused on the disconnect between what you learn in library school and the reality of working in cataloging. Panel members shared their professional viewpoints and personal experiences related to the changing technical skills, education requirements, cataloging and bibliographic access competencies and employers’ expectations for catalog librarians in the 21st century.
As a result of the preconference, ALCTS/CETRC created a Task Force on Competencies and Education for a Career in Cataloging. The Task Force will serve as a subcommittee of ALCTS/CETRC and will assess the current state of education and employment in cataloging, recommending new programs that seek to promote continuing education and training in the profession. The Task Force will serve as an umbrella organization for three new initiatives: 1) A Cataloging Education Fellows Program; 2) A program to connect cataloging practitioners and employers with library educators; and 3) A clearinghouse that links to available resources and career opportunities in cataloging.
Included in this website are the following documents stemming from the preconference:
- Biographies of the speakers (PDF; 24K)
- Presentation by James F. Brennan, Ph.D., the provost of Catholic University at the beginning of the preconference (PDF; 23K)
- Webcasts and presentations of the speakers:
- Matthew Beacom: Webcast - PowerPoint
- Karen Calhoun: Webcast - PowerPoint
- J. Randolph Call: Webcast - PowerPoint
- Sylvia D. Hall-Ellis: Webcast - PowerPoint
- Janet Swan Hill: Webcast - PowerPoint
- Brian E.C. Schottlaender: Webcast - PowerPoint
- Beacher Wiggins: Webcast - Preconference Paper (PDF; 141K)
- Task Force description and sign-up sheet
ALCTS/CETRC is seeking volunteers to join the Task Force to assist with implementation of the three initiatives above. If you would like to volunteer to be a member of the Task Force, please fill out and submit the volunteer form on this Web site.