1. Competencies forSuccess In Today’s Special Libraries SLA San Diego Chapter 26 August 2010 Sara R. Tompson Associate Dean for Public Svc. USC Libraries Professional Development Chair, SLA-SCC Candidate for SLA Board 2011 saratifr@gmail.com sarat@usc.edu

2. Competencies for Success in Today’s Special Libraries Introductions Definitions and Links Organizations’ Competencies SLA’s Plans for SLA’s Third Discussions: Ideas for SLA? How do YOU Use Competencies? 2 saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010

3. Introductions You all? Around the room… Me (http://isd.usc.edu/~sarat/SRTCV.pdf) Candidate for SLA 2011 Board – Director; SLA-SCC Professional Development Chair, 3rd Year; plus past SLA work…. University of Southern California: In 7th year at USC, Associate Dean for Public Service now; Science & Engineering in past; still consult for some Illinois engineers “Communicating Competencies and Collaboration,” 2002 w/Lorri Zipperer. Information Outlook 6:9. Wilson Best Article Award “Competencies Required! For Education, Recruitment, Retention” in Recruiting, Training and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians. Kreitz & DeVries, eds. NY: Haworth, 2007. Used competencies in teaching, in personal and staff reviews… saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 3

4. Definitions and Linkages Oxford English Dictionary – “sufficient” and “sufficiency of qualification” -- meanings that are not obsolete Webster’s Third – “sufficient,” plus “functionally adequate” Are we over-celebrating the low bar?! Literature: Gene Fant Jr., Chronicle of Higher Education, “On Hiring” blog – “When Competence is Heralded as Excellence” (8/9/2010; http://chronicle.com/blogPost/When-Competence-Is-Heralded-as/26082/ ) saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 4

5. Definitions and Linkages Literature: “Persons with a high need for achievement base their self-regard on the successful development and utilization of talents and skills.” Eisenberger et al., “Flow Experiences at Work.” J of Org. Behavior 26:7 (2005) http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/job.337 “flow” – optimal, immersive experience; “in the zone” based on psychologist MihalyCsikszentmihalyi’s work saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 5

6. Definitions and Linkages Literature: “Coping with Continual Motion” Gutsche. LJ Mar 1, 2010. “Focusing on competencies-the skills, knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes that are involved in a job-can help the library profession keep its footing.” http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6719414.html Links to Competency Index for the Library Field, she edited for Web Junction and OCLChttp://www.webjunction.org/competencies/-/articles/content/67024491 saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 6

7. Definitions and Linkages Literature: Hogan and Warrenfeltz “Educating the Modern Manager” - one of the bases for the “Domain Model of Managerial Skills” Pyramid -> next slide http://www.hoganassessments.com/_hoganweb/documents/Educating_the_Modern_Manager.pdf saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 7

8. Definitions and Linkages Domain model pyramid (Kaplan DeVries version of Hogan et al.) saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 8 Leadership Skills Business Skills InTERpersonal Skills InTRApersonal Skills

9. Organizations’ Competencies saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 9 http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/pm-development/pm_se_competency_framework.html

10. Organizations’ Competencies FAA’s “Fundamentals of Instruction” test – based especially on Maslow’s Hierarchy and Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain, below (chart from Aviation Instructors Hdbk) saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 10

11. Library Organizations’ Competencies MLA’s 1997 “Competencies for Lifelong Learning and Professional Success” is actually a policy statement with action items – e.g. “health sciences librarians [should] exercise leadership in and contribute to the professional development of the field” http://www.mlanet.org/education/policy/ AALL’s “Competencies of Law Librarianship” – revised 2010; core + categories: http://www.aallnet.org/prodev/competencies.asp Japan Library Assoc. Code of Ethics includes some competency statements: http://www.jla.or.jp/ethics-e.html saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 11

12. SLA Competencies SLA 1997: “Professional Competencies…areas of knowledge [used] as a basis for providing library and information services” “Personal Competencies…skills, attitudes and values” SLA 2003: (personal same as above) Professional competencies delineated: Managing Information Organizations Managing Information Resources Managing Information Services Applying Information Tools and Technologies Core: Sharing w/profession, lifelong learning, and “professional excellence and ethics” saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 12

13. SLA Competencies Under Review SLA’s Professional Development Advisory Council is currently tasked with drafting a revision of the competencies. My understanding re some views: Competencies would be more relevant if revised with some Alignment Project conclusions in mind Some in SLA think the current competencies may not apply to all information professionals that are SLA members Some in SLA think the competencies should be more detailed YOUR thoughts? saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 13

15. Evaluations?

16. Something else in a professional context?

17. If so, how?saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 14

18. A few more links…. 4H’s Science Education and Technology Leaders Competencies - http://4-h.org/b/Assets/Resources/Staff/competencies/SET%20Compet%20on%2010-8.pdf; e.g.: “[The 4H Youth Development Worker] Creates an emotionally and physically learning environment by: 1. Modeling strategies for conflict resolution.” http://1wiki.answers.com/Q/How_would_you_relate_your_key_competencies_for_the_position_you_are_applying_for “Key competencies are functional skills that can be transferred from one job to another.” saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 15

19. A few more links…. Management Definition by Competency Vantage consultants: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPqULlbQu8&feature=related UNCGLIS talk on “Cultural Competencies to Serve Diverse Communities” by CamilliaAlire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGQaXtTcLCU&feature=related saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 16

20. saratifr@gmail.com / San Diego SLA August 2010 17 Final thought – understand the limits of your competence! E.g.: I am not a USAF Thunderbird! (photo from Pt. Mugu Airshow 8/7/10)

21. Hope this is a useful lead-in to your chapter’s professional development event! Questions?saratifr@gmail.com sarat@usc.edu