University Librarians - Changing Role

KUMARAVEL, J.P.S. University Librarians – Changing Role, Madurai Kamaraj University, India (on line). Consulted the 11/30/06

Access to the URL: https://www.sla.org/Documents/conf/toronto/Kumaravel.doc

Abstract

Nowadays libraries are becoming service oriented institutions. The librarians of Universities face a challenge for survival and success vested with the importance of identifying, developing and retaining managerial/leadership talent. The librarians or the information managers constitute the generation of senior executives who require skills and knowledge that will enable them cope with changes in the information service industry today. This paper emphasizes the need for the development of good leadership and excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal skills among of information managers who is versatile globally, deal with all sorts of technical and resource management issues and relate at all levels of interactions.

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"University Librarians - Changing Job profile


The real challenge for management of Digital Library environment is in developing a professionalism that possesses the skill and competencies which can develop meaningful programs that supports and activate that use of information and communication technology. Such skills and competencies should be based on :

Ø Information society initiative

Ø Sectoral national-regional information infrastructure that will facilitate the development of an information and communication system targeting the connection of libraries, information centers and institutions through internet connectivity.

Ø Promote the use of on-line communication by putting in place a functional system as above.

Ø Development of national information strategy with backup decisions for participation as partners in the global information superhighways.

Ø Establish research, training and development programs for assessment of feasible ICT trends and course of action to enable cyberspace technology opportunities.

Ø Formulate possible programs of action through a national and regional ICT funding, policy and resource committees, information task forces, network program, ICT promotion groups and government ICT committees.

The University Librarians need to reexamine skill application to suit both positive and negative aspects. These are:

Ø Positive Aspects

o Decentralization of leadership and decision making

o Transparency and openness in organization development

o Willing to change based on how it is elsewhere

o A more participative style and new vision in management of organizations with corporate value for corporative advantage brought about by digital information approaches.

Ø Negative Aspects

o Digital information is forcing in centralized control of knowledge, strategies and values.

o Digital information vide globalization is ushering in new culture of doing business or undertaking tasks

o Digital information is causing misunderstandings and miscommunications in certain aspects.

The University Librarian should have the ability to build on the positive aspects of the information era while making good of the negative aspects of globalization. The management skills of Librarians should constitute a kind of response that is appropriate to meet the challenges of change as presented by information revolution globally."

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Dublin Core Analysis

DC Title : University librarians - Changing role
DC Creator : Kumaravel, J.P.S.
DC Subject : information and communication technology, librarians, digital information, scholarly communication, librarianship, librarians competencies
DC Description : Nowadays libraries are becoming service oriented institutions. The librarians of Universities face a challenge for survival and success vested with the importance of identifying, developing and retaining managerial/leadership talent. The librarians or the information managers constitute the generation of senior executives who require skills and knowledge that will enable them cope with changes in the information service industry today. This paper emphasizes the need for the development of good leadership and excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal skills among of information managers who is versatile globally, deal with all sorts of technical and resource management issues and relate at all levels of interactions. (author’s abstract)
DC Publisher : Madurai Kamaraj University, INDIA
DC Date : created : 2005-07-07
DC Type : Text
DC Format : word (.doc)
DC Identifier : https://www.sla.org/Documents/conf/toronto/Kumaravel.doc
DC Language : ‘en’
DC Coverage : world