Competency B

Introduction

According to Bedord (2018), job titles can be a “moving target” in most information environments and the same title at one institution could signify vastly different responsibilities at a different institution. Before starting my library and information science journey, I had the mindset that librarians worked strictly in a public setting. I soon discovered that the possibilities are endless! I initially was drawn to special libraries and have been a part of the Special Libraries Association Student Chapter (SLASC) leadership for most of my time at SJSU. Though I chose the Archival Studies and Records Management pathway, I have been intent on keeping an open mind, exploring all of the routes, and seeing where this journey takes me. 

Academic Libraries

Academic libraries are the core of higher education institutions and provide services to students, faculty, and the surrounding communities (Bedord, 2018). These libraries face unique challenges regarding collection management, vendors, stakeholders, and publishers. Academic librarians strive to provide a vast range of students with access to a wide breadth of materials while supporting the faculty with deep research in their fields, in addition to building a useful collection that ages gracefully (Costello, 2017).

Reference services also play a huge role in serving the student population. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge shift in reference services and a lot of students have continued to utilize online resources. Online chat and virtual appointments have become the main form of communication with reference librarians. Another important role in an academic library is instruction. Instruction librarians teach effective search techniques for catalogs and databases, including searching for primary and secondary sources using finding aids for rare and special collections (Hirsh, 2022). These courses are usually directed at incoming freshmen and focus on developing good research and citation habits. Some academic librarians take on many different responsibilities outside of library and information science including (but not limited to) being a professor, website development, database management, and grant administration.  

Museum Libraries 

Unlike academic libraries which have circulating collections, museum collections are partially if not completely non-circulating and cannot be borrowed or checked out. Some institutions such as the Getty Research Institute, require researchers, students, and scholars to apply for a research pass to access certain artifacts and information. Museum libraries are similar to academic libraries in the way that they also support and supplement their parent organization. An interesting ongoing debate pertains to whether a museum library is considered to be a special library. When referenced in a textbook sense, museum libraries are found within the special libraries classification, even though most consider them to be cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional (Kazmierczak, 2019). Some responsibilities of a museum librarian include facilitating research, creating exhibitions, managing collections, and preservation. Many collections are now hybrid (physical and digital), due to digitization and the internet, and these materials require special care and maintenance.     

A lot of museums do not have libraries due to a lack of funding, in addition to the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), which does not consider them to be essential (Kazmierczak, 2019). Another challenge comes with living in a digital age, where patrons have come to expect fast, accurate, and relevant answers to their inquiries. 

Archives 

In the past, archivists and curators have worked in universities, museums, and historical societies, however, archival materials have become more complex and increasingly digital (Bedord, 2018). Though related to and sometimes working in tandem with libraries, responsibilities, and tasks in this information setting vary greatly. Archives exist to make their collections available to people but differ from libraries in both the types of materials they hold, and the way materials are accessed (Society of American Archivists, 2023). Much like museum libraries, materials are non-circulating and cannot be borrowed or checked out. Institutions such as these have reading rooms, where materials can be viewed and handled while being monitored. 

Preservation is one of the most important responsibilities of archivists since most archival collections contain rare and unique materials that require special care and conservation. Other responsibilities of an archive are marketing, outreach, and promoting the collection. Most reading rooms have limited hours and utilizing social media can not only help archivists understand the audience but market to them as well. Providing hours of operation, reading room protocols, and location can reduce any anxiety a patron might have before visiting. Finding aids, or online records are vital to accessing materials and increasing the visibility of the collection. Outreach efforts can include providing programs for the surrounding community and working with marginalized communities represented in the collection to ensure the accuracy of the information provided. Reference interviews can be more intense than in academic settings, sometimes requiring long sessions and multiple visits with patrons.