https://wiki.lib.sun.ac.za/images/2/26/2014-raju-skills.pdf

Knowledge and skills for the digital era academic library

An increasing number of research studies in LIS use job adverts as a data source to analyse and track changes to job skills and the employment market over time. This review of 70 research studies in LIS aims to provide an overview of key characteristics of existing research methods, and to suggest improvements which could be made to methods. The researcher analysed different aspects of each study using a quantitative approach, and noted salient features of each study’s methodology. The review found that studies of job adverts in LIS are characterised by: large sample sizes often collected using purposive sampling; a lack of full pilot studies and ethical assessments; minimal use of inferential statistics and automatic text analysis; and minimal use of complementary empirical methods. Studies of job adverts could be improved by: fuller preparation of research methods, more sophisticated methods of analysis, and greater use of secondary empirical methods.

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The collection and analysis of job advertisements: A review of research methodology

The study reported in this paper is part of a larger program of studies designed to review and renew the curricula of Library and Information Science (LIS) and the broader Information Management (IM) courses. This paper analysed job advertisements as readily accessible indicators of the knowledge, skills, and competencies required of IPs by employers and potential available roles. It presents current findings and compares them with trends identified in earlier Australian job advertisement content analyses based on data collected in 2004. The information revealed by the study may be utilised by educators to inform curriculum review and renewal. Current advertisements were collected from web-based sources; ALIA’s employment web pages and two national web job-boards, Seek and MyCareer.com. Text from job advertisements was analysed using a content analysis software package. The data revealed an increasing demand for IPs with records management skills, and skills in business content management, web management ...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00048623.2011.10722241

Changing Trends In LIS Job Advertisements

The primary objective of the study was to describe the number, types and titles, requested qualifications and skills, salary information, and locations of positions advertised in 2011 on the ALA JobLIST and ARL Job Announcements websites and in the print version of the Chronicle of Higher Education for purposes of determining the current state of the academic library job market in the United States. To investigate changes in the academic library job market and identify emerging trends over a 23-year period, results also were compared to studies that analyzed position announcements from 1996 and 1988. Content analysis of 957 unique academic library job advertisements revealed relative stasis in the market regarding the number of positions advertised, presence of administrative duties, geographic distribution of positions, and, to some extent, educational requirements. However, other comparisons were more dynamic. Specifically, there has been a decline in foreign language skills and prior work experience requirements over time while computer skills are increasingly sought. Perhaps most striking is the proliferation of new position titles that have emerged over time, which serves as an indication that library positions are becoming increasingly specialized.

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The Trending Academic Library Job Market: An Analysis of Library Position Announcements from 2011 with Comparisons to 1996 and 1988.

This paper explores and discusses the library and information science (LIS) job market in South Africa through an analytical literature review and the content analysis of recent longitudinal newspaper scanning (2009 - 2012) of LIS job advertisements in the country. We note that the LIS job market in South Africa experienced steady growth from 2009 to 2011, but declined in 2012. The results reveal that the public sector is still the main employer of LIS professionals. We also note the growing number of new job titles and functions relevant to the information/knowledge economy. Furthermore, information technology (IT) has become an important skill for LIS professionals to possess. We conclude that the study could inform curriculum review in LIS schools in South Africa, and recommend that LIS schools explore and exploit new directions and ideas as they prepare students for the library and general information service sector. The paper is divided into three parts: i) an overview of LIS education in Africa; ii) the LIS job market in Africa and South Africa; and iii) job trends in South Africa. Suggestions for further exploration are provided.

/pdf/an-analysis-of-the-library-and-information-science-lis-job-pcrst9dho1.pdf

An analysis of the library and information science (LIS) job market in South Africa

Despite the proliferation of job advertisement analysis studies in the past 30 years, new studies are needed all the time to reflect the current state of the job market for LIS professionals. Using traditional content analysis methods, a study in spring 2009 at the University of Mary land of over 1000 job ads for new graduates revealed that most jobs are in academic libraries and archives, average salaries rose last year, the highest salaries are in government, personal attributes such communication, service orientation, collaboration and cooperation, and team capabilities are highly desired, and many entry-level ads request some experience. Very few call for a second master's degree. This study will be useful for faculty advising and conducting curriculum studies, as well as new graduates in the job market. Keywords: archives employment, content analysis, job advertisements, job market, library employment, MLS students Introduction Job advertisement analyses have peppered the LIS research and professional literature since at least the 1980s. Some of those studies have taken a longitudinal view of trends in employer expectations and others have looked at ads within a narrow range of time. Some have looked at opportunities across the field and others have focused on positions in specific functional areas of libraries or archives. Researchers have typically employed methodologies involving quantitative analysis of data derived from a content analysis, which has yielded statistics on geographic distribution of jobs, salaries, types of experience required, and personality and technical skills necessary to be successful in the job. The purpose of this study was to conduct a quantitative analysis of current job ads and job descriptions appropriate for recent MLS or MLIS graduates. Originally, the primary goal was to collect supporting data for a comprehensive review of the MLS program at the College of Information Studies (the iSchool) at the University of Maryland - to ensure that the MLS curriculum provides the theoretical and practical education needed for graduates as they prepare to enter the information professions. The findings however are relevant to current graduates in all ALA-accredited LIS programs, and the methodology used may be useful to other schools that wish to embark on a similar analysis in the future. Literature Review In designing our study we aimed to utilize as many of the methods already used as possible, but we did have to adapt them quite a bit, as will be seen. In developing a standardized list of terms for the different words used to express similar requirements, we used existing studies as much as possible, which simplified the process. The most common methodology for job advertisement studies in the past involved the collection of a discrete sample of ads based on a number of predetermined criteria - often period of time and intended authence. All studies listed their sources for the ads and they tended to be nationally relevant publications and online sources such as Library Journal, American Libraries, Chronicle of Higher Education, and Web sites and electronic lists associated with library and information professional organizations (for example, American Library Association, Special Libraries Association, or Society of American Archivists). The study by Sproles and Ratledge (2004) was one of the few to focus primarily on positions directed toward entry-level librarians. They analyzed ads from American Libraries over a twenty-year period to explore how required skills for entry-level academic librarian positions had changed and to see which knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) would qualify new graduates for such professional positions. They analyzed a sample of nearly 1 500 ads, removing those for duplicate, non-permanent, part-time, and community college positions. They classified the remaining ads according to whether the primary responsibility was reference, technical services, or systems. …

Job Advertisements for Recent Graduates: Advising, Curriculum, and Job-Seeking Implications

With the advent of e-journal preservation projects and publisher digitization of journal backfiles, academic libraries have begun to move their corresponding print volumes of these titles to storage to avoid duplication and save space. This article examines the supporting justifications, outreach mechanisms, and logistical procedures undertaken at American University Library to relocate the entire bound journal collection to offsite storage in order to address severe physical space constraints and to support patron use of and preference for electronic journal content. In addition, the article presents preliminary data regarding the use of bound volumes sent to storage and an overall analysis of this transformational project.

Robert K. Reeves

Papers

Job Advertisements for Recent Graduates: Advising, Curriculum, and Job-Seeking Implications

Radical Relocation: Adapting Print Collections to an E-Centric World