Dunn & Wilson scholarship project 1995

Abstract

Prior to award restructuring in universities, library technicians only had the opportunity to progress to the senior library technician Grade 3 level in academic libraries. Award restructuring placed such library technicians at Higher Education Worker (HEW) Level 5. It also provided them with the opportunity to make a case for reclassification at a higher level or to apply for positions at higher levels. The aim of this study was to examine the career progression and practice of library technicians who were operating at HEW6 or above in academic libraries as case studies, and to examine the role of those library technicians vis-a-vis the library industry competency standards. The study sought to identify and therefore substantiate the ability of library technicians to function effectively at higher levels than was normally expected. The design of the study was informed by case study research and focussed on a small number of library technicians in order to gain an understanding of how they had achieved their career progression, and of the activities and processes they were involved in. The data were collected using observation and interviews, and from secondary sources such as job descriptions and curriculum vitae. The observation and interview data were analysed and allocated thematic labels, and used as the basis to the report. The study also articulated the participants' experience of arriving at and being in their positions, their continuing professional development, their future aspirations, and the implications of their appointments. The study findings are considered and discussed in light of the literature review, library competency standards, and the newly-developed national curriculum for library technicians.

Introduction

The Australian Library and Information Association's (ALIA) Dunn & Wilson Scholarship made this study possible. In applying for the scholarship, I outlined the following aims of the study which were:

• To examine the career progression and practice of library technicians who operated at Higher Education Worker Level 6 (HEW6) or above in academic libraries as case studies; and
• To examine the role of those library technicians vis-a-vis the industry competency standards which were the basis to the development of the national curriculum.

There had been few studies on the role of library technicians in Australia and certainly none on those who worked at higher than traditional levels. It had been only since the reclassification of positions arising out of award restructuring, that such positions have been made available to library technicians. The study focused on three library technicians: Wilma Bancroft, co-ordinator of the interlibrary loans unit/HEW6 at University of Western Sydney, Macarthur Library (who actually left the position shortly after the interview stage of the study); John Simmons, manager, Orders/HEW6 and Sandra Woods, manager, serials/HEW7 at the University of Melbourne Library. The study set out to identify and therefore to substantiate the ability of library technicians to function effectively at higher levels than was normally accepted.

I suggested that the case studies could be used to inform the education and development of library technicians and provide exemplars for career path options. I also proposed that there could be realisation [by administrators] of the potential of library technicians to function effectively at a higher level and thereby the opportunity to free up professional staff to operate at an even higher level as befits their education. The latter could impact on human resource planning in library and information services and the rationalisation of task allocation could result in greater fulfilment for both library technicians and librarians. The study included: a literature search and review; observation and interviews of the participants and thematic analysis of same; description and analysis of the role of the practitioners; and a discussion of industry competency standards and the national curriculum.