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The Library & Information Science Professional's Career Development Center |
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Self-LT&D: Positioning
Yourself for Advancement |
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For the last six months I have been working on a model for succession planning in Library Science. However, unlike other succession planning models, this is meant to be utilized primarily by the individual, rather than the library as a whole. While the model is intended for paraprofessionals, it may also be useful to recent graduates who have not yet gotten in the swing of professional development and continuing education. In this article I hope to introduce the model in its most basic components. Please forgive the generic and sometimes technical writing: I am still “recovering” from writing my master’s thesis on this subject. My experience using this model has been much more exciting and fulfilling than it may appear below. Three employee needs There are four components to overall improvement as an employee: learning, training, development, and education. Education can here be associated with the pursuit of an MLIS. This model focuses on the other three components, which require more investigation and definition. The model is called self-LT&D, which stands for Self- Learning, Training and Development. Development can be plainly defined as career development. Training can be defined as the acquisition and honing of core competencies or core skills. Learning, a bit sketchier, has to do with adopting continuing education habits, or “seeing the big picture” as pinpointed by many of the professionals I have interviewed on this topic. Seeing the “big picture” means understanding how the library works as a whole, not just how your particular job functions within your department. The model In the tradition of most published training programs, the self-LT&D model has five steps: set goal(s), plan to achieve goal(s), implement the plan, review, and set new goal(s). A goal can be anything from learning general “professional” habits to gaining on-the-job training in supervising employees, or even figuring out how to negotiate your salary. Base the goal on one of your needs for improvement which is not already being effectively satisfied by employer-provided LT&D. Gathering information is easy. There are oodles of resources including print resources, online resources and your fellow librarians. The challenge is to use accurate judgment when picking and choosing the articles, books, websites, blogs, videos, audio tapes/CDs and potential mentors most suited to your need. Once you have compiled the information, create a basic plan to learn it. There are various tools available for implementing your plan. Usually, a daily journal is adequate for charting your progress and keeping the plan in check with your need. Other tools are reading and analysis, conducting information interviews with the experts on your topic, attending workshops/conferences, meeting with a mentor, writing a trade paper or article on your research, and filling out workbooks and tests if you can find them. There are many review/evaluation tools out there. I recommend Pierce and Powell's Focused Self-Appraisal which looks at past work performance, professional strengths, underdeveloped skills, future challenges, and prospects for collaboration (Allan 1999, 153). If this does not suffice, you may wish to use the formal annual appraisal form from your workplace, since that is probably the evaluation tool you are most familiar with. Setting new goals is of course the last crucial step, especially since continuing education is so highly valued by the leaders and managers of this profession. However, setting smaller new goals can really be done in any step of this process. The reality is that as you immerse yourself in LT&D, you will probably be pushed by yourself and others to investigate and learn about other things. Related (smaller) goals can be incorporated into your current plan. Unrelated (larger) goals can be put aside for when you are finished with this one. How to apply the model The model can be used in various capacities. In the spirit of succession planning, its most pragmatic use is that of positioning yourself for advancement and/or promotion. I contend that this is more proactive than simply seeking out a way to advance quickly, which can be frustratingly difficult in a flat organization, as some libraries are. Positioning yourself for advancement and/or promotion requires developing insight into the area you are focused on. It also has a way of making you visible to your administrators or other hiring forces within your field. A well-conducted information interview of a hiring supervisor will make that person remember you when he/she is next seeking someone to fill a position. Regardless, your undertaking should better qualify you for the position or job responsibilities you are after. In the process, you will probably develop the “big picture” attitude that many professionals define as the difference between a professional and a paraprofessional approach to library and information science work. Eventually, these self-LT&D efforts will also look very nice in your professional portfolio, especially if you archive the photographs, flyers and writing samples from your experiences. Reference(s) Allan, Barbara. Developing information and library staff through work-based learning: 101 activities. London: Library Association Publishing, 1999. Matthew David has an M.S in Public Services from DePaul University. He will present his thesis research on "Self- Learning, Training and Development (self-LT&D) for Library Support Staff" at the Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries (IACRL) annual conference in March of 2004, and also at the Reaching Forward Conference of Library Assistants in April of 2004. He currently works at the DePaul Library in Acquisitions and he lives in Palatine, Illinois with his wife of 3 years. Visit his website [condor.depaul.edu/~mdavid2/]. Article published Jan 2004 Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in LIScareer articles are those of their respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the LIScareer editors.
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Page last updated
10/03/2005
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