Future facing librarians: transforming library skills development
VALA2024 CONCURRENT SESSION 10 – SHOW US YOUR TECH Vendor Session
Thursday 11th July 2024, 11.35am-12.05pm
Tony Zanders
- CEO
- Skilltype
Prashant Pandey
- Director of Library Services
- Flinders University
Helen Anderson
- Development Manager
- Technology from Sage
Presentation:
Show us your Tech – Vendor
Abstract
Patron workflows have changed significantly in recent years, and so too has the support patrons require. Due to emerging technologies and generative AI, skills such as information literacy, cybersecurity, learning analytics and critical thinking are becoming increasingly relevant to librarian-patron support. Aiming to build a comprehensive understanding of the librarian skills landscape, Technology from Sage and Skilltype examined data from over 2,000 academic library workers. This session will explore the findings, with panelists reflecting on the key insights and providing actionable strategies for skills development. Among these insights is a breakdown of the essential future-facing skills identified by librarians, and exploration of topics including diversity, equity and inclusion, Open Access, and Open Educational Resources. This session will also compare and contrast data from frontline librarians and library directors, and identify both areas of overlap and disconnect.; and discuss findings on upskilling frequency, modality, and challenges, and invite the audience to reflect on how upskilling provision within their library might be transformed.
Biography
Tony Zanders is an award-winning software entrepreneur and enterprise software executive. He is best known in the world of library technology, where he served as an international ambassador in over 30 countries at two of the largest global firms ProQuest and EBSCO. Though his career has been spent in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston, Tony’s mission is to create similar opportunities for the next generation in his hometown of New Orleans.
Prashant Pandey is Director of Library Services at Flinders University. He has also served as Director Digital Library and Innovation at Deakin University where he was responsible for providing leadership and direction in delivering the University’s Digital Library of the future. Since 2006 he has successfully worked with digital content as a supplier, publisher, and senior library and IT manager, leading innovation in the delivery of and access to the most comprehensive and authoritative research publications and resources.
Helen Anderson is a Development Manager at Technology from Sage. She has vast experience in the provision of content and EdTech solutions to universities. Since joining Technology from Sage, she has been working with libraries across the world to deliver Technology from Sage’s mission to help redefine and amplify the power of the academic library to advance teaching, learning and research.
This work is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International.