Reading Notes: Module 1

Notes for:

Metadata Professionals: Roles and Competencies as Reflected in Job Announcements, 2003–2006 (Park and Lu, 2009)

• Digital library related projects has resulted in a shift in the role of information professionals involved with organizing and managing information resources and has resulted in emerging job titles, responsibilities and skills.
• As there is a lack of studies focusing on metadata professionals in terms of the roles and competencies brought about by the emergence of the digital environment this study investigates the current state of responsibilities and competencies expected of metadata professionals who deal primarily with digital and electronic resources.
• Buttlar and Garcha investigated the changing roles of cataloging professionals and found that catalogers had become more involved in activities formerly in the domain of systems librarians including: selecting and implementing cataloging products, developing specifications for microcomputer applications, database maintenance, records management and indexing, OPAC and network maintenance, and system selection and evaluation.
• Leysen and Boydston (2003) found that the primary responsibility of catalogers has shifted from cataloging to the management of cataloging activities, including system integration and vendor product implementation. New skills are needed in adapting to technological advances and the electronic environment and metadata creation is anticipated to be critical to catalogers in the future.
• Cataloging professionals are expected not only to master standards and tools for traditional cataloging, but also to have a variety of skills and knowledge encompassing management, computers, oral and written communication, teaching, and metadata standards.
• Chaudry and Komathi divided 131 job descriptions sampled from American Libraries into two periods: 1990–1994 (traditional environment) and 1995–1999 (electronic environment), and compared the expectations of employers for job candidates in the two periods. They concluded that traditional cataloging knowledge and tools are still relevant in the electronic environment even as job responsibilities have been expanding into the electronic environment.
• Through a study Khurshid identified a series of emerging titles such as electronic/digital resources librarian, metadata librarian, and metadata analyst.
• Hall-Ellis analyzed 266 entry-level cataloger position announcements published in American Libraries or posted on AUTOCAT between September 2000 and August 2005 and discovered that the findings indicate that employers expect that entry-level catalogers will have taken one or more cataloging courses and expected familiarity with several metadata schemes such as Dublin Core (DC) and Encoded Archival Description from entry level catalogers.
• In a study Kwasik (1999-2001) found that knowledge of cataloging and classification standards is the most frequently named required qualification; experiences with bibliographic utilities and integrated library systems are also noted as requisite skills for serials librarian positions; and knowledge of the DC metadata scheme, markup language, and Web design are frequently named as desired skills. The study also identified new job titles for serials librarians such as electronic resources cataloger, digital resources librarian, and electronic serials librarian.
• Davis and Arthur (2005) and Albitz (1996-2001) note there are some difficulties related to fitting electronic resource librarians into a library’s organizational structure.
• Sreenivasulu outlines that there is a need to create the job title “digital librarian” and identified a series of responsibilities for digital librarians.
• Through reviewing the AUTOCAT listserv from January 2003 to December 2006 Park and Lu (2009) found an overall increase of job announcements, reflective of an increased need for metadata professionals during the survey periods.
• Park and Lu (2009) first conducted a pilot study, step, employed the content analysis software package SimStat/Wordstat and computed co-occurrence matrices. The MDS technique is utilized to capture and visualize similarities and dissimilarities of data.
• The study’s findings were presented in three areas: Job titles, Responsibilities, and Required qualifications and skills.
• The job titles Metadata Librarian and Catalog/Cataloging appear most frequently (12%). Approximately half the job titles (53%) contain terms such as catalog, cataloger, and cataloging. The job title Serials & E-Resources Cataloger (7%) also occurs with a relatively high frequency.
• Metadata Creation (73.8%) was the principal responsibility expected from metadata professionals.
• This concerns the ability and experience in using a variety of major types of metadata schemes such as Dublin Core, Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS), Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), and the Visual Resource Association (VRA) Core.
• The critical role played by metadata quality assurance for resource discovery, particularly in the stage of metadata creation, is noted by studies by Park and also Currier et al.
• In addition to Metadata Creation, Electronic Resources Management (64.5%), Awareness of Trends (55.1%), and Digital Library Development (48.6%) constitute the core areas of demand in the metadata profession.
• General Cataloging (65.4%) also constitutes a primary category of responsibility expected from metadata professionals.
• Bibliographic Control and Utilities (43%) also evidences a relatively high degree of the responsibilities expected of metadata professionals.
• Management activities (68.2%) appear to be an area in high demand from metadata professionals. Problem-Solving activities (43.9%) such as troubleshooting, question-answering, acting as a resource person, and Staff Training (31.8%) evidence a relatively high demand.
• Responsibilities expected of metadata professionals include Database Management, Professional Development, Public Services, Department Liaison, Web Development, Reference, Committee Participation, Collection Development, Commitment to Flexibility, and Instruction.
• The most frequently stated required skill concerns Interpersonal Communication (78.5%), which includes both collaboration and communication skills. Cataloging and Classification Standards (60.7%) such as AACR2, DDC, LCC, LCSH, LCRI, and MARC also appear to be high demand. Knowledge and skills on traditional cataloging and classification standards therefore remains highly relevant in the digital environment and to metadata professionals.
• It is critical for metadata professionals to be able to adapt to a changing environment and keep abreast of emerging technologies as knowledge and skills related to Metadata Standards (57%) and awareness of current and emerging Trends (44.9%) occurs with high frequency.
• Skills related to Electronic/Digital Resources Management (43%) stand out as important requirements for metadata professionals.
• Effective management of electronic/digital resources is fundamental for efficient provision of information access as Computer Skills (35.5%) and Web Knowledge (19.6%) are critical areas reflecting the impact of technology on the metadata professionals.
• Managerial Skills (42.1%) is a highly sought after competency from metadata professionals.
• Metadata professionals are expected to not only be able to work collegially with others but also be able to take initiative as Independence (35.5%) shows a relatively high demand.
• Through hierarchical cluster analysis categories presented represent the core characteristics of the metadata profession in relation to competencies and skill sets geared toward the digital environment. This cluster includes Metadata Standards, Electronic Resources, Trends, Computer Skills, and Web knowledge.
• By analyzing categories based on proximities and relations, it is found that the knowledge and skills related to the core technical aspects of cataloging remain highly relevant in the digital environment and are being integrated into electronic resource management, metadata creation, and computer and Web applications.
• Cataloging and classification standards (60.7%), appear with a higher ranking than metadata standards (57%) in the categories of required qualifications and skills.
• Cataloging and classification standards therefore remains highly relevant in the digital environment.
• The study’s findings indicate there is a necessity to provide students with the knowledge and complex skills requisite of metadata standards and electronic and digital resources in the digital environment.
• The study concludes in stating “there is substantial ground for future studies; further examination with more data sources will enable us to have a better understanding of the current state of the roles and competencies faced by metadata professionals”.

Jung-ran Park & Caimei Lu (2009) Metadata Professionals: Roles and Competencies as Reflected in Job Announcements, 2003–2006, Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 47:2, 145-160, DOI: 10.1080/01639370802575575