Credentials and the Future of Library Work

My library career began accidentally over 20 years ago. I was new to Australia and needed to find a job close to where I was living. I had recently completed my bachelor of science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and felt I was well-qualified for a job in a lab but could not find one. I responded to an advertisement in the local newspaper for a job at Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries (CAVAL), not really knowing what I was applying for.

As I would learn, CAVAL is a not-for-profit library cooperative based at La Trobe University in the northeast suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It provides efficient, centralized services to its members at a lower cost than if they were to handle such tasks on their own and also offers services commercially to other libraries. CAVAL’s offices are built around a high-density storage facility for low-use research material. In addition to library storage, CAVAL provides multiple services to support and benefit libraries, including supplying books in languages other than English. As a result, they were comfortable hiring non-citizens, and after my interview I was asked if I could start the next day.

The Melbourne City Library collection was being established at the time, and CAVAL had been contracted to provide all the cataloguing and processing. On my first day, my first task was to use a cardboard template to affix a barcode on the front cover of hundreds of books from the collection. I couldn’t believe a person did this.

It takes a certain level of care, understanding, and appreciation to process a book, not to mention fine motor skills and plenty of practice. I was trained on the job by experienced and qualified catalogers and processers who taught me that people absolutely judge a book by the cover. A crooked stamp at the bottom of the title page or a wrinkle in the contact was met with immediate criticism. To achieve a nice-looking finish, one must ensure the contact covering had no bubbles and perfect borders. When I started, spine labels were manually typed, and eventually I learned enough about the call number to pick up and correct errors, which required more training on the complexities of managing collections.

While it took months to develop my skills to match the output of my more experienced colleagues, once I mastered my processing tasks, I wanted to learn more. This eagerness led to more technical work, where I assisted the file delivery team with inputting vendor records into the library management system.

A couple years after I was hired, libraries started to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) instead of tattle tape, and we began to add barcodes into item records so that items could be accessioned into the customer library management system on arrival. The rollout of new technologies seemed slow, considering the advanced technical skills of many library and information professionals.

Twenty years later, I am the chief executive officer (CEO) of CAVAL. Even though I have felt scrutiny for lacking traditional library credentials, I do not think I would have had the same level of success had I chosen another path. As we move toward a future of library work in which business skills, technology skills, and management skills are increasingly important, it’s all the more urgent for library leaders to identify talent from a range of industries and sectors and exploit their skills and experience for the benefit of libraries.

Learning on the Job

There were plenty of opportunities for me to advance within CAVAL. I didn’t have a library-specific degree, but I was competent with technology, could research and write papers, and had the ability and confidence to learn new skills. I supported CAVAL’s training department, which provided in-house, hands-on training for librarians in disaster recovery and organized CAVAL conferences and professional development events. I also began responding to tenders for the provision of cataloguing and shelf-ready services. Before long, I was promoted to team leader, and when a manager role became vacant, a colleague encouraged me to apply. I lost out to an external applicant. He lasted a few weeks before leaving, and I was eventually offered the position.

In the years that followed, I worked across collections and acquisitions, facility management, digitizing, inter-library loans and reciprocal borrowing, and member events.

When I’d been in a team leader role for two years, the leadership team made clear that for any further promotion I needed a postgraduate qualification. I considered pursuing a pathway to librarianship, but I was fascinated by the operational elements of CAVAL—questions about how we could perform better as a business. There were plenty of librarians on staff who were subject matter experts, but we struggled as a not-for-profit member organization that needed to remain financially viable in a perpetually underfunded industry. In the end, I decided to enroll in a master of commerce.

Rising through the Ranks

Historically, the position of CAVAL CEO has been filled with a qualified and experienced librarian. When the position came open, and I initially spoke to the Board about applying, I did not think I would be considered. Still, I was encouraged to apply because of my experience at CAVAL, knowledge across the organization, and my strong leadership skills.

I have been CEO at CAVAL for almost five years now. During that time, I have restructured the organization to improve efficiency, developed a new strategic plan focusing on our digital transformation and creating a culture of innovation, sold one of our business units that no longer aligned with our strategic direction, modernized the constitution, developed new partnerships leading to new business opportunities, and increased overall staff satisfaction, as shown in our biennial survey, which resulted in in a Best Workplace award. Because of my unique background, I have been able to introduce higher levels of competency in human resources, governance, and strategic planning. Notably, these achievements relied more on my strong business acumen and negotiation skills, and less on core credentials required for the library and information sector.

From my perspective, the end processing operations at CAVAL are now seamless, more professional and a lot more streamlined than they were 20 years ago. The work area is larger and extremely organized: everything has a place, everyone has their own computer and access to appropriate equipment, and the customer requirements are clear, comprehensive, and visible. Barcodes are still being affixed to books, but we now have spine label printers which are automated from our fully-fledged library management system. We also have an advanced workflow system to track orders through each stage of the workflow, an inventory system linked to our accounts, and a whole logistics team for managing the warehouse.

Recently, I spoke to some of the senior cataloguers that regularly train new employees at CAVAL. They confirmed that new cataloguers don’t necessarily need library qualifications, and while some may have taken a cataloguing unit, it made little or no sense to them at the time—they still required on-the-job training. The skills new cataloguers need include attention to detail, organizational skills, research skills, and a willingness to learn. In an ideal world, these valuable contributors of metadata would receive some sort of accreditation for their dedication and achievements in learning a unique skill that is not being taught adequately through mainstream educational programs.

Conclusion

Twenty years ago, I never thought I would be where I am at CAVAL. I have been fortunate to have had plenty of opportunities for growth and great managers and mentors, some librarians and some not. Each one encouraged me and assured me that I am a valuable contributor to this sector despite not having a library and information science (LIS) degree.

Still, as I consider my career beyond CAVAL, I wonder: where could I advance to without an LIS qualification? There do seem to be more opportunities for alternative leaders within the sector now than in the past, but there is often a shadow hanging over that person’s head: they are not actually a librarian.

The absence of traditional credentials doesn’t need to be perceived as diluting the value of the profession. The alternatively qualified professional plays a valuable role. Working in conjunction with library-qualified professionals, these two assets can be more successful together.

Looking forward, let’s give employees opportunities to become qualified LIS professionals by providing relevant, appropriate, and accessible training in a model that combines study and experience. This training can benefit both the industry and the individual. Creating new pathways to develop talent not only expands the candidate pool but also passes on and preserves the valuable skills librarians possess. If there was a pathway for me that built on my skills and experience, I’d take it.