Competency-Based Career Planning for Reference and User Services Professionals

Reference and user services librarians need to be in charge of their own careers. And when it comes to their own professional development, that means being proactive. This resource will enable professionals at every stage of their careers to honestly assess their skills and knowledge. Utilizing the RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) Professional Competencies as a framework for reflecting on strengths as well as gaps in expertise, it guides readers through developing strategies to enhance their professional standing and potential, thereby leading to a more satisfying career. In this book former RUSA president Whitlatch, who chaired the initial committee establishing the Competencies, teams up with expert trainer Woodard to introduce the seven categories of the RUSA Professional Competencies, explaining the ways in which each is important to both practitioner and institution; demonstrate how to create a personal development plan that focuses on development priorities; discuss the Association for Talent Development (ATD) Competency Development Model and other action plans; offer guidance for setting goals and measuring progress; share information on a variety of development activities that readers can undertake to maintain and enhance professional competencies, including formal training opportunities, on-the-job experiences, and self-directed initiatives; and provide recommended self-evaluation techniques such as writing up notes from group discussions, exercises, short verbal and written reports, crafting presentations on a topic, and sharing concrete examples of how skills were applied in the workplace. This book not only authoritatively tells practitioners, managers, students and educators what is expected of reference and user services librarians, but also points the way towards achieving those competencies.