SKILL DISTICTIONS AMONGST ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS IN PROFESSIONAL

LITERATURE
Shelby Cunningham
LI 835
November 19, 2015

Abstract
In the field of academic librarianship, there are two distinct fields of operation. One is the
community college librarian, the other is a librarian at a traditional four year institution. Both of
these positions face unique challenges to provide the best services they can for their patrons. As
such, each version of an academic librarian gains unique skills an experiences.
However, academic librarianship from the exterior does not always reflect the nuances
and diversity within the field itself. To a librarian on the outside, could someone observe how
different it is to work in a smaller university or a larger one? Does academic librarianship
accurately represent its diversity in how various positions have different skills? Or does it act as
though all academic library positions are equal?
This paper will examine how the academic librarianship accurately represents the
diversity in skill sets to the outside. It does so thorough examination of professional literature
and job postings, to examine how (if at all) the subject of the different skill sets in the two sets of
librarianship is presented. Through this examination we can reveal how the academic
librarianship might better present himself, not only to the rest of the profession, but to the world
as a whole.

INTRODUCTION
Each field of librarianship brings separate and unique challenges for librarian
professionals. For public librarians, the challenge is to deliver a well-rounded information
platform for a large and diverse community. For special librarians, the patron base is smaller, so
the challenge is to ensure that they maintain a solid relationship between themselves and their
patrons. For academic librarians, these two aspects of librarianship meet in the middle. They both
have to serve a diverse community of students and faculty, and have to maintain a strong
relationship between the library and the university as a whole in order to maintain themselves as
a functioning part of the academic community.
However, this is not to say that the academic librarianship is a seamless professional
community. The academic librarian profession itself is colored by two distinct environments, the
community college and the larger university. Both serve similar functions in the academic
community, each environments are unique. While both environments wrestle with similar daily
challenges, such as providing information for a wide array of students and faculty, a community
college is distinct in that it provides academic services to a smaller community and student base
than a larger, traditional university. As such, a community college librarian is tasked with
different responsibilities than those in a larger institution. Where a four year university may have
a large and diverse staff, a community college may only have a single librarian, or several part
time employees.
As a result, librarians working in community college library tend to develop a different
skill set than those who work in larger universities. However, just how wide is that skill set
difference between these aspects of academic librarianships? And how, if at all, does this

difference manifest itself outwardly? Or are the differences between the two sides of academic
librarianship so minute, that the distinction hardly matters?
This paper will examine the skill set differences between community college and
university librarians, to see how (if at all) each side of academic librarianship demonstrates that it
demands unique skills of its librarians. It will do so from an outsiders prospective, to see if the
differences are obvious to an outsider to the academic library field. As such, it will examine both
scholarly articles on academic librarianship alongside job postings from both community
colleges and large institutions. Through this examination this paper will determine how obvious
the distinction between the skill sets of both environments manifest, or if the difference is
something that is not discussed outside of the academic work environment.
DIFFERENCES AS HIGHLIGHTED IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS
Before examining specific comments and reflections on the differences between the two
genres of academic librarianship, we must first examine if there are any obvious skill differences
between the two environments in academic literature. Are the differences between the two sides
of academic librarianship being discussed in this format? Is there a distinction made to
prospective job seekers? Or is the situation ignored entirely?
At first, the appearance is that the situation here is the latter. For example in the article
Best Practices for Hiring Academic Librarians with Faculty Status and Rank author
Christopher Shaffer highlights what those who hire for academic libraries seek in terms of skill
sets for these positions. While his primary focus examining the faculty status of librarians in an
academic setting, his article does give a basic overview of what is expected of any academic
librarian. A candidate he writes is capable of the basic tasks being a librarian [collection

development, tech services, etc.], interacting with faculty, guiding students, and performing their
duties as a member of the academy. (Schaffer, 2011, p.3-4). While this phrase gives the
impression that the fields are exact in their tasks and duties, it should be noted that the rest of the
article indicates that Schaffer is writing from the perspective of a larger university. He only
makes the distinction of mentioning the community college as a separate field of academics
once, in a passing mention, acknowledging that community college librarians also are
encouraged to have roles as faculty members.
However, another article gives a different impression on the differences between the two
sides of academic librarianship. As B.C Havens writes in a brief news article titled Type of
Institution for the Library Journal, there is an immediate outward distinction between
community college librarians and those working in larger institutions. As he states If you want
to be a generalist. community college might be the best fit for you. If you are more interested
in specializing in a subject niche go for a university. (Haven, 2013) This article was written
for those outside the academic library field, considering a career in the field. It immediately
notes how there is distinction between the two areas of the profession, and the basics of what one
can expect in each environment. This distinction, however, goes beyond just offering a
distinction between these two branches of academic librarianship. It also highlights how each
environment may highlight and curate different skill sets from their librarians. By stating that
community college librarians are generalist gives the impression that community college
librarians are required to have more varied expectancies with their daily workflow than those of
a librarian in a larger university. It also indicates that perhaps that academic librarians of larger
institutions are expected to gain a higher standard of education or experience in order to work in
this environment effectively.

Finally, in Lessons from a Joint-Use College and University Library author Timothy
Hommey reflects on what happens when the two sides of academic librarianships merge into a
single location. While the primary focus of this article is on how the two schools effectively
worked together to create this community space, it does highlight (albeit briefly) on how each
school occasional handles management of the space differently. However, since the focus is more
on how the libraries have handled communication between each other in order to have a
functioning duality- there is not much discussion on how past experience and training manifest
themselves in the library environment. A pity, since as Hommey points out it is also quite rare to
find this type of collaboration.
In total, academic literature does not reflect any differences (except in the broadest of
terms) between the two factors of academic librarianship. Still, the distinction is mentioned, abet,
in passing. So, this makes the impression that all academic librarians are the same to the outside
observer, even within the profession itself. Yet, it is acknowledged briefly. So perhaps, the
distinction between the two environments is mentioned elsewhere.
DIFFERENCES AS HIGHLIGHTED IN ACADEMIC JOB POSTINGS
In this section, we compare four open academic library positions with each other. Two
from community colleges, and two from larger four year universities, to compare whether or not
language and phrasing indicates a key, fundamental difference in desired skill set.
Representing the community college job postings, we compare a Technical Services
Librarian posting at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) in Jamestown, North
Carolina. The other posting is a Part-Time librarian at Grossmont- Cuyaymaca community
college. Rather than list every facet of what each job posting entails, this paper will only

compare similar aspects of each one. Both jobs do require an MLIS in order to apply. While the
Grossmont-Cuyaymaca job posting is very basic, it is notable in that is asks for a remarkable
amount of flexibility, supporting staff in class room assignments and working where needed
(Part-time Librarian). In contrast, the GTCC job posting is much more in-depth, reflecting the
nature of the specific demands of the job title. However, it too is subject to language that seeks a
candidate that is flexible, above all else, not only requiring many technical skills but also
assisting in the development of collections (Technical Services librarian).
For four year institutions, we have a posting for Denison University and for Boston
University. For Denison, there is a posting for a more specific roles of a Liaison Librarian while
Bostons is more generic. One of the surprising things in the Dension University posting is the
request that the applicant have a second masters degree (Liasion Librarian). The Boston
Position, however, remains much more basic in its demands of the applicant.
In comparing the four, outside of the outlier of the request for a second masters degree,
all four job postings do not reflect the diversity in environment between community college and
larger institutions. Perhaps this is due to a selection in job postings (one general and one
specialized in each location). But perhaps it is just a poor reflection on the true diversity of what
is experienced in the academic librarian profession.
CONCLUSION
The skills required and desired for community college librarians are not the same skills
demanded from academic librarians working in larger universities, and vice versa. Both
environments are structured differently, in order to provide the best services for their student and
faculty body. While the skills necessary to maintain both institutions can be comparable, the

skills desired of a community college librarian are different than those of a larger institution. Yet,
the differences in skill sets expected from both sides of the academic library community are not
expressed openly in the professional literature. Outwardly, there is no imediant distinction that
the two fields are so different, though any practicing Academic librarian would certainly tell you
otherwise.
It is important to remember than no position in any institution is equal, that the findings
in this paper may not reflect every position in every academic institution. It does, however,
highlight how even within a field of librarianship that our profession is a highly varied and ever
changing field. In order to best serve our patrons, we must be willing to adapt to the needs and
resources of our institution, and not be afraid to experiment and learn. Each librarian must learn
to be flexible in order to prepare for the tasks requested of them, and not be afraid to learn new
skills. In this, all aspects of librarianship are the same.

REFERENCES
Havens, B. C. (2013). Type of Institution. Library Journal, 138(9), 16.
Hommey, Timothy. (2015). Lessons from a Joint-Use College/University Library. Journal
Of Library Administration, 55(5), 405-413.
Liaison Librarian--Fine Arts. (2015, November 12). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from
https://employment.denison.edu/postings/1089
LIBRARIAN, Mugar Library, F. Pardee Management Library. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 19, 2015, from https://bu.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?
fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=298189&company_id=15509&jobboardid=101
Librarian, Technical Services. (2014, December 19). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from
https://jobs.gtcc.edu/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=800
PART TIME POOL - LIBRARIAN. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from
https://jobs.gcccd.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp
Shaffer, Christopher. (2011). Best Practices for Hiring Academic Librarians with Faculty
Status and Rank. Southeastern Librarian, 59(3), 2-9.