21st Century Competencies: A Conclusion

A 21^st century librarian has many competencies. According to the SLA, the core competencies for librarians today include data, information and knowledge (SLA, 2016).  These competencies need to be expanded into a much larger framework within the library system.  Librarians today need to understand technology on a completely different level than ever before and have a strong basis in web literacy.  In areas such as social media, it is important to be able to utilize social media for the benefit of their library as well as their patrons.  With the evolution of cloud computing we need to understand how to apply this form of network storage to the library so that it runs efficiently within the network.   Outside of the computer technology aspect, is the non-traditional competencies that are becoming more relevant.  We need to be able to work with the community in determining the needs and values within that community whether that be sustainability or therapeutic, libraries are not just about the books any longer.  It seems the most important competency for a 21^st century librarian is adaptability in all areas of librarianship (Adams, S., 2015)

Citations

Adams, S., (2015) Librarianship. In Hirsch, S.(Ed ), Information Services Today (pp. 41-52)  Lanham, Marland: Rowman & Littlefield

SLA Board of Directors (2015) Competencies for Information Professionals. Retrieved from   http://www.sla.org/about-sla/competencies/