People keep mailing me this opening, which has been around for at least six months and shows no sign of being filled. I’m tired of seeing it. It’s unfillable as written. This post is by way of a friendly (really, sarcastic though I’m about to be, I mean this to be helpful) clue-by-four to the University of Kansas people.
Let’s run down your requirements list, shall we?
- MLS from an ALA accredited institution.
- Minimum one year experience with library or digital library systems. (Candidate may substitute experience with general database systems and knowledge of standards, technologies, and techniques relevant to digital libraries.)
Oh, so you want a digital librarian. Cool.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and oversee complex projects in a team environment, meet deadlines, and to prioritize work in alignment with the service goals of the university and Information Services.
- Ability to thrive in a team environment, working both independently and collaboratively as appropriate
- Experience developing policy and procedures for digital systems and services.
Wait, you want a project manager. Who is also a digital librarian. Well, okay, they exist. By now I qualify, though I’m short on what you would call “experience.”
- Demonstrated knowledge of content organization and management as relevant to the university spectrum of disciplinary needs
- Strong commitment to users service and support.
Okay, so an information architect, who is also a project manager, who is also a digital librarian. Guys, the air’s getting a bit rarefied up here. I still qualify, sort of, but I have to stretch a bit at “demonstrated knowledge.”
- Significant development experience using advanced techniques such as XML, XSL/T, CSS, Javascript, HTML and standard scripting and query languages.
- Demonstrated and documented evidence of successful design of database-driven content systems based on a broad understanding of the information seeking behaviors of users.
So a combination database designer/administrator, hardcore markup geek, webmonkey, information architect, project manager, and digital librarian is what you’re after. Um, yeah. Good luck with that.
I know a fair few geeks. I can’t think of anyone who fits this description. Leave out the “librarian” part and I can come up with two, maybe three—but I guarantee you the people I’m thinking of are making one heck of a lot more than your upper salary range.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills, including demonstrated ability to develop written project documentation, process procedures, reports, etc.
Whoa, whoa, hold on—you want all those things plus a tech writer? Why not ask for super-aquatic perambulation and be done with it? And I haven’t even touched the “preferred” qualifications yet! Not to mention that the jugglin’ fool who takes this job is going to have to carry out a research agenda, in his/her oh-so-copious spare time.
You won’t get an experienced librarian to apply to this position, because any institution possessing such a paragon of digitality is hanging on to him/her like grimmest death. You won’t get a newbie librarian either, partly because of the usual two-years-experience clause (in the preferred quals), partly because we newbies are nervous about getting in over our heads as it is.
Please, y’all. Your reality check just bounced. Sit back down in your conference room and figure out what you really have to have. Then rewrite that job description so that it can be filled by a flesh-and-blood human being untouched by deity. I, for one, will thank you for it. And I might even apply.
