Telling Our Story: Career Paths in Resource Sharing

Have you ever thought about working in resource sharing, but weren't sure how to get started? Have you ended up in resource sharing by accident and are not sure how to advance?

You will leave this session with ideas on how to do both from experienced heads of resources sharing from academic, special and public libraries! Resource sharing librarians often describe their career paths as serendipitous. They happen to get an internship or entry level position in resource sharing and fall in love wih the work. Important concepts for resource sharing like management and copyright can be found in some library school courses, but there is no formal educational pathway that leads to this specialization. The alternative to education is on the job training, which can vary widely in efficacy depending on staff knowledge and existing documentation. This is challenging because each library does resource sharing differently depending upon consortial partnerships, software, and workflows to meet the unique needs of patrons. Building off a research project where heads of resource sharing from Big Ten Academic Alliance libraries were interviewed and results analyzed through inductive thematic analysis, panelists will answer questions about thier career paths. They will identify the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be successful in the field and discuss recent trends as they offer advice for the next generation of resource sharing librarians.

By the end of this webinar, the participant will be able to:

Identify the key knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be successful in resource sharing
Compare differing career paths that have lead to success within the resource sharing field
Incorporate information on upcoming trends with advice offered by experienced heads of resource sharing into their own career journeys.

This webinar is relevant for people who are interested in a career in resource sharing as well as mid-career professionals looking for direction.