Cultivating TALint: Using the Core Competencies as a framework for training future e-resource professionals

Cultivating TALint: Using the Core Competencies as
a framework for training future e-resource
professionals
MARLENE VAN BALLEGOOIE & JENNIFER BROWNING
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARIES
NASIG 2018
Marlene van Ballegooie & Jennifer Browning
University of Toronto Libraries
NASIG 2018

Overview
The partners
About the TALint program
How Core Competencies can support
Workplace Integrated Learning
Integrating Core Competencies into daily work
Key benefits of using the Core Competencies
in the TALint program
What’s next for TALint?

University of Toronto Libraries
University of Toronto is Canada’s largest university
with over 88,000 students (70,728 undergraduate
and 18,038 graduate students) and a faculty of
over 14,000 members
University of Toronto Library system is consistently
ranked among the top 10 research libraries in
North America
Comprised of 44 libraries across three campuses
Employs approximately 500 librarians and support
staff

Metadata
Technologies
Unit
What we do:
• Provide access to electronic resources
• Batch loads and global changes to
bibliographic records for all formats
• Run complex reports for library staff to
support their work
• Provide metadata support for ITS dept. and
others
• Enhance resource discovery and improve
access to collections
• Take a lead role in exploring new metadata
standards (i.e. linked data)
• Facilitate the selection and implementation
of new systems
Marlene van Ballegooie,
Metadata Technologies
Manager
Jennifer Browning, Metadata
Librarian for Electronic
Resources
Antonio Muñoz Gómez,
Metadata Librarian
Sarah Gorman, TALint Student
Jordan Pedersen, TALint
Student

Faculty of Information iSchool
Faculty of Information iSchool offers the following programs: Master of Information (MI), a
Master of Museum Studies (MMSt), and a PhD in Information Studies
Concentrations in:
• Library & Information Science (LIS)
• Archives and Records Management (ARM)
• Information Systems & Design (ISD)
• Critical Information Policy Studies (CIPS)
• Culture & Technology (C&T)
• Knowledge Management & Information Management (KMIM)
• User Experience Design (UXD)
Current enrollment of over 560 graduate students, both Masters and PhD

The TALint Program
Toronto Academic Libraries Internship program
Began fall of 2014 as a partnership between the University of
Toronto’s iSchool and the University of Toronto Libraries
Provides enhanced educational experiences by combining periods of
in-class study with actual workplace experiences
Minimum A- grade average in the undergraduate program of study
A two year commitment, fifteen hours per week
TALint program currently supports 30 interns annually

TALint Program as Workplace Integrated
Learning (WIL)
Focused on basic principles of Workplace Integrated
Learning (WIL)
Three partners: the student, the employer and the
academic institution
Designed to give students opportunities to:
• Experience the workplace before they graduate
• Acquire and develop relevant skills, professional abilities and
attitudes
• Apply their knowledge and skills within a workplace setting
A key strategy in improving the employability of new
graduates and easing their transition to the workplace
Student
Employer Academic
Institution
WIL

Key Goals of the TALint Program
Focus on preparation for future employment
• Focus on work that leads to skill development
Experience the library workplace as a librarian
• Attend staff meetings, observe real life workplace activities and behaviour
Professional development
• Attend webinars, presentations, workshops
Mentorship
• Provide advice and guidance
• Connect students to colleagues
• Promote professional behaviour in a professional setting

TALint in the Metadata Technologies Unit
In 2017, the first students formally joined the Metadata Technologies Unit
Students to assist the Unit in providing access to electronic resources and
troubleshooting e-resource access problems
How to best achieve the goals and objectives of the
TALint program and give students the best work
experience possible?
How to offer a Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL)
opportunity in a structured and holistic way?

NASIG Core Competencies
Based on research by NASIG Core Competencies Task Force (NCCTF) and its
members
Intentionally broad in scope to encompass work with e-resources throughout ER
lifecycle
Intended to be used in combination and build on ALA’s Core Competencies of
Librarianship

7 Key Components
1) Lifecycle of electronic resources
2) Technology
3) Research and Assessment
4) Effective Communication
5) Supervising and Management
6) Trends and Professional Development
7) Personal Qualities

How Core Competencies Can Support
Workplace Integrated Learning

Setting the Framework for WIL
The NASIG Core Competencies for Electronic Resources Librarians
was introduced to the students during orientation as a guide for
their workplace learning
Immediately provided perspective on the range of duties that
electronic resources librarians perform
Competencies help to set expectations for student work
Assisted students in WIL goal setting activities, such as the
development of a learning agenda

Learning Agenda
As part of the TALint program, students are required to develop a
learning agenda early in the program.
The learning agenda is intended to identify profession-specific
learning goals and objectives, which include not only the professional
and technical skills, but also the soft skills that are required in the
workplace environment.
Developed by the student, in collaboration with their workplace
supervisor

Learning Agenda
Helps to structure the workplan to meet the needs of both the
student and the employer
Provides a tool for measuring success and self-reflection
Goals Activities and Tasks Measures of
Achievement/Success
What do you want to learn? How do you plan to achieve your
learning goals? What learning
activities and tasks will you engage
in during your placement to reach
your leaning objectives?
How will you demonstrate what
you have learned and provide
evidence of that learning?

Core Competencies Wiki
Married the objectives of the learning contract to the NASIG Core
Competencies
Integrated the competencies into a personalized online wiki
Connected each competency to relevant resources such as journal
articles, PowerPoint slides or webinars
Identified how student work relates to the core competencies
Allowed students to reflect upon what they have learned by
completing the task

Core Competencies Wiki
Core Competency Resources to Support
Competency
Leaning Activities and Tasks Evidence That Learning Has
Occurred
1. Life cycle of electronic resources
The ERL has extensive knowledge of the
concepts and issues related to the life
cycle of recorded knowledge and
information from creation through various
stages of use to disposition beyond that
required of a generalist. The ERL
understands the life cycle of electronic
resources in its ongoing complexity of
multiple stages and processes. This
broader understanding is essential as a
foundation in order for anyone to be
prepared to work with and act as a bridge
across the multiple units/departments
involved in electronic resources
management in information
organizations.
Pesch, O. (2009). ERMs and the e-resource
life-cycle [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved
from http://tinyurl.com/ERLifeCycle
TERMS: Techniques for Electronic Resource
Management
https://library.hud.ac.uk/blogs/terms/
Emery, Jill and Stone,
Graham (2013) TERMS: Techniques for
electronic resources management. Library
Technology Reports, 49 (2). pp. 5-43.
http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/16113/
1/author_ver.pdf (OA version)
Electronic Resource Management Lifecycle
and Workflow at UTL [Powerpoint slides]
Taking a course this semester in systems
analysis / process modeling, and I am
planning to analyze a workflow from
this e-resources department as part of a
project for the course. Hoping to
get a general perspective on the e-
resources life cycle instead of just from my
own day-to-day activities at work.
Completed project using process, strategy,
and goal modeling. Will meet to discuss
results!
Found it difficult to understand the e-
resources life cycle without looking
outside of it to the relationships and
activities that e-resources librarians
engage in with other organizations.

Integrating Core Competencies into
Daily Work

1. Lifecycle of Electronic Resources
Tasks
Activate/manage e-resources in knowledgebase
Obtain/augment vendor MARC records
Troubleshoot electronic resource access issues
Development Activities
Read articles and resources pertaining to the electronic
resources lifecycle
Discussions related to the relationship between vendor
metadata and the knowledegebase
Engage with Electronic Resource Acquisitions Team

2. Technology
Tasks
Use of new programs and systems to perform metadata-related
tasks
• Sirsi ILS
• Electronic Resource Management Systems
• Z39.50
• MarcEdit
• MySQL
Attend sessions and webinars related to
Library Services Platforms, EZProxy, and linked data

3. Research and Assessment
Tasks
Independently and cooperatively assigned to various projects to develop assessment,
problem-solving and decision-making abilities
Detail-oriented work involving collection, analysis, and
interpretation of data using SQL databases
Reciprocal knowledge sharing: encourage students to
present on class projects
Build research interests through exposure to various topics and trends

4. Effective Communication
Tasks
Create documentation on Metadata Technologies Unit wiki space
Hospitable workplace to freely discuss and consult with supervisors and with peers
Meet formally with supervisors at end of each semester to set goals and reflect
Developed and facilitated a MarcEdit Workshop for cataloguing staff
Presenting at University of Toronto Libraries Town Hall and conferences

5. Supervising and Management
Tasks
Planned for Year 2:
• Each student serve as project manager for a discrete
project
• Students develop strategies for managing individual
projects
• Assist with orientation and training of new team members
Project management course

6. Trends in Professional Development
Tasks
Students attend staff and committee meetings
Attend Canadian Linked Data Initiative
conference calls with librarians across Canada
Sign up to relevant listservs
Meet with librarians in other areas of the library
system, such as Scholarly Communications
Encouraged to attend conferences and
participate in webinar and “lunch and learn”
events

7. Personal Qualities
Through cumulative tasks and development activities, students can:
Develop a tolerance for the inherent complexity and ambiguity of electronic resource
management
Recognize that Technical Services work is a public service
Build flexibility, time management skills and accountability
Attain an aptitude for work that is both independent and collaborative

Key benefits of using the Core
Competencies in the TALint program

Promotes Employability
Employability - “skills and personal attributes considered important
by an industry, and needed by graduates in order to secure
employment.”
Goes beyond technical skills and includes personal attributes
(i.e. teamwork, professional
judgement, communication,
problem-solving, etc.)
The NASIG Core Competencies provide
the scaffolding for developing
employability in graduate students

In their own words…
“I already feel like I have entered the professional workplace! A
year ago, I wouldn’t have said I was prepared to commit to a
career in librarianship. I loved the work I was doing in libraries
but did not have a clear vision of where I wanted to go in the
future. After one year of this internship, I have a strong sense of
where to begin searching for future jobs and of how to build on
the skills I have.”
“I already feel like I have entered the professional workplace! A
year ago, I wouldn’t have said I was prepared to commit to a
career in librarianship. I loved the work I was doing in libraries
but did not have a clear vision of where I wanted to go in the
future. After one year of this internship, I have a strong sense of
where to begin searching for future jobs and of how to build on
the skills I have.”

“I feel very prepared [for the professional workplace]. In part I think
that I benefited from having a TALint position in a part of the library
which is growing and becoming more critical, but it is also because of
the genuine interest of my supervisors in mentoring and developing
my capabilities. I feel this has made me more prepared because I have
a regular space to ask questions about anything in the library or
profession which I don't understand, I have made more professional
connections, and I have knowledge of library systems, all of which
are being developed over time, resulting in an understanding of the
bigger picture, and deeper relationships.”
“I feel very prepared [for the professional workplace]. In part I think
that I benefited from having a TALint position in a part of the library
which is growing and becoming more critical, but it is also because of
the genuine interest of my supervisors in mentoring and developing
my capabilities. I feel this has made me more prepared because I have
a regular space to ask questions about anything in the library or
profession which I don't understand, I have made more professional
connections, and I have knowledge of library systems, all of which
are being developed over time, resulting in an understanding of the
bigger picture, and deeper relationships.”

Provides Career Clarification
The Core Competencies help to develop a greater awareness of
career paths
Provides clarity about the skills and
qualifications needed to become an
electronic resources librarian
Through a semi-structured training plan,
students gain confidence in their work
Leads to better informed decisions on
study, and ultimately, on their career direction

“I've found the greatest benefit [of using the core competencies]
to be a sense of direction professionally. While my experiences in
school tend to be quite broad, the core competencies have given
me a sense of focus on what skills and experiences are valuable
in the workplace, as well as a way to talk about them in
professional contexts.”
“I've found the greatest benefit [of using the core competencies]
to be a sense of direction professionally. While my experiences in
school tend to be quite broad, the core competencies have given
me a sense of focus on what skills and experiences are valuable
in the workplace, as well as a way to talk about them in
professional contexts.”

“Using the core competencies gives me a sense of where I stand
in the profession and encourages me to work on skills beyond
those required for my current job. Using the competencies helps
me understand how my classes, work, and other activities fit
together, because I can see how different tasks and projects
support the same core competencies.”
“Using the core competencies gives me a sense of where I stand
in the profession and encourages me to work on skills beyond
those required for my current job. Using the competencies helps
me understand how my classes, work, and other activities fit
together, because I can see how different tasks and projects
support the same core competencies.”

Develops Professional Identity
Core Competencies provide a lens through which students can learn,
evaluate, and make sense of practice
Helps students to gain a clear understanding
of professional standards, expectations,
ethical values, ideology and conduct
Encourages a smoother transition from
student to professional as they enter the
labour market

“This internship has changed what I thought I was capable of. It's given
me a taste of the technical work that needs to be done in libraries that
I don't get in school and haven't really experienced in any of my other
jobs. Also, the advice and mentorship from all three of you-
Marlene, Jenn, and Antonio, has taught me so much about hiring and
professional expectations, I feel like I will ask better questions while
I'm job searching and in interviews.”
“This internship has changed what I thought I was capable of. It's given
me a taste of the technical work that needs to be done in libraries that
I don't get in school and haven't really experienced in any of my other
jobs. Also, the advice and mentorship from all three of you-
Marlene, Jenn, and Antonio, has taught me so much about hiring and
professional expectations, I feel like I will ask better questions while
I'm job searching and in interviews.”

“[This position has] helped me develop technical skills, an
understanding of institutional organization, and an arsenal of
acronyms that are used often in the profession which are taken
for granted, but will be especially useful as I pursue a career in
the more technical aspects of librarianship.”
“[This position has] helped me develop technical skills, an
understanding of institutional organization, and an arsenal of
acronyms that are used often in the profession which are taken
for granted, but will be especially useful as I pursue a career in
the more technical aspects of librarianship.”

Promotes Reflective Practice
Core Competencies and learning agendas help students in the
process of reflection and self-assessment
Provides students with criteria to judge
what they have learned and what they
still need to learn
Helps students gain an appreciation of
their accomplishments and maximize
learning from the experience

“I see reflection as crucial to developing as a professional. Reflection helps me
to see value in the work that I’m doing and to recognize my accomplishments
and areas of improvement, giving me the confidence to talk about who I am
and what I can do. It has been especially rewarding to have time set aside at
work to reflect on progress, interests, and goals with my supervisors and
coworkers. We try to understand how our goals fit together and how our
goals fit with the goals of our library, which helps us connect with each other
and plan work. This gives my work a greater sense of meaning and helps me
take a more active role in our department.”
“I see reflection as crucial to developing as a professional. Reflection helps me
to see value in the work that I’m doing and to recognize my accomplishments
and areas of improvement, giving me the confidence to talk about who I am
and what I can do. It has been especially rewarding to have time set aside at
work to reflect on progress, interests, and goals with my supervisors and
coworkers. We try to understand how our goals fit together and how our
goals fit with the goals of our library, which helps us connect with each other
and plan work. This gives my work a greater sense of meaning and helps me
take a more active role in our department.”

“I try to write about a paragraph every 3 months to keep track
of how I am changing as a person within this program, because
we are encouraged to reflect so constantly. I've found it to be a
huge benefit. On one hand, I am able to immediately able to
address how a project (such as the MarcEdit workshop) went,
alone and with my co-workers. On the other, regular reflection
also keeps me from straying too far from my goals without
realizing it, and also to realize what I have been achieving.”
“I try to write about a paragraph every 3 months to keep track
of how I am changing as a person within this program, because
we are encouraged to reflect so constantly. I've found it to be a
huge benefit. On one hand, I am able to immediately able to
address how a project (such as the MarcEdit workshop) went,
alone and with my co-workers. On the other, regular reflection
also keeps me from straying too far from my goals without
realizing it, and also to realize what I have been achieving.”

More TALint!
In September 2018 we will add an
additional TALint student to our team
•Staggered two-year internships will
ensure at least one student is familiar with
workflows and systems as new hires
become fully trained
•Opportunities for peer-to-peer learning
and mentorship between current and new
hires

Toolkit for TALint
Students to help develop a Toolkit for new TALint interns entering
the Metadata Technologies Unit
Will correspond to the components of the Core Competencies and
contain:
• Information about the UTL Libraries and Unit
• Resources on e-resource lifecycle
• Systems and tools we use to do our work
• Cataloguing and bibliographic standards
• Glossary of library acronyms
• Tricks and tips

Promoting a Professional Identity
Encourage students to share documented successes beyond their
internal wiki
• Develop an ePortfolio to showcase their professional identity to
potential employers
• Public space to share their work and provide evidence of their skills
• Incorporate Blog entries, articles, presentations, etc.
• Encourage use of ORCiD, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. if students wish to
develop a professional social media presence

Assessment of our WIL Strategy
How do we assess our success in this venture? We
need to assess student success and our success as
supervisors and mentors
NASIG Core Competencies will be critical in
identifying proficiencies or knowledge gaps that
need more attention
Create more feedback loops to modify student
learning along the way
Ensure that students are able to engage with the
assessment process – reflect on feedback and take
action upon it

Advocate for Competency-Based
Approaches to Training
Promote competency-based training amongst
other TALint supervisors
Broad applicability throughout the library
Core competencies help to promote a learning
culture…not just for students, but for all library
staff, regardless of stage of career
Improve relevance in the ever-changing
information environment

Iterative Reflection
We must continually reflect to
ensure currency and relevancy of
WIL training strategy
Iterative reflection will ensure
that all the pieces work together
to meet our current and future
needs
Review
Evolving Core
Competencies
Review Changes
in the iSchool
Masters Program
Review our
Priorities as a
Unit

Using this Approach in your Workplace
WIL and integration of NASIG Core Competencies can be used in a
number of workplace contexts and conditions
• Employ use of a wiki to journal your own development and gain a
picture of your professional identity
• Try condensed versions when hosting short-term practicum
students
• Use Core Competencies for training new staff
and upskilling your team

Thank you!
And special thanks to Sarah and Jordan for your willingness to learn, enthusiasm to embrace new
challenges and your overall positive contribution to our Team!

Resources
Hannaford, J & Stevenson, S. (2017). TALint at the University of Toronto: Bridging the Gap
Between iSchool and Academic Librarianship. IFLA WLIC 2017.
http://library.ifla.org/1641/1/117-hannaford-en.pdf
NASIG Core Competencies Task Force. (2013). Core competencies for electronic resources
librarians. Retrieved from
https://amo_hub_content.s3.amazonaws.com/Association92/files/CoreComp/Competenciesfor
ERLibrarians_final_ver_2016-01-26.pdf
Rowe, Anna D. and Zegwaard, Karsten E. “Developing graduate employability skills and
attributes: Curriculum enhancement through work-integrated learning”. Asia-Pacific Journal of
Cooperative Education, 2017, 18(2), p.87-99.
University of Toronto. Quick Facts. Retrieved from: https://www.utoronto.ca/about-u-of-t/quick-
facts

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