Wanted: Innovation Librarian !

In an earlier post I evaluated job titles and descriptions in an effort to uncover if libraries are placing value on technology and innovation. I detailed a nonscientific study of job postings on the ACRL job site from Jan - May 2006. Based on that I concurred that academic libraries were currently not recruiting MLS professionals for such positions.

A post by Jenny over at the Shifted Librarian contained a couple very interesting non-academic library position descriptions (in addition to her own NEW job description- congrats Jenny!) that were close to what I was looking for :

• Electronic Services Specialist at Redwood City (CA) public library
  
  
• A Wiki Analyst at Ebsco
  
  
• Technology Innovation Librarian at the The Nebraska Library Commission.
  
  

What remains unclear is what additional resources are being provided to the individuals in these positions so they can innovate. It is one thing to hire an innovation professional, but another to provide the human, fiscal, and organizational resources to actually innovate.

On a related topic, make sure to read Michael Stephen's Into a new world of librarianship in OCLC's NextSpace edition that focuses on Web 2.0. It provide a nice overview of the skills a responsibilities that would be hallmarks of such position descriptions. Sphere: Related Content