New Responsibilities: Emerging Technology

Over the past year, I have been working with library leadership on the creation of a new role for me within our Library system. As is the case in many Universities, the health sciences library I work at is administratively separate from the main University Libraries (OSUL) . While a part of the libraries system, our only formal relationship with OSUL is though our faculty appointments.

The piece which took a little while to work through is an experimental and very interesting (and innovative?) job/time swap with OSUL. My new position description is below.

One of the challenges I saw in our library is that we simply do not have enough librarians to do a great job on many of the new information services and initiatives underway, such as a liaison program and what I call embedded reference. I also have observed from a distance that OSUL could benefit from more hands to handle IT-oriented projects. Additionally, I observed that both organizations were further challenged trying to keep staff up-to-date with various technologies.

So, as I was building the job description, I proposed the idea of a time swap in which I would work with OSUL and that a subject librarian from OSUL would assist with the new information services. This is the first time during my 16-year-tenure here that such an arrangement with OSUL has been suggested or made. The OSUL leadership was very supportive of the idea and have been really accommodating. The timing was perfect since the President of the University has been touting the idea of 'one campus' over the past year.

I know there are others out there with a similar title and responsibilities, and in some ways we are late to the party. But, we made it....

Emerging Technologies and Services Specialist

25% Spearheads efforts to enhance services through implementation of innovative customer-centered solutions; integrates technologies such as social networking, virtual reference, mobile technologies, and other Web 2.0 applications; directs cross-department project-oriented implementation teams; investigates and obtains external funding and serves as the Principal Investigator on related projects; participates in collaborative emerging technology projects within the University Libraries, the Colleges of the Health Sciences, the Medical Center, the Office of CIO, and TELR; collaborates in the design of assessment tools.

20% Shares knowledge about emerging and emergent technologies through formal and informal educational activities; collaborates with educational technology specialists in the application of emergent technologies in instructional and research activities; prepares presentations for leadership groups; serves as a resource for subject specialists / liaisons in the identification and application of technologies within their disciplines; creates customer-centered materials and activities as needed.

20% Serves as an emerging technologies specialist for the University Libraries; works closely and in consort with University Libraries IT Department leadership.

20% Faculty unassigned time for research, scholarship and professional service activities.

15% Serves as an explorer of, and champion for, the use of emerging and emergent technologies as part of the Prior Health Sciences Library and Center for Knowledge Management’s commitment to research, instruction, and knowledge transfer; keeps current in the latest developments in library technology, web-based support, and other emerging technologies; serves as a staff expert on technological trends and equipment in the marketplace and will articulate how these trends will impact and enhance the services; Sphere: Related Content