Updating the core competencies

[Meg Kribble]

While working on a program proposal for next year's meeting, I was perusing the association's Core Competencies for Law Librarianship. One of them stood out:

4.7 Develops, creates, and maintains the library Web site

To my ears, that sounds hopelessly early aughts, and since so many of us are experimenting with Facebook/MySpace/Meebo/Ning/browser toolbars/etc., I would love to see that updated to replace "Web site" with "web presence."

I don't imagine the Core Competencies are updated very often, but I wanted to throw this out here to see what people think, and find out if anyone knows how one would go about formally suggesting such a change.

[Anne Myers]

Oops - just realized I forgot to include this!

Please use this address if you would like to sign up for the Competencies discussion. Sorry for the confusion!

http://share.aallnet.org/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=aall-cpe

[Nolan Wright]

Good ideas.

Meg Kribble said:

Okay, here are a few more:

--Replace all instances of "Web site" with the standardized "website"
--1.5 Understands the social, political, economic, and technological context in which the legal system exists
--1.15 Recognizes the value of professional networking and actively participates in professional associations and relevant online communities [I'm not sure exactly what wording would be best here, but somehow it should indicate things like blogging, Twitter, and other types of online social networking in addition to traditional professional association activities]
--4.1 Understands the practical application of creating, accessing and managing information, including databases, integrated library systems, client-server applications, hardware, software, web applications, networks, and electronic information resources
--4.2 Evaluates the need for new and evolving emerging technologyies and implements required changes

I can't remember who, but someone on Twitter suggested adding something to the effect of "monitors technology trends" to the Library Management portion. The Collection Care and Management section probably needs a going over by some forward-thinking tech services people.

I've specifically avoided using the term 2.0 anywhere, because I suspect it will seem hopelessly mid- to late-aughts in another half decade, if not sooner! :)

[Melanie Cofield]

Meg,

I'm new to this social network, but I am very glad to see this discussion. As our academic law library's webmaster, I'm pushing hard to make the transition from a 1person/1direction website update workflow to a more collaborative, distributed workflow involving various library staff (content experts) who contribute and update our site via 2.0 web applications. Sticking with the old model has made it difficult to keep our website current, but we have limited web technology skills among our seasoned law librarian staff. I definitely think it is time to update the core competencies.

-Melanie

[Meg Kribble]

Thanks, Melanie!