Shhh!

Librarians Become Outsourced Contractors

F. DiPietro

Communities and schools are in a constant battle to effectively budget reduced funding against ever-increasing expenses. Libraries can easily be overlooked as just another line-item on a list of necessities and essentials but should be considered one of their best resources in helping to develop the minds of their greatest assets, people. Statistics have shown that library usage has increased, and yet the value of the library is discounted when necessary funding is not approved. Because of the economic climate, societal values and technology, librarians should be looking at their job descriptions and examining ways to adapt to this changing environment by becoming subject specialists or they could become outsourced!

According to a recent report by the Association of College & Research Libraries, technology's impact on libraries will be high should outsourcing become an accepted method (Staley & Malenfant, 2010). Is that such a bad thing? Apparently not to most people if they let it happen in the first place. It could be a Catch-22, as libraries make computers and the internet available to patrons and patrons become proficient using online resources, resulting in a decrease in the value of the research librarian's skills. As the value decreases, so do the funds to maintain libraries, slashing funds available for technology, thus reducing access to computers by patrons.

On the other hand, since necessity is the mother of invention, with more people doing their own research, information companies could mushroom and develop new search engines and other preferred tools. This could result in making the librarian's role obsolete and forcing libraries to rethink their job functions, possibly outsourcing these positions for the remaining work with contracting companies, and cutting payroll dollars, much like contract computer programmers. With these added skills, librarians are finding employment as corporate librarians and database administrators (Crosby, 2001). This could allow for an entirely new job market for the librarian at the information companies, perhaps giving them the title, "Cybrarians"(McCauley, 2000). In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics sees an increase in job openings due to growth and replacement needs between 2008 and 2018 (see chart).

What are we to do in the face of this impact? We can begin to plan now and develop a strategy to either embrace the change or take advantage of the time to alter the course of events leading to an outcome in line with the profession's designed mission. As professionals, we should have a strategic concept of our profession, with standards, including best practices and continue to improve the profession and guide ourselves to making our goals a reality.

References

Crosby, O. (2001, January). Librarians: Information experts in the information age. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 44(4), 2-15.

McCauley, P. (2000, Winter). From Librarian to Cybrarian: Coping with Accelerating Change in Libraries. Ohio Media Spectrum, 51(4), 31-36.

Staley, D., & Malenfant, K. (2010). Futures thinking for academic librarians: Higher education in 2025 (pp. 33): Association of College & Research Libraries.