ALA Learning: Technology Skills Library Staff Should Have

http://alalearning.org/2011/01/21/techskills/

I was recently asked to draw up a list of technology skills that I thought members a library staff should possess. I wrote my list in very broad strokes, before making it really specific to different tasks or specifying certain items only for certain positions. I thought I would share this “rough list” with the rest of the library world in case it would help you too. I advise getting more specific if you’re having staff self-assess on what skills they have, or actually provide trainings in these areas. But this is a good starting point.

So what did I miss? What would you take out? Leave comments and let’s develop this list together!

Terminology

Technology terms glossary
Hardware

Parts of your desktop computer
Parts of a laptop computer
Using printers
Using photocopiers
Using telephones
Using fax machines
Using self-checks
Using projectors
Using digital still cameras
Using digital video cameras
Using digital microphones
Using sorting systems
Software

Operating system
Effective management of files and folders systems
Word Processing software
Spreadsheet software
Presentation software
Multimedia players and plug-ins
Web browsers
E-mail and calendar software (Outlook or whatever)
ILS (back-end staff-side stuff)
Computer and/or room reservation software
Online reference software
Photo editing software
Video editing software
Audio editing software
Security and Privacy

Policies regarding security on public computers
Policies regarding security on staff computers
Policies regarding user data collection and privacy
Public Computing

Familiarity with software
Familiarity with hardware
Familiarity with wired and wireless networks
Familiarity with computer and network use policies
Ergonomics

Proper ergonomic computer set-up
How to avoid repetitive stress injuries
How to avoid eye strain with computers
Library web presence

URLs for library’s website and catalog
Using the library’s website
Using the library’s web catalog
Best practices for searching the catalog and website
Familiarity with library’s or library vendors’ mobile apps or sites
Familiarity with eBooks collections
Familiarity with databases
Familiarity with virtual reference and tutoring services
Familiarity with accessibility requirements and procedures
Writing for the web best practices
How to post content (text, links, images) to the library’s website
How to post content to the library’s intranet
Best practices for social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
How to post photos to Flickr
How to post video or audio files (to whatever sites you’re using)
Troubleshooting

Assisting in-house users effectively on our equipment or theirs
Assisting remote users effectively on their equipment
Personal Skills

Continuous learning
Change management
Planning and evaluating new information technology systems
Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new web services
One-on-one training best practices