Recruitment Training and Development Performance Compensation Promotion Succession Management Organizational Development COMPETENCIES = ACCOMPLISHMENT AND TRANSFORMATION Kathleen De Long University of Alberta Libraries

 COMPETENCIES  Skills  Knowledge  Abilities BACKGROUND 2

 2002 to 2006 LibQual results  2005 Customer Services Competencies for public service staff (baseline for performance of both professionals and para- professionals). These were designed for use at all public service points throughout the system  2007 to 2008 A New Model for Library Service  By 2009 Four major libraries using the new model: Science and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Education and Physical Education, Health Sciences. Also adapted for use in four other smaller libraries (Law, Business, Bibliothèque St- Jean and Augustana College). INTERVENTION 3

 Service Vision During all open hours, library users need only approach one Service Desk for assistance in our libraries. Our well-trained staff will provide information, technology, and library-use customer services from one Service Desk in each unit library. Staff will provide these services using a newly defined, broad skill-set that will allow them to determine user needs and effectively provide service at that time or refer when expert knowledge is required. The Service Desk will be staffed to meet user demand to ensure a timely response to user queries and new Public Service staff positions will be internally recruited to meet the needs of this new service. Our ambition is to more than meet our service demands, to enhance or augment our partnership commitments, as well as plan for new service offerings to serve our campus community. NEW SERVICE MODEL 4

University of Alberta Libraries STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES Core Competencies Customer Service Standards and Competencies Public Service Standards and Competencies Research Competencies Supervisor Standards and Competencies 5

Standard: Staff member presents him/herself in a professional manner Competencies: Approachability / Interest Performance Statements (observable actions): On time for meetings, help desk shifts and other scheduled activities Polite and positive Acknowledges clients who are waiting for a response and provides estimates of when a response or resolution can be expected Responds to client queries (i.e. help desk incidents, ejournal outages, catalogue record request, requests for information) in a timely manner according to set standards Can be relied upon to complete tasks without prompting Listens to others and is open-minded about suggestions from others SAMPLE COMPETENCY FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE 6

 The value of the process of developing competencies cannot be under-estimated.  Even if you don’t have an overall philosophy or vision (such as the University of Arizona you can develop competencies based on interventions and these can lead to fundamental change).  Competencies should be future-oriented, they demand re- thinking of the SKAs of staff (professionals as well as para- professionals) and the roles that they play in the organization. LESSONS 7

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION 8 Competencies have value for:  Organizational development interventions  Seek broad organizational change  Promote alignment of HR systems  Attract the attention of Executive  Promote future-oriented job requirements  Rate the importance of the competency in the future compared to the present

 Campion, M. A., Fink, A. A., Ruggeberg, B. J., Carr, L., Phillips, G. M., & Odman, R. B. (2011). Doing competencies well: Best practices in competency modeling. Personnel Psychology, 64,  Huff-Eibl, R., Voyles, J. F., & Brewer, M. M. (2011). Journal of Library Administration, 51,  McClelland, D. C. (1973). Testing for competence rather than for “intelligence”. American Psychologist, 28,  WebJunction: mpetency%20Index%20for%20Library%20Field.pdf REFERENCES 9