Are We There Yet? Do We Have the Staff We Need to Meet the Needs of New Generation Learners?

Libraries of the 21st century are facing different challenges and opportunities in meeting the information needs of a new generation of users. It is important to ensure that libraries have the right number of people with the right skills and attributes in the right place at the right time. There are a number of issues that need to be considered to achieve this.

This paper summarizes the key findings from research into the trends and issues affecting workforce planning in New Zealand university libraries. These are not unique to New Zealand and other locations may benefit from these findings.

First and foremost it is essential to recruit and retain staff who are skilled and innovative as well as flexible and adaptable. The staff we recruit should also reflect the increasingly transnational, diverse users we serve.

Alongside the need for new and talented staff are the concerns around the retirement of experienced staff over the next decade. This is a double-edged sword as many will retire but on the other hand many older people are working longer. This requires the fostering of knowledge transfer opportunities in both directions and career development pathways for younger staff.