The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has announced that it will host a forum, 'Library Workforce for 21st-Century Research Libraries,' on October 11–12, 2012, in Washington, DC, immediately following the ARL Membership Meeting. The forum is open to all and is geared for research library directors, senior library staff, and organisation development and human resources staff. This event will provide a balance of discussion between two sets of issues—the workforce of the future and the processes undertaken to create that workforce.
Research libraries are implementing strategies to ensure that their workforce has the skills and competencies to further the mission of the library and campus institution. The environment continues to change for libraries and the users they serve. A vital workforce is critical to supporting the needs of 21st-century researchers.
This imperative calls for exploration of new roles and the next generation of information professional, and review of organisational models that help define new ways of working.
To address these needs, the forum will include sessions on impact of demographic; trends on library services; staffing priorities for workforce transformation; changing the collective mindset; organisational strategies for deep change; new roles for the 21st century.
The forum registration will close on September 14.
