Library Technical Services: Future Forward

This book takes a look at the future of technical services post-pandemic and at the brink of technological disruptions through a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility lens.

Libraries have undergone a tremendous transformation that has been driven by multiple factors that include technological developments, and societal impacts such as declining college enrollment and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has introduced changes to how technical services professionals work and provide services. Whereas the library is often perceived by users as a building to house print books and journals, the reality is that the library encompasses both physical and virtual spaces. For many users, the library’s online catalog and website are their first (and perhaps only) experience with the library. Our user community is global, and technical services work has evolved to serve users with a growing array of electronic resources, including e-books, databases, and e-journals. These resources differ from their print counterparts in that they cost more, require licenses and contracts that must continually need to be renegotiated and renewed, must comply with accessibility standrards, and require different skill sets to catalog. The virtual spaces and services libraries provide are built on the foundation provided by technical services librarians.

Assessment is an important, yet often overlooked, aspect of technical services work, and is addressed in this book. It is critical for collection development and acquisition of electronic resources. It is also an important component of the work of electronic resources librarians, who monitor usage and trends.

Developing an appropriate skill set for technical services work is essential for success. This includes knowing the standards for the work performed, awareness of emerging standards, and remaining relevant.

Mary Beth Weber has served as the head of Central Technical Services at Rutgers University Libraries since 2008. She has experience with acquisitions (requests for proposals, approval plans, PDA/DDA/EBA plans) and resource description. Early in her career, she established herself as an expert in cataloging non-print resources. Weber has been active in ALA Core (previously ALCTS) and served as editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed scholarly journal Library Resources & Technical Services for nine years. She has authored numerous books on technical services and cataloging. In addition, she has been active in mentoring programs, both within ALA and at Rutgers University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Art History (Double Major) from Michigan State University, and holds an MLS from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Melissa De Fino has been a technical services librarian for twenty years and currently serves as the Metadata Librarian for Distinctive Collections and Audiovisual Materials at Rutgers University Libraries. In 2022, she co-authored Virtual Technical Services: A Handbook with Mary Beth Weber. Her research focuses on the evolving field of technical services librarianship, including articles such as ＂Amazon for Technical Services Librarians＂ and ＂New Roads for Patron-Driven E-Books.＂ De Fino also served as editor of the ＂Tech Services Online＂ column in Technical Services Quarterly for several years and was named the 2009 Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Emerging Leader. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in creative writing from Fordham University, a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University, and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with a focus on creative arts from Rutgers University.