Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.
Required skills
analytical skills to review data and usage patterns
communication skills to:
consult with customers and colleagues
present recommendations
negotiate with contractors
literacy skills to:
review feedback
articulate recommendations
complete paperwork
numeracy skills to collect and review usage data
planning and organising skills to:
arrange collection reviews
organise acquisitions and disposal
research skills to:
investigate current and emerging trends and technology
review contemporary best practice
search and review to verify bibliographic and other information as the basis for reliable recommendations for inclusion in collections
self-management skills to:
prioritise work tasks and meet deadlines
follow workplace procedures
teamwork skills to work collaboratively with others involved in the management of collections
technology skills to:
use business technology
use library management systems.
Required knowledge
current and emerging trends in relation to libraries and publishing
selection, acquisition and de-selection processes and procedures
issues that impact on collection management, such as:
Copyright Act
statements on free access to information
UNESCO's Public Library Manifesto
Archives Act
collection management policies and processes for selecting, weeding and stocktaking
in-depth knowledge of information services trends and practices.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Usage data may be collected from: | analysis of collection usage community consultations data collection using automated systems informal feedback from customers and other staff interviews regular review of collections against organisational objectives surveys and other methods of formal feedback. |
Current and emerging trends may relate to: | changes in community profiles changes in usage patterns digitisation and preservation of materials growth of collaboration in the acquisitions process through outsourcing, consortia and networks outsourcing of collection development functions technological developments affecting formats and acquisitions methods. |
Formats may include: | audiovisual, such as: DVDs and blu-ray audio books in various formats digitised materials e-resources, such as: e-books e-journals MP3 files microform multimedia and kits periodicals, such as: newspapers magazines journals photographs print materials realia or artefacts. |
Libraries and information services organisations may include: | archives co-located local government services, such as: local councils libraries tourist information centres government departments, agencies and bookshops information units, including: business and financial information units information units within a parent organisation galleries libraries, such as: national and state public and private school medical law business university TAFE museums online service providers records management units. |
Policy issues may relate to: | allocation of funding across the collection challenged materials collection development and management copyright, moral rights and intellectual property cultural and ethnic considerations disposal of unwanted items licensing purchase plans and contracts, such as: approval plans outsourcing networks consortia selecting, acquiring and weeding special collections vendors. |
Supply optionsmay relate to: | approval plans creating digitising leasing licensing outsourcing renting subscription. |
Developing proposalsmay be based on: | client groups format options specific requests usage patterns. |
Processes may include: | applying conspectus levels in relation to collection development identifying gaps in collection using automated shelf lists reviewing and updating collection development policies in relation to community profile and client needs and demands reviewing organisational policies and procedure manuals stocktake procedures. |
Selection tools may include: | databases online and print publisher and supplier information reviews. |
Details for acquisitionmay include: | availability cost format suppliers’ details. |
Performance of contractors may relate to: | after-hours service competitiveness flexibility quality of service range of products and services, such as: shelf-ready services for physical processing and cataloguing approval plans blanket orders responsiveness technological compatibility of vendor systems with library management systems. |
Outsourced servicesmay relate to: | acquisitions bar coding binding book purchasing cataloguing computer centre and services copy cataloguing de-acidification document delivery and retrieval imaging indexing licensing microfilming network management records management repairs shelving subscription management web page design and hosting. |
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.
Observation Checklist