Application
This unit applies to information services professionals with highly developed technical skills and knowledge who are required to analyse and describe material that is specialised and complex.
Work is undertaken autonomously.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Review specialist and complex material | 1.1 Use methods of description for specialist and complex material that reflect the principles of bibliographic control, relevant standards and customer needs 1.2 Analyse material in a manner that reflects in 1.3 Derive concepts from analysis that reflect awareness of current industry practice and standards |
2. Develop descriptions for specialist and complex material | 2.1 Select terminology to represent concepts based on in 2.2 Establish authority files for new headings that are devised and maintained according to accepted industry practice 2.3 Describe material for which there are no precedents 2.4 Check that descriptions meet relevant industry standards |
3. Enhance systems for describing material | 3.1 Use knowledge of general developments in library and information services practice and organisational priorities to contribute to enhancement of systems 3.2 Recommend expansion or enhancement of organisational systems for describing material to relevant personnel |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to make recommendations for improving organisational systems for describing material
initiative and enterprise skills to devise and apply innovative systems of analysis, description and classification to optimise use of information
learning skills to keep up-to-date with current industry developments and practices
literacy skills to:
interpret highly specialised and complex information
use wide-ranging analysis and description methods
planning and organising skills to use and adapt analysis and description concepts to create practical operational improvements
problem
self-management skills to:
prioritise work tasks and meet deadlines
follow workplace procedures
technology skills to develop user-friendly interfaces for customer use when accessing information.
Required knowledge
different customer groups, their specialist information needs, and types of libraries and information agencies
variety of contexts in which users need access to information
techniques and protocols for creating appropriate information description and classification systems
ways of maximising the interface between technology and information in developing useful systems of description and classification
copyright, moral rights and intellectual property issues and legislation that apply to analysis and description of materials in a wide range of contexts
specialist cataloguing and classification knowledge
processes for indexing and abstracting
national and international standards, precedents, interpretations and processes.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and application of cataloguing and classification principles plan and carry out complex cataloguing and description tasks apply metadata knowledge to specialist and complex materials and resources use current industry systems and tools to analyse and describe a range of specialist and complex material. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: specialised and complex material organisational systems for describing material. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on evaluation of analysis and description techniques used by the candidate for a range of material that poses different challenges and issues evaluation of reports prepared by the candidate highlighting processes and rationale for the analysis and description process. Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular client groups (consider the requirements of different age groups, clients with English as a second language, clients with disabilities, remote library users, etc.). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CULINM502A Provide subject access and classify material. |
Range Statement
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.
Specialist and complex material may be: | in languages other than English non photographs music recordings art prints computer software material in electronic formats internet, intranet and other network print, such as: monographs and serials textbooks scientific journals theses technical works newspapers manuscripts rare books or maps. |
Contexts | academic business cultural intellectual research social. |
Analysis and description may relate to: | cataloguing classification devising or adapting headings specific to an organisation’s needs facilitating ease of access to information by customers indexing and abstracting manipulating and enhancing metadata situations where classification system and terms need to be supplemented to reflect new fields of knowledge or changes in subject matter situations where subject categories are too specialised to be included in published and commonly used subject headings. |
Authority files | full name full subject reference only name reference only subject. |
Sectors
Knowledge management - Information management
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.