Rethinking Library Technical Services: Redefining Our Profession for the Future

The roller coaster of technology-driven change continues to challenge 21st-century librarians. Weber (technical services, Rutgers Univ.; Describing Electronic, Digital, and Other Media Using AACR2 and RDA) provides an overview of technical services and the impact electronic resources are having on this aspect of librarianship. Contributors are drawn from academic and public libraries to discuss technical services' contributions to the profession and suggest ways in which the often behind-the-scenes staff may continue to lead the way in developing user-friendly access to a growing variety of digital resources. Collaboration, refocusing, advocacy, and ongoing professional development are recurring themes for coping with profound transitions currently underway in resource management and data curation. Interviews of six practitioners address career advice, speculation about the Resource Description and Access (RDA) standard, and skills needed for technical services workers. This collection provides thoughtful, in-depth analyses of technical services, going beyond the basics provided by John Sandstrom's and Liz Miller's Fundamentals of Technical Services. While the climate of perpetual change may sometimes seem daunting, these experts attest to the rewards of engagement in rising to the challenge.