Technical Services Round Table Creating an Experts Directory

With practically all of the Pennsylvania Library Association’s in-person conferences and gatherings moved to virtual platforms this year, it may seem distressing for the association’s divisions, chapters, and round tables to find constructive means of coming together to collaborate on projects. Without the benefits of face-to-face contact to feed off of one another’s energy, laughter, and critiques, projects have had to be mulled over and refined through an endless parade of Zoom or BlueJeans meetings and emails. Nonetheless, we have proven time and again to be a resilient association that has often faced its fair share of stumbling blocks and hurdles, only to surmount them. To that end, I am pleased to announce the latest project in development among members of the Technical Services Round Table (TSRT). 

Librarians and library associates who have technical services skills — acquisitions, collection development and management, systems management, cataloging and classification, preservation and archives, continuing resources, etc. — will soon have the opportunity to share with other members of the association that they are knowledgeable about details of these practices through the Technical Services Round Table Experts Directory. Our round table will be notifying the association when we are ready with our survey tool, where participants will be able to fill out what skills they possess and become a part of the resource directory. This makes it easier for other librarians and library associates to reach out to a technical services “expert” should they be faced with a question, challenge, or just good ol’ curiosity about this aspect of our profession. 

The Technical Services Round Table would like to especially thank Megan Babal, the Public Service and Outreach Librarian with the Henry Buhl Library at Grove City College. With her direction and assistance, we have been creating a template for the survey that we will use to gather the information necessary to create  content for the directory. Babal has also been instrumental in guiding us through the components of Google Data Studio, which will allow for interactive use of the directory once placed on PaLA’s website. It is my sincere hope that those of you with technical services skills/knowledge will consider completing and submitting the survey to be included in the directory so that your contact information will be readily available for those who need a helping hand or a question answered. While our Annual Conference will be much different this October, the TSRT is aiming to have more information ready to present to our fellow PaLA members at that time.