Skills and Knowledge Needed to Serve as Mobile Technology Consultants for Information Organizations

摘要

Libraries often lack the in-house information technology (IT) expertise required to (1) implement mobile applications and related technologies (MAT); (2) attain maximum return on investment including patron satisfaction for using MAT; and (3) reduce reliance on expensive IT consultants. Based on secondary analysis of the experiences and advice offered by librarians and IT professionals engaged in implementing MAT in libraries, we identify four core and six supplementary competencies needed to help libraries better serve their patrons using MAT. LIS graduate programs could equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to build 10 competencies so that they could serve as mobile technology consultants (MTCs) for libraries. Core competencies are mobile application development, human-computer interaction, computer networking, and planning and management of mobile technologies; and the supplementary competencies are: project management, change management, negotiation, data management, policy management, and grant writing.