1. Science Librarians in the 21st Century: A Cautionary Tale or

2. New Crossroads? That’s No Crossroads I See.
Mel DeSart
University of Washington
ALA Annual 2005

10. 56 ALA-accredited programs, 3 conditionally accredited 1, in Montreal, was excluded because all the text was French Of the remaining 55, 41 (74.5%) list a sci-tech course in their catalogs

11. Only 15 programs offered that sci-tech course in the one year examined
Only 15 programs offered that sci-tech course in the one year examined. 37% of the programs that had a sci-tech course in their course catalogs. 27% of the 55 total programs

12. How do we help users that likely need our help, don’t know that they need it, and no longer come in to our libraries? How do we retain our relevancy to our users, our library administration and our university administration? How do we keep more qualified people coming into the profession to do both of the above?

13. Our Users. Since they’re not coming to us, what do we do?
Find a way to bring users to us that offers us a teaching opportunity or we find a way to get to them with that same teaching opportunity.
Web pages are NOT the answer. Not a Field of Dreams case of “if you build it they will come”.

14. Get into more classes. Develop online tutorials
Get into more classes. Develop online tutorials. Student rep on library committee. Go to where the student are. Free cup of coffee. Recruit people to “test” databases. Sci-tech trivia contest.

15. Our relevance. How to prove our worth to those whom we need to.
Measure everything (except journal use) you’re involved with.
Testimonials from students or faculty.
Create a unique niche for yourself within your organization.

16. The Profession – Our Future
Demand vs. Supply – Are they meeting at a workable point?
Sci-tech courses not being taught in your LIS program? Offer to teach it yourself.
Talk to / recruit the quality students who work in your libraries.