1. Embracing the Non-
Traditional?
Dorotea Szkolar
NA DigiTech Manager, GroupM
Computers & Libraries, 2014

2. Rise of Information and Innovation
Powered World
“The world produced 14.7 exabytes of new information in
2008, nearly triple the volume of information in 2003
“The flow of information exchanged via
telecommunications networks also almost doubled
between 2002 and 2008.”
(Bounie & Gille, 2012)
“The world's roughly 27 million computer
servers processed 9.57 zettabytes of
information in 2008”
(Short, Bohn & Baru, 2010)

3. Lots of Information & Stuff Knowledge
Communication & Sharing Productive

4. The Reality

5. The Answer is Librarians!
• Curate and enhance knowledge for a set
purpose
• Trained in classification, cataloguing, and
organization techniques.
• Opportunity to combine with technological
innovations in data and databases to build custom
digital libraries = profit.
Immense Value to industry:
• Eliminate information overload
• Organize information so can be quickly
comprehended.
• Build foundations of Information efficient
discovery
• Support learning

6. Match Made in Heaven?
– Librarians bring unique skills set centered on information management,
information organization and information access that can greatly improve
business practices and profitability.
– Skills used in both Traditional & Non-Traditional Positions
– Promote controlled vocabulary & standards to ensure long term data
consistency and quality
– Hierarchy and classification to promote discoverability
– Long and short term collection development
– User Outreach and Engagement
– Collaboration with fellow departments and agencies
– Assessment
– Analytics Reports and User Feedback
– Training

7. Foundations For Hacking Information
Overload
– Provide information foundation to “hack”
corporate information.
– Information platform to build initiatives upon; the
starting ingredient
– Link information to other databases
– Incorporate support for regional & global initiatives
– Executive Management
– Requires us listen and commit to community
– Even if unexpected
– Competitive advantage and long term value

8. Seeking Librarians!
Digital Universe Manager
Global Knowledge Manager
Big Data Information Designers
Senior Knowledge Management Specialist
 Ask specifically for BS in Library science
 61 Non-Librarian Jobs for LIS Grads
 INALJ- Non-Traditional Tag
 LinkedIn and the MLIS Job Search

9. Strong Disconnect!
MLIS bashed as worthless and
Librarianship a dying profession:
– Forbes: “No. 1 Worst Master's
Degree For Jobs: Library and
Information Science”
– Hiring Librarian: “Do not go to
library school. Librarianship is a
dying profession.”

10. Why the Disconnect?
Librarianship is Highly Specialized
• Stereotype of Dewey, Books and Hair
Buns.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics’ employment
projection data does not categorize and
include “non-traditional jobs
Librarianship”
• Employers rarely recognized non
traditional vs. traditional categorization:
o Create striking job titles to attract
talent and boast

11. – Stop Labels of “Untraditional” vs.
“Traditional”
– Eliminate hardline where librarianship ends and
begins
– Outside World Does not perceive such divisions, why
should we?
– As Information evolves, so will framework of our
profession
– True across all industries
– Embrace so recognized as part of modern librarianship
– No matter what you call it, skills are increasingly key
in innovative world
Create New Tradition of Librarianship

12. Questions?
Dorotea Szkolar
DigiTech Manager, GroupM
Dorotea.szkolar@groupm.com
@dorotaszkolar

13. Sources:
– Bounie, D., & Gille, L. (2012). International Production and Dissemination of
Information:Results, Methodological Issues, and Statistical Perspectives1. International Journal
of Communication, 1001–1021.
– Danah Boyd & Kate Crawford (2012) CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR BIG DATA, Information,
Communication & Society, 15:5, 662-679, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2012.678878
– Press, G. (2013, May 9). A Very Short History Of Big Data. Retrieved from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2013/05/09/a-very-short-history-of-big-data/
– Short, J. E., Bohn, R. E., & Baru, C. (2010). How Much Information? 2010 Report on Enterprise
Server Information. San Diego, CA. Retrieved from
http://hmi.ucsd.edu/pdf/HMI_2010_EnterpriseReport_Jan_2011.pdf
– Smith, J. (2012, June 8). The Best And Worst Master's Degrees For Jobs. Retrieved from Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/06/08/the-best-and-worst-masters-degrees-for-
jobs-2/
– Weak, E. (2014, January 24). Do not go to library school. Librarianship is a dying profession.
Retrieved from Hiring Librarians: http://hiringlibrarians.com/2014/01/14/do-not-go-to-library-
school-librarianship-is-a-dying-profession/

14. Picture Credits
– Slide 4: Dilenschneider, Colleen;Three Ways the Role of Your Website
Has Changed. Is your Nonprofit Keeping Up?:
http://colleendilen.com/category/technology/
– Slide 5: Jon, Librarians; The original Search Engine:
http://www.thecampuscompanion.com/2012/05/29/librarians-original-
search-engine/librarian-the-original-search-engine/#.Uy9JdJ3D_IU
– Slide 8: Wordpress Blog, Aimless,
http://hopeseguin2011.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/national-library-week/
– Slide 9: Lin, Annie; DigiTech Intern, Pictures of New York Public Library
taken on 3/31/2014

15. A WPP Company