The ever-changing responsibilities of the ERM librarian

In their article “Marian Through the Looking Glass: The Unique Evolution of the Electronic Resources (ER) Library Position,” Rebecca Albitz and Wendy Allen Shelburne present results of a survey which show the rise of the position of ERM librarian and how it has changed with time. Their main point is that despite the increasing importance of the electronic resources librarian over time, the position remains largely fluid and is still not yet well-defined within the field. Their argument is convincing, despite their very small sample (they net roughly twenty responses each from library administrators and ERM librarians). While it’s a truism to say that the growth of electronic resources has changed libraries and their services, it apparently is not to say that it has changed the job of many a librarian. It is fascinating to see that ERM librarians had been recruited or hired into the positions with widely varying types of experience. No one type of librarian seemed to be at an advantage when hired. Of course, what was most shocking about the survey revelations was that librarians who had been hired into the ERM positions or had their responsibilities changed, had little form of training. This can be blamed on the fact that in the 1990s and early 2000s, the ERM librarian was still a nascent position, and as Albitz and Shelburne would point out, it still had its focus divided amongst other responsibilities such as reference service or library instruction, two responsibilities that are general no longer associated with ERM librarians.

While what the authors present does appear to be an accurate picture of the ERM librarian (at least in 2007 when the article was published), I would venture to say that it is not the only position in the library that experiences ambiguity in its duties. Libraries have been notorious for mixing responsibilities in unique ways; a collection development position at one library may be also responsible for reference services, while the collection development position will be responsible for tasks in technical services at another. New positions such as marketing librarians or special liaisons positions have been created, trying to deal with reaching patrons via social media and the like. There was no precedent for these types of positions, either, but librarians have adapted and learned as they go. My inclination is to say that such changes as these are not likely to go away any time soon. As technology continues to develop at an ever rapidly growing pace, we can’t assume or hope that the ERM librarian job description will at some point normalize. The best a burgeoning ERM librarian can do is prepare oneself with the current tools, try and anticipate the next bends in the road, and above all, learn to be comfortable with the changing nature of his or her work. 

Albitz, Rebecca S. and Wendy Allen Shelburne. “Marian Through the Looking Glass: The Unique Evolution of the Electronic Resources (ER) Librarian Position.” Electronic Resources Librarianship and Management of Digital Information: Emerging and Professional Roles. Ed. Mark Jacobs. Binghamton, NY: Hayword, 2007: 15-30.