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Young Librarians Unite Possibilities for Professional Transformation in

Japanese Librarianship

Eriko AmanoCourse of Technology and Innovative Management

Graduate School of Management

Doshisha University

2011/6/22 a-liep 2011 Malaysia

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Contents of this presentation

• Aims of the study• Research questions• Theoretical background• Background• Research method• Findings• Conclusion

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Aims of the study

• Many interorganizational networking communities have spontaneously emerged among young Japanese librarians in recent years.

• This study explores:– the role of the communities from the

perspectives of professional knowledge management, social networks

– the possibilities of those communities for transformation in the Japanese librarianship

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Research questions

• What outcomes did young librarians who had participated in the interorganizational social networking communities obtain especially in terms of knowledge acquisition and affections?

• What possibilities do the young librarians communities have to transform Japanese librarianship?

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Theoretical background

• Social network theory– Interorganizational knowledge transfer– Emotional aspects– Getting a job …

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Background (1)

• Emerging communities of young librarians– In different places throughout Japan– Voluntary– Optimal use of the web-based social

networking tools– Relatively young librarians– No membership systems– Loose management style

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Background (2)

• The new communities emerged because of:–Dysfunction of traditional

professional organizations–Shrinkage of workplace

• the limited opportunity for learning further at work

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U40 Future Librarian

• Organized in 2009• A loose community of librarians under 40• Events:

– Nationwide gathering party2009 (12 venues, 330 people), 2010 (10 venues, 314 people)

• It encourages young librarians:– to expand their networks– “to chat to open a future full of hope, rather

than dwell on the problems we currently face”

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Lifo

• Created by several young librarians around 2008 working in rather small academic libraries who had difficulty finding hands-on learning opportunities

• 200 members on Google Group• Events:

– study tours, collaborative activities with other groups

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Code4Lib Japan

• An overseas branch of Code4Lib (USA)• Funded by Japan’s Library Advancement

Foundation• Training programs (for a fee):

– ICT-related training programs• 5 times (How to create a digital archive using flickr,

Reading access log of a website, etc.)

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Research method

• Semi-structured in-depth interviews• 5 librarians

– Participants and organizers of events and training programs

– Full-time; 2, part-time;3– Male; 2, Female; 3– University libraries; 4, public library; 1

• Skype text chatting• 50-60 minutes2011/6/22 a-liep 2011 Malaysia

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Interview questions

1. Which events organized by the new networking communities did you attend? What triggered your interest in the events?

2. Did you get anything from the experience (e.g., practical knowledge, emotional change, network, job information)?

3. Do you belong to any traditional library associations or groups, such as the Japan Library Association? Does being a member of such a group differ from participation in the events organized by the new communities?

4. What do you see in the future of Japanese librarianship if the new communities keep growing?

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Findings (1)

Expansion of interorganizational networks•Web-based

–Low cost, casual•Face-to-face networking

– Worth while spending their weekends

Knowledge transfer•Opportunity of exchanging tacit knowledge

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Findings (2)

Motivation•Sharing their feelings with people under the same situation

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Findings (3)

Getting a job•Some interviewees got job information

Reputation (evaluation inside a library)•Not yet evaluated properly•One librarian got promoted

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Findings (4)

Difference from traditional librarian organization•Value for money•Less hierarchical

Expectation•Possibilities for changing the atmosphere of libraries and librarianship•Essential to all information professionals

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Conclusion (1)

Shrinking workplaceLimited learning

opportunities

New technologies

The role of the interorganizational communities

To help build social networksTo provide opportunities for the transfer of knowledgeVital source of motivation for the participants

Motivated young librarians

Intraorganizational circumstances

Job mobility?

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Conclusion (2)

• Limitation– Only personal outcomes => Measurement of

organizational outcomes

• Further study– Quantitative survey

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Terima kasih.

• Wiki website for information of rescue and support for the Museums, Libraries, Archives and Kominkans (MLAK) damaged by the Great Earthquake in Japan

• Collaborative online reference service• Professional volunteer matching• English and Chinese information available

2011/6/22 a-liep 2011 Malaysia