Competency M

demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work including collaboration and presentations

The foundation of success in a professional position is being able to communicate effectively in any environment. Often this communication takes place in the context of team projects, where members from diverse branches collaborate to achieve a shared goal. In addition, concisely reporting information, either to update those within the organization or to inform those outside, through presentations is also common. Technology has broadened the horizons of communication to afford professionals an array of tools that extend the possibilities of collaboration and presentations. In engaging with effective communication techniques, we are able to make ourselves and our organization a better resource for the community we serve.

In academic librarianship, communication is a linchpin of effective operation. Effective communication starts at the individual level, where one’s verbal and written communication on the job are often the most tangible representation of the work they do. Skills in verbal communication are necessary in situations such as updating superiors or administration of project status, or informing library employees when a complaint comes through and a process needs work. Written assignments in an academic library setting may include budget proposals, SWOT analyses, handouts, how-to’s, or any number of other projects, each requiring communication styles appropriate to the form. While not a requirement in all library positions, the academic librarian has the opportunity to publish academic papers and research presentations. These are meant to further the field of librarianship and are prime examples of the benefit of skills in written communication.

Group projects can sometimes be a challenge for effective communication. Many different personalities can come into play, and some can seem incompatible with others. Learning to work with individuals’ strengths to accomplish the goal is key. In a professional environment where one is more likely to work with the same individuals, familiarity with their strengths can facilitate group structure for future projects. Another aspect to consider, if in a situation where you are selecting groups, is the role of diversity in problem-solving group situations. People from diverse backgrounds can have a wide variety of approaches to problem scenarios, and different perspectives are often what is needed to approach a solution.

Often a multimodal approach to efficiently conveying information, presentations require a specific type of individual or group communication skills. Presentations are generally given an approximate time frame, which means the presenter needs to appropriately condense information to fit that duration. Even if no limit exists, it is important to consider the audience’s attention and ability to retain the information presented. Alternatives to consider are handouts or recordings with additional or less essential information. Presentation-style recordings can also be used as library tutorials for new students and other users of the library. Communication skills can make these types of videos engaging rather than tedious.

It’s no secret that the Internet has changed the way we interact and communicate with one another. The workplace is a beneficiary of the efficiency of being able to share documents and communicate remotely. But with its efficiency, sometimes meaning can be lost in electronic communication, so care should be exercised to minimize misunderstandings. Just as with many other fields, the Internet has also changed the way librarians communicate with their users. For instance, librarians can be called upon to provide informal yet informational updates and respond to questions from library users via social media. As technology progresses, new forms of communication might gain prominence. As a librarian, a good part of communication technology is simply being aware of the technology possibilities and having an idea of what it can be used for.

Evidence

The MLIS program gave me plenty of opportunities to engage in group project and presentation work, and I’m grateful to have always had great teams to work with through the program. These are a few projects that I feel best exemplify my abilities and experiences.

LIBR 284: Archives and Records Management—Assignment 2

This project was meant to be a mock presentation for records management services. The prompt encouraged students to be creative with their submissions, so I did some light video editing and made this a presentation I’m proud of. Some elements of note here are the multimodal forms of presentation used, as well as the concise nature of the content. Video editing can be tedious at times, but free and reasonably-priced software is now readily available and can be invaluable in presentations meant to last.

LIBR 284: Archives and Records Management—Assignment 2 (NOTICE: Large file)

LIBR 287: Information Literacy Seminar—Screencast Assignment

This assignment is an example of the tutorial-type presentation for library assistance. A good amount of communication considerations went into the elements of the tutorial for the desired outcome. This is an example of where theories of teaching and communication can seem much the same.

LIBR 287: Information Literacy Seminar—Screencast

LIBR 204: Information Organizations—Presentation

This was another presentation, this time assembled with a group. This project had three synchronous meetings beforehand to assign different portions of the presentation and make sure we were on the same page. I believe this presentation reflects the successful group participation as well as presentation aptitude.

LIBR 204: Information Organizations—Presentation (links to Blackboard Collaborate file)

Conclusion

Skills in communication are not just desirable in the workplace, but also in life. I’ve been working on recognizing flaws in my communication patterns and developing strategies to overcome those flaws. Assignments like the above examples and others are good practice for real-world scenarios with real consequences for myself and the organization I’ll be representing. I have a passion for academic writing as well and believe I will be able to contribute to academic literature wherever I am employed. I believe that I have the skills to succeed in the many diverse communication demands librarianship has to offer.