This unit applies to individuals working in any information services context who are responsible for developing information access policies at a strategic level. This includes a strong co-operative focus and recognition of broader national initiatives and standards. Work is undertaken autonomously, usually by those with management responsibility. Information services contexts may include public, corporate or institutional libraries, record management units, government departments or community advisory organisations. |
Nil |
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Monitor and evaluate customer information requirements | 1.1 | Develop and improve mechanisms to maintain data on collection use and customer access demands |
1.2 | Ensure evaluation mechanisms focus both on own collection and external sources | ||
1.3 | Take into account the organisation's directions, plans and priorities in monitoring and evaluation | ||
2 | Develop and maintain policies and strategies for information availability and access | 2.1 | Develop policies, based on evaluation, and which take account of anticipated developments and provide for unexpected developments |
2.2 | Develop policies which meet current organisational priorities and strategies | ||
2.3 | Evaluate potential resource implications and ensure policies fall within current budgetary and other resource constraints | ||
2.4 | Maintain awareness of technological and other trends and their potential impact on medium and long-term policy development | ||
3 | Implement and manage information access policies | 3.1 | Identify barriers to information access and develop strategies to overcome them in accordance with organisational policies |
3.2 | Establish processes to coordinate and control collection of information, licensing arrangements and other agreements | ||
3.3 | Provide opportunities for maximum input from staff and the formal and informal sharing of staff knowledge and expertise | ||
3.4 | Monitor and assess short and long term implications of policies and strategies and take appropriate action | ||
4 | Develop and manage cooperative information access activities | 4.1 | Establish and maintain liaison and working arrangements with other information providers to explore and facilitate resource sharing and other cooperative activities |
4.2 | Share research findings, information and ideas with others to facilitate cooperative arrangements | ||
4.3 | Meet the organisation's responsibilities in relation to national initiatives and standards | ||
4.4 | Initiate appropriate cooperative arrangements to bring identifiable benefits to customers | ||
4.5 | Ensure co-operative activities reflect awareness of relevant local, national and international issues, standards and protocols, and legal and ethical issues | ||
5 | Manage change in relation to information access | 5.1 | Initiate change in a timely way to address information access arrangements |
5.2 | Introduce and implement change in consultation with all relevant parties | ||
5.3 | Ensure detailed plans for the implementation of change provide for assessment of the impact on communication and training needs and processes | ||
|
Required skills |
planning and organisational skills at a strategic level to develop, manage and maintain potentially complex policies problem-solving skills to evaluate and address a wide range of strategic challenges around information access communication skills to establish and maintain a wide range of professional relationships and to initiate and manage internal and external consultations literacy skills to interpret and communicate complex concepts numeracy skills to evaluate and develop budgetary figures. |
Required knowledge |
strategic issues, including internal and external factors that impact on the strategic direction of the organisation, and ways in which access strategies and policies integrate with other organisational objectives and strategies current technological developments and options for new systems in the library/information services sector technical and technical support issues for consideration when introducing new systems evaluation strategies in relation to current information access arrangements internal and external consultation strategies that underpin policy development for information access strategic planning techniques and processes current industry trends, networks and co-operative approaches, including national initiatives occupational health and safety issues, requirements and legislation in relation to the introduction of new systems or services legal framework in which the organisation operates and its impact on the introduction of new systems and services in a library/information services context cultural considerations for the development of information access policies. |
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: ability to develop and implement strategies for enhanced information access in a specific workplace/organisational context comprehensive knowledge of the organisation's goals, objectives, directions and current services comprehensive knowledge of external factors and trends that currently impact on information access practical demonstration of skills through the development and implementation of access strategies for a specific workplace context. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: involvement of and interaction with others to reflect the communication and collaboration aspects of this unit assessment is conducted over time to reflect the ongoing monitoring and implementation aspects of this unit access to organisational strategic plans and relevant policies and procedures manuals access to resources required for conducting evaluation of customer requirements. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate evaluation of policies and strategies developed by the candidate review of reports prepared by the candidate detailing processes undertaken to develop and implement policies, challenges faced and lessons learned for the future. |
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CULLB508C Monitor and enhance information access BSBFLM507B Manage quality customer service BSBFLM509B Facilitate continuous improvement BSBFLM510B Facilitate and capitalise on change and innovation. | |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Mechanisms to maintain data may include: | electronic counting surveys community consultation informal observation interviews focus groups |
Organisation's directions, plans and priorities may relate to: | strategic objectives objectives for particular customer groups financial targets community development collection development |
Policies and strategies may relate to many complicated matters involving: | access to information in a complex and changing environment e.g. access arrangements, local and other network access provision etc. the organisation's response to electronic publishing, such as electronic journals distributed via telecommunications networks and not by conventional methods organisation's response to electronic access to information e.g. the 'virtual library' |
Resource implications may include: | training needs hardware software licensing and other legal and ethical issues subscriptions telecommunications and other costs customer education and training needs support provision |
Technological and other trends may include: | availability of new hardware/software change in nature of customer usage patterns change in nature of customer profile economic issues political and social issues |
Opportunities for maximum input from staff may include: | workshops/seminars informal consultation surveys staff meetings staff working parties to address particular issues |
Co-operative activities may include: | development of public programs with other providers electronic sharing of information |
Not applicable.
Library Customer Service |
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of Employability Skills. The Employability Skills Summary for the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying Employability Skills requirements. |
Not applicable.