This presentation is aimed at employers that want to start a telework program and I hope that some libraries, vendors and information consultants will attend this presentation.
This topic came up at one of the panels that I attended at Midwinter: how do I stay employed as a librarian (and keep the house I bought) if my region is experiencing an economic depression/or my local library has laid me off or reduced my hours? Telework may be the answer. For libraries that are having a hard time finding staff, or who only need additional staff during peak periods or for special topics, telework may allow them to hire professional librarians to provide services. The librarians in question can stay in their region (and keep their homes) while remaining librarians working for a library.
2 comments:
You might be amused to know that the guy who presented that webinar (me) used to be a Senior Scientist at OCLC. One of my efforts was the Home Delivery of Library Services research project that looked at the library services that could be delivered into the home--this before the Internet. Now you suggest home librarian service that could be delivered to the library (and presumably other patrons). I LOVE IT!
I hope that we'll see more work in this area, if only to keep librarians employed as librarians, even if it is offering distance services. I think when a community loses or gives up its librarians, it is out of sight out of mind, but with distance services, even part time, the community still gets an actual librarian and knows what a librarian's expertise is worth.
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