Technical Services Competencies
MOTSE Level 1

A. Collection Management

A person responsible for collection management is able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of user and community needs
• Identify materials to be added, retained, or withdrawn from the collection
• Apply organizational policies for soliciting and acquiring gifts
• Refer renewal and cancellation decisions of outstanding orders and subscriptions
• Identify materials in need of binding, shelving, and filing
• Understand standard procedures for handling censorship questions within the library
• Understand and help implement the library's preservation plan
• Understand and help implement the library's disaster plan
• Understand and help implement the library's collection development plan within given budgetary limits

B. Acquisitions

A person responsible for library acquisitions is able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the publishing industry and vendor markets (e.g., differentiate between vendors, jobbers, and publishers
• Demonstrate knowledge of services provided by a subscription agency, such as renewal, claim service, and invoicing
• Establish and apply effective procedures for verifying, ordering, claiming, receiving, and fund accounting, including resolving any problems
• Demonstrate good communication skills with vendors and publishers
• Handle renewal and cancellation decisions of outstanding orders and subscriptions
• Establish and apply effective procedures for handling special materials with regards to binding, shelving, and filing.

C. Serials Management

A person responsible for serials management is able to:

• Understand and apply criteria for selection of and access to serials and periodicals
• Understand the electronic representation of serials records (e.g., MARC, ANSI, etc.)
• Establish and apply effective procedures for all aspects of serials record management (e.g., check-in, claiming, invoicing)
• Monitor changes, such as title changes, mergers, suspensions, frequency, publishers
• Establish and apply effective procedures for binding, shelving, and filing of serials and periodicals in a variety of formats (e.g., paper, microform, electronic format)

D. Bibliographic Control

1. Descriptive Cataloging
   
   

   A person responsible for descriptive cataloging is able to:

   
   
   • Understand the principles and application of international standards for bibliographic description (ISBD)

   • Determine the title proper of the item to be described
   • Determine the presence of a subtitle
   • Determine the presence of additional titles such as parallel title, cover title, etc., and provide access to them via the appropriate MARC fields(s)
   • Identify the individual(s) or corporate bodies responsible for the content of a book
   • Determine the presence of an edition statement, e.g., "first edition," revised edition," "large print edition," etc.
   • Identify the publisher, place and date of a publication
   • Differentiate between pages and leaves when giving the physical extent of a single volume
   • Identify and describe the number of pages, leaves or columns in a single volume
   • Identify and describe the number of pages or leaves of plates in a single volume
   • Identify and describe the number of volumes if more than one physical volume
   • Differentiate between bibliographic units and physical volumes
   • Identify and describe the number and types of illustrative matter and whether all or some of it is in color
   • Determine the height of an item (or varying heights for a multi-part item) as well as the width if it exceeds the height
   • Identify the series and/or subseries statement on the item and its International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) if given
   • Determine the need for descriptive notes for the following information: source of title; previous edition; presence of a bibliography and/or index; contents; International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
   • Describe all fields of the bibliographic record in the MARC format
   
   
2. Access

   A person responsible for access cataloging is able to:

   
   
   • Understand the underlying purpose of rules and standards for access cataloging
   • Understand how the various access points are indexed in the library's online catalog
   • Identify sources of variation which affect catalog access points
   • Choose the proper main entry for a catalog record
   • Formulate appropriate added entries
   • Understand the form of headings for personal names, corporate names, geographic names, series titles, and uniform titles found on catalog records
   • Understand decisions regarding local series treatment
   • Understand the use of authority records and cross references in a library catalog
   • Describe all access points I the MARC format
   
   
3. Subject Analysis

   A person responsible for subject analysis is able to:

   
   
   • Understand the basic purpose and principles of subject analysis (i.e., subject headings and classification) and be familiar with standard thesauri such as LCSH, Sears, MESH and classification schemes such as LCC and DDC
   • Understand and formulate basic subject headings or index terms and call numbers consisting of classification number, topical cutter (if any), book number and date
   • Interpret subject headings and classification/call numbers found on a catalog record for the item in hand (e.g., on a jobber-supplied catalog card, CIT data from verso of title page of the book, or MARC record)
   • Recognize older, pre-AACR2 catalog records, where subject headings and classification numbers may need to be updated
   • Differentiate between LC, Canadian, British, and other CIP supplied subject headings and classification numbers
   • Understand and correctly apply the "rule of three"
   • Understand the structure and use of authority records for subject headings and cross references
   • Be aware of alternative systems of subject headings (e.g. local thesauri, non-standard lists)
   • Verify classification numbers using standards schemes such as LCC or DCC, including special tables
   • Shelflist (i.e., assign an appropriate shelf location for) an item according to standards and/or local practice
   • Be aware of constant changes in subject headings and classification numbers
   • Be familiar with standard cataloging tools such as LC's two Subject Cataloging Manuals on shelflisting and subject headings
   • Describe subject headings and complete call numbers in the MARC format

E. Physical Processing

A person responsible for the physical processing of library materials is able to:

• Establish and apply effective procedures for the physical preparation of materials (e.g., labeling, applying security strips, mending, etc.)
• Apply appropriate methods and techniques for storage and preservation of materials
• Monitor supplies
• Be aware of new developments in physical processing products and techniques

F. Access Technology

A person responsible for access technology (i.e., all automated technical services functions) is able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of basic operations of computer applications used in Technical Services
• Understand the structure of the library's entire automated system, including relationships among the various modules (e.g., public online catalog, cataloging, acquisitions and serials)
• Understand MARC coding and tagging and how it operates in the library's local system
• Be aware of new developments and trends I the field of library automation
• Plan and incorporate new technologies into technical functions

G. Management

A person responsible for the management of technical services is able to:

• Understand and apply departmental budget allocations
• Establish and apply effective procedures for implementation of grant programs
• Understand various kinds of data needed for decision making
• Understand workflow for each technical services function
• Participate in the establishment of policies and procedures for each technical services area

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