Validating Current Core Competencies: A Survey of Map and Geographic Information Librarianship Practices to Inform the Knowledge Base for Curricula

With data more central to every profession, the jobs of all academic librarians now require alteration to existing services to match current scholar expectations. Job analyses provide educators with a robust means to infuse feedback from current practitioners to increase the relevance of curricula to today's emerging information professions. To inform curricula and job descriptions, this study conducted a survey validation of the competencies with current professionals in map and geospatial data roles to rank the importance of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform job tasks. Survey validation findings indicate the most important knowledge needed for these jobs is service-oriented responsibilities like research support, reference services, outreach, and forms of instruction, along with general cartographic and geospatial competencies. The discussion includes the use and benefits of the survey validation method and its limitations, future directions for job analyses in librarianship, a detailed presentation of the findings, and future directions for job analyses relating to librarianship as a profession in flux.