INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INTERPERSONAL, AND LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF 21ST CENTURY FILIPINO LIBRARIANS AND THEIR IMPACT ON ACADEMIC LIBRARY SERVICES

This study investigates the competencies of the 21st-century Filipino librarian and how this influence library service delivery, with emphasis on three main areas of information technology competencies, interpersonal competencies, and leadership competencies. Using a convergent mixed-methods research design, data were gathered through surveying and interviewing 15 librarians from five academic institutions, both public and private universities. The quantitative results show that librarians have moderate to high levels of competency in all three areas, with information technology skills being the most advanced (M = 4.2, SD = 0.6). A positive correlation was established between leadership competencies and service quality (r = 0.78, p < 0.05), which implies that higher leadership skills are associated with better library management and user interaction. The qualitative analysis also supported these conclusions, pointing out that librarians with high-level digital literacy capabilities would be in a better position to incorporate emerging technologies into library services, with improved user access and operational effectiveness. Strategic planning and delegation of tasks were gaps that were identified, stressing the importance of ongoing professional development courses. The study suggests a strategic competency development framework based on the findings, calling for specialized training workshops, leadership mentoring programs, and digital upskilling. These interventions are intended to fill competency deficits, enhance service to the customer, and facilitate the emerging role of the librarian in the information age. Longitudinal effects of competency training should be explored in future studies, and the sample size increased to test and validate findings to a larger population of library institutions.