A profession in transition: towards development and implementation of standards for visual resources management. Part A - the organization's perspective

Introduction. The research reported here is part of a larger research project, the aim of which is to improve education and training by providing the library community with the information necessary to support the development of programmes for visual resource professionals. Method. A content analysis of 394 job announcements in the visual resources field posted during the past five years was conducted. Analysis. Content analysis was employed, using two main categories of analysis: the information environments within which the jobs existed and the qualifying requirements for the jobs. Results. Overall, digitization, management, and cataloguing stand out as the most desired skills for visual resources professionals. Digital asset management and knowledge of digital technologies were specifically mentioned as were effective communication and project management skills. The knowledge areas include relevant standards and practices, cataloguing and classification theory, standards and practices in digitization, rights and permission, records management, photography, preservation, exhibition and relational and object databases. Conclusion. Visual resources management appears to be an emerging area of knowledge and expertise that needs to be systematically addressed. The profession is moving from slide curators and slide librarians to a field that encompasses a broad range of skills applicable in a wide range of environments.