This poster reflects an ongoing project to study the nature of the “digital
librarian.” In this poster, we analyze 2017 postings from Code4Lib’s job
board with job titles that include the words “digital” and “librarian” in
any combination. We use NVivo and text-mining tools to look for patterns
(or lack thereof) in the responsibilities, skills, and educational
requirements for these positions. This work is a timely update on the
evolving nature of digital librarians, and it offers a fresh and
well-needed scholarly perspective on larger changes to library employment
practices. As a former archaeologist and a former actress, we now find
ourselves working as Digital Learning and Scholarship Librarians. A growing
number of individuals are, likewise, following similarly non-traditional
pathways to the library, and rightly so. The job market for new graduates
across fields is perilous and many of the digital needs of libraries are
going unmet. A deeper understanding of the prevailing skills that one must
cultivate to become employable as a digital librarian is needed.