Columbia, SC and Baton Rouge, LA – Skilltype, the talent management platform for libraries, is proud to announce a new partnership with the University of South Carolina Libraries to manage skill development across their staff. The flagship campus of South Carolina’s higher education system is the 19th member of the Association of Research Libraries to join the Skilltype community, as well as the latest member of the PASCAL consortium, following University of South Carolina Upstate, and Wofford College.
With the renovation of the nation’s first free-standing academic library building complete, the USC Libraries are now shifting to enhancing its talent infrastructure to support the evolving needs of students and faculty across campus. Access, inclusion, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity are examples of skillsets now impacting library services that were not just a decade ago.
Partnering with Skilltype enables the USC Libraries to institute a data-driven approach by identifying skill gaps and developing personalized training plans for their library staff in an automated way to grow staff skills.
“I am delighted to bring Skilltype to the University of South Carolina Libraries,” notes David Banush, Dean of Libraries. “Skilltype is a unique tool to help libraries build the skills needed for tomorrow’s library workforce. We hope to leverage its potential to identify areas of strengths and areas for further development as we evolve to support student and faculty needs going forward.”
Through the Skilltype platform, the USC Libraries staff gain access to the world’s largest collection of library training covering a broad range of in-demand skills and competencies such as artificial intelligence (AI), DEI, open education resources, and more. This approach enables employees, regardless of rank or role, to embark on continuous development, promoting equity across the organization.
Skilltype’s CEO, Tony Zanders, commented, “Ensuring staff at University of South Carolina Libraries have access to modern skill development is important not just for their institution, but for the broader community as they aim to increase knowledge about the American South and its role in our shared history. We’re excited to be a part of their journey to become a learning organization.”
About the University of South Carolina Libraries
University Libraries at the University of South Carolina serves the graduate and undergraduate programs of all schools and colleges, save for the Schools of Law and Medicine. Holdings include more than 4.9 million volumes, 1.5 million e-books, and an extensive array of distinctive collections, with a focus on state and regional history, literary materials, natural history, and one of the largest film archives in the nation. University Libraries is a member of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, the Digital Library Federation, and more. The campus is in Columbia, the state capital; its central location makes it a financial, transportation, and industrial hub for the state and region.
Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina (USC) is the flagship campus of an eight-campus, fully accredited, public university system. USC is a Carnegie R1 research institution and is one of only 40 public universities to earn the Carnegie Foundation’s top-tier designations in both research activity and community engagement. USC Columbia has strong undergraduate and graduate programs and highly regarded professional schools, including nursing, medicine, law, business, pharmacy, education, and engineering. About 36,000 students are enrolled; more than 8,000 students are in graduate and professional programs.
About Skilltype
Skilltype is the exclusive provider of talent management software designed for libraries and information professionals. Founded in 2018, Skilltype is now used by over 150 libraries across 8 countries and headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA.