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Use Cases

Explore Skilltype’s use cases for managing skills workflows using data.

Increase Capacity in Key Areas

The problem

While libraries have developed many metrics to measure the size, coverage, or usage of library collections that can be benchmarked within the industry, libraries have minimal data available to understand the skills and capabilities of the organization. 

When a new priority or initiative is needed to fulfill key stakeholder needs, such as engaging with campus leadership about AI or working with the city to improve health literacy, library leaders are missing essential information to determine the library’s readiness to meet the new priority. 

If a library receives new funding to increase capacity in critical areas, it can be beneficial. However, it can take months or even years to start with internal skill development. Similarly, developing position descriptions or recruitment can also be time-consuming.

The solution

With Skilltype, libraries have multiple options to increase capacity in critical areas. They can cultivate skills internally, reallocate resources to new areas, or launch targeted recruiting efforts. Additionally, they can collaborate with partners in a consortium or network to share resources.

Skilltype’s up-to-date, standardized views of each library’s skills, product experience, and staff interests make it possible to identify individuals within the organization who may have the needed expertise without sending out a survey or canvassing managers via Slack. Skilltype’s Talent Audit will reveal staff who have experience with or signaled an interest in learning a new skill or product, such as Research Data Management or Python. 

When a library’s Skilltype Talent Audit reveals key skills missing from an organization, Skilltype will highlight those skills for easy visibility. The platform will also display libraries within the consortia you belong to with the missing expertise. Skilltype will reveal opportunities for potential collaboration or shared services engagements. 

Libraries can belong to one or more consortial networks on Skilltype. This allows them to model expertise across broad networks of libraries for solutions to common challenges, advice, mentoring, and more. With Skilltype, leaders can identify an extended pool of expertise through partner libraries in real-time. They don’t have to wait for a response to an email listserv or make multiple phone calls to other libraries.

Sign up for a quick demo to see Skilltype in action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Skilltype’s talent platform uses real-time data to help information professionals and their teams identify, develop, and share expertise. The platform aggregates thousands of training resources, opportunities, and talent profiles of individuals, describing each with a controlled skills vocabulary to create a personalized career and organizational development experience.

Skilltype is used by library managers and their teams, along with communities, conference organizers, and vendors that train information professionals. Customers include libraries of all sizes ranging from 5 employees to 500 across North America, Europe, and Asia. Skilltype’s largest customers have thousands of data points being surfaced to help inform career pathways and organizational development strategy.

Skilltype indexes training resources and opportunities from over 100 conferences and training providers, enhances the records with our proprietary skills ontology, and delivers them to users through a personalized recommendation engine. We also partner with training providers who aim to grow and engage their communities using Skilltype’s tools.

Small libraries can be up and running in a day or two. Larger libraries may require more conversations and take up to a week or two. No implementation or professional services teams required. Just appoint a project manager to coordinate with our onboarding team on the timeline you set to roll it out across your organization.

Skilltype is priced on a per-employee basis. Most libraries sign annual or multi-year subscriptions, but we support shorter pilots for larger organizations with complex use cases. Skilltype also works with consortia to streamline your procurement process and offer discounts for Enterprise capabilities with additional features and premium support are available for organizations upon request. Contact us to get more details.

Signup for a quick demo to see Skilltype in action.