Institutional transformation can only happen when positions are restructured. We need to define new responsibilities that target new goals if we have any hope of bringing about major change.

I've heard librarians complain for years about increased workload. While new, usually digital tasks were added to their responsibilities, most former requirements remained in place.

This is a valid complaint, especially for positions that have been around for years such as reference librarian, instruction librarian, bibliographer and cataloger. Newly-minted positions, or positions (such as mine) that are solely in the digital realm, don't generally pose these kinds of issues. In my case, my position has changed radically over the years because a) the position was new enough to be fluid, b) the nature of digital librarianship has changed, and c) I pushed my way into new areas to keep moving forward.

It's exciting when libraries hire for new types of positions that reflect a commitment to the concepts of Library 2.0. But new positions are not enough. You can't transform library culture one position at a time. You can't wait for retirements or resignations before making changes. Existing positions with existing staff need to be restructured, and done so explicitly in a way that cuts out tasks that can be set aside and defines new ones.

You can have educational programs galore, generate staff enthusiasm, and establish splendid goals. But you're setting yourself up for failure if you don't get down to the nitty-gritty and reformulate people's jobs so that they can meet these goals.

Administrators and staff need to work on this together. Position transformations need to take place within the context of a library-wide restructuring of vision. It must be the logical outcome of this new vision. Every position needs to be revisited. It's huge. And it's time.