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Succession planning and management are critical parts of strategic planning for libraries in the twenty-first century. Making certain that the right people are in place with the prerequisite training and experience to assume leadership positions is a vital part of strategic planning and talent management in libraries that rely on teams of people working in flatter structures and greater accountability. The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition framework suggests that mentoring, coaching, and professional development empower staff for movement up organizational career ladders as part of succession planning and management. To maximize human capital, administrators need to determine skill development levels among staff so that they can identify skill "gaps" internally, create new career ladders, identify emerging stars, and enhance evidence of values for staff contributions.

Catalogers and library educators have long articulated the importance of preparing entry-level catalog librarians for the profession. The professional literature suggests that graduates of accredited LIS distance programs will perform at an equivalent level with those from accredited residential programs. This case study of a beginning cataloging class offered in virtual and traditional formats is one contribution to the effort of assessing virtual distance education. A rigorous content analysis methodology was used, with selected differences between the descriptive cataloging proficiencies among traditional-class and virtual-class students being identified. Study findings suggest that traditional-class and virtual-class students will perform at a similar level--that library educators cannot determine that either type of instructional delivery system is more likely to prepare students for successful careers within the community of catalogers. (Contains 4 tables, 7 figures and 30 notes.)