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Librarianship - a
cooler profession than you think
Librarianship is defined as
the art and science of managing recorded knowledge.
Librarianship is defined as the art
and science of managing recorded knowledge.
In earlier days when the recorded sources of information were
limited, scholars were users as well as managers of libraries.
But today's libraries with torrents of information sources and
users makes management a challenging task requiring highly
specialized knowledge and training in the sophisticated
techniques of information handling.
In information communication the role of librarian is that of a
filter interposed between the users and information sources,
both presenting problems characteristic of their changing nature
and increasing complexities.
Librarianship is a challenging job if the nature of the work and
its value is properly understood.
Librarians. Aren't they supposed to be bespectacled women with a
love of classic books and a perpetual annoyance with talkative
patrons - the ultimate humorless shushers?
Not any more. With so much of the job involving technology and
with a focus now on finding and sharing information beyond just
what is available in books, a new type of librarian is emerging.
Many young librarians and library educators discovered that the
work is no longer just about books but also about organizing and
connecting people with information, including music and movies.
And though many librarians say that they, like nurses or
priests, are called to the profession, they also say the job is
stable, intellectually stimulating and can have reasonable
hours, perfect for creative types who want to pursue their
passions outside of work and don't want to finance their
pursuits by waiting tables.
I joined and loved librarianship because it "combined a geeky
intellectualism" with information technology skills and social
activism. It's become a techie profession.
To qualify as a profession, librarianship has a rich 100 plus
year philosophical history of the profession as well as varied
aspects of functions and services.
Librarianship also has a 100 plus year body of knowledge that
reflects both the philosophical and practical thoughts and
teachings of members of the profession, as well as extensive
reportage of all types of research into the statements,
functions, and services of the profession.
The profession of librarianship has a multitude of leaders in
varied areas in the international, national, regional, state and
local arena.
The profession has ethical codes and commitments to access and
freedom to read, keystone principles, core value statements,
statements on confidentiality of information, access to
electronic information policy, acceptable use policies, and
more.
The education of librarians in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and
Australia can take one of two routes; an undergraduate degree in
Library and Information Studies or a Graduate Diploma or Masters
Degree in Library and Information Studies after the completion
of a Bachelor's Degree in another discipline. The Australian
Library and Information Association (ALIA), Library Information
Association New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA), and Papua New Guinea
Library Association (PNGLA) (now defunct) are responsible for
accreditation of library specific qualifications for both
librarians and library technicians.
It is also possible to earn a doctorate in library and
information science. Graduates with PhDs usually become teaching
faculty in schools of library and information science, or
sometimes occupy the directorship or deanship of university
libraries. Those undertaking research at the doctoral level can
pursue a very wide range of interests including information
technology, government information policy, social research into
information use among particular segments of society,
information in organizations and corporate settings, and the
history of books and printing.
It is common in academic and other research libraries to require
the librarians to obtain Master's degrees in some academic
subject, sometimes but not necessarily related to their
professional responsibilities; in major research libraries, some
of the librarians will hold Ph. D degrees in subject fields.
Other advanced degrees often taken in conjunction with a degree
in librarianship are law, management, or public administration.
Library associates, library technicians, and library assistants
often have diplomas and certificates in library science and some
usually do not hold library-related degrees. Occasionally they
also hold undergraduate or graduate degrees in other
disciplines. These workers, sometimes referred to as para-professionals,
perform duties such as database management, cataloging, ready
reference, and serials and monograph processing.
* The writer is a Papua New Guinean
Lecturer with the School of Information and Social Sciences at
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand in Wellington, NZ.
 
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