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Updated on: Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Librarians organise information and help people find books, magazines, videos, websites and other information. They can therefore be described as information professionals. The traditional concept of the library was a place where one could access paper records or books but it now houses the most advanced electronic resources, including the internet and digital libraries.

The widespread use of electronic resources makes database searching skills important for librarians. Librarians decide which books, magazines, movies and computer equipment to buy for a library. They arrange books and other items so that users can easily access them. Today, most libraries have computers.

Librarians help people use the computer to find what they need. Also, librarians make budgets and maintain records. In addition, they supervise other people who work in the library. They may also co-ordinate programmes such as storytelling for children and literacy skills and 'talks' for adults and help popularise the library and enlarge its clientele. Librarians work in schools and public libraries in the government and many other places where people need to find information quickly.

PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTES

A career in library and information science requires great interpersonal skills. You must develop a love for reading, enhance your general awareness, teach others the skills of effective information handling, manage projects, design for the web, develop and exploit multimedia information and much more. You will need to develop the ability to design, create, identify, locate, retrieve and exploit information in all formats.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Professional education in the form of a one-year Bachelor of Library & Information Science is open to graduates of all disciplines. It educates students in the philosophy of librarianship, basic principles, fundamental laws, professional ethics, skills of information knowledge processing, organisation and retrieval; management of library and information centres and basic knowledge of computer and its application in library and information activities.

The one-year postgraduate degree imparts thorough understanding of patterns of knowledge-development and its organisation; advanced skills of information/knowledge gathering, processing, organisation and retrieval; planning and management of the systems of library and information centres and an understanding of research methods and activities of research organisations.

Most established universities offer both the BLISc or BLib & information science and also the MLIS or MLib & information science programmes. NISCAIR (National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources) and DRTC (Documentation Research and Training Centre) only offer postgraduate training.

PROSPECTS

Library and information professionals may be employed in a variety of organisations including law firms, public libraries, government, schools, prisons, medical facilities, research centres, publishing houses, media agencies, industry, universities and financial institutions to mention a few. Professional or specialised background in academics is useful for employment in libraries at research/professional institutions.

There has been a growth in electronic and digital libraries. Increasingly, librarians are applying their information management and research skills to arenas outside libraries, such as in database development, reference tool development, information systems, publishing, internet coordination, marketing, web content management and design and training of database users.

Entrepreneurial librarians may act as information brokers and provide services to other libraries, businesses or government agencies. With the emergence of the knowledge society, the librarian has become an information and knowledge management professional with wide ranging responsibilities and prospects.

Times of India

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