Career in Librarianship

What: Libraries are repositories of knowledge, information and entertainment. The basic aim of library is to spread knowledge. Librarian positions focus on one of three aspects of library work: user services, technical services, and administrative services. The role of a library is evolving from that of a location where paper records or books can be accessed to one where all kinds of media are stored, including virtual libraries, CD-ROM’s , the internet, as well offering the ability to remotely access numerous other sources. Librarians have traditionally worked with printed resources, but now work more with non-print materials including CDs, the Internet, and computerized databases. They must be showing their knowledge in using computers.

How: Analyse users’ needs and provide the information they need; show users how to effectively search for information on the Internet and in other online resources; select and purchase materials and prepare those materials by classifying them according to subject matter.

Supervise assistants who prepare cards, computer records, or other access tools that direct users to resources; collect and organize books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and other materials in a specific field, such as rare books, genealogy, or music; coordinate programs such as storytelling for children, and literacy skills and book talks for adults; conduct classes; publicize services; write grants.

The minimum qualification required to get an admission in Library Science is graduation. Graduates from any stream can go for Bachelor’s degree in library science the duration of which is one year. After that, students can go for Master’s Degree in library science, which is of one-year duration. Some students who are interested in higher studies and research activities can also go for M.Phil and PhD in this field. There are also diploma and certificate courses in Library Science. Basically, a good librarian should have keen interest in books and varieties of topics, high organizing ability, excellent communication skills and customer service attitude.

Librarianship is as profession is concerned with storage, organizing and maintenance of books, papers and journals. Nevertheless, with the advent of information technology and computers the traditional concept of is being redesigned to include not only books and other printed materials but also new tools of information like CD-ROM, internet, virtual libraries etc.

Where: In the age of information revolution, the employment and placement prospects of librarians are on the rise. Trained personnel in this field can get employment opportunities in wide areas like Public and Government libraries, Universities, professional and other academic institutions, news and broadcasting agencies, private libraries and special libraries meant for special categories of people. Some library technicians are also self-employed as researchers, consultants, cataloguers etc. on short- term contracts basis.

Institutions:

• National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resource (NISCAIR) and Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) New Delhi
• Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi
• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
• Kurukhetra University, Rohtak
• Punjab University, Chandigarh
• Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
• Madurai Kamarj University, Madurai
• Annamalai University, Annamalai