| Introduction | Your Career Options | FAQs | IT Perspective | Your Training | Your Personality traits | Are You Eligible? |
| Your Preparation | Institutes | Your Responsibilities | Your Working Conditions | Your Future Prospects |
| Your Remuneration | Related Occupations | Suggested Readings | Send this page to a friend | Search | Home |

Introduction

  
   Libraries are centres for disseminating knowledge and information and facilitating research and
   reference as well as leisure through books, periodicals, micro-films, slides, videos, cassettes
   and records. All the resource material is systematically catalogued and arranged by librarians,
   who are essentially information managers.

Your Career Options

• Writer
• Novelist
• Teacher

FAQs

  
   Q. What does the library science syllabus include?

   A. The syllabus includes a study of library organisation, library administration, library
   classification theory and practice, library cataloguing, theory and practice, physical
   bibliography and selection of books. The best training programmes include practical work as
   a neccessary component of the course.

   Q. What kind of libraries are there?

   A. The libraries are of many types : public libraries, children's libraries, reference libraries,
   educational libraries in schools, colleges and universities, research institutions and museums,
   and specialised libraries in different organisations such as banks, government offices,
   companies, law firms, newspapers, publishing houses and other such likely places.

IT Perspective

  
   Most libraries are well catalogued and compartmentalised to enhance the reachability of
   books, pamphlets, journals, magazines etc.

   Several softwares have been developed to keep an account as well as a check on the stock of
   books maintained, checked out, and those in demand so that a proper system is maintained.
   The libraries at institutions like the IIMs and IITs have been award winning in the recent past.
   They are hi-tech and systematic with a vast range of availability of books.

   As a librarian you should know how to operate at least to two to three customised softwares
   and be able to extract relevant information from them for which you would need to learn certain
   software languages.

   It is advised that you make learning and remaining technologically advanced fun for yourself
   and attempt to exploit it to fullest advantage.

Your Training

  
   Professional training is essential for entry into the career of a librarian, because of the
   technical nature of the work and also because special qualifications are a pre-requisite for
   promotion to higher grades. A number of colleges, universities, polytechnics and distance
   learning institutions around the country offer certificate, diploma, graduate and post-graduate
   degree courses in library and information sciences.

   Selection of candidates is mainly merit based. Some institutions/departments hold admission
   tests.

   The syllabus includes library sciences and management; classification / cataloguing systems;
   bibliography; reference services; documentation; information processing; library and
   information systems management; research methodology; computer applications;
   information storage and retrieval; preservation and conservation of manuscriptology; and
   information systems and services.

   Specialization at Master’s level includes data processing ; abstracting ; indexing ;
   incorporation of automation and equipment ; accessions ; planning and management of
   information centres and systems ; archives management ; advanced techniques ; professional
   practice ; comparative studies in librarianship, administration and management ; referral and
   reader services ; library planning - including architecture, furniture fittings and equipment ;
   literature survey ; special library services ; Asian bibliography ; audio visual library methods.

Your Personality Traits

  
   You do not have to be a bookworm. The essential qualities for librarians are good
   communication skills, resourcefulness, an outgoing personality, a methodical approach,
   organizational skills, interest in reading on a variety of subjects, interest in electronic
   information systems, patience, tact and courtesy in handling reader’s queries and dealing with
   frequent interruptions. An enquiring mind and retentive memory are useful.

Are You Eligible?

  
  For a graduation degree in library science i.e. the B.Lib.Sc., the eligibility is graduation in any
   stream.

   Those who wish to upgrade their skills and qualification, the M. Lib. Sc. (Master of library
   science) course is also available in about eight universities in the country.

   The minimum eligibility to join this programme is a B. Lib Sc. degree, some universities also
   prefer some working experience.

ACHIEVER

Charles Ammi Cutter

    Charles Ammi Cutter was
    born in Boston,
    Massachusetts on March
    14, 1837. His early,
    classical education
    prepared him for entry into
    the clergy. He studied at
    Harvard College from 1851
    to 1855 and then spent a
    year tutoring applicants
    for college entrance
    exams (W. Cutter 6).
    Subsequently, he entered
    the Harvard Divinity School
    in autumn, 1856 (Immroth
    380). Even before his
    graduation, in 1858, Cutter
    was appointed assistant
    librarian of the School and
    he unwittingly began what
    would become his life's
    work (Foster 697). His first
    job was to prepare a new
    catalog of the Divinity
    school library in response
    to a major accession that
    doubled the size of the
    collection (W. Cutter 8).

    Shortly after his graduation
    from Harvard in 1860,
    Cutter chose not to be
    ordained and, instead,
    became assistant librarian
    of Harvard College and
    worked on the
    development of a new
    library catalog. Unlike most
    library catalogs of the time,
    it used index cards rather
    than being presented in the
    form of a published volume.
    It consisted of an author
    file and an alphabetical
    "classed catalog". This
    provided a primitive form
    of subject access and his
    "work with this type of
    catalog prepared Cutter
    for his later work with the
    dictionary catalog" (W.
    Cutter 11; Immroth 381).

    In December of 1868,
    Cutter was chosen as
    librarian of the Boston
    Anthenaeum and he
    began the arduous task
    of preparing a published
    catalog of the holdings.
    This appeared in five
    volumes, published in
    stages between 1874
    and 1882 (Immroth 381).
    Writing in 1931, Cutter's
    nephew and biographer
    William Parker Cutter notes
    that "It has been the model
    for many other dictionary
    catalogs; and even now is
    in frequent usage by
    catalogers in search of full
    names. and similar
    information" (20). This
    massive project established
    Cutter's reputation in the
    library world.

    Charles Ammi Cutter died
    on September 6, 1903 at
    Walpole, New Hampshire.
    He was survived by his
    wife and two adult sons.
    (Immroth 384).

    Ironically, Cutter's most
    significant contribution to
    the field of Library and
    Information Studies was
    his system of Expansive
    Classification. Despite the
    fact that it was never
    widely adopted, it strongly
    influenced the development
    of the Library of Congress
    classification system. Also,
    the system of author
    numbers he devised
    continues in wide use and
    still bears his name.

Your Preparation

  
   You should be a graduate to join a professional course like B.Lib.Sc. Those who wish to upgrade their qualification, Master of
   library science (the M. Lib. Sc.) is offered at eight universities in the country.

   So, go ahead and complete your graduation from any stream and you'll still be ready to take up this professional course.

Your Institutes

  
   Regular Courses are offered at many Universities and some Polytechnics. Some of them are listed below :

   UNIVERSITIES :

   - University of Bihar, Muzaffarpur - 842 001

   - University of Delhi, Delhi - 110 007

   - Jadavpur University, P.O. Jadavpur University, Calcutta - 700 032

   - Osmania University, Administrative Building, Hyderabad - 500 007

   - Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi - 221 002

   - University of Lucknow, Badshahbagh, Lucknow - 226 007

   - Bundelkhand University, Jhansi - 284 002

   - Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi - 221 005

   - Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

   - Marathwada University, Aurangabad

   - Universities of Pune, Bombay, Baroda, Kerala, Madras

   COURSES

   - B.Lib.Sc. ; B.Lib. & Inf.Sc.

   - M.Lib.Sc. ; M.Lib. & Inf.Sc.

   POLYTECHNIC :

   - Women's Polytechnic, Maharani Bagh, New Delhi

   COURSE : Diploma in Library Science (DLSc.) - 2 years

   CORRESPONDENCE COURSES IN LIBRARY SCIENCE :

   - Delhi Institute of Management and Services (D.I.M.S.), 301 Akashdeep Building, Barakhamba Road, Connaught Place, New
     Delhi - 110 001  Mumbai Office : 97 Bora Bazar, Fort Bombay.

   - Bhartiya Shikshak Parishad (U.P.) (B.S.P.), C/o Indian Management and Polytechnic College, 2/204 Vishwas Khand, Gomti
     Nagar, Lucknow

   COURSES : Diploma in Library Science(DLSc.) - 1 year

   - Indira Gandhi National Open University (I.G.N.O.U.), New Delhi

   COURSE : Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLSc.) - 1 year

   -Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu - 608 002

   COURSES :  - 1 year Bl.Sc. and Inf.Sc.

                      -   1 year Ml.Sc. and Inf.Sc.

Your Responsibilities

  
   A librarian performs multidimensional activities ranging from classifying, cataloguing and documenting to guiding readers and
   researchers in identifying the material they are looking for. They have to keep abreast of new publications and decide how
   much of their budget can be spent on these and how much must go on periodical subscriptions, updating important reference
   books and other stock replacement.

   When new material comes in, it must be catalogued, classified (often with the aid of a computer) and made available to
   library users. Many librarians put new acquisitions on display or inform readers about them in bulletins or book lists, which
   may contain summaries. Librarians are expected to deal with inquiries, some of which can take weeks of research. They can
   use computers for both literature searches and to provide on-line news services and database. When material is not in their
   own library, librarians try to arrange inter-library loans.

   There are many types of libraries - mainly public libraries, reference libraries, libraries in schools, colleges, universities,
   research institutions and museums, organization specific libraries such as in banks, government departments, companies,
   law firms, news papers, news agencies and publishing houses, children's ‘ libraries etc.

Your Working Conditions

  
   Librarians (except those in the mobile service) work indoors, often by artificial light, sometimes in a dusty environment. Some
   librarians are in beautiful old buildings, others in new specially-designed building. Others may be one or two rooms in a firm’s
   office. In a busy library there are continual requests from inquirers, many of whom want information in a hurry. Great pressure
   can build up.

Your Future Prospects

  
   Apart from job opportunities in various libraries, trained library professionals can find work in information centres, archives and
   cultural organizations. Those with entrepreneurial abilities can start libraries for children or special groups of people or even
   operate mobile libraries. Library professionals can also diversify into teaching library and information sciences, information
   consultancy services, information technology in research institutions, printing and publishing, editorial work and
   documentation.

Your Remuneration

  
   Remuneration depends on qualifications and the organization. Apart from job opportunities in various libraries, trained library
   professionals can find work in information centres, archives and cultural organizations. Those with entrepreneurial abilities can
   start libraries for children or special groups of people or even operate mobile libraries. Library professionals can also diversify
   into teaching library and information sciences, information consultancy services, information technology in research
   institutions, printing and publishing, editorial work and documentation.

Related Occupations

• Writer
• Columnist
• Broadcasting

Suggested Readings

  
   Foundations of Library and Information Science by Richard Rubin

   100 More Research Topic Guides for Students (Greenwood Professional Guides in School Librarianship) by Dana McDougald,
   Barbara Wood Borne

   1998 Academic Library Trends and Statistics for Carnegie Classification : Associate of Arts Colleges by Thomas M.
   Guterbock

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