It is universally recognized that books, journals, magazines, newspapers and other print media which contain data and information on a variety of subjects - education, economy, science and technology and so on - constitute the basic intellectual resources of a nation. As a resource, information and its effective dissemination and utilization is like electrical energy and the impact of reliable, fast and inexpensive information resources on the national economy would be as great as that of electricity and its distribution.

Specialists believe that information is the major resource of all resources, because information resources permit other resources to be identified, evaluated and utilized. Information is an essential ingredient of change and it is the only resource, which grows, as it is sub-divided, and spreads. Under development in countries like India is no more than the consequence of the lack of capacity to create information resources, to handle them properly, to store them systematically, to utilize them effectively and to distribute them equitably. The flow of fresh, useful and reliable information through books, journals, magazines, newspapers and the mass communication media like radio and TV is the pacemaker of progress. It is a form of modern currency and an investment for the future.

The emerging high-tech technologies like computers, telecommunication, microelectronics, new sources of energy, biotechnology etc. are valued more in terms of information generated than anything else. Libraries, which collect, organize, analyze, store, retrieve and disseminate information play a critical role in the knowledge chain.

Throughout the centuries, librarians have preserved books and records from the hazards of war, fire, and flood, and it is no idle boast to say that they have played a large part in the socio-economic, scientific and technological development of their countries and in maintaining and promoting cultural heritage. Although the traditional librarian acted primarily as a keeper of records, the concept of librarianship as a profession eventually appeared as a legitimate extension of the role of custodian. Although it is rather difficult to define the term “profession”, it would be clear that librarianship is indeed a profession which has been given various definitions by various people at various times. Since the 1980's, there has been a gradual change in nomenclature of the profession of librarianship.

“Librarians” are also called now as “information professionals” or “information specialists”; and “library science” becomes “information science” and a “Department of Library Science” in a University transforms itself into a “Department of Library & Information Science” or “Department of Information Science Studies”. The only term that has not suffered a name change seems to be “library profession” as we witness today. However, seen from a positive viewpoint, these changes reflect the ability of the librarians to react and adapt themselves to change and progress.

Contemporary understanding and usage of the term “library professional" implies: An intellectual endowed with qualities of choice and judgement; A learned person, because the exercise of his skills, judgement and application is based on a substantial body of knowledge; A practitioner because the corpus of knowledge and skills acquired by him are put to a practical use of benefit to others. A member of organized professional associations of practitioners.

The need to further enhance the library profession has assumed greater urgency since the 1980’s because of: greater competition posed by the proliferation of information services that are not solely based on books and print media; the need to apply information technology to library functions and services; increased professional awareness of issues related to librarianship because of greater networking among librarians. increase of schools of library and information studies, resulting in better-educated librarians and information scientists who opt for a career in librarianship by choice.

The basic qualifications required for a course of study in library science are:

For a Certificate Course in Librarian Ship :

A Pass in SSLC or (duration varies from 3 months to 12 equivalent months)

For a Diploma Course in Library Science :

A pass in 2-year (Duration - 12 months) pre-university degree

For a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science :

A University Degree (Duration - one year)

For a Master’s Degree in Library Science :

A Bachelor’s Degree (Duration - one year) in Library Science

For a Doctorate Degree in Library Science :

A Master’s Degree in (By Thesis) Library Science (Note: Correspondence Courses for a Bachelor’s Degree/Master’s Degree in Library Science are also offered by many Universities in India - such as Indira Gandhi Open University, New Delhi, Madras University, Mysore University etc.

a Applications for taking up the correspondence course are invited by these Universities through advertisements in leading Newspapers) Courses available

The general pattern of courses in Library Science available in India is as under:

Certificate Course :

This course is offered by a few Polytechnics, Library Associations (However, it is not advisable to go for this course, since it is not recognized by many employer organizations)

Diploma Course :

An one-year Diploma Course is offered by some universities and also by a few Polytechnics like the Women's Polytechnic, Bangalore

Bachelor’s Degree in :

About 20 Universities in India Library Science/Bachelor’s, offer this course Degree in Library & Information Studies.

Master’s Degree in :

Some of the 20 Universities which Library Science/ offer Bachelor's Degree in / Master’s Science also offer Master's Degree Degree in Library & in Library Science Information Studies.

Ph.D. in Library Science :

A few Universities like Delhi, Dharwad etc. also offer Ph. D in Library Science by research.

Job opportunities for qualified librarians are very bright and those with atleast a Bachelor Degree in Library Science and preferably some work experience can find jobs in: Public Libraries School/College Libraries University Libraries Special Libraries/Information Centres Industrial Libraries/Information Centres Public Libraries Public libraries facilitate self-education and improvement, support mass literacy and education and provide opportunities for leisure-time activities of the citizens.

Many State Governments have passed legislation for setting up a network of public libraries throughout the State. Public libraries provide free access to books, audio-visual materials, journals, magazines newspapers etc on a variety of subjects for the benefit all citizens and allow them to borrow library materials for use at homes by means of a membership scheme. Public libraries are the main source of employment for a large number of librarians who have only Certificates or Diplomas in Library Science. School Libraries All recognized Schools - primary, secondary and higher secondary - and all colleges are expected to have their Libraries to support academic instruction and studies. Students are allowed to browse in the Libraries, work on assignments with the help of the books and publications available and also borrow books whenever necessary.

There will be atleast one qualified Librarian in each school library and about 3 to 4 in each college library. University Libraries Libraries are an indispensable part of research, teaching and studies in the University environment and play a critical role in promoting a growing awareness and spirit of inquiry among the students and members of the faculty. Generally, University Libraries are very large and offer job opportunities to many qualified librarians ranging in number from 25 to 100, depending on the size of the libraries.

Special Libraries/Information Centres Special Libraries/Information Centres are those which are attached to Research Centres and Laboratories set up by the Central/State Governments under various Departmental or Autonomous Research Councils like the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Indian Medical Council, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Space Research Organization, Atomic Energy Commission, Defense Research & Development Organization etc. Many independent Professional Associations/Societies, Hospitals, Chambers of Commerce etc. have also their own Libraries to support their activities. These Libraries have highly specialized collection of books and non-book materials and provide a range of library and information services to scientists, engineers and research scholars to keep themselves abreast of current and latest trends in their specific areas of research activities.

There is a good scope for job opportunities in these Libraries for highly qualified and experienced Librarians/Information Officers who have also some working knowledge of computer and communication technologies. Industrial Libraries/Information Centres In order to promote industrial innovations and development in a global competitive environment, many major Public and Private Sector Undertakings have set up in-house Libraries/Information Centres There are about 300 such major Undertakings in India and qualified and competent librarians/information officers can find good jobs in these Undertakings as well. Job opportunities abroad Finally, Librarians have also good prospects for jobs and providing consultancy services in many Asian-African countries, as these countries lack adequate number of qualified and trained manpower to work in their libraries.

For managing and running the Public Libraries many State Governments has a separate cadre for Librarians under the overall control of the Director of Public Libraries in the Ministry of Education. Rules exist for the recruitment of librarians and their progressive advancement from the entry-level appointment to the next higher grades, as in the case of other government servants in many Departments of the State Governments. In school/college libraries, the librarians are generally treated on par with the teachers and may be paid the same scales of pay and allowances as are applicable to the teachers of equivalent grades. For the Librarians working in the University Libraries also, the University Grants Commission of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, has prescribed uniform scales of pay which are generally on par with those applicable to Lectures/Assistant Professors/Associate Professors/Professors in various Departments of the University.

Similarly, in many Research Organizations under the Government of India, library/information professionals are given the same status and scales of pay as are applicable to the research scientists and engineers in equivalent grades. In Industrial Libraries too, librarians/information officers enjoy equal status, grades and scales of pay as are applicable to the managerial cadre.

Qualified and experienced librarians/information officers who are ambitious and who have the necessary entrepreneurial skills can also set up their own profit-making enterprises like setting up book shops, importing and distributing highly specialized information resources like academic and research journals, patents, standards and specifications and non-book materials like CD-ROM/Magnetic databases, audio/video cassettes, library supplies like furniture and book processing equipment etc. They can also develop on their own, or arrange to import, information storage and retrieval software and systems for sales to specialized libraries and information centres. They can also set up facilities to provide online access and retrieval of information from international databases through computer/communication networks.

The designations of various categories of library professionals will be broadly as under, but may vary from library to library, depending upon the size of the library, the number of professionals working, the user population, funds available and other factors:

Chief Librarian/Chief Information Officer/Head of Library Deputy Librarian/Information Officer Assistant Librarian Senior Professional/Technical Assistant Professional/Technical Assistant Library Assistant Library Attendants (unskilled library workers) A day in the life of a Librarian A day in the life of a librarian will be unique and quite interesting. Each day will be different from the other.

The first job a librarian has to do after the doors of the library are opened each morning is to see that the library premises are cleaned properly and to ensure that the books left on the tables after consultation by the readers during the previous day are put back on their unique locations in the book racks. He should next check in the Library Circulation Counter whether the users are satisfied about the library and its services and whether the books issued to the readers on loan from time to time are being returned in time and whether notices/reminders have been sent to them urging them to return overdue books. He should also ensure that the amounts collected by the counter daily towards overdue charges are remitted to the Cash Department of the organization and properly accounted for. The Librarian will then go round various sections of the Library - Acquisition, Technical Processing, supervise the work in progress. He may then attend to correspondence work, sign letters and certify bills for books supplied and other office routines.

The Librarian will have opportunities to meet hundreds of students and other users, who visit the library regularly, greet them and talk to them and understand their needs. He might also receive new users and take them round the library explaining the activities and services of each section of the library Librarians may also be called upon to attend meetings held in the organization to discuss organization, management and services provided by the library. He may also deliver talks about the role of the library and how it helps in the work of the parent organization to which it is attached.

Librarians/Information Officers can specialize in one or more of the following areas of activities :

Building up document collection in a library through purchase/exchange/gift of books, journals, audio-visual and other non-book materials Technical processing - Classifying and Cataloguing of books and non-book materials

Library and Information Services :

Circulation, Reference, Literature Search and Bibliography, Database creation and management, information access and retrieval from local and international databases etc.

Automation of Library functions and service, Networking and other techniques and services based on computers and communication technologies.

Terminologies / Glossaries Acquisition :

a process / methodology involved in identifying, selecting, procuring different kinds of documents - books, journals, reports, audio-visual materials and non-book materials like patents, standards, specifications, CD-ROM and Magnetic Tape Databases etc. to enrich and update the document collections in a Library/Information to meet the current and future needs of the library users and clientele.

Bibliography :

a compilation of relevant information sources (with indexes or abstracts) on a specific subject to meet the specific requirement of a student/faculty/researcher/manager and other users.

Cataloguing :

a process/methodology for preparing an entry for each book and other publication added to the library collections. Typically, a main catalogue entry contains the following information on the book/document: Author, title, imprints (name of publisher, place, year of publication, number of pages, price etc) and the class number (i.e. classification code indicating the dominant subject content of the book).

Classification :

A scheme of alphanumeric or numeric codes for use to arrange the books on shelves in a classified sequence by subjects and sub-subjects under each main subject. The subject content of a book/document is considered as the most memorable feature of that book or document. The main purpose of classification is to bring like things together and keep unlike things apart. A classification scheme permits the users to browse books in a library by subject in an orderly sequence, moving from the more general to the specific subject.

Circulation :

a process/methodology for issue of books and publications on loan, sending reminders for overdue books and collecting overdue charges, if any, providing general assistance to readers about the location of books and the services provided by the Library etc.

Technical Processing :

a generic term generally used to note the processes involved in acquisition, cataloguing and classification of books. This work is generally done by qualified librarians/library assistants and supervised by a senior librarian. Inter-Library Loans - No single library can acquire and stock all books that are published all over the world because of the costs involved, space requirements and other factors. Therefore, Libraries have a strong tradition of inter-library cooperation for sharing their resources and lending general textbooks to each other on short-term loans to satisfy the needs of users.

Reference Service :

This means a service provided to the users to locate required books and other publications in a library or to provide a reading list or bibliography containing references to published literature on any specific topic.

Information Search and Retrieval :

Information search and retrieval is a service offered to the users of the library by searching for information on a specific topic of interest to the users from printed sources available within the Library or from digital information resources available on the Internet or from international databases available online.

Library Services :

Library services normally cover : issue of books and publications available in the library to the users on loan and ensuring their return to the library on expiry of the loan period; procurement of books and publications required by the users either through purchase/gift/exchange or through inter-library loans; arranging the prominent display of new books to enable users to browse them or borrow any item, if required; compiling and circulating lists of new books/publications added to the library periodically; photocopying services and reference service Information Services.

Information services are more specialized than library services and include : compilation of reading lists/bibliography on specific topics of interest to the users either on demand or in anticipation; conducting literature searches on specific topics off-line from in-house databases (CD-ROMs/Magnetic tape databases), if any, or online from international databases or Internet, as the case may be; identification of specialized documents like dissertations, patents, standards and specifications etc.,. from domestic and foreign sources, and other customized services to meet the demands of the users.