Librarian is a term for people who have competence from librarianship education and/or training. A librarian is given the task and responsibility to carry out library management and services. Librarians are responsible for managing library collections, both books, journals, magazines, bulletins, and other documents such as CDs and DVDs.
The librarian also acts as a reference expert who provides advice in finding data and information in accordance with what the library visitors consulted. Every day, in the implementation of library services, librarians will be assisted by library technical staff. For example, to collect, organize, and maintain libraries, magazines, documents, etc. and to provide it to library visitors.
A librarian is required to be able to express ideas, innovations, and creativity in an article, you know. One challenge for librarians is to create libraries and figures of librarians who seem to relax and friendly while keeping a professional manner. This becomes mandatory due to a lack of reading passion in students of the modern era.
In the digital age, libraries are expected to not merely increase the number of visitors. Today’s library is expected to provide access to the public through the development of information technology applications. Well, this is where librarians must have provisions in designing programs that attract the interest of the community.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Librarian
- Planning for procurement of books, library materials, and other documents to enrich library collections.
- Conduct coding on library collections in accordance with specific science groups to facilitate users in finding literature.
- Describe library materials and make a facility that makes it easy for visitors to find the collection they are looking for.
- Maintain or maintain the library collection so that it can still be used as it should.
- Collecting, rearranging libraries, magazines, documents (such as CDs and DVDs), and so on to the original shelf.
- Providing services to library visitors.
- Provide advice to users in finding data and information according to their needs.
Knowledge and Expertise of a Librarian
- Managerial ability
- Communication skills
- The ability to think critically
- Problem-solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Service orientation
- Mastery of foreign languages
Librarians who work for educational institutions have attractive career paths. Within the scope of the library, the librarian’s career path can start from the library’s technical staff to become the head of the library.
Generally, librarian positions are grouped into two based on their educational background. Librarians who hold a Diploma will enter the functional position of a skilled librarian. Meanwhile, librarians who have a Bachelor’s degree enter the functional position of the Expert Librarian. Well, the career path of each of these paths varies, depending on the length of service as well as other achievements.