First level library and/or information science qualifications at South African universities and technikons: a comparative study of curricula

Abstract

The article focuses on some of the findings from a comparative study of first level library and/or IntroductionThere seems to be lack of clarity among the majority of people associatedwith library and/or information services (LIS services)2 as to the relationship between university and technikon first level library and/or information science (LIS) education and training. LISeducators, as well, need to decide what to teach, at what levels and for what types of posts in the work environment. The situation is aggravated by the fact that technikons in South Africa, which had previously offered non-degree programmes only, have begun to offer programmes leading to degree qualifications. This article reports on some of the findings that emerged from a comparative study of first level library and/or information science qualifications offered at South African universities and technikons. The study hopes to provide guidance to employers, students and educators regarding education and training as well as employment in the library and/or information services field.The objectives of this article are, firstly, to provide clarity to those currently employed in library and/or information services, those who wish to become library and/or information professionalsand those who want to employ library and/ or information professionals as to what type of first level education and training is required for given posts in the LIS services work environment; and secondly, to provide clarity to library and/or information science educators regarding what job specifications they should be targeting in the academic curriculum, especially in view of the seemingly blurred demarcation between university and technikon library and/or information science education. These objectives are Library and/or information science This term refers to the discipline or branch of learning of library and information science/studies as well as that of information science/studies. This discipline is generally concerned with recordable information and knowledge, and the services and technologies to facilitate their management and use (American Library Association 1992: I). Library and/or information science is, again for the sake of brevity in this article, abbreviated in certain places as LIS.First level library and/or information science qualification A first level library and/or information science qualification is a beginning LIS qualification that affords an individual entry into the LIS services work environment where the work can be at the professional or at the paraprofessional level. This is different from a first level professional library and/or information science qualification.First level professional library and/or information science qualification This is a beginning LIS qualification that affords an individual entry into the LISservices work environment at a professional level. Another term that requires clarity is 'library and/or information professional'.Library and/or information professional The library and/or information professional works...

LIS education and training in South Africa : a historical review

“…Some of the important issues associated with this development, such as, differentiation and specialisation in LIS education and training, the relationship between university and technikon LIS education and training, and articulation between LIS programmes offered by different types of higher education institutions, need to be further researched with a view to possibly guiding these important developments. The author has already to some extent researched and made recommendations on the issue of the relationship between university and technikon LIS education and training (Raju 2002;Raju 2004a;Raju 2004b). The same needs to be done with other important issues associated with the historical development of LIS education and training in South Africa.…”

“…Thus it is very important, in the author's opinion and as expressed elsewhere as well (Raju 2004a), that these two alternative or parallel career paths (that is, LIS professionalism and paraprofessionalism) should be seen in terms of a division of labour, each with its own career path or progression, and not in terms of superiority and inferiority. It is for this reason that the author's earlier analogy of doctors and nurses is useful.…”

“…It seems that the general lack of specialisation at the basic qualification level in LIS in South Africa has been lamented and there has been much encouragement for such specialisationto occur. The more recent study by Raju(2002) hasattempted to investigate this issue and reports findings regarding the current state of specialisationat the basic qualification level in LIS in South Africa.…”

“…This 'uncertainty' has been referred to by the author elsewhere (Raju 2004a), where the author interprets this 'uncertainty' as a lack of clarity among many on the issue of professionalism and paraprofessionalism each having their own career progressions. This 'uncertainty' is evident in Underwood and Nassimbeni's comment (1996: 219) that "it is unclear whether some employers, such as universities, will be willing to appoint people who have obtained the National Higher Diploma [now replaced by the B.Tech.…”

Employability skills of LIS graduates in Pakistan: needs and expectations

“…For example : Mammo, 2007;Varalakshami, 2006;Stilwell, 2004;Lutwama and Kigongo-Bukenya, 2004;Raju, 2004;Stephens andHamblin, 2006, Ocholla, 2001, are few to quote. Mammo (2007) discusses the factors effecting the LIS employers' perception of LIS employees and their employability from an Ethiopian perspective.…”