Library Profession’s Reflection in the Professional Standards

The article describes staffing situation in the Russian libraries. It is posed the problem of harmonization of the requirements for library professionals between employers, practicing librarians, edu-cational organizations and the government bodies in the library sector. The proposed solution of the pro-blem is the development of professional standards. The paper exposes the experience in the design of professional standards for “Library and Information Work Specialist” and “Teacher-Librarian”. There are characterized the objective prerequisites, the basic conceptual provisions of the standardization of library and information activity, experience in the development of draft documents on a proactive basis and on the basis of the state contract for execution of works. Comparative analysis of two projects in the terms of selection and description of job functions and work activities, requirements to skills and knowledge of specialists, to the educational status of librarians is conducted. There is made the conclusion that libra-rian is a unique and intellectual profession which requires the specialized education. There are defined the prospects of development of additional professional education in the library sphere in accordance with the requirements of professional standards: interaction of educational institutions engaged in training of librarians with libraries in the implementation of programs of improvement of professional skill growth and professional retraining of library staff on the basis of application of information, communication and distance learning technologies.

Professional Standards, Library and Information Work Specialist, Teacher-Librarian, Job Functions, Skills and Knowledge, Educational Status

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