Career Field: A wide variety of positions are open to Library Technicians. Some Technicians work in public services. Their responsibilities may include assisting patrons at the Information Desk, designing displays, checking out materials, operating audiovisual equipment and tracking statistics. Technicians who work in technical services help to order, process and catalog materials. Technicians also work in automation, community outreach programs and children's services. See Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/ and the O*NET database for more information on library careers.
Job Outlook: The Bay Area currently has over 1000 library & information service centers catering to the needs of an expanding population There are opportunities for employment in school, public, academic and special libraries as well as in related information industries.
Finding Employment: Employment resources for students include the College Career Center and our department listserve. In additon, our colleagues at Diablo Valley College have compiled an exhaustive list of job and career resources for library employment.
Learning Outcomes - Program:
A. PROGRAM LEVEL
I. Philosophy and political culture
- Relate the First Amendment to library and information services
- Disciss the importance of intellectual freedom and unobstructed access to information
- Discuss ethical standards and dilemmas of the profession
- Explain or Identify laws and regulations that pertain to libraries
- Explain the history, philosophy, principles, policies and ethics of library and information science
- Explain the role of libraries in a democratic society
- Explain the role of state, regional and national professional organizations
- Recognize intellectual property, access, and security issues
- Recognize library users’ right to privacy
- Explain principles, norms, and practices governing professional communication
II. Administration & Management
- Discuss the variety of services offered by different kinds of libraries and information service providers
- Discuss methods for selection, acquisition, circulation, maintenance and weeding of library materials
- Discuss organizational design and administrative functions
- Recognize problems in a workplace and devise strategies to resolve them
III. Culture, society, public role
- Understand the basics of information seeking
- Understand how information is created and published
- Explain the various media used to distribute, store and retrieve information
- Explain information literacy
- Demonstrate understanding retrieval, evaluation, dissemination, and utilization
- Recognize and analyze information needs
- locate, retrieve, evaluate, and further disseminate information
- Apply customer service ideals to assisting individuals, groups and organizations
- Understand the information needs of diverse populations with special needs
- Understand how diversity contributes to the library and information professions
- Analyze information issues for diverse or special needs communities
- Explain how information can support problem solving
- Explain research
- Discuss appropriate and effective reference interview
- Apply standards relevant to specific information service activities
- Solve reference service problems
- Respond to diversity among individuals and communities through policies, collections, and services.
- Demonstrate understanding of the use of information and communication technologies
- Provide information resources and services in libraries and other settings
- Describe various library and information settings, services, and roles
- Describe interdisciplinary and community collaboration in library and information services
- Outline values and service orientation of the library and information professions
- Discuss the role of libraries as teaching institutions
- Demonstrate interpersonal and collaborative skills
- Outline public services offered in libraries
- Debate local, national, and international information issues, policies, and regulations
- Discuss the role of serving underserved groups
- Analyze information needs of individuals in varied demographic, social, economic and ethnic communities
IV. Application
- Explain the purpose and importance of a catalog.
- Explain basic classification and subject analysis
- Demonstrate understanding of physical layout for information organization and storage
- Explain technical processes and tasks in libraries
- Manage resources through identification, selection, and acquisition; organization and description; retrieval, provision of access, storage, and preservation; and analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of an existing collection.
- Apply appropriate and competent search strategies
- Select sources to match information needs
- Locate relevant, accurate and current information
- Know information retrieval processes and procedures
- Demonstrate knowledge of print and electronic information retrieval procedures.
- Identify current and emerging technologies
- Articulate how technology is reshaping the profession.
- Competently use relevant business and communication technologies and collaboration techniques – such as photocopiers, scanners, fax machines, e-mail, discussion lists, newsgroups, chat, blogs, web conferencing, etc.
- Summarize Analyze, synthesize, and communicate information found in a variety of formats
- Show critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, organization, and leadership skills
- Assess and evaluate systems for managing content.
- Apply relevant research studies to tasks requiring problem solving and critical thinking.
- Analyze information problems and develop solutions drawing from a wide range of information technology tools and practices.
- and will demonstrate the ability to apply them to practical problems
- Explain nature of research, research methods and and show the ability to apply research findings to practical problems
B. COURSE LEVEL (Distributions from I-IV above)
LIBR 51: III, IV
LIBR 53: I, II, III, IV
LIBR 55A: IV
LIBR 55B: I, II, III, IV
LIBR 56: IV
LIBR 57: III, IV
LIBR 58a-c: I, II, III, IV
LIBR 59: IV
