Courses Career Profile Examples Library Assistant or Technician

Library Assistant or Technician

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

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TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Library Assistant or Technician

Accredited (Award)

• Certificate III in Library/Information Services
• Diploma of Library/Information Services

Introduction

For centuries, we have been documenting our thoughts, philosophies and discoveries in journals and books. More recently we have turned to web pages on the Internet. A librarian or library technician helps us to access various sources of information. Sometimes referred to as 'information professionals', their primary role is to assist in the delivery of information to users. There are three main occupations in the library and information services sector:

Librarians design and develop systems for the effective management of recorded material, books, other written material and electronic equipment. They also train and supervise other staff, develop policies aimed at improving library services and undertake promotional and user education activities even telling stories to wide eyed young children!

Library technicians provide operational and technical support to libraries and information services. Their work focuses on the operation, maintenance and control of established systems within a library or information service.

Library assistants provide administrative and clerical support to librarians and technicians.

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Education Requirements

To become a qualified Library technician, you must complete the Diploma of Library / Information services.
TAFE SA offers the Certificate III for those wishing to work as a Library Assistant and the Diploma of Library/Information Services for those that would like to work as a Library technician.
Those graduating from the Diploma can continue their studies to work as a Librarian by undertaking the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Management offered by The University of South Australia. TAFE SA has an articulation agreement with the University of South Australia which provides students with credit towards units offered in these qualifications.

The Diploma of Library / Information services is accredited by The Australian Library and Information Association
http://www.alia.org.au/education/courses/listing.html?ID=37

Career Path

Libraries continue to hold collections of books, journals and other printed items, but also now make use of cutting edge technology in order to efficiently meet clients' information needs. Keeping up to date with technological changes is therefore critical for information professionals, some of whom are now providing consultancy services. They use their specialised skills to access information for clients who know its somewhere on the web, but don't have the time or skills to find it.

It is a medium sized occupation with reasonable employment prospects.

Industries

Cultural and Recreational Services,  Education,  Health and Community Services

Interview

I was interested in libraries even from my primary school days and would spend a lot of time watching the teacher librarian and thinking ‘That looks like interesting work’.

In Year 10, I did work experience at the Woodside library in the Adelaide Hills and then went straight into Certificate 3 in Library and Information Services after Year 12.

I did the certificate studies full-time learning basic library skills like the processing of books, their preservation and repair, as well as basic security stripping. In addition to these we learnt a variety of generic skills like records management, customer service, and research skills. It was all fairly straight forward and simple at that level and I really wasn’t sure of my direction until further into the Diploma.

I found the Diploma much more interesting and enjoyed the involvement with more the specialised library skills. I learnt more about the details of referencing - how to transcribe full entries, collate and compile Dewey decimal numbers and subject headings; cataloguing - creating records for particular items; how to conduct reference interviews with students when they came up to the desk with an enquiry. I also learnt about collection development – acquisitions and the various factors of developing a collection such as budgeting, space, popularity/usage, et cetera.

Library work is still a comparatively small area and when work opportunities do arise in the field they are usually advertised within the course. That is how I got into my present position. I was still doing the Diploma course, saw an advertisement and applied to join the casual pool of library staff here at the Currie St. campus of TAFE. About a month later I started and the 15 hours a week of work suited my continued studying really well.

I started on the ‘front desk’ just serving students, inputting their new registration forms and printing off I.D. cards. I was working as a casual for about 7 months and then had a job relocation to the ‘Art School’ library in the Roma Mitchell Arts Education Centre across the square. That is a much smaller library with, as you’d imagine, a very specific arts related collection based on the subjects taught in jewellery, design, art history et cetera. It was a very different experience working on students’ very specific enquiries and interests.

I think sometimes I found it a little bit frustrating when you are on the circulation desk…it is very, very quiet and there is nothing to do… you end up just waiting and waiting and waiting for a customer to come in … But really that is just a work flow issue and it fluctuates and you learn to be productive wherever you are.

I actually enjoyed it more in the library at the main (Currie St.) campus because there was a lot more activity… a larger student population and a broader range of subjects… so I’d be involved with more of diverse queries.

When a part-time position became available at the main campus in technical services, I applied and have now been working as a Library Assistant for a little over 2 months. My duties are definitely different and it has been a good development in my range of responsibilities and duties.

Where I used to be here on the circulation desk a lot of the time now I do more of the behind the scenes work like: searching ‘Kinetica’ - an online library database hosted by the National Library of Australia - to retrieve bibliographic records, print off records and then input them on to the AIT library catalogue system following a set of work instructions. I also ‘weed’ items from the system based on certain criteria such as their age… number of times borrowed et cetera.

I really enjoy what I do. You need an attention to detail in my area of work obviously because of the inputting of records and the various computer based tasks – database searches and spreadsheet records. In this busier environment I need to manage my time and workflow effectively - prioritising tasks and requests and working well with the team. Working on the circulation desk also definitely needs a good customer service orientation and effective communication with a range of students.

I always used to think that libraries were ‘hush hush’ places… where if anyone so much as uttered a word they’d get told to be quiet… but I think the nature of libraries has changed. I love an academic library environment. There are many different cultures present here at AIT and some aren’t aware of the expected behaviours and attitudes that are traditionally expected for public places like the libraries. The place is used by a lot of different study groups and they often have discussions about their assignments…there is access to lots of computers… students will use the facility not just for reading and research but for assignment writing… and make a lot more noise. It is a much more active environment… which is fine. As long as people are using the library that’s all that matters.

I’ll be finishing the course at the end of the year and am thinking I would like to stick to an academic library at this point. I love interacting with the variety of staff and students and take what knowledge I have learnt and apply it here. I’m young still (21) but perhaps in the future I’ll look at a librarian’s position… more of a managerial role, anything is possible… I’ll just have to do the research!

External Links

The Australian Library and Information Association

http://www.alia.org.au/education/courses/listing.html?ID=37

Nature of the Job

Librarians, library technicians and library assistants work in many different industries. Many work in public libraries run by local governments or in the State Library. Information professionals also undertake information management work in educational institutions, government departments, hospitals, law firms and a broad range of private sector industries. Information professionals may be required to work evenings, weekends and on public holidays.

Typical Physical Working Environment

Qualified library staff work in public libraries, archives, schools, technical colleges and tertiary institutions. They also work for government departments, museums, research and consulting organisations, teaching hospitals, industrial and business firms, all of which have libraries specialising in particular fields.

Library assistants and library technicians must have a good aptitude for working with computers. They need to have good organisational skills and a wide general knowledge. They also must have good communication skills and a strong customer service attitude.

Typical Occupational Example

Factors which affect the demand for librarians, library technicians and library assistants include government funding levels, the introduction of technologies and the level of activity in private sector industries (for example law firms) that employ librarians.

For further information, contact:

Australian Library and Information Association Ltd (National Office)
PO Box 6335 Kingston ACT 2604
Ph: (02) 6215 8222
Fax: (02) 6282 2249
Email: enquiry@alia.org.au
Internet Address: http://www.alia.org.au

Earning Potential

Salaries range widely, depending on the level of qualifications and the industry within which the library is located. The starting salary for a library technician in a South Australian public library is approximately $52,000 per year. The starting salary for a library assistant in a South Australian library is about $40,000 and may go as high as $51,000 per annum.
For further details, please refer to Salaries for Australian librarians and library technicians available from the Australian Library and Information Association website.

Further Information

For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or enquire online